THE English Club of the University of the Visayas Toledo City Campus (UVTCC) staged the Cebuano play Tingog sa Kagahapon (TSK) in a black box theater on April 7, 8, and 10, 2026, marking a first in the city of Toledo.
Written and directed by Jhay-ar A. Book, TSK is a moving exploration of family, memory, and long-buried truths. The production, staged at 6 p.m. nightly, drew audiences into a deeply emotional narrative centered on Marsing, an aging mother struggling with memory loss. As her condition worsens, her children -- long estranged from one another -- are forced to reunite, setting the stage for a confrontation with unresolved conflicts and painful family history.
The cast featured a mix of student performers from various programs of UVTCC, including Ronnagen Provida, Genevive Tayag, Febbie Lorraine Cantunao, Shane Acquiat, Dexter Fernandez, Jade Marielle Dingding, and Jamaica Almero, whose performances brought emotional depth and authenticity to the story.
For Cantunao, who portrayed Ava, the role marked a significant artistic challenge. In a statement, she shared that the character demanded a "deeper emotional range" than any of her previous performances. She described the experience as both difficult and fulfilling, noting that portraying a character who appears composed outwardly while struggling internally pushed her growth as both an actor and an individual.
Reflecting on the emotional depth and personal impact of the role, Dingding said, “Although I have taken on emotional roles before, this one feels more deeper and more personal. I am portraying a character who is unlike myself, someone who openly shows love for her family in ways I sometimes find hard to express. This play goes beyond acting, as it leaves a quiet but powerful feeling that lingers even after the curtain falls, reshaping how I see and value my relationships in real life.”
With three performances, the play has gathered students, alumni, parents, and theater enthusiasts in the community. Ferliza Calizar-Contratista, one of the audience members and head of Community Affairs and Development Division of Toledo City, praised the actors’ performance, describing it as “precise and crisp.” “No overacting. No wasted movement. Just truth, held and delivered,” she said.
In her review, she wrote, “The story unfolds in a space so familiar. There was a table, a family, and conversations that feel ordinary. Until they’re actually not. Because slowly, the past creeps in. Unresolved pain. Buried truths. The kind of silence that doesn’t disappear, it waits. And when it speaks, it doesn’t shout. It settles into you. You don’t leave overwhelmed. You leave… thinking. And that has always been Sir Jhay’s signature… You sit with it long after the performance ends.”
Behind the production is the English Club of UVTCC, an organization that has spent the past decade cultivating student talent in literature, theater, and public speaking. Guided by Book, the club has become a platform for emerging writers, performers, and artists, producing notable works such as Amanda, BAYE, In Greed, and Revolution. After a pause due to the pandemic, the club has steadily returned to the stage, continuing its mission to empower students through creative expression.
“I’d like to thank all the students, parents and friends of the performers, UVTCC heads, and all those who have supported TSK from the first night to the final performance. TSK is a testament to the public’s growing interest in theater arts and its power to contribute to social transformation,” Book said. (JAB)
