Eulogy delivered at the necrological services for Salvador Bernal, National Artist for Theater Design, at the CCP Main Theater, Oct. 27 (Saturday), 2011.
Badong and I began our professional relationship in 1986 after the Edsa Revolution. The CCP was re-organized under Dr. Nic Tiongson as Artistic Director and Mrs. Bing Roxas as President. At that time I headed the Visual Arts Department, inherited from Ray Abano. Nic asked me to head the Coordinating Center for Dramatic Arts with the objective of establishing a new resident Drama Company. Rolando Tinio, head of Teatro Pilipino at the time was on collision course with the Artistic Director and eventually folded up his company.
Tanghalang Pilipino began with a production of a zarzuela, “Dalagang Bukid.” Badong did the sets and costumes. A reduced PPO of 30 musicians played live the first 2 weekend run, then recorded a minus one for the rest of the run.
The objective of the new company was to develop a repertory company. We began with three productions that season, and increased it to seven or eight the next season.
Badong designed a lovely art nouveau set for “Dalagang Bukid” complete with a Tranvia. The costumes were the classic baro’t saya of the twenties.
We had two venues at our disposal, the Small Theater, and the laboratory space, eventually named Batute after the nom de plume of poet Jose Corazon de Jesus.
Next we did a Polish play, “Pulis” by Slawomir Mrozek. Badong, who was busy designing for Ballet Philippines insisted on doing the production design for “Pulis,” with very little budget. He didn’t mind. He wanted to design set and costumes. He came up with a hot fire engine red platform in the round. We suspended a red fishing net that eventually collapsed on the actors like trapped tigers.
In the 16 years that I stayed as artistic director of the Drama Company, I would say, more than half of our productions in the company Badong designed. And had he not suffered his first heart attack, and had kept his old energy, he would have done more. He loved the theater, pure and simple.
I guess you can say, we were an ideal team for theater, as I believe Alice and Badong were ideal for dance theater.
By ideal, I don’t mean to brag or sound snooty. Alice and I never dictated on Badong. It was always a reciprocal process, a give and take, where ideas were exchanged, or bounced around, with lots of discussions on concept, image, texture, and dramatic objectives.
When I was blank with ideas, or just didn’t know how to approach a given script, he was always ready with a question or two, to jump start our thought process. And when he was blank, I did likewise.
It was a fulfilling creative relationship because Badong had a sharp mind, a critical mind that many misunderstood as mataray sa pintas. But on the contrary, Badong would think aloud to keep the thought process going. He may have sounded opinionated in many instances, and dismissive about actors, directors, and designers, but his insights were constantly constructive.
Badong studied Philosophy at the Ateneo. He had a lifelong devotion and respect for his mentor, Fr. Roque Ferriols, a Jesuit professor he periodically visited throughout his life until recently when his health got in the way.
He was trained to think logically. And his sense of space, direction, and orientation was always firm. As tourists abroad, whether in Paris, Tokyo, or HongKong, I always relied on him to lead us back to our hotel. That was when he could still walk comfortably. When his leg gave him constant pain, he became despondent and sad that his travelling days were over.
Many will say he had genius. Badong will instantly scoff at the term. I can hear him whisper, “Say mo!”
What he readily admitted to his friends was that he had taste. And taste is not genius. It is a sense of proportion, a sense of scale, a sense for color and tone.
Badong’s was impeccable.
In his costume and set designs, what distinguished him from the rest was his attention to detail and correct period paraphernalia. It could be a simple lace handkerchief, grey stockings, or a feather on a hat. Whenever he adds the correct detail, the costume comes alive, and more importantly, the character is enhanced visually.
Badong would have been a wonderful director. I offered him numerous times to direct. In college he directed a number of stunning plays like “The Bald Soprano,” and a very intense “Paglilitis ni Mang Serapio” by Paul Dumol.
But he dismissed my offers.
He would quote or paraphrase T.S.Eliot: “No I am not Prince Hamlet nor was meant to be; Am an attendant lord, one that will do to swell a progress, start a scene or two.”
O, ano’ng say mo?
Wa na say. Bow! Nagsalita na ang makata.
At the Ateneo, Badong was the Poetry editor of Heights. He was the college bard. Now, one can safely say he never abandoned poetry, although his published output was small and sporadic. He was to write poems intermittently, but at the turn of the millennium, he collected all his poems, early and new, into one volume, published by Bookmark. His poems were personal lyrics, honoring his mother or father, remembering a long dead friend, remembering childhood, song to a kikay friend, affectionate verses celebrating summer holidays.
He thought like a poet when he designed sets and costumes, translating image and silhouette into visual metaphors.
Dear, dear Badong, I don’t think I’m going to be honest if I simply dwell on your genius as legend, or your temper or personal eccentricities. We both have had our full measure of frustrations here at the CCP. You never got to beef up your production center and see it take wing into a full creative factory, as I never got to fully establish our ideal National Theater as a fully professional repertory company.
We were witness to the slow transformation of the CCP, from a creative center into a center for bureaucrats, the erosion of creative attitude to technical and political efficiency and/or expediency.
Betoots Manalang yesterday told me that you were hopeful that I would come back and work here again, but then you remarked, “Hay si Nonon, pag magsara ng tindahan, wala ng balikan.”
Well, friend, I beg you pardon, I was just following your footsteps. You left the CCP earlier than me to go back to the Ateneo on the ostensible excuse that you wanted a higher pay. I know for a fact that you were dismayed that Technical theater department waged a turf war on you and your office, valuing more bureaucratic efficiency over creativity and training. And when Malacanang gave the third floor of the Production building to Cirio Santiago and the Film Development Board, you quietly packed up your bags and with little drama, you transferred to our beloved hill between the earth and sky called the Ateneo.
You could not be bothered about the pettiness of it all.
As for me, why would you want to subject your dear friend to this cave of shadows, where every six years, with every change of administration, the circus comes to town, and all the artists working here are subjected to humiliation of loyalty checks and obsequious ceremonies of kowtowing to politicians and bureaucrats. Alas, the artist is not king in this center for culture.
But to pressing ceremony we must attend.
Betoots Manalang told me a secret lately about you. Before you were to undergo your angioplasty last month, you asked her to pray with you your favorite prayer written by Bernard of Clairvaux.
So this morning I pray it happily, filled with love and absolute affection:
“Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary,/ that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,/ implored thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To thee I come; and before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my words,/ But graciously hear and grant my prayer. Amen.”
Adieu, mon ami.
A flight of angels sing thee to thy rest.
