A tribute to those whose hard work is often eclipsed by the stage, 'Backstage Pass: Life Behind the Curtain' opens the viewer's eyes to the fulfilment of backstage production
What is your favourite theatre production? Wicked? Hamilton? Cats? In such big Broadway or West End productions, the applause often comes reserved for those who act on stage. It becomes easy to forget that the work it takes to succeed always begins behind the curtain.
The dazzling worlds we often immerse ourselves in when in an auditorium would be impossible to create without the heavy, guiding hands of the production staff. Accoutred in black, the members of the backstage often work as shadows—but their contributions are what shape the stage we know today.
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On March 30, 2022, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) opened its doors to the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino and premiered Joseph Mangat's Backstage Pass: Life Behind the Curtain. A short film and a documentary, it explores the stories of a handful of CCP's staff, some of whom have stayed for decades working as stagehands, flyers, and lighting crew. Working tirelessly throughout each production, they embody the persevering heart of the theatre, with some of them clocking into the CCP as early as four in the morning to complete a task or get a head start.
Though a handful of them had no previous training in production, their skills garnered from industries such as maritime and electrical repair, made them the perfect candidate to bring the stage to life. A consistent theme throughout the film was the decades-long dedication that each member shared for both the arts and the CCP itself, with many stating that they would not have stayed so long in the theatre had they not felt a true passion for the responsibilities they carried.