1. Aalis kasi ako--working trip to Kota Kinabalu June 29-July 5. The Virgin Labfest is on its second week starting tomorrow, Tuesday. You still have a chance to catch the set/s of plays you missed last week. Gow na. (Schedules here.)
2. Keep those entries to our VL blog contest coming. Just post the link in the comment section here. Updated prize details here. Since the contest's announcement, a few good souls have offered to add more prizes to the much-sweetened pot. Hallelujah. I'll blog about them very soon.
3. Four shows are set to open this July: Repertory Philippines' The Fantasticks (July 3-26), Atlantis Productions' rerun of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (July 3-12), Dulaang UP's rerun of Atang: Dulang May Musika (July 1-12) and the UP Playwrights Theater's twinbill production of Paz Marquez Benitez’ short story Dead Stars and Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio’s Sepang Loca (July 14-18; 21-25), both adapted and directed by Anton Juan. Happy play-watching!
UPDATE: Also Ateneo Entablado's Ang Henerala, which runs June 30-July 17, directed by Jethro Tenorio.
Revivals and restagings dominated the first quarterly citations list of the 2009 Gawad Buhay!, the PHILSTAGE Awards for the Performing Arts.
With 14 performance and technical citations, Ballet Philippines' Neo Filipino topped the first quarterly race. Coming in as close second with eleven citations is the Philippine Educational Theater Association's production of Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre?, while Repertory Philippines' A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino received eight citations to claim the third berth. Another revival, Tanghalang Pilipino's ZsaZsa Zaturnnah, placed fourth with seven citations.
A dance trilogy that serves as homage to the vast riches of the Filipino cultural heritage, Neo Filipino's Amada, Ulaging–Daog-dog sa Sang Libong Kulog and KatiTaog collectively won citations for outstanding dance production, ensemble performance, female lead performance in dance (Carissa Adea), male lead performance in dance (Biag Gaongen and Ronelson Yadao), featured performance in dance (Marian Faustino and Lucky Vicentino), choreography (Alice Reyes), adaptation or translation (Alice Reyes), musical composition (Kalayo), costume design (Gino Gonzales), lighting design (Katsch Catoy) and set design (Gino Gonzales).
Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre?, a psycho-emotional journey into the lives, loves and relationships of three people, earned the jurors' citations for outstanding play production, stage direction (Nonon Padilla), ensemble performance, male lead performance in a play (Lex Marcos, Juliene Mendoza and Jack Yabut), original script (Tony Perez), musical direction (Jed Balsamo), lighting design (Ian Torqueza), sound design (Aries Alcayaga) and set design (Salvador Bernal).
Widely considered as the best Filipino play in English, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino was cited for outstanding play, stage direction (Jose Mari Avellana), original script (Nick Joaquin), female lead performance in a play (Liesl Batucan and Ana Abad Santos), featured performance in a play (Dido dela Paz), lighting design (Martin Esteva) and sound design (Lamberto Avellana, Jr.).
ZsaZsa Zaturnnah, a hilarious tale of the adventures of a gay beautician-turned- Pinoy superhero, was cited for outstanding musical production, ensemble performance, lead female performance in a musical (Eula Valdes), featured performance in a musical (Nar Cabico and Joey Paras), musical direction (Vincent De Jesus), and original music composition (Vincent De Jesus).
Also cited for individual achievements are Caissa Borromeo for outstanding female lead performance in a musicale and Kyla Rivera for outstanding featured performance in a musicale, both for Repertory Philippines' I Love You Because.
Now on its second year, Gawad Buhay! is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts juried by an independent panel of critics, scholars, artists and theater enthusiasts. Outstanding individual and group achievements in various artistic and technical aspects of play, musical and dance productions and performances are honored based on quarterly citations deliberated by the jury who are required to watch all productions of PHILSTAGE member-companies for the entire year. From the four quarterly citations, the jury will select the final nominees qualified to win the awards by the end of the performance season.
PHILSTAGE is the only alliance of professional performing arts organizations in the Philippines. Its members include Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), PETA, Repertory Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino and TRUMPETS.
Below is the complete list of the 2009 first-quarter citations in various categories:
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? (PETA) A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino (Repertory Philippines)
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PRODUCTION ZsaZsa Zaturnnah (Tanghalang Pilipino)
OUTSTANDING DANCE PRODUCTION Neo Filipino (Ballet Philippines)
OUTSTANDING STAGE DIRECTION Nonon Padilla, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? Jose Mari Avellana, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Ballet Philippines' Neo Filipino
PETA's Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre?
