A Life in the Theater

The Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group (PHILSTAGE), the country's only organization of professional performing arts companies, invites critics, educators, researchers and regular audiences of theater, music and dance productions to seek Jury Panel membership slots for the 2008 PHILSTAGE Awards for the Performing Arts. Conceived as peer awards similar to many of the performing arts industry awards abroad, the PHILSTAGE Awards are conferred for outstanding achievements in the performing arts by PHILSTAGE member-companies such as Actors Actors, Inc. (AAI), Ballet Manila (BM), Ballet Philippines (BP), Gantimpala Theater Foundation(GANTIMPALA), Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), Philippine Education Theater Association (PETA), Repertory Philippines (REP), Tanghalang Pilipino (TP), and Triumphant People's Evangelistic Theater Society, Inc. (TRUMPETS). Awards shall be given for outstanding achievements in production or performance, stage direction, original script/con...

Every year for three years now, the Philippine Daily Inquirer's Gibbs Cadiz comes up with his list of the Best in Philippine Theater. For 2007, I am proud that a number of productions and performers from Tanghalang Pilipno, (this blogger's productions included) made it into the list. Leading the list are "Ellas Inocentes” (written by Layeta Bucoy and directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio), an entry in the 3rd Virgin Labfest, which is cited as the year's Best One-act Play, and "Insiang" (by Mario O’ Hara, directed by Chris Millado) for Best Full-length play. "Ellas Inocentes" is described as "A hypnotic, heartbreaking portrait of a pair of warped childhoods, featuring astonishing performances and astute direction. Simply the most compelling entry in this year’s Virgin Labfest." "Insiang," in turn, is a reworking of Lino Brocka's film into "a brilliant piece of contemporary social realist theater, redolent of the fetid air of lives ...

Tanghalang Pilipino holds open auditions for two forthcoming productions: the rock musical “EJ:Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson” scheduled in February and March 2008, and the Philippine premiere of David Henry Hwang’s “GOLDEN CHILD ” which will run from August to September 2008. The rock musical “EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Edgar Jopson at Evelio Javier” is written by Palanca Hall of Fame awardee Ed Maranan with music by The Dawn under the direction of Chris Millado. Auditions are scheduled from 5pm to 9pm on December 19 and 20, 5pm to 9pm, at the Bulwagang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, 4th Floor, Cultural Center of the Philippines. Those interested must be prepared to perform a song of their choice and another song from the album “Tulad ng Dati” by The Dawn. “GOLDEN CHILD” wll be performed in both English and Filipino under the direction of Loy Arcenas, who also directed “The Romance of Magno Rubio/Ang Romansa ni Magno Rubio.” Needed are actors and actr...