Trumpets Brings The Bluebird of Happiness

A comeback of any sort — personalities, artists, productions, organizations — is always both exciting and scary. It can be an enticing welcome back or a major hindrance to future support. It creates expectations from followers and strangers alike. Thankfully, Trumpets did not disappoint its audience. It made the hiatus worthwhile with an excellent production: The Bluebird of Happiness.

You are in a professional theater play.

It is Christmastime. Christmas trees and other fine Christmas decorations are everywhere. You are a kid, with a sibling you always have pillow fights with, and another sibling yet to be born. You look inside your humble cottage, and you find no Christmas tree. You are sitting on the edge of your small bed you share with your sibling, and your mother is two or three steps away. Your father is far from home.

You sulk. You rant. You throw questions at your mother. You argue again and again with your sibling. You think it is a sad place for kids like you to spend Christmas in. You do not even know what would Christmas be like for you cannot expect gifts that kids your age would ordinarily get.

You’re Mytyl if you’re a girl who bosses your younger brother around, or Tyltyl if you’re a boy who answers back to your older sister. In any case, you want a happy Christmas. You are a kid, and you think you deserve the joy a kid should get during Christmas. You therefore grab the chance to pursue happiness when it was offered to you by mystical creatures despite the doubts and risks. You leave your humble cottage to search for the bluebird of happiness.

In your quest, you meet different creatures. You have your sibling with you, and you only have until dawn to find the bluebird of happiness. You will meet the Night. His wit can make him seem endearing but he will make your quest challenging.

Your cat will betray you. You have a beautiful guide you call Light, and a loyal dog by your side, but will you succeed? Remember, you are a kid.

And not just a kid! You have to remember that you are in a professional theater play. You are expected to be a good actor — as great as Alessa Zialcita/ChimmiKohchet-Chua if you’re Mytyl, and Anton Posadas/Guido Gatmaytan if you’re Tyltyl. You must not take a step back in acting when faced with a funny but menacing Joel Trinidad as the Night. You have to articulate your dialogue perfectly because your lines are well thought of, and the other members of the cast you exchange lines with portray their roles commendably.

You have to give justice to the wonderful direction of Jaime del Mundo, and the excellent idea of Audie Gemora. You have to blend in perfectly with the beautiful set prepared for you. You have to sing well, too! The lyrics are easy on the ears, and the melodies are catchy, but it is a challenge to act, sing, and even dance all at the same time! Remember, you are a kid! And kids are also watching you! Do you have the heart to fail them?

You give up. You can’t do it. A Filipino production as great as this deserves a powerful cast. And that includes you. You look around you, and you see how much effort the members of Trumpets have invested in this play. You remember the group has long been recognized in the field of theater. You know the struggles of the local theater scene, and you can’t afford to disappoint the audience whose support the theater is greatly in need of.

Most importantly, the Filipino audience deserves the best. The Filipino audience deserves happiness.

You snap back to reality, and realized you’ve just turned 21 a couple of days ago. You’re young-at-heart you reason, as you see kids all around you, their eyes glued to the stage, their parents to their left and right.

“The search for happiness is never a waste of time.”

You saw the Light, in all her splendour and bright gold gown. You smile. Night has entered the stage, but you are not afraid. You are young, and the bluebird of happiness is just around the corner.

After bringing us amazing theater productions like Joseph the Dreamer and The Little Mermaid, Trumpets left us hanging for three years. What more can a gospel theater group, known for superb theater quality, offer? Next thing you know there’s The Bluebird of Happiness. And happiness is what you’ll get indeed, when in Manila.

Here is a snippet: