Espina: ‘The Odyssey of Arts and Theater’

I settled in Cebu in 1964 and taught in what was then Colegio de San Jose-Recoletos (CSJR). Before I handled English in high school, there were already some plays staged by English teachers, led by Anita Jueco Rosal. High school principal Aniano Abellana encouraged me to stage musicales — which I did.

My first play was “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” One of the dwarfs then was Alan Rabaya, who later became a creative director. And the rest is history.



Thereafter, I directed many musicals lifted from Broadway and Hollywood productions. We had original plays as well. I directed “Student Prince,” “West Side Story” and more.

Father Victor Lluch, OAR, who later became CSJR rector/president, also directed several plays. When Fr. Blas Montenegro assigned me as head/dean of what was then the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, to enrich theater arts in the school, we expanded theater into the CSJR/USJR Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble.

We performed across Cebu and abroad — in Honolulu, Hawaii; Singapore; California; Las Vegas; Beijing; and more.REUNION. CSJR-USJR Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble Amparito L.

Lhuillier Educational Foundation Alumni.Aside from plays and musicals, the USJR Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble expanded its reach through scholarship programs like the Amparito Llamas Lhuillier Educational Foundation, WeCare Foundation and linkages with Speechcom International.We staged “Sister Act” and the Best of Broadway (“South Pacific,” “My Fair Lady,” “Evita,” “Les Misérables,” etc.

).MEETING. From left with alumni: MCE, adviser Ramon Sebastian, Bessie Espina, Pauette Rivera and Giselle Almazan meet at Golden Peak Hotel, Cebu City.

The alumni are now planning a historic showcase of glimpses from our plays performed in Asia, Hawaii, Utah, California and beyond. Extensive participation from alumni across the globe will be solicited. The target date for “The Odyssey of Arts and Theater: USJR Dramatics and Cultural Ensemble” to present excerpts is July 16, 2025.

More on this grand event in my next articles..