Tanghalang Pilipino's ZsaZsa Zaturnnah
OUTSTANDING FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY Liesl Batucan,A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino Ana Abad Santos,A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino
OUTSTANDING MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY Lex Marcos, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? Juliene Mendoza, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? Jack Yabut, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre?
OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY Dido Dela Paz, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino
OUTSTANDING LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL Caissa Borromeo, Repertory Philippines' I Love You Because Eula Valdes, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah
OUTSTANDING MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL No citation
OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL Nar Cabico, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Joey Paras, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Kyla Rivera, I Love You Because
OUTSTANDING FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DANCE PRODUCTION
Carissa Adea, Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A DANCE PRODUCTION Biag Gaongen, Neo Filipino Ronelson Yadao, Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A DANCE PRODUCTION Marian Faustino, Neo Filipino Lucky Vicentino, Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCRIPT Nick Joaquin's A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino Tony Perez's Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre?
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL LIBRETTO No citation
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION Vincent De Jesus, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Kalayo, KatiTaog from Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING ADAPTATION OR TRANSLATION Alice Reyes, Amada from Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION Jed Balsamo, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? Vincent De Jesus, ZsaZsa Zaturnnah
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY Alice Reyes, Amada from Neo Filipino Alden Lugnasin, Ulaging from Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN Salvador Bernal, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? Gino Gonzales, KatiTaog from Neo Filipino Gino Gonzales, Ulaging from Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN Gino Gonzales, Ulaging from Neo Filipino
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN Katsch Catoy, Neo Flipino Martin Esteva, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino Ian Torqueza, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre?
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN Aries Alcayaga, Saan Ba Tayo Ihahatid ng Disyembre? Lamberto Avellana, Jr., A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino
“Siguro, kaya nga tinawag na 'play' ang isang dula, dahil sa anu't ano man, ang dula ay laro. Mapanganib na apoy nga lang ang madalas pinipili ng mga artistang pang-teatro. Dahil alam ng bawat alagad ng sining na kung hindi rin lang apoy ang lalaruin niya, e... bakit pa?”
Virgin Labfest artistic director Rody Vera's splendid--and splendidly delivered--remarks during the launch of the first-ever Virgin Labfest anthology, June 23, 2009, at the CCP Little Theater.
[Before the speech--the anthologized playwrights presented to the audience: Rody Vera, Glenn Mas, J. Dennis Teodosio, Job Pagsibigan, Nicolas Pichay, Njel De Mesa, Tim Dacanay, Floy Quintos and National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose, with CCP President Nes Jardin]
PLAY: "Ang Henerala" by Nicolas Pichay DATE: June 30, July 1-3, 7-11, 14-17 at 7 p.m. and July 4 & 18 at 3 p.m. PLACE: Rizal Mini Theater, Ateneo de Manila University
Direction by Jethro Tenorio Lights design by Christian Bautista Set design by JJ Ignacio Costume design by Jean Pierre Reniva
For ticket reservations/questions, please contact Karl Louie Fajardo 0917-5773208 or e-mail kl1_89@yahoo.com
Fail mode: I've not been to the National Museum. I've not seen the Manunggul Jar, the San Diego relics, Luna's Spoliarium.
Until last Saturday, that is--when, with only two hours of sleep (Friday night being crunch time at the workplace), I joined a bloggers' group organized by OutedNarnian for a three-hour tour of the museum. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., we ambled along after arts expert John Silva as he toured us all over the two buildings of the museum complex, climaxing with a stirring mini-lecture before the gargantuan Spoliarium.
Migs, McVie and OutedNarnian have all written about the tour, and its hugely enjoyable aftermath when we had late lunch in this restaurant-by-the-estero in Binondo (another unique cultural experience!), so may I just direct you to their respective entries? I'll find some time to write more exhaustively about the museum and the tour itself. Rough impressions: The institution is obviously laboring under budgetary constraints. For a national museum, it could use greater sophistication in presentation, preservation, even lighting, etc. (The original Manunggul jar is so poorly lighted, its exquisite details are lost in the shadows).
But Mr. Silva was a topnotch guide, engaging and never academic, bringing history alive with both sweep and anecdotal punch. His most hilarious moment: He recounted how, wanting to experience betel-nut chewing (nganga) himself to better understand the ways of our ancestors, he took one and promptly began hallucinating. He was beside a river that time, and a carabao lolling nearby turned pink and began dancing. “Ang mga ancestors pala natin, mga druggies!,” he quipped.
