Fil-Am children’s book now a rondalla musical in Boston

“Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik: A Cebuano Tale” is now a rondalla musical. Alana Lev (left) as Kalipay and Cara Payumo as Gamay in “Kalipay and Gamay: The Musical.” Photo by Michelle Lazaro-Payumo

BOSTON — Filipino American Christina Newhard’s children’s book, “Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik: A Cebuano Tale,” is now a rondalla musical.

Daydreaming comes easily to Kalipay, but she doesn’t know how to make bullies leave her alone. One day, she makes an unusual new friend in Gamay, who tells the school bully to stop teasing Kalipay.

Other children are afraid of Gamay because of her strange tongue, split body and bat wings. But Kalipay is fascinated by the things that make her new vegetarian friend different. Together, they learn how friendship can overcome differences and create happiness for everyone.

The stage adaptation, titled “Kalipay and Gamay: The Musical,” is borne from a collaboration between Newhard’s publishing company Sari-Sari Storybooks and Iskwelahang Pilipino of Boston.

Newhard’s Sari-Sari Storybooks is an independent press that develops children’s books in different Philippine languages. Iskwelahang Pilipino has been offering language and culture programs to Filipino American families since 1976.

Friendship, community

“Back in 2017, I was a guest at the school to present my first three stories to the kids,” says Newhard. In early 2020, the school reached out to Newhard to ask if she’d be interested in adapting one of her stories into a musical for the school to perform. “They have a strong musical performance program. They’d previously adapted Augie Rivera’s book Alamat ng Ampalaya into ‘Ampalaya the Musical.’”

“We settled on Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik, which is the most popular story in my series. It touches on friendship, bullying, play and kapwa through the lens of Philippine folklore, so the kids relate to it.

The musical is adapted from the book “Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik,” written by Christina Newhard and illustrated by Happy Garaje.

Rondalla, one of the major programs of the school, “is a plucked string ensemble,” explains Newhard. “It was important to us to have this as part of the soundscape for the musical.”

The script is by Newhard, who expanded the story to include additional elements to enrich some characters’ backstories. Music is by Christi-Anne Castro. Lyrics are by Castro and Melissa Liwanag.

There will be six musicians playing three rondalla instruments, piano, electric guitar and bass). “The youngest player is graduating from high school this year and the rest are adults. All of them were students of the school or have children in the school.

“It’s a whole community experience, with parents helping with props, merienda and costumes.”

Joy

Newhard says that the feeling of having one of her books adapted into a musical is “indescribable.”

“Something like a warm fuzzy ball of joy, disbelief and excitement to see kids engaging deeply with a story I wrote. It feels unreal to see photos of the kids dressing up as the characters, and to hear stories of them analyzing the book.

“Also, is there anything cuter than five-year-olds dressed up … battling the tiktiks through dance? So much gigil!”

Myra Liwanag, the school’s executive director, says the play’s story is “relatable whether or not you are Filipino or Filipino American. I told the cast that I’m so happy and proud to see this production come to the stage.

“Our students made the story their own, bringing the characters to life through their own interpretation of the book, using what is most meaningful to them as young people, and imagining their own back stories for each character in the play.

“The songs tell our story as a community of parents trying to do the best for our children and young people who want to belong, have friends and have fun! “

Free admission. “Kalipay & Gamay: The Musical” is on June 9, 2024 at Bedford High School, 9 Mudge Way, Bedford, MA. Newhard will have a book signing before the show.

Walter Ang is the author of Barangay to Broadway: Filipino American Theater. Available at Amazon, Bookshop and other online booksellers.