Monday, October 31, 2011
CineManila 2011 unreels at Market! Market! and Fully Booked in Taguig City
The films range from the current toasts of the local indie scene to award-winners and favorites of prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Sundance and Pusan. The festival will also feature workshops, seminars and master classes.
One of the 2011 Cinemanila’s highlights is a film program called “The Beautiful Game,” which will feature films revolving around football/soccer and its beloved icons. Among the films to be exhibited in this program are Nick Lewis and Ranko Tutulugdzija's “Rise & Shine: The Jay DeMerit Story” (2011); Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno's “Zidane, A 21st Century Portrait” (2006); Jeff and Michael Zimbalist's “The Two Escobars” (2010); Jafar Panahi’s “Offside” (2006); Khyentse Norbu's “The Cup” (1999); Pantelis Voulgaris' “The Striker with Number 9” (1989); Gurinder Chadha's “Bend It Like Beckham” (2002); and the Philippines' own “Happyland” (2010) by Jim Libiran (with a cameo by Azkals star Phil Younghusband), about a group of street kids who form a soccer team.
Lifetime Achievement Awards will also be presented to Philippine superstar Nora Aunor and Italian master of horror Dario Argento. And this year’s festival will see the launch of the Cinemanila Moonlight Series--weekly outdoor film screenings to take place in Taguig City beginning January 2012.
For more information, contact cinemanila.press@gmail.com and cinemanila@gmail.com or visit www.cinemanila.org.ph.
For updates, join the Cinemanila International Film Festival Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/246306172084819/ and follow Cinemanila on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CinemanilaIFF.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Halloween family concert, trick-or-treat at CCP this Sunday
Watch superhero Greenilda of the Green Planet as she wipes out the Litterbugs in the Halloween Family Concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on Sunday, October 30, 2011, 4 p.m., at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (CCP Main Theater).
The concert, entitled “Greenilda vs. The Litterbugs,” will feature the Metro Manila Concert Orchestra conducted by Josefino “Chino” Toledo. Now on its 5th year, the concert introduces the symphony orchestra and its music to children in a fun way. Pre-concert activities include the musical instruments petting zoo, where the children get to experience playing different orchestral instruments assisted by members of the MMCO, and trick-or-treats at the Little Theater and Main Theater lobbies at 2:30 p.m. The children are encouraged to come in their costumes. The concert is presented by CCP and the MMCO, and sponsored by Alveo Land.
For more information, call the CCP Music Division 8321125 loc. 1604/1605.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Salvador Bernal, 1945-2011: 'The poverty of a production need not imply a poverty of the imagination.'
CCP Vice-President and Artistic Director Chris Millado: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of a great artist. Badong [Bernal] redefined scenic design in the Philippines and was a teacher and mentor to our current crop of designers. He was responsible for creating the beautiful sets and costumes that defined the aesthetics of the various ballet, theater and musical productions at the CCP and other venues.”
2003 National Artist citation for Theater Design: “Sensitive to the budget limitations of local productions, [Bernal] harnessed the design potential of inexpensive local materials, pioneering or maximizing the use of bamboo, raw abaca and abaca fiber, hemp twine, rattan chain links and gauze cacha. In doing this he exemplified the versatility of Filipino materials for design and proved that the poverty of a production need not imply a poverty of the imagination.”
Salvador Bernal's last production for CCP was Tanghalang Pilipino's rock musical Banaag at Sikat last year (libretto by National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, music by Lucien Letaba), for which he designed the set and costumes, shown here. (As I saw it: For “Banaag at Sikat,” National Artist Salvador Bernal designed a scenery of overlapping floor-to-ceiling capiz panels that suggested the layers of propriety, custom and status one had to live with in colonial-era Filipino society.)
2003 National Artist citation for Theater Design: “Sensitive to the budget limitations of local productions, [Bernal] harnessed the design potential of inexpensive local materials, pioneering or maximizing the use of bamboo, raw abaca and abaca fiber, hemp twine, rattan chain links and gauze cacha. In doing this he exemplified the versatility of Filipino materials for design and proved that the poverty of a production need not imply a poverty of the imagination.”
Salvador Bernal's last production for CCP was Tanghalang Pilipino's rock musical Banaag at Sikat last year (libretto by National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, music by Lucien Letaba), for which he designed the set and costumes, shown here. (As I saw it: For “Banaag at Sikat,” National Artist Salvador Bernal designed a scenery of overlapping floor-to-ceiling capiz panels that suggested the layers of propriety, custom and status one had to live with in colonial-era Filipino society.)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Lea Salonga and Darren Criss serenade Alan Menken
Lovely. And Darren even includes one of Alan's rarer tracks--Santa Fe from Newsies (sung in the movie, if you must know, by a teenage Christian Bale).
Ang Sayaw ng Daliwang Kaliwang Paa opens today. See you at the moviehouse.
Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa, which has just won the bronze award at the Bogota International Film Festival, is Rated PG-13 by the MTRCB, and Graded A by the Cinema Evaluation Board. It also won Best Cinematography and Best Music at the 2011 Cinemalaya Film Festival. It's directed by Alvin Yapan and produced by Alemberg Ang, the same tandem behind the Cairo International Film Festival-winning Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe. Since the year is about to end, and I don't hold my breath for the entries to the Metro Manila Film Festival in December, I don't think I'd be off the mark in saying that Sayaw is one of the best films--certainly the most unique--you will see this year. (My tweet after it floored me at Cinemalaya: 'ang sayaw ng 2 kaliwang paa' is pure feeling profoundly, ravishingly expressed. The film has ambition , style, delicacy--soul. BRAVO.)
Please go and watch, and send a message to our cinema operators that good movies--especially good local movies--have a place in our city. Robinsons just pulled out the film A DAY before the start of its announced screening schedule. As Alem says, “All we ask for is a fair shake in the cinemas. I mean, if we don't sell, then pull us out. But not now THE NIGHT before we screen.” For now, Sayaw will screen in the following cinemas: SM North Edsa, Megamall, Centerpoint, Manila Southmall, MOA and Bacoor; and at Glorietta 4 and Trinoma.
PLUS: Rocco Nacino and Direk Alvin Yapan preparing for the poetry reading to end the poem/song Litanya by Merlinda Bobis--
And from the film's soundtrack, Rocco reading the poem's closing stanzas, preceded by Victor Robinson III's vocals and Ada Tayao and Jema Pamintuan's guitar-playing:
Monday, October 24, 2011
Bohol Notebook 3: How we got the cover shot
As soon as we stepped inside Loboc Church, I told Tonette (Jacinto), our photographer: How about taking an upward shot of the kids against that ceiling?