I had brought with me my new Flip UltraHD camera (a camcorder sized like a cell phone--thanks, Beektur, for the pasalubong!), but it was only before the Luna masterpiece that I turned it on, because the sight before us demanded some form of memorializing. Check out the video below. (The huge painting opposite the Spoliarium, on view when I pan the camera around, is Felix Resureccion Hidalgo's The Assassination of Governor Bustamante.)
Mr. Silva's very enlightening lecture--how Luna and Hidalgo's twin triumphs at the Bellas Artes Expo (the latter placing second for his painting, Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace) sparked in a young man named Jose Rizal some radical new ideas that would ultimately lead to his martyrdom and the birth of a nation, with him as its National Hero--is deliberately cut off in the vid. If you want to listen to the rest of the spiel, and to see everything else that our own National Museum has to offer, do sign up for the tour. It's only P800. Time and money very well spent, I tell you. (The numbers to call are 0926-7299029, 0917-4195928, 5275082. Reservation required.)
PLUS: Rizal's famous toast to Luna and Hidalgo was held at the Hotel Ingles in Madrid on June 25, 1884. It became famous because Rizal, then only 23, used the occasion not only to deliver a soaring, eloquent speech--“Genius has no country, genius blossoms everywhere, genius is like the light, the air, it is the heritage of all”--but also to link his two compatriots' staggering triumph at the world's then-premiere arts competition to the Filipinos' general longing for greater freedom and enlightenment under Spanish rule.
As Mr. Silva put it, Rizal had seized on a life-changing idea: “If Filipinos can now equal the Spaniards in the arts, why couldn’t we be equal in political rights? It was a turning point for young Rizal. He had made a declaration. Several months later, he was involved in campus demonstrations and began to write the first sentences to his anti-colonial novel, Noli Me Tangere. The medical student’s career path was irrevocably altered, and he dedicated the rest of his life and even gave up his life for his country. It all started with a painting.”
In Madrid last February, I was with a media group that went on a Rizal tour, visiting the places and houses associated with Rizal's stay in the Spanish capital. One of them is the historic Hotel Ingles. Some pictures:
The hotel, still existing, more boutique than five-star, is located along a narrow, rather nondescript street. Its lobby carries a plaque in Spanish commemorating the historic banquet where expatriate Filipinos led by Jose Rizal lauded Luna and Hidalgo. That banquet wasn't held inside the current hotel premises, but in a restaurant that is now, unfortunately, a garage.
PLUS PLUS: If Luna's triumphant Spoliarium is at the National Museum, where is Hidalgo's own masterpiece, Christian Virgins Exposed to the Populace? It is at the Central Bank Museum--the crown jewel of its 1,200-plus visual arts collection, I believe. Now, this was a museum I got to check out last year, and take pictures of. Below is Hidalgo's electrifying painting. [Click on photos to enlarge.]
Remember the time--this was the 1800s, when women baring a shoulder was already considered a taboo. Nudity was only sanctioned in the high arts--in painting and sculpture. If the Spoliarium took one's breath away with its massive scale and epic subject, imagine the titillated frenzy that must have accompanied the viewing of Hidalgo's work. A reaction not entirely out of line, since a look at the painting--especially the faces of the lecherous men ogling the vanquished women--tells you Hidalgo himself didn't shy away from the queasy nature of his subject. It's a startlingly frank work. The painting reeks of heat, lust, debauchery, humiliation, ravishment and sadism. A more modestly scaled piece compared to Luna's masterpiece, it is, in its own way, overpowering.
I also know that Iran’s women stand in the vanguard. For days now, I’ve seen them urging less courageous men on. I’ve seen them get beaten and return to the fray. “Why are you sitting there?” one shouted at a couple of men perched on the sidewalk on Saturday. “Get up! Get up!”
Another green-eyed woman, Mahin, aged 52, staggered into an alley clutching her face and in tears. Then, against the urging of those around her, she limped back into the crowd moving west toward Freedom Square. Cries of “Death to the dictator!” and “We want liberty!” accompanied her.
When it's the women who are urging on the revolt in an Islamic theocracy, you know the old order of sclerotic mullahs and their thuggish lackeys is on the brink.
PLUS: Now identified as Neda, this young woman--reportedly shot by the Basij militia in Tehran on June 20, Saturday, and bleeding to death at the high noon of the YouTube-Twitter moment--will, I suspect, be long remembered by her countrymen and a transfixed world. (Warning: graphic content)
PLUS PLUS: Great photostream here, which includes this moving, kick-ass image. Lola is mad as hell and she's not going to take it anymore!
