Submitted by Mayor Florcelie L. Esguerra 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           The Komedya is a colorful theatrical tradition with plots that revolve around social, political and religious themes. This theater form traces its origin from the theatrical traditions of Spain and Mexico from the 16th to the 18th century.  It reached the Philippines through the Hispanic Christianization of the the country, that is why many of the plots have Spanish leitmotiff.

 The Komedya is one of the traditional theater genres that dominated the Philippine theater for over 300 years. To this day, it draws a following  and is actively performed by Komedya  groups across regions.

In Cavinti, Laguna, especially during the early 1750’s evening performances of the Komedya  were staged during town/barangay fiestas. Performers are selected among the local folks and are usually directed by local directors as (mga apuntador) in the dialect. These Komedya presentatons brought Cavinti in the field of this theater arts in the province of Laguna and nearby provinces. Following the death of a local apuntador in the person of Hilario Castillo, Komedyang Cavinti became only a part of Cavinti’s local traditions.

 It was during the 2006 town fiesta when Komedyang Cavinti  was last staged. It was directed by another known apuntador, Mrs. Betty Fernandez Conde. The performers were selected  municipal officials and employees. The two-day staging of Komedyang Cavinti was a thundering success. 

Komedyang Cavinti will be staged again on August 5-6, 2008  at the Cavinti Sports Plaza.  It is one of the proposed activities of the municipal government of Cavinti to celebrate the town fiesta in honor of our venerable Patron El Salvador del Mundo (Jesus Christ in His Transfiguaration).  Its staging is aimed to generate awareness and increase the  understanding of and appreciation for the Komedya among the younger generations in Cavinti and beyond.

It will be directed again by Mrs. Betty F. Conde, a noted local director and Komedya Impressario. The performers (mga prinsesa at personahe) around 20 of them will be selected from the different barangys in the commuty.

The University of the Philippines College of Arts and Sciences, during the first Komedya Festival in February, 2008 awarded Mrs. Betty F. Conde a Certificate of Recognition for her untiring efforts to stage Komedyang Cavinti in 2006.