From Pabaon to Apuhap: A Continuing Journey in Philippine Theater With Dr. Arthur Casanova

Celebrating the launch of Koleksiyon ng mga Duláng Pampaslit and a meaningful chapter in my journey as a Filipino playwright

There are moments in a writer’s life that feel bigger than the publication of a single work.

For me, the launch of Koleksiyon ng mga Duláng Pampaslit is one of those moments.

To see my name and my work included in a collection dedicated to Filipino children’s theater is deeply meaningful. But what makes this occasion even more special is the person behind the collection: Dr. Arthur P. Casanova.

My script Apuhap is included in this new book, making this another important milestone in my journey as a playwright.

And there is something else that makes me smile when I think about it:

This isn’t the first book of Dr. Casanova’s to include my work.

It is part of a continuing literary relationship that has brought my writing into collections of Philippine theater over the years.

Apuhap Finds a Home

Apuhap is one of my original scripts, and seeing it become part of Koleksiyon ng mga Duláng Pampaslit is a wonderful affirmation of the value of writing for young audiences.

The word apuhap evokes the act of searching, feeling one’s way, or trying to find something even when the path isn’t immediately clear.

For me, that idea has become unexpectedly symbolic of my own journey as a writer.

Writing has always been a process of searching.

Searching for stories.

Searching for characters.

Searching for the right words.

Searching for ways to communicate ideas and emotions to an audience.

And now, Apuhap has found its way into a collection alongside the works of other Filipino playwrights.

That is something I am truly grateful for.

A Third Book, But Not the First Collaboration

One of the things I appreciate most about this milestone is that Dr. Casanova has continued to recognize and include my work.

This latest publication marks the third book of his in which my work has been included.

Our collaboration, however, goes beyond simply appearing together in books.

Over the years, we have crossed paths through Philippine theater, writing, education, and the continuing effort to create meaningful Filipino stories.

My recent works Apuhap and Kaibigan Ko Si Kiko have both found their way into new collections associated with Dr. Casanova.

Looking back, I realize how significant that continuing relationship has been in my development as a writer.

Sometimes, artists don’t realize the importance of certain people in their journey until they look back and see the pattern.

For me, Dr. Casanova is one of those people.

Dr. Arthur P. Casanova: A Champion of Filipino Theater

Dr. Arthur P. Casanova is not simply an editor putting together collections of plays.

He is a significant figure in Philippine theater and children’s literature, with decades of work as a playwright, director, scholar, educator, and anthologist.

His published work includes numerous collections of children’s and teenage plays, books on Philippine theater history, and works exploring Filipino and Mindanao cultural traditions. He has written more than 40 books and directed more than 60 plays across different theatrical forms and genres.

His contribution to children’s theater is particularly notable.

Academic discussions of Philippine children’s literature identify the publication of collections of children’s plays as one of Casanova’s distinctive contributions. He has helped bring together works by different Filipino playwrights and make children’s drama more visible as an important part of Philippine literature.

That makes being included in one of his collections especially meaningful to me.

It isn’t simply another publication credit.

It means my work becomes part of a larger conversation about Filipino theater for young audiences.

The Importance of Children’s Theater

Children’s theater is sometimes underestimated.

People may think that writing for children means writing something simple.

I believe the opposite.

Writing for children requires clarity without being simplistic.

It requires imagination without losing meaning.

It requires the ability to communicate important ideas while still allowing children to experience the joy of storytelling.

A good children’s play can entertain a child while quietly teaching something that stays with them for years.

That is one of the reasons I value this collection.

Koleksiyon ng mga Duláng Pampaslit recognizes that plays written for children deserve a place in our literary and cultural landscape.

My Own Journey as a Playwright

My work as a writer has always been closely connected to theater.

I am a librettist, playwright, director, vocal coach, and theater artist, and through my work with SV Studios, I have continued to create original productions designed not only to entertain but also to educate and inspire.

My writing has taken me into different worlds and different themes.

I’ve written for children.

I’ve written for young people.

I’ve written about Philippine history.

I’ve written musicals that tackle social issues.

And I’ve written stories that simply seek to remind audiences about values that matter.

The stage has always been my laboratory.

It is where words become voices.

Where characters become people.

Where ideas become experiences.

And where a script finally becomes alive.

From Pabaon to Apuhap

One of the most meaningful discoveries I made while reflecting on this latest publication is that my journey with Dr. Casanova goes back further than I sometimes realize.

An archival library catalog record for a Casanova-edited collection lists my play Pabaon alongside works by other prominent Filipino playwrights and writers, including Frank G. Rivera, Tony Perez, Isagani R. Cruz, Ruth Elynia S. Mabanglo, Alberto S. Florentino, Luna Sicat Cleto, and Eugene Y. Evasco.

That earlier appearance now feels like part of a larger story.

Then came other opportunities.

And now comes Apuhap.

Looking at these milestones together, I see something more than individual publications.

I see a continuing journey.

Why Being Included Matters

For a writer, publication is validation.

Not necessarily because seeing your name in print makes you famous.

Rather, because publication says:

Someone believed this story was worth sharing.

Someone believed these characters deserved to be read.

Someone believed these words could contribute something to the larger body of Philippine literature.

For an independent playwright and theater artist, those opportunities matter tremendously.

They encourage us to keep writing.

Keep creating.

Keep telling Filipino stories.

Keep believing that the work we create can reach people beyond the theater where it was first performed.

Writing for the Filipino Child

There is also something deeply important about having Filipino children encounter stories written by Filipino writers.

Our children deserve stories that reflect their imagination, their experiences, their culture, their families, their communities, and their realities.

They deserve to see themselves in literature.

They deserve characters who speak their language.

They deserve stories that entertain them while helping them understand the world around them.

That is why collections like Koleksiyon ng mga Duláng Pampaslit matter.

They preserve and promote Filipino dramatic writing while giving teachers, students, performers, and theater practitioners access to works that can be read, studied, interpreted, and performed.

A Writer’s Gratitude

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Arthur P. Casanova for continuing to open spaces for Filipino playwrights and writers.

Being included in another one of his books is an honor.

But beyond the honor is the encouragement.

Every time a writer’s work is selected, published, and shared with a new audience, it gives that writer another reason to continue.

For me, Apuhap is not the end of the journey.

It is another step.

Another page.

Another story finding its way into the world.

The Journey Continues

When I started writing plays, I never imagined exactly where those scripts would eventually take me.

Some became productions.

Some became performances.

Some became teaching tools.

And some found their way into books.

That is the beautiful thing about writing.

Once you release a story into the world, you no longer completely control where it goes.

A script that began as an idea in your mind can eventually sit on a bookshelf.

A character you created can be read by someone you’ve never met.

A story you wrote years ago can inspire a young reader or performer today.

And that is why this latest publication means so much.

Apuhap has found another audience.

And my journey as a playwright continues.

Thank You, Dr. Casanova

To Dr. Arthur P. Casanova, thank you for believing in Filipino theater, for championing children’s literature, and for giving writers like me opportunities to have our work seen and remembered.

Thank you for including my work once again.

And thank you for reminding us that Filipino plays — especially those written for children — deserve to be read, studied, performed, and preserved.

I am honored to be part of Koleksiyon ng mga Duláng Pampaslit.

And I am grateful that my name is once again part of a literary journey that began years ago.

From Pabaon to Apuhap, the journey continues.

And as long as there are stories waiting to be told, I will keep writing.

Sheila Noreen Lopez Gamo Playwright • Librettist • Director • Theater Artist Founder, SV Studios Events and Workshop Services