The Writers' Bloc, CCP and Tanghalang Pilipino, organizers of Virgin Labfest 5, are offering 12 free tickets to bloggers--2 tickets for each of the Labfest's six sets--on the following schedules:
SET A: School of Life (Mga Dulang Walang Pinag-aralan) Tuesday, June 23, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. MPC (Mababang Paaralan ng Caniogan) by Job Pagsibigan, performed by the Sipat Lawin Ensemble Ang Huling Lektyur ni Misis Reyes by Tim Dacanay, directed by Hazel Gutierrez Pandaraya by Oggie Arcenas, directed by Roli Inocencio/JK Anicoche
SET B: It's Complicated (The Buhul-Buhol Trilogy) Wednesday, June 24, 3 p.m. and 8p.m. Salise by J. Dennis Teodosio, directed by Roobak Valle Ang Mamanugangin ni Rez by Clariza Estuar, directed by Paolo O'Hara So Sangibo a Ranon Na Piyatay O Satiman A Tadman by Rogelio Braga, directed by Riki Benedicto
SET C: Blood Sports (Trilohiyang Dinuguan) Thursday, June 25, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Kitchen Medea by Kiyokazu Yamamoto, directed by Yoshida Toshihisa Doc Resurrecion: Gagamutin ang Bayan by Layeta Bucoy, directed by Tuxqs Rutaquio Asawa/Kabit, written and directed by George de Jesus III
SET D: The Family That ______s Together (Tatlong Dulang Walang Diyos) Friday, June 26, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Boy-Girl ang Gelpren ni Mommy by Sheilfa Alojamiento, directed by Carlo Garcia Maliw by Reuel Molina Aguila, directed by Edna Vida Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White by George Vail Kabristante, directed by Paul Santiago
SET E: Life is a Trap (Three Plays in Search of Escape) Saturday, June 27, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Isang Araw sa Peryahan by Nicolas B. Pichay, directed by Chris Millado Paigan by Liza Magtoto, directed by Sigrid Bernardo Hate Restaurants by David Finnigan, directed by J. Victor Villareal
SET F: VLF 4 Revisited (selected plays from last year's Virgin Labfest) Sunday, June 28, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ang Kalungkutan ng mga Reyna, written and directed by Floy Quintos Ang Bayot, ang Meranao, at ang Habal-Habal sa Isang Nakababagot na Paghihintay sa Kanto ng Lanao del Norte” by Rogelio Braga, directed by Nick Olanka Uuwi na Ang Nanay Kong si Darna by Job Pagsibigan, from Edgar Samar's story for children, directed by Cats Racsag
Usual condition applies: You have to blog about the play/s afterwards. However, your post will automatically be considered an entry in our Virgin Labfest blog contest, thus giving you a chance to win prizes.
One ticket, one blogger, first-come, first-served. E-mail me at gibbs_c@yahoo.com to make your reservation (include your preferred showdate, contact number and blog URL). You can choose either the afternoon or evening show of the set of plays you want to watch (again, see schedules above). But please take note that the Labfest starts Tuesday next week, so you have to e-mail me asap.
Additional prizes
Playwrights Rody Vera and Allan Lopez have also generously offered additional prizes for our contest.
1. From Rody, a copy of the Virgin Labfest anthology that will be launched on June 23 (15 plays from four years of Virgin Labfest [2005 through 2008], a major anthology that includes 6 Palanca winners and Gawad Buhay Awards for the Theater. Featuring plays by F. Sionil Jose, Nicolas B. Pichay, Glenn Sevilla Mas, Allan B. Lopez, Rody Vera, Liza Magtoto, Floy Quintos, etc.)
2. From Allan, a copy of Children's Reader, by the late and much-loved Rene Villanueva (“the most extensive compilation of his works for children”).
Since we're choosing three winners, I'm tossing in one more copy of the Labfest anthology to make the prize mix more equitable. So, as things stand now, we're offering:
First prize:Preview Art, Sinta and Other Plays and Virgin Labfest anthology [not in pic]
Second prize: Pair of Havaianas, Sinta and Other Plays and Virgin Labfest anthology
Third prize: Zen Zest gift pack, Sinta and Other Plays and Rene Villanueva's Children's Reader
There is no official Virgin Labfest blog contest this year (last year there was, organized by the Writers' Bloc and Tanghalang Pilipino), but this blog is putting one up--thanks to some office freebies I've been able to hoard for prizes.