She liked the idea and began looking around for a good spot, very discreetly as a wedding was about to start. We had to wait for the ceremony to end, but in the meantime, the affair was fascinating to watch.
The couple being wed looked very young--a Filipina and a Korean. The girl's parents and kin were out in full force, filling more than half of the church. The Korean boy, meanwhile, had only himself and three buddies with him. While the groom was in suit and tie, his friends were in tees and slacks, but one of them tried to slip into a barong without bothering to remove his collared blue shirt--a sight I found rather charming.
Seeing the groom by his lonesome got me thinking: Where are his folks? Perhaps they didn't like the girl? Maybe she got, uh, knocked up, hence a rushed wedding? Or the boy was so insanely in love that he had to marry her with only his fellow tourist buddies (they looked the part) in tow? In any case, if there was any more proof that a Filipino-Korean cross-pollination was in full swing, with many of the young of that country now heading towards these shores and spending a couple or more of their formative years marinating in--in this case, assimilating into--our culture, this was it. I made sure to cheer the newlyweds on by joining the lusty applause after the requisite kiss.
Too bad the Loboc Children's Choir wasn't around to sing for them. The kids were booked for another engagement in a neighboring town, so while the wedding was going on, they rehearsed their repertoire at a nearby classroom. Afterwards, the wedding done and the church cleared of its congregation, we had the place to ourselves to take photos of, and pose five to eight kids of the choir in various places--before the intricate retablos, on the gilded pulpit, against those festive painted ceilings. Tonette was a meticulous worker, and it was hot inside the church, but the children, bless them, never lost their smiles in shot after shot.
My photo idea was about capturing the province's two main treasures, its people and its cultural heritage, in one image. It's now the cover of the latest issue of Susan Calo Medina's Travel Time, The Magazine (which also has my dispatch about Bohol's trailblazing tourism smorgasbord as main story). How did Tonette get the shot? Literally, on her back:
Friday, October 21, 2011
Lea Salonga leads stellar cast of Fil-American Broadway stars in Sondheim tribute concert at NY's Alice Tully Hall
Directed by actor, director and producer Victor Lirio, with music direction and original orchestrations by Tom Myron, the concert will present “a carousel of Sondheim’s worlds and extraordinary characters from such musicals as 'Company,' 'West Side Story,' 'Saturday Night,' 'Sweeney Todd,' 'Anyone Can Whistle,' 'Follies,' 'A Little Night Music,' 'Merrily We Roll Along' and 'Sunday in the Park with George.'
In a letter Sondheim wrote to Lirio, he expressed: “I am delighted that you want to devote an evening to my work. Thank you so much for the compliment.”
The concert--conceived and co-produced by Lirio, artistic director of Diverse City Theater Co. (DCT),with PhilDev Trustee Ronna Reyes Sieh--will be the first New York gala for PhilDev. It also marks the first all-Filipino concert at Lincoln Center presenting top Filipino-American talents who have all made marks on Broadway in leading roles.
Tony Award winner Lea Salonga (“Miss Saigon,” “Les Miserables,” “Flower Drum Song,” Disney’s “Mulan” and “Aladdin”) leads an impressive cast of Filipino-American Broadway stars. Joining her are Joan Almedilla (“Miss Saigon,” “Les Miserables”); Alan Ariano (“Miss Saigon,” “The Encounter”); Emy Baysic (“Miss Saigon,” “Mamma Mia”); T.V. Carpio (“Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark”); Angel Desai (“Company”); Ali Ewoldt (“Les Miserables,” “West Side Story”); Rona Figueroa (“Miss Saigon,” “Les Miserables,” “Lennon,” “Nine”); Lydia Gaston (“The King & I,” “Miss Saigon”); Adam Jacobs (“Les Miserables,” “The Lion King”); Jose Llana (“The King & I,” “Spelling Bee,” “Flower Drum Song,” “Wonderland”); Orville Mendoza (“Pacific Overtures,” “Miss Saigon”); Paolo Montalban (“Pacific Overtures,” “The King & I,” ABC/Disney’s “Cinderella” as Prince Charming opposite Brandy); Emily Morales (Lincoln Center’s “South Pacific”); Jennifer Paz (“Miss Saigon,” “Les Miserables,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” “Jesus Christ Superstar”); and Diane Phelan (“South Pacific,” “West Side Story”).
Also onboard are company members Aaron Albano, Ester Barroso, Billy Bustamante, Liz Casasola, Karl Josef Co, Marc dela Cruz, Ariel Estrada, Albert Guerzon, Joanne Javien, Brian Jose, Jaygee Macapugay, Mel Maghuyop, Jake Manabat, Alan Mangasser, Adam Marcelo, JP Moraga, Lora Nicolas, Catherine Ricafort, Enrico Rodriguez, Vincent Rodriguez III, Chris-Ian Sanchez, Melissa Singson and Kay Trinidad.
“Given the repertoire of material that Victor has assembled and the stars he's been able to enlist for this very special concert, I think the audience can expect nothing less than excellence,” Salonga said.
“These are all theater artists at the top of their game, who sing like nobody else can, whose understanding of every piece they tackle is not just admirable, but straight from the heart. I'll be watching from the wings for sure, and at every rehearsal,” she added.”
Lirio, who also produced Salonga’s sold-out and critically-acclaimed Carnegie Hall concert debut in November 2005, said: “Sondheim’s works are some of the greatest in the musical theater canon and it is a privilege to breathe life into some of his iconic works. I am grateful to him for giving us this tremendous opportunity. We are looking forward to sharing with the New York audiences our expression of his work.”
He added: “A vital part of PhilDev’s mandate is to raise the profile of the Filipinos in the global landscape. This is a dream cast. I am grateful to be working with them again in support of PhilDev’s mission. Furthermore, this concert will underscore the contributions Filipino artists have made to America’s rich and diverse theater culture.”
Tickets for “PhilDev Celebrates Broadway: Suites by Sondheim” can be purchased at the Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center box office located on Broadway and 66th Street in New York City, online at www.lincolncenter.org, or by calling CenterCharge at 212-721-6500. Ticket prices are $100, $150, $250, and $500.
Limited patron/VIP subscriber seats of $1,000 are available, which includes a pre-concert VIP reception by contacting Rene Encarnacion at rene@phildev.org or 650-288-3937. 100 percent of net proceeds will benefit the Philippine Development Foundation.
Formerly known as Ayala Foundation USA, PhilDev is a public charity registered with the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt organization. It focuses on building an ecosystem of science and technology-based entrepreneurship and innovation for social and economic development in the Philippines. As part of its commitment to diaspora philanthropy, PhilDev also generates resources from U.S.-based donors for non-profit organizations in the Philippines.
