In the most delightful of collaborations, Sari-Sari Storybooks and The Iskwelahang Pilipino (IP) of Boston adapted children’s book Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik into a rondalla musical. This tale of bullying, unconditional friendship, Filipino culture, parents working abroad, and a tofu-loving aswang was presented by IP on June 9, in Bedford, Massachusettes as Kalipay and Gamay: The Musical, to an audience of about 200 people.
Just before the Covid-19 pandemic, IP reached out to Christina about possibly developing a rondalla musical based on a Sari-Sari Storybook. They settled on Kalipay as the story, and for four years, developed a script, emotional maps, music, lyrics, production, and a uniquely Filipino pedagogy for the kids as curriculum and preparation for the community play.
Screenshots of Zoom meetings with Myra Liwanag, Christi-Anne Castro, Christina Newhard, Elsa Janairo, and Missy Liwanag.
IP Executive Director Myra Liwanag says, “I picked Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik because it’s a story that’s relatable whether or not you are Filipino or Filipino American. I told the cast today that I’m so happy and proud to see this production come to the stage. Our students made the story their own in class, bringing the characters to life through their own interpretation of the book, using the lens of what is most meaningful to them as young people, and imagining their own back stories for each character in the play.”
Kalipay author and publisher Christina Newhard says, “Kalipay is by far the bestseller in the Sari-Sari Storybook series. Kids really relate to this story about friendship, who gets to play with whom, who is considered “different.” And they’re fascinated that Gamay splits in half!”
A few young fans of Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik
The script was written by Newhard, and the music composed by Christi-Ann Castro. Song lyrics were composed by Castro and Missy Liwanag, with three additional collaborators on lyrics for “Having a Ball.” On the choice of rondalla as a musical style for Kalipay and Gamay, Castro says, “The bright timbre of the metal strings and the method of playing using tremolo are iconic for many genres of Philippine folkloric music, but the rondalla is also a major ensemble of the Iskwelahang Pilipino of Boston. It was important to us to have this as part of the soundscape for the musical.”
The entire IP Boston community made this production happen, from building the sets to the makeup to making costumes and props. The students embodied the characters beautifully, with Alana Lev (Kalipay) and Cara Payumo (Gamay) as the leads. About 200 people came to the performance. IP and hope to hold watch parties of the recording and take a section of the musical on tour. If you’d like to be informed about future showings of and next steps for Kalipay and Gamay: The Musical, sign up here.
Photos of show by Charlie Castro.