The rules
1. Watch any or all of the plays featured in Virgin Labfest 5 and blog about them--in whatever way you choose. There are 6 main sets. You may write about only one set, or all of them; whether in English or Filipino, I don't particularly mind. No editorial input from me; your honest opinion is what counts. And though I'd be delighted to read one, I'm not expecting a formal review. (See our earlier Cinderella contest for reference, and a roundup of last year's Virgin Labfest 4 Blogfest winners if you need pegs for your own posts.)
2. Once your entry is up, leave a comment/link here or e-mail your entry to gibbs_c@yahoo.com, with “Virgin Labfest 5” as subject. For Multiply users, leave a comment/link in my Multiply site.
3. The entries will be winnowed down to the Top Three. I'll ask two other people to help me read all the entries.
4. The contest runs June 23-July 5, or the entire run of the Labfest. Winners will be announced on or before July 10, through e-mail and an entry here.
The prizes First prize: a copy of Preview Art, “a stunning, limited-edition collection of images from the Philippines' most provocative visual artists,” released to celebrate Preview Magazine's 150th issue. Retail prize: P1,000. Plus, an exclusive autographed copy of Sinta and Other Plays, by the legendary teacher and theater mentor Onofre Pagsanghan of Ateneo's Dulaang Sibol. Exclusive, because the book, which collects four of Mr. Pagsi's seminal plays and/or adaptations (Doon Po Sa Amin, Sinta, Adarna, Sa Kaharian ng Araw) is not available anywhere, but was published privately as a gift to Mr. Pagsi by some of his former students. Mr. Pagsi has donated autographed copies of the book for use as prizes here.
Second prize: A pair of white original Havaianas (size 37-38), with a blue Havaianas bag included in the package. If the pair isn't to your size or liking, win it for your mother, sister, brother, beau or fiancee. Plus, a copy of Sinta and Other Plays.
Third prize: A gift pack from Zen Zest consisting of bottles of room fragrance, linen spray and aromatherapy oil. Plus, a copy of Sinta and Other Plays.
Let me further explain why, among these prizes, I consider the Sinta anthology the most precious--as I hope you would, too. The four plays contained here are an initial summation of the trailblazing, at times historic but still underappreciated role that Mr. Pagsi holds in the development of Philippine theater. Filipino Librarian aka Von Totanes' succinct introduction mentions “the importance of his adaptation of Thornton Wilder's Our Town into Doon Po Sa Amin--one of the first in the Philippines--during a time when most, if not all, plays being produced were in English; the significance of Dulaang Sibol, a high school theater group, as one of the first theater groups to consistently produce plays in the vernacular; [and] the lasting effects that Mr. Pagsi and Dulaang Sibol had--not just on the Ateneo theater tradition, but also on the evolution of Filipino theater as it broke free from its dependence on English plays...”
It's a document, in short--a rare, valuable one, not for sale anywhere and signed by Mr. Pagsi himself.
And the point of all this? Here I go again: Do you remember the good shows you caught this year? Blog about them. The artists responsible for the diverting--perhaps even revelatory or life-altering--evenings you had at the theater would appreciate being remembered for their efforts. If, on the other hand, you didn't think a show was worth it, write about that, too. Honest criticism is as valuable as avid praise, and theater--the art form as well as the industry--would benefit as much from the aesthetic vision of its practitioners as from the candid feedback of its audience. The larger point, here and now, is to CARE that it exists at all.
I thank you, and world peace. Whew, preyssure!
Please help me inform everyone about the Virgin Labfest and this contest by reposting in your blogs and/or mentioning in your Facebook and Twitter. See you at CCP!
1. “Philippine social reality is so glaring that only the most dense Filipino filmmaker could ignore it... If Mendoza's cinema is very trenchant, it's because things have gotten worse.” -- URIAN past president (and my colleague) Lito Zulueta, defending Brillante Mendoza against charges of “poverty porn,” in Jessica Zafra's Newsweek article on Kinatay
2. “To the censors, I want to send the message: 'Gay people also make love.'” -- Film director Auraeus Solito (Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros), responding to the Singapore government censors' decision to ban his latest film, Boy, because it “normalised homosexuality and that the homosexual scene was prolonged and explicit and filmed in a romanticised manner.”
History is unfolding in Iran at this very minute. Whatever the outcome of the tumult, the Iranian people's audacious Green Revolution is fast becoming the story of the year.