For more information about PhilDev, visit www.phildev.org.
Teatro Tomasino presents Chris Martinez's Ang Huling Pahina
Martinez' play takes off from Rizal's "Noli Me Tangere," and revolves around the idea of what might happen if three secondary characters in the novel, namely, Donya Victorina, Donya Consolacion and Kapitan Tiyago were given the chance to speak up. In the play, they question their existence and demand more from the author, allowing for the exploration of how pivotal their characters are to Rizal's vision.
Directing the play and its all-student ensemble is Chi De Jesus.
For ticket inquiries, call Aina 0915-6728411 or Tiffany 0932-5400955. E-mai AngHulingPahina@gmail.com and like on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AngHulingPahina
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Word of the day: 'Perineum!' -- aka The Departures Fabcast
Mcvie: It was supposed to be a short Fabcast addressing several departures from the Fabcasters and the peanut gallery, AJ’s death being the most permanent one. But because of one small “matter” that blew out of proportion, this whole episode BOILED down to PRICKING on Londonboy’s unfortunate condition. We couldn’t help it... It’s another riotous recording by the Fabcasters and the peanut gallery, composed largely of us having fun at Londonboy’s expense, while all the while trying our best to go back to the topic. Warning: If you listen to this using headphones while in a public place, beware of suddenly bursting out laughing.
Me: Sumakit kasu-kasuan ko sa katatawa dito. Join the huddle!
Download this fabcast (right click and save)
Music credits:
Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
Cheers (Drink To That) by Rihanna
Ha Ha Ha by Eraserheads
What’s My Name by Rihanna
Me: Sumakit kasu-kasuan ko sa katatawa dito. Join the huddle!
Music credits:
Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
Cheers (Drink To That) by Rihanna
Ha Ha Ha by Eraserheads
What’s My Name by Rihanna
Word of Mouth Theater Philippines mounts staged reading of Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Word of Mouth Theater Philippines, a non-stock, non-profit arts organization that brings performers, designers and creative practitioners of various disciplines together, presents "Play With Your Food," an evening of music, dinner and a staged reading of Steve Martin's Outer Critics Circle Award-winning comedy "Picasso at the Lapin Agile."
The event runs Oct. 18 (Tuesday) and Nov. 08 (Tuesday), 8 p.m., at Quantum Cafe, G/F Feron Bldg. 9590 Kamagong cor. Bagtikan, Makati City (entrance on Bagtikan St.)
"Play With Your Food" is part of WOM's ongoing Gallery/Bar Theater series. World Cuisine menus are specially designed for each PYWF event, as select visual artists, musicians, vocalists and actors from various media are gathered at a single occasion to create a unique theatrical experience.
In "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," a bar in Montmartre, Paris, in October 1904, is the setting for an imaginary meeting between 25-year-old Albert Einstein and 23-year-old Pablo Picasso. It is a year before Einstein publishes his groundbreaking "The Special Theory of Relativity," and three years before Picasso paints his defining "Les Demoiselles d’Avignon." The two young men on the verge of greatness, along with a host of eccentric characters, converge and collide in Steve Martin’s light-hearted comedy about imagination and the creative process.
Featuring (in alphabetical order): Apollo Abraham, David Bianco, Jennifer Blair-Bianco, Jeremy Domingo, Kenneth Keng, Lesley Leveriza, Leo Rialp, Rob Rownd, Jamie Wilson, with Rigil Kent Borromeo and Jean Judith Javier, and an exhibit by Anthony Piggott.
The show is directed by Jeremy Domingo, with visual design by Rob Rownd.
Tickets at P450 each (inclusive of show, dinner and beverage). For reservations, contact Cristina 0905-3577420, or 0917-8963080, 0999-7787777, 0915-3577420 and wordofmouththeater.philippines@gmail.com
The event runs Oct. 18 (Tuesday) and Nov. 08 (Tuesday), 8 p.m., at Quantum Cafe, G/F Feron Bldg. 9590 Kamagong cor. Bagtikan, Makati City (entrance on Bagtikan St.)
"Play With Your Food" is part of WOM's ongoing Gallery/Bar Theater series. World Cuisine menus are specially designed for each PYWF event, as select visual artists, musicians, vocalists and actors from various media are gathered at a single occasion to create a unique theatrical experience.
In "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," a bar in Montmartre, Paris, in October 1904, is the setting for an imaginary meeting between 25-year-old Albert Einstein and 23-year-old Pablo Picasso. It is a year before Einstein publishes his groundbreaking "The Special Theory of Relativity," and three years before Picasso paints his defining "Les Demoiselles d’Avignon." The two young men on the verge of greatness, along with a host of eccentric characters, converge and collide in Steve Martin’s light-hearted comedy about imagination and the creative process.
Featuring (in alphabetical order): Apollo Abraham, David Bianco, Jennifer Blair-Bianco, Jeremy Domingo, Kenneth Keng, Lesley Leveriza, Leo Rialp, Rob Rownd, Jamie Wilson, with Rigil Kent Borromeo and Jean Judith Javier, and an exhibit by Anthony Piggott.
The show is directed by Jeremy Domingo, with visual design by Rob Rownd.
Tickets at P450 each (inclusive of show, dinner and beverage). For reservations, contact Cristina 0905-3577420, or 0917-8963080, 0999-7787777, 0915-3577420 and wordofmouththeater.philippines@gmail.com
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Jose Javier Reyes: 'You have empowered yourselves. Tonight is a vital first step.'
[Keynote address at the First General Assembly of the newly-formed Philippine Theater Actors Guild, 10 October 2011, PETA Theater Center, Quezon City.]
THIS GATHERING IS IMPORTANT.
It is not only an expression of camaraderie, a renewal of friendship or a sharing of common interests.
Tonight is a vital first step.
This gathering is a statement. We want change…and we all realize that there is a task at hand. This is a necessity not merely for the sake of survival but to certify the significance of what we have chosen to become.
We come from a culture that seems to celebrate disparity as much as it makes a big deal out of our sense of unity. And yet our history has proven that change and advancement can only come when we all decide to forget our differences and assert our common goals.
If one still asks if it indeed a necessity for theater performers to get together, I think the answer is quite apparent.
This has got nothing and everything to do with the consumption of SkyFlakes crackers for lunch and dinner. This meeting is important because it is a necessary step from a decision we all made some time agao: We decided that we wanted to be artists.
We decided that this human life lent to us can and will only have meaning if we pursue, persist and fight for what can give us fulfillment. And that is to be theater artists. That is to be performers.
