FEU Theater Guild opens 79th Season with 'Usapang X'

The Far Eastern University Theater Guild (FTG), in collaboration with Far Eastern University (FEU) and its President’s Committee on Culture (FEU-PCC), recently opened its 79th season with “Usapang X”, an original play written and directed by Dudz Teraña, FTG’s Artistic Director and a Senior Member of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). 

The production, which had a limited six-show run last September 14, 15 and 27 at the historic FEU Theater, extended FTG’s tradition of staging noteworthy and contemporary works. Based on an earlier play by Mr. Teraña entitled “Toilet Bowl”, previously mounted by the PETA-Metropolitan Teen Theater League (PETA-MTTL) in 2004, “Usapang X” is a narrative which features a series of monologues set in a comfort room. Considered to be one of the riskiest plays ever staged by FTG, it tackles esoteric and sensitive issues such as gender, sexuality and other youth-related concerns by exposing different experiences that people normally think of as confidential. “The idea of the play is for the audience to see what happens in someone’s life inside the comfort room without being obscene towards the other person,” explains Mr. Teraña. “It is how people view themselves more than anything else.” With its relevance to the lives of today’s youth, “Usapang X” was well-received by FEU students, each performance drawing long lines and filling the venue up to its full capacity. The play has also generated much discussion, raising awareness among students about the issues it tackles and encouraging them to have a sensitive but firm stance on these realities. According to Mr. Teraña, FTG plans to build on the success of “Usapang X” and develop further enthusiasm for the theatrical arts among members of the FEU community. To accomplish this, he says FTG intends to perform more experimental and award-winning works as well as seek the involvement of alumni and professors in future productions. “Usapang X” was part of FEU-PCC’s 2012-2013 cultural season, a school year-long celebration of the arts at FEU which features exhibits, concerts, performances and film showings by members of the FEU community, including prominent alumni, as well as invited outside guests.   *** Far Eastern University – in promoting the highest intellectual, moral and cultural standards – offers the youth opportunities to excel in the arts and sciences, business, architecture, education, nursing, law, culture and sports, thus giving them a head start to make a difference in today’s world. www.feu.edu.ph