The headlined statement is from a Twitter message quoted in the NYTimes, “one of thousands of brief electronic dispatches that kept the outside world up-to-the-minute on the protests,” as the Iranian government has shut down opposition TV, radio and newspapers and jammed phone texting as well as access to Internet chatrooms and social networking sites like Facebook. Who knew Twitter would be at the right place at the right time, thus becoming an inextricable part of history?
Boston.com's The Big Picture has a round-up of absolutely riveting photographs from the streets of Tehran, showing numerous instances of plainclothes militia savagely beating unarmed demonstrators, men and women, with truncheons--and incredibly, veiled women fighting back, holding their ground with as much courage and defiance as the men. A cowed citizenry has had enough, and now Iran's streets are heaving with their wrath.
Once upon a time, this was our story, too--twice in our history, in fact. EDSA I was also triggered by a stolen election. And while they have Twitter now to fan the flames of revolt, we had texting back in EDSA II. In the struggle for the same basic freedoms, the Iranian people deserve our solidarity and support. This is their People Power moment. Let their true voices be heard.
Iran's agony, from The Big Picture (all captions by Alan Taylor):
Supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi march through Valiasr Street during riots in Tehran on June 13, 2009. (OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI/AFP/Getty Images)
Backers of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi are beaten by government security men during riots in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 14, 2009. (AP Photo)
A supporter of defeated presidential candidate Mousavi is beaten by government security men as fellow supporters come to his aid during riots in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 14, 2009. (AP Photo)
Supporters of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi are followed by Iranian riot-police with batons in front of Tehran University during riots in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 14, 2009. (AP Photo)
A man lies on the back of a taxi, after being seriously injured by gunfire in an area where pro-government militia were firing shots near a rally supporting leading opposition presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 15, 2009. (AP Photo)
A backer of Mir Hossein Mousavi helps evacuate an injured riot-police officer during riots in Tehran on June 13, 2009. (OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI/AFP/Getty Images)
On Monday, June 15, 2009, Iranian opposition demonstrators protest in support of defeated presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, in Tehran. Opposition supporters defied a ban to stage a mass rally in Tehran in protest at President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide election win, as Iran faced a growing international backlash over the validity of the election and the subsequent crackdown on opposition protests. (BEHROUZ MEHRI/AFP/Getty Images)
More pictures here, some of them graphic. Forget CNN; the best, up-to-the-minute coverage of the Iranian upheaval is happening online, here and here.
In photo are veteran actresses Ana Abad Santos and Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino reading excerpts (part of the final scene, the only moment their characters meet) from Schiller's Maria Stuart, a play about the epic rivalry between Elizabeth I and her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots.
There was no formal announcement, but their appearance during the afternoon presscon for the launch of Dulaang UP's 34th season (see below) confirmed that the two actresses have signed up to do the drama that Patrick Healy, in the NYTimes, described as “one of the relatively rare plays that offer two equally powerhouse roles for actresses.”
Shamaine will play Elizabeth I to Ana's Mary in the play's English version; the Filipino translation (Maria Stuarda, by Allan Palileo) will have a student cast, with Tony Mabesa directing both.
Coincidentally, Mary Stuart is currently on revival at the Broadhurst Theater on Broadway, to much acclaim, especially for its Tony-nominated stars, English actresses Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter. They “embody what may be the most storied rivalry in English history with a transfixing willfulness and devious artistry... They are exceptionally well equipped not only to command an audience’s attention, but also to make the case that, historically, she who would be queen has always of necessity been a great actress,” said Ben Brantley in his review.
This isn't the only heavyweight role Ana is tackling. In fact, it's shaping up to be a big year for her. She did Candida in Rep's A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, she'll do Mary Stuart in November-December this year, but before that, in October, she's also stepping in as Blanche DuBois in Tanghalang Pilipino's A Streetcar Named Desire.
Irma Adlawan, originally announced to play the iconic part, has backed out due to other commitments. For the English version of the Tennessee Williams classic, Ana has been cast, along with Jenny Jamora as Stella and Mario Magalona as Stanley Kowalski.
The Filipino version, titled Flores Para Los Muertos (based on the original translation by the late Orlando Nadres), will have--insert drumroll here--Eula Valdez as Blanche, Angel Aquino as Stella and Neil Ryan Sese as Stanley. Floy Quintos directs both versions.
Liesl Batucan, Paula to Irma and Ana's alternating Candida in Portrait, was a shoo-in for the part of Stella, but had to give up the role when she got accepted as a performer at the newly-opened Universal Studios in Singapore. There, as in Hong Kong Disneyland, she's joined by a number of other first-rate Filipino actors, singers and dancers staking out a viable performing life on foreign soil. The diaspora continues.
Another confirmed piece of casting: the fine, fine actor Teroy Guzman will headline Dulaang UP's Filipino production of Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui in February 2010, to be helmed by Alexander Cortez. Floy Quintos will reportedly do the translation.
Jude Law is “fierce-eyed, charismatic, gestural to a degree one wouldn’t expect from a character who makes a point of advising the Players not to 'saw the air'... [in] “a wintry, streamlined staging that gives us 'to be or not to be' delivered as snow falls,” reports Matt Wolf in the NYTimes. Ah, what I'd give to watch this.
PLUS: David Jays cocks an underwhelmed eye at this “Hugo Boss Hamlet”--“If there was an award for best-dressed Hamlet, Jude Law would walk it... It may seem shallow as a puddle to discuss Hamlet through the cut of his suit, but it encapsulates Jude Law's version. Law is fine (bitter, big hands stretched wide), but he's not my idea of Hamlet.”
Dulaang UP, the official University theater arm of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, College of Arts and Letters, University of the Philippines-Diliman, announces its 34th season, which highlights German masterpieces and the re-staging of a recent work by a prize-winning Filipino playwright.
DUP’s 34th season “takes its audiences to the edge of reason, identity, transformation and power” as it pays homage to German playwrights.
The season’s tribute to Deutsche theatre begins with Wedekind’s “Lulu” (August 5-23), direction by Dexter Santos, a play centering on the intricacies of transsexual seduction, passion and wrath that concludes in an ironic reversal of fortune.
Von Kleist’s “Amphitryon” (September 9-22), direction by José Estrella, is a moral fable that challenges our deeply-rooted beliefs about love, infidelity, and identity.
But the caprice of gods pales in comparison to Mary I’s flights of fancy as depicted in Schiller’s “Mary Stuart/Maria Stuarda” (November 18-December 6), direction by Tony Mabesa. This piece is a dramatization of the historic clash of two strong-willed women, Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots.
The season closes with a Filipino adaptation of Brecht’s “The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui” (February 17-March 7, 2010) under the direction of Alexander Cortez, a very timely piece that echoes a direct critique of modern politics.
The season kicks off in July with a re-staging of “Atang: Dulang May Musika” (July 1-12), a critically-acclaimed production from DUP's 33rd season. Written by Floy Quintos and directed by Alexander Cortez, the musical revolves around a rising star’s acquaintance with a great historical figure she is set to play on film, Filipino sarsuwela’s grand muse, Atang dela Rama.
All plays will be staged at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall, UP Diliman.
The UP Playwrights Theater, on the other hand, offers two one-act plays: Anton Juan’s adaptation of Paz Marquez Benitez’ short story “Dead Stars” and Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio’s “Sepang Loca” (July 14-18; 21-25) under the direction of Anton Juan.
The UPPT will stage its production at the Teatro Hermogenes Ylagan, Bulwagang Rizal, UP Diliman.
For more information or inquiries, contact Ozette Manguerra-Cauilan (Marketing Manager) or Erica Valerio (Publicity Manager) at 9261349, 9818500 loc. 2449, or 4337840.
San Francisco, CA--“Boy,” the latest film by internationally acclaimed director Auraeus Solito (“The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros”) will be shown at the 2009 San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival (Frameline 33) on Friday, June 19, 2009, at 9:30 p.m. and on Saturday, June 27, 2009 at 4:15 p.m.
Both screenings take place at the Victoria Theater, located at 2961 16th Street, San Francisco, CA, USA 94103.
“Boy” is a coming-of-age story about a boy who falls in love with a dancing rent-boy. A young budding poet, who is unnamed, observes lip-synching drag-queens and dancing rent-boys in a gay bar one evening and finds himself attracted to Aries. Selling his prized collection of action heroes and comic books to afford Aries for one night, he buys Aries at the bar and brings him home for the New Year.
Sparks fly while celebratory fireworks go off outside the house and the boys forge a fragile connection that neither of them is certain will last. This is an idealistic, coming-of-age tale of a sensitive boy who arrives at his first lesson about love and who learns to grow confidently into his own sexuality. Principal cast members include Aeious Asin, Aries Pena and Madeleine Nicolas.