Mind you, I am not talking about success. I am speaking about the more important fulfillment.
Believe me when I say that there are so many people I know who are so successful but are completely unfulfilled.
Well, yes… rarely can a theater artist be featured in Yes Magazine! to showcase his or her house: well, not unless you are Eugene Domingo.
Rarely can the theater artist be recognized in a tiangge in Greenhills… or spend his weekend shopping at the third floor of TriNoMa or the exclusive shops at Greenbelt.
You see that is the difference between being a celebrity and an artist.
A celebrity gets immeasurable recognition, gets paid exorbitant amounts and gets all the fringe benefits for being public property. A celebrity will earn literally multi-millions for endorsing everything from laundry detergents to feminine washes. And a celebrity does not even require talent. Just a lot of marketing and helluva lot more luck.
Ah, but if you choose to be a theater performer, chances are... you come from a very rich family or basically a masochist.
Theater has never developed to become a lucrative business in this country.
You join the theater because you love to perform… even if you know you cannot make a decent living out of it. Through all these years, the Filipino theater artist has subsisted for the love of the art and the craft--- whether he came from the walkways of the Rajah Sulaiman Theater in Intramuros or the backstage corridors of the Insular Life Theater in Ayala Avenue or the Tanghalang Batute or the Little Theater at the CCP.
The theater artist seeks more than success; he is in constant search for elusive fulfillment. Ironically, fulfillment is so hard to define is the reason why… we persist, insist and subsist.
That is why you are all gathered here tonight. I am joining you in your celebration of untied masochism.
More than that, you are here because you care for theater. No, you don’t only care for theater… you love being part of theater.
Because you share a common passion, you want our countrymen to understand what you are doing… and what you want not only for ourselves but for our country.
You want Filipinos to finally acknowledge and appreciate the passions that so few truly understand.
You are here not for selfish reasons --- because if you were here only after the trappings of success, then perhaps you would have given up this calling and ended up in a call center instead.
You are here to make a point… and to make others see that you matter. Yes, you do matter. You may not be treated as well you wish it to be… but you matter.
Whether recognized or not… even if the theater artist is not beholden to the kingdom of the giant networks or do not have direct lines to the gods and goddesses of the movie studios… you matter!
You, like all creative agents --- mavericks, rebels and iconoclasts --- are instrumental in the shaping of our national culture.
'An actor is an actor is an actor. The only way you can dignify the wealth of your experience and training is when people realize that your work in theater is far superior than the three-day workshops given to wannabes who will be force-fed to the television or movie audiences.'
So what makes this event important? Let me give my tatlong puntos.
Firstly, as soldiers of theater, it is about time that this country learns and recognizes the importance of this form of art as part of their lives.
There are still those who believe that theater is an elitist form of entertainment. There are those who do not recognize that the history of our country has always been anchored on theater forms in order to bring a sense of community and express the sentiments or mindset at whatever point of our soci-political evolution. But let’s not even go there.
To make my point straightforward and simple --- theater is still considered either a luxury or something required by classess in Literature and Theater Arts in high school and colleges.
The tradition of an authentic theater-going public has yet to b developed because it was never given a chance to be even a habit.
And why? Because of very apparent reasons. Not only do we lack the accessible venues for our countrymen to see the showcase of our works. Theater has been relegated to a dispensable form of entertainment made accessible only to a few.
Because of that, theater artists have never been given the importance they most definitely deserve. Because people do not know you. People do not appreciate what you do and what you represent.
Yes, we have the Cultural Center of the Philippines and places such as this… but there has been no concerted effort to bring theater closer to the people rather than compelling the audience to come to the theater.
As long as theater remains as an option from watching a concert of Bruno Mars or the Black Eyed Peas… as long as theater is considered a necessary evil, a requirement to complete courses because of reaction papers and submitted reviews to teachers… then theater can never truly be a part of the life of our countrymen.
And after all these years… after all the sacrifices made by the likes of Tinio, Mabesa, Espejo, Anton Juan, Amador, Guidote-Alvarez and a whole generation who precedes those gathered here tonight, it is about time. Yes, it is about time that you make theater matter.
The country takes pride in saying we have talents in world-class caliber. Pointless to mention the names too familiar that they have become part of a mantra: Lea Salonga, Joanna Ampil, Leo Valdez, Junix Innocian, Monique Wilson et cetera et cetera. Pointless to relentlessly celebrate their names and yet admit the fact that you --- theater artists--- are still being treated like second class citizens in the entertainment business.
This leads me to my second point: It is about time that the theater artists are given the respect that he and she deserve.
Let me assess the situation we all know:
Even a respected veteran movie and television performer whose acting and popularity were honed by media experience said that times have indeed changed.
Nowadays, it is so easy to be called an artista even if you know nothing about acting.
Because of a highly competitive dog-eat-puppy world of mass media, actors are no longer treated as people. You guys have become commodities.
Whereas before, to be called an actor means to prove how good you are in what you do, nowadays anybody who has been thrown in front of a camera can make claims that he is already an actor.
We all know, for instance, that reality shows are the biggest on-camera auditions ever conceived by mainstream commercial television to find the next generation of stars to fill up the studio’s stable. We all know that there are endless talent searches to keep the stockroom filled with second and third-liners. Fresh from the catch, these young wannabes are thrown straight into the barbeque pit and made to mimic what is supposed to be acting in front of the cameras. Performers borne out of popularity and saleability of the moment are made leads, considered as star while do their on-the-job training.
The veteran actress asked, “Ganun na lang ba yon? Kahit sino na ba artista na ngayon?” And the sad answer is both a yes and no.
Anyone can be a star --- for as short as three months--- or as long as his talent can hold. But not everyone --- not just anyone--- can be an actor.
Stars fade--- actors mature. Stars are dependent on the box office receipts of their latest movies --- or how their most recent adventure in television fairs in the ratings game.
Actors are as good as their most recent performance --- measured by their competence in the role that they are made to play and challenged by other roles that remain to be discovered.
That is why actors are diamonds that shine with greatest brilliance in time. Celebrities merely fade -- or enter politics.
When television and film productions --- both commercial and independent – are in need of competent, reliable and guaranteed professional performers --- they tap the theater actors. I know that for a fact.
As a line producer for commercial films or as a TV director, there is a roster of theater performers who form a core group of supporting actors that can enhance any show or film.
You --- the theater actor--- provide credibility to the performance level of films. Sometimes the theater actor, as the supporting performers, surround the neophyte wannabe star so that the audience can be made to believe that the newcomer can impersonate acting. In other words, you guys give credit to the dancing bear. It is not how good the bear dances… but the fact that you can make the bear dance at all.
