“FREEDOM WITHIN!”–The LAYA Concert!

     

    

   

   

    

It’s not hard to imagine a typical rock concert—screaming fans, booming loud-speakers, flickering stage lights. Throw in some energetic dancers, a couple of comedy acts, and you have a full-blown theatrical show. What is harder to picture, though, is this scenario taking place inside a Maximum Security Prison.

And yet it did, last Saturday, October 20^th, in Manila, Philippines. In a never-before-seen display of all the arts combined, the LAYA Group staged their first concert on the Muntinlupa Prison grounds, bringing together theater, music, fine-arts, poetry, and fashion design! Guest performers entertained, alongside inmate artists with their music, lyrics, and creative interpretations.

Themed “LAYA!–FREEDOM WITHIN!”, the concert drew crowds of inmates to a multi-purpose covered gym inside the compound, keeping the audience enthralled for four hours straight. The inmate Rock band “FreeSons” opened the variety show, as their Guest vocalist, Chat, greeted the crowd with well-loved, popular music.

The Martinez sisters, a dance-group composed of four performing missionary kids (siblings) started the action on the dance floor, followed by an introduction to performance poetry by artist Io. Immediately afterwards came Miko Pepito, another performance artist, whose lyrics were backed up with synthesizers.

To conclude the poetry session, the LAYA Group of poets performed their original poetry, as taught weekly by LAYA volunteer PJ Gurnamal—bearing their souls and emotions to capture the attention and hearts of their fellow inmates. Next, local folk songs were sung by Carla Ocampo and her band, “Classified Odds”. Their soulful music led the way to the LAYA Theater Group’s performance. Displaying their talent in Drama, Comedy, and stunts, their play was action-packed, hilarious, and gripping, all at the same time.

Next came a couple more Guest Bands: “Nityalila”, and “Love Core.“ Rocking the jailhouse and breaking down barriers with their music, the volunteer musicians certainly got their effort’s worth. The crowd stunner came from two inmate Dance Groups: “The Megamix Dancers”, and “The Vikings”, whose choreographed moves kept everyone spellbound, anticipating an encore.

No one really expected what happened next. Professional ramp models appeared on stage. They strut down the runway in stunning designs by Fashion Designer Puey Quinones, who, together with Events Coordinator Melvin Mojica, conducts LAYA Fashion Design workshops inside Bilibid every week. Their students had the chance to showcase their artistic talent in creative designs, as worn by the models, who posed in their T-Shirt collection.

When Guest singer and jazz artist Ricky Quiogue filled the break with “What a Wonderful World,” it seemed that Louie Armstrong himself had walked into the auditorium. The song played out beautifully, as KULAY Painters (also LAYA workshop students, who are taught by artist and LAYA volunteer Andy Maluche every week) completed the two panels of giant murals on stage, which, as a live backdrop, they had been abstractly painting all along.

The “FreeSons” then brought back their music, with vocalist Luis singing in Spanish to the delight of all, followed by Chris Martinez (LAYA volunteer vocalist) belting out hardcore rock. Luis ended the set with an original song “I Still Would Have Died for You”—an inspirational message that was supported by a big-screen playing clips from the movie “Jesus”.

By sundown, the stage was set for more drama still. A skit mimed by LAYA volunteer and theater/film actor Gio Respall was chilling and surreal. His act of a man who tries everything to find a way out of his own confined world concluded with another heart-wrenching song from Chat about finding freedom in spirit. For this captive audience, the concert had come to a close, and had exceeded all expectations!

“Laya”, in Tagalog, means “Free”. Regardless of their past, prisoners are still human beings, each with a gift to give back. Their lifetime may be spent behind bars, and this is their reality. Yet in life, true freedom is only found within the chambers of one’s heart.  

Photographs by Digby Ross, Mike Alvir, and Nyx Martinez

       Please contact us to see how YOU can be a part of the ongoing LAYA (Living AcademY of Arts) Project.