“Boy” is enjoying rave reviews from moviegoers and critics alike. One critic praised the film for its “nuanced sociopolitical commentary to a lengthy, lovely, languid love scene...” A viewer from the 2009 Torino GLBT Film Festival, where the film held its world premiere last April, noted that the film has “the most beautiful love scene in the festival.” The Seattle International Film Festival calls the connection between the two central characters “sweet and fragile in a way that brings a freshness to the film.”
The film is also attracting a different kind of attention in some parts of the world. The government censors in Singapore banned the film from being shown in that country in March, after organizers of the international film festival there selected the film for its competition. According to the Singapore government censors, “Boy” was banned because members of the censorship board “felt that the film normalised homosexuality and that the homosexual scene was prolonged and explicit and filmed in a romanticised manner.”
According to Solito: “Initially, I was so happy that the film festival in Singapore selected the film for competition. It however became a great disappointment that the censors in Singapore disallowed the film from screening in the festival. The phrase “normalises homosexuality” and “romanticise” very clearly articulates their homophobic view. To the censors, I want to send the message: “Gay people also make love.”
Auraeus Solito's first feature film “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros) won 15 international awards. A gay love story set in Manila, Solito's film was a part of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, the Las Palmas Film Festival and the Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and won three awards at the 2006 Berlin Film Festival. His film also earned a Best Foreign Film nomination at the 2007 Film Independent's Spirit Awards.
“Tuli” (Circumcision), his second feature film, won Best Picture and Best Director at the Digital Competition at the 2005 CineManila Film Festival and the NETPAC Jury Prize at the Berlinale, International Forum for New Cinema; 2nd Prize for Best Feature Film at the Montreal Film Festival. He made “Pisay” (Philippine Science), his third dramatic feature film, in 2007, which won awards at the 14th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema in France.
To purchase tickets for “Boy,” visit http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1766&FID=45. Or visit www.boythemovie.com
A selection of paintings from 1940s-1950s by Filipino artists will be on public view at the Jose P. Rizal Heritage Center in Chicago, Illinois, on June 13-30.
Titled “Balik-tanaw: Philippine Images Beyond Nostalgia,” the exhibit showcases the artwork of Crispin Agno, Isidro Ancheta, Gabriel Custodio, Oscar Navarro and Serafin Serna. All artists belonged to the so-called Conservative School, which favored idealized and romantic depictions of Philippine scenes and landscapes, going against the Modernist movement that came into Philippine art in the early 1920s.
“Evening Meal,” 1955, by Gabriel Custodio
The artists on display won several honors in various national and international exhibitions during their time. Among them, Navarro bagged the first prize of the Art Association of the Philippines exhibitions in 1954 and 1955. Custodio won the second place in the same contest for the same years. Serna likewise had several AAP awards. In 1964, he was commissioned by the Philippine government to decorate its Pavilion at the New York World Fair. Ancheta, a contemporary of Fernando Amorsolo, was represented with eight paintings in the Philippine Section at the St. Louis Universal Exposition in 1904. One painting, “A Victim of War,” received an Honorable Mention.
Their artworks are in the permanent collection of various museums, including the National Museum of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Ayala Museum, Lopez Museum, Yuchengco Museum and the Jorge Vargas Collection of the University of the Philippines.
The pieces in the Chicago exhibit were assembled from various private sources across the United States. Most were brought over by Americans who lived or visited the Philippines immediately before and after World War II.
“Island Girl,” 1952, by Ben Alano
Depicting idyllic landscapes, wistful portraits and scenes of everyday life, these paintings continued the tradition defined earlier by Filipino masters Fabian de la Rosa and Amorsolo. For a long time in the development of Philippine art, such dreamy, idealized representations—what some critics called “naïve”—defined the ethos and sensibility not only of Philippine art but of being Filipino.
Eventually they lost their grounding in the mid-1960s, with sweeping social and political developments that would lead to martial law in the 1970s and the commercialization of the genre in the 1980s.
“Twilight Through the Trees,” 1954, by Oscar Navarro
The first such retrospective in Chicago, the exhibit challenges the viewers to look at the artworks beyond being decorative pieces and reconsider their contribution to the formation of Philippine imagery and identity.
The exhibit is presented by the Filipino American Council of Greater Chicago in observance of the 111th year of Philippine Independence. Victor Velasco serves as exhibit curator, with the assistance of Willi Red Buhay, director for Arts and Culture of the Rizal Heritage Center. The center is located at 1332 Irving Park Avenue, Chicago, IL.
