“OROSMAN at Zafira,” the 2008 reimagined dance theater production directed by Dexter Santos for Dulaang UP, based on the original text by Francisco Baltazar. Deviating from the standard komedya where the conflict is between theMoros and the Cristianos, this verse play is about warring kingdoms in the Middle East. A recent list by Entertainment Weekly of the best plays of the last 100 years prompted a timely question from the Script Analysis class I am conducting for the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company: Why is there no such list for Philippine theater? As a response, I hereby proffer a list of what I believe to be a representative sampling of 25 plays that can be considered as landmarks of Philippine theater. The list is arranged chronologically, and includes plays which were and are considered to have broken ground in local theater history, and/or plays which best represent particular theater movements or dramatic styles. I do not offer this as a definitive list, but...
SUSAN VALDEZ, the actress most famous for her role in Mike de Leon's "Itim", is in town for a short visit, her first after moving to New York in 1985. We met up last Saturday after the one-night performance of ART at the Music Museum, and together with Raquel Villavicencio, Gina Alajar, Rez Cortez, Bembol Roco, and for a brief while, Ricky Davao and Mark Gil, reminisced about all the productions and film projects done in the past and good naturedly ribbed her about what the future might hold for her if she decides to come back for good. I had the glorious fortune of working with Susan on a number of plays (that's us above flanking Barbara Perez, together with Tony Mabesa, Cris Michelena and Sonia Valenciano inBehn Cervantes' 1982 production of "Larawan" for UP Repertory, which we even toured to Cagayan and the Visayas) that included "Peer Gynt", "Hedda Gabler/A Doll's House", and Chris Millado's "Intermedyo" where s...
PILIPINAS CIRCA 1907 was the first play of the 21st season of Tanghalang Pilipino. With Libretto by Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson and music by Jose Estella, Lutgardo Labad, Louie Pascasio, Lucien Letaba, Nicanor Abeladro, Scott Joplin, and Barry Fagan, the sarswela was staged for four weeks at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) with a cast headed by Ana Guillen Feleo, Miguel Castro, Lani Mabilangan Ligot and Arnold Reyes. Googling through cyberspace, I came across several web posts from people who saw the production. Following are some of them, edited for this page. The links are provided, in case anyone might be interested to read through. I Solemnly Swear to Watch It Again Nasa cloud nine pa rin ako. As in over the moon happiness. . . . WOW! . . . Found my new love: THEATER. read the entire blog here Despite the heavy political theme, "Pilipinas Circa 1907" is quite a delight to sit through. All three hours of it! First, there's good singing. . . . Second, ...
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