But the saddest part is that you still get the SkyFlakes reference as a joke. I am quite sure that young man did not mean it that way… but is perceived that way not only by the larger public. Worse, that is how media productions think and perceive you.
'Stars fade--actors mature. Stars are dependent on the box office receipts of their latest movies--or how their most recent adventure in television fares in the ratings game. Actors are as good as their most recent performance... That is why actors are diamonds that shine with greatest brilliance in time. Celebrities merely fade--or enter politics.'
Life for the dedicated professional actor was never fair. Even in the US, the likes of Jane Alexander, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin and others never reached that much coveted star status not unless you are Meryll Streep. In our contry, the same thing can be said. Theater actors play the competent and inevitable supporting roles and never manage to have their names above the title--- well, not unless you are Eugene Domingo.
But what sounds like a dismal situation is good news. You should give premium to what you are worth not only for your theater work but for popular media as well.
An actor in an actor is an actor… regardless of where he appears: onstage, onscreen or in the tube. You should realize that even if you are given supporting roles that this is not a reson to be treated like second class citizens on the movie or television set.
As I said---an actor is an actor is an actor. The only way you can dignify the wealth of your experience and training is when people realize that your work in theater is far superior than the three-day workshops given to wannabes who will be force-fed to the television or movie audiences.
This leads me to the final point: no one can help you except yourselves.
If I can be so blatantly honest with you, I have learned one thing about this country. You cannot depend on anyone to protect your turf and interests except yourself.
Government support to help boost the cultural development in this country? Government support to aid the development and propagation of theater?
Fat chance, people. Right at this very moment, there are more pressing problems in Hagonoy and Calumpit. Not that the cultural development should not be a priority… but it never was and by the looks of it, shall never be.
Besides, anything that has got to do with government tends to be tainted by politics, politicking and partisanship. I guess you wouldn’t want to go into that either.
So the most important lessons, Ladies and Gentlemen, is that no one can help you except youselves. And that is why tonight is very important. Tonight, by being here, you make a stand… no longer as an individual who has dedicated his life to theater… but as part of community seeking for a definite identity and a potent voice.
Tonight is important because if there is any need, any change that will take place… the crucial first step has already been taken. The journey has already started because you have empowered yourselves… because you realize that if there is anybody who should protect your interests… then it has to be your own moves, your own intentions, and your own volition.
It is perhaps too simplistic to enumerate three points and claim that these summarize the problems you must confront. There are definitely more. This adventure is bound to be a bumpy but interesting ride. But what is important is that you have made the crucial first step. And this, my friends, is the significance of this night… which hopefully is the birth of a new theater in the country.
It is not only an expression of camaraderie, a renewal of friendship or a sharing of common interests.
Tonight is a vital first step.
This gathering is a statement. We want change…and we all realize that there is a task at hand. This is a necessity not merely for the sake of survival but to certify the significance of what we have chosen to become.
We come from a culture that seems to celebrate disparity as much as it makes a big deal out of our sense of unity. And yet our history has proven that change and advancement can only come when we all decide to forget our differences and assert our common goals.
If one still asks if it indeed a necessity for theater performers to get together, I think the answer is quite apparent.
This has got nothing and everything to do with the consumption of SkyFlakes crackers for lunch and dinner. This meeting is important because it is a necessary step from a decision we all made some time agao: We decided that we wanted to be artists.
We decided that this human life lent to us can and will only have meaning if we pursue, persist and fight for what can give us fulfillment. And that is to be theater artists. That is to be performers.
Mind you, I am not talking about success. I am speaking about the more important fulfillment.
Believe me when I say that there are so many people I know who are so successful but are completely unfulfilled.
Well, yes… rarely can a theater artist be featured in Yes Magazine! to showcase his or her house: well, not unless you are Eugene Domingo.
Rarely can the theater artist be recognized in a tiangge in Greenhills… or spend his weekend shopping at the third floor of TriNoMa or the exclusive shops at Greenbelt.
You see that is the difference between being a celebrity and an artist.
A celebrity gets immeasurable recognition, gets paid exorbitant amounts and gets all the fringe benefits for being public property. A celebrity will earn literally multi-millions for endorsing everything from laundry detergents to feminine washes. And a celebrity does not even require talent. Just a lot of marketing and helluva lot more luck.
Ah, but if you choose to be a theater performer, chances are... you come from a very rich family or basically a masochist.
Theater has never developed to become a lucrative business in this country.
You join the theater because you love to perform… even if you know you cannot make a decent living out of it. Through all these years, the Filipino theater artist has subsisted for the love of the art and the craft--- whether he came from the walkways of the Rajah Sulaiman Theater in Intramuros or the backstage corridors of the Insular Life Theater in Ayala Avenue or the Tanghalang Batute or the Little Theater at the CCP.
The theater artist seeks more than success; he is in constant search for elusive fulfillment. Ironically, fulfillment is so hard to define is the reason why… we persist, insist and subsist.
That is why you are all gathered here tonight. I am joining you in your celebration of untied masochism.
More than that, you are here because you care for theater. No, you don’t only care for theater… you love being part of theater.
Because you share a common passion, you want our countrymen to understand what you are doing… and what you want not only for ourselves but for our country.
You want Filipinos to finally acknowledge and appreciate the passions that so few truly understand.
You are here not for selfish reasons --- because if you were here only after the trappings of success, then perhaps you would have given up this calling and ended up in a call center instead.
You are here to make a point… and to make others see that you matter. Yes, you do matter. You may not be treated as well you wish it to be… but you matter.
Whether recognized or not… even if the theater artist is not beholden to the kingdom of the giant networks or do not have direct lines to the gods and goddesses of the movie studios… you matter!
You, like all creative agents --- mavericks, rebels and iconoclasts --- are instrumental in the shaping of our national culture.
'An actor is an actor is an actor. The only way you can dignify the wealth of your experience and training is when people realize that your work in theater is far superior than the three-day workshops given to wannabes who will be force-fed to the television or movie audiences.'
So what makes this event important? Let me give my tatlong puntos.
Firstly, as soldiers of theater, it is about time that this country learns and recognizes the importance of this form of art as part of their lives.
There are still those who believe that theater is an elitist form of entertainment. There are those who do not recognize that the history of our country has always been anchored on theater forms in order to bring a sense of community and express the sentiments or mindset at whatever point of our soci-political evolution. But let’s not even go there.
To make my point straightforward and simple --- theater is still considered either a luxury or something required by classess in Literature and Theater Arts in high school and colleges.
The tradition of an authentic theater-going public has yet to b developed because it was never given a chance to be even a habit.
And why? Because of very apparent reasons. Not only do we lack the accessible venues for our countrymen to see the showcase of our works. Theater has been relegated to a dispensable form of entertainment made accessible only to a few.
Because of that, theater artists have never been given the importance they most definitely deserve. Because people do not know you. People do not appreciate what you do and what you represent.
Yes, we have the Cultural Center of the Philippines and places such as this… but there has been no concerted effort to bring theater closer to the people rather than compelling the audience to come to the theater.
As long as theater remains as an option from watching a concert of Bruno Mars or the Black Eyed Peas… as long as theater is considered a necessary evil, a requirement to complete courses because of reaction papers and submitted reviews to teachers… then theater can never truly be a part of the life of our countrymen.
And after all these years… after all the sacrifices made by the likes of Tinio, Mabesa, Espejo, Anton Juan, Amador, Guidote-Alvarez and a whole generation who precedes those gathered here tonight, it is about time. Yes, it is about time that you make theater matter.
The country takes pride in saying we have talents in world-class caliber. Pointless to mention the names too familiar that they have become part of a mantra: Lea Salonga, Joanna Ampil, Leo Valdez, Junix Innocian, Monique Wilson et cetera et cetera. Pointless to relentlessly celebrate their names and yet admit the fact that you --- theater artists--- are still being treated like second class citizens in the entertainment business.
This leads me to my second point: It is about time that the theater artists are given the respect that he and she deserve.
Let me assess the situation we all know:
Even a respected veteran movie and television performer whose acting and popularity were honed by media experience said that times have indeed changed.
Nowadays, it is so easy to be called an artista even if you know nothing about acting.
Because of a highly competitive dog-eat-puppy world of mass media, actors are no longer treated as people. You guys have become commodities.
Whereas before, to be called an actor means to prove how good you are in what you do, nowadays anybody who has been thrown in front of a camera can make claims that he is already an actor.
We all know, for instance, that reality shows are the biggest on-camera auditions ever conceived by mainstream commercial television to find the next generation of stars to fill up the studio’s stable. We all know that there are endless talent searches to keep the stockroom filled with second and third-liners. Fresh from the catch, these young wannabes are thrown straight into the barbeque pit and made to mimic what is supposed to be acting in front of the cameras. Performers borne out of popularity and saleability of the moment are made leads, considered as star while do their on-the-job training.
The veteran actress asked, “Ganun na lang ba yon? Kahit sino na ba artista na ngayon?” And the sad answer is both a yes and no.
Anyone can be a star --- for as short as three months--- or as long as his talent can hold. But not everyone --- not just anyone--- can be an actor.
Stars fade--- actors mature. Stars are dependent on the box office receipts of their latest movies --- or how their most recent adventure in television fairs in the ratings game.
Actors are as good as their most recent performance --- measured by their competence in the role that they are made to play and challenged by other roles that remain to be discovered.
That is why actors are diamonds that shine with greatest brilliance in time. Celebrities merely fade -- or enter politics.
When television and film productions --- both commercial and independent – are in need of competent, reliable and guaranteed professional performers --- they tap the theater actors. I know that for a fact.
As a line producer for commercial films or as a TV director, there is a roster of theater performers who form a core group of supporting actors that can enhance any show or film.
You --- the theater actor--- provide credibility to the performance level of films. Sometimes the theater actor, as the supporting performers, surround the neophyte wannabe star so that the audience can be made to believe that the newcomer can impersonate acting. In other words, you guys give credit to the dancing bear. It is not how good the bear dances… but the fact that you can make the bear dance at all.
But the saddest part is that you still get the SkyFlakes reference as a joke. I am quite sure that young man did not mean it that way… but is perceived that way not only by the larger public. Worse, that is how media productions think and perceive you.
'Stars fade--actors mature. Stars are dependent on the box office receipts of their latest movies--or how their most recent adventure in television fares in the ratings game. Actors are as good as their most recent performance... That is why actors are diamonds that shine with greatest brilliance in time. Celebrities merely fade--or enter politics.'
Life for the dedicated professional actor was never fair. Even in the US, the likes of Jane Alexander, Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin and others never reached that much coveted star status not unless you are Meryll Streep. In our contry, the same thing can be said. Theater actors play the competent and inevitable supporting roles and never manage to have their names above the title--- well, not unless you are Eugene Domingo.
But what sounds like a dismal situation is good news. You should give premium to what you are worth not only for your theater work but for popular media as well.
An actor in an actor is an actor… regardless of where he appears: onstage, onscreen or in the tube. You should realize that even if you are given supporting roles that this is not a reson to be treated like second class citizens on the movie or television set.
As I said---an actor is an actor is an actor. The only way you can dignify the wealth of your experience and training is when people realize that your work in theater is far superior than the three-day workshops given to wannabes who will be force-fed to the television or movie audiences.
This leads me to the final point: no one can help you except yourselves.
If I can be so blatantly honest with you, I have learned one thing about this country. You cannot depend on anyone to protect your turf and interests except yourself.
Government support to help boost the cultural development in this country? Government support to aid the development and propagation of theater?
Fat chance, people. Right at this very moment, there are more pressing problems in Hagonoy and Calumpit. Not that the cultural development should not be a priority… but it never was and by the looks of it, shall never be.
Besides, anything that has got to do with government tends to be tainted by politics, politicking and partisanship. I guess you wouldn’t want to go into that either.
So the most important lessons, Ladies and Gentlemen, is that no one can help you except youselves. And that is why tonight is very important. Tonight, by being here, you make a stand… no longer as an individual who has dedicated his life to theater… but as part of community seeking for a definite identity and a potent voice.
Tonight is important because if there is any need, any change that will take place… the crucial first step has already been taken. The journey has already started because you have empowered yourselves… because you realize that if there is anybody who should protect your interests… then it has to be your own moves, your own intentions, and your own volition.
It is perhaps too simplistic to enumerate three points and claim that these summarize the problems you must confront. There are definitely more. This adventure is bound to be a bumpy but interesting ride. But what is important is that you have made the crucial first step. And this, my friends, is the significance of this night… which hopefully is the birth of a new theater in the country.
New theater group Dulaang Kalay presents first production, Series Finale: Saan Hahantong Ang Tagpong Ito?!
The play is a satirical look at the Filipino's obsession with telenovelas and their stars, centering on the last episode of a soap opera, with all its melodrama and cliches, aired in the midst of national scandals and big news stories.
“Series Finale: Saan Hahantong Ang Tagpong Ito?!” is written by two promising young theater artists, Katte Sabate (dramaturg/headwriter, Dulaang UP's “Rizal X”) and William Elvin Manzano (music and lyrics, “Rizal X” and Dulaang Laboratoryo's “Cyrano: Isang Sarsuwela”), and features an ensemble of the country's brightest young actors: Janine Santos (Tanghalang Ateneo's “Walang Sugat,” Dulaang UP's “Isang Panaginip na Fili”) alternating with Erika Estacio (“Rizal X”); Jules Dela Paz (Dulaang UP's “Shock Value” and “Rizal X”) alternating with Toji Salinas; Roxy Aldiosa (“Walang Sugat,” “Isang Panaginip na Fili” and the upcoming “Noli Me Tangere: The Opera”) alternating with Dreps Tatad (Dulaang Laboratoryo’s “Medea”); Earle Figuracion (“Isang Panaginip na Fili”) alternating with Acey Aguilar (Dulaang UP’s “Orosman at Zafira,” “Lulu” and Tanghalang Pilipino’s ongoing “Tatlong Tabing: Three Plays by Tony Perez”).
The artistic staff includes Jean Tanchuco, Nissi Gatan (production designer), Niqi Granados (costume designer), Meliton Roxas (lighting designer), Dino Dimar (photography and graphics design), Gabe Ongkiko and Timothy Ng (video design) and Delphine Buencamino (choreography). Original music, lyrics, and direction by William Elvin Manzano.
“Series Finale: Saan Hahantong Ang Tagpong Ito?!” runs December 5-18, 2011 at Vision 21, Crossroads 77, #77 Mother Ignacia Street, Quezon City.
For sponsorship and ticket inquiries, contact Nicole Nequinto (0906-4581711) or Raquel Pascua (0906-5721157).
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Nora Aunor, Dario Argento to receive Cinemanila's Lifetime Achievement Award
The 2011 Cinemanila International Film Festival, in cooperation with the City of Taguig, will pay tribute to one of the Philippines' most accomplished actresses, Nora Aunor (born Nora Cabaltera Villamayor on May 21, 1955 in Iriga City, Camarines Sur), by bestowing her with the Lifetime Achievement Award on 11.11.11, during the festival’s Opening Night.
Aunor is popularly regarded as the Superstar for her stellar achievements and enormous contribution--as actor, singer, TV host and producer--to the entertainment industry.
As part of the homage to the multi-awarded Aunor, a short video tribute will be shown during the presentation of the award. And throughout the festival, Cinemanila will screen (with English subtitles) classic films showcasing Aunor's legendary acting talent, including "Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos" (1976), "Minsa'y Isang Gamu-Gamo" (1976), "Bona" (1980) and "Himala" (1982), winner in 2008 of the CNN APSA (Asia Pacific Screen Awards) Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time.
Indeed, Nora Aunor is a world-class artist as shown by the list of international organizations which have given her a Best Actress award, including the Cairo Film Festival ("The Flor Contemplacion Story," 1995), East Asia Film and Television Festival ("Bakit May Kahapon Pa?," 1997), Brussels Festival of Independent Films ("Naglalayag," 2004). She was also nominated in the Berlin Film Festival for "Himala" and awarded the Certificate of Honor in the Cannes Film Festival for "Bona".
With the Cinemanila Lifetime Achievement Award, Aunor will join an exceptional group of individuals who have received the same award, such as US filmmakers Quentin Tarantino (2007) and Paul Schrader (2009), Indonesian actress and filmmaker Christine Hakim (2003), film programmers Aruna Vasudev and Philip Cheah (2006), Pusan International Film Festival founding director Kim Dong Ho (2005), and fellow Filipino artists Vilma Santos (2003), Eddie Romero (2004) and Dolphy (2010).
Aside from these personalities, other special guests who have graced Cinemanila in the past include Jafar Panahi ("The Circle," 2000) and Fernando Meirelles ("City of God," 2002).
Along with Aunor, Cinemanila is also honoring Dario Argento, Italian film director, producer and screenwriter, with the Lifetime Achievement Award on 11.11.11, during the festival’s Opening Night.
Argento, 71, is best known for his work in the horror genre, particularly in the subgenre known as "giallo" (Italian for "yellow," or more precisely, "thriller"), and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies. Argento is also known as the Italian Hitchcock.
His more popular works include the international hit "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" (1970), the surreal horror film "Suspiria" (1977), and the violent mystery-thriller "Deep Red" (1975), considered by many critics as the best "giallo" ever made, and which inspired many film directors, such as John Carpenter, to work in the genre. "Suspiria" will be screened during the festival, among Argento’s other films.
Other notable credits include the spaghetti western classic, Sergio Leone's "Once Upon a Time in the West" (1968) (story), and the cult zombie film, George Romero's "Dawn of Dead" (1978) (producer). More recent works include "Trauma" (1993), "The Stendhal Syndrome" (1996) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (1998), all of which featured his daughter Asia, an accomplished actor and filmmaker in her own right.
The 2011 Cinemanila International Film Festival will be held from November 11 to 17, 2011 at the Market! Market! Cinemas in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Around 50 international and local films will be screened in a span of 7 days, from the current toasts of the local indie scene to the award-winners and favorites of prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Sundance, and Pusan. The festival will also feature workshops, seminars, and master classes.
For more info, contact cinemanila.press@gmail.com and cinemanila@gmail.com or go to www.cinemanila.org.ph.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Bohol Notebook 2: the Loboc Children's Choir in rehearsal
[Note: Excerpted from the latest issue of Susan Calo-Medina's Travel Time, The Magazine]
... If you’re lucky, as we were on the late morning we visited [Loboc Church], you could hear angelic singing wafting from nearby, and discover the world-famous Loboc Children’s Choir rehearsing at one of the rooms in the nearby elementary school. These kids have won acclaim all over the world, and on Sundays they sing at mass at the Loboc Church. But here they were now, deep into making their heavenly sound in a place of peeling walls and stark ordinariness that anybody could walk into, and the vision is moving—rootedness made sublime.
... If you’re lucky, as we were on the late morning we visited [Loboc Church], you could hear angelic singing wafting from nearby, and discover the world-famous Loboc Children’s Choir rehearsing at one of the rooms in the nearby elementary school. These kids have won acclaim all over the world, and on Sundays they sing at mass at the Loboc Church. But here they were now, deep into making their heavenly sound in a place of peeling walls and stark ordinariness that anybody could walk into, and the vision is moving—rootedness made sublime.
Virgin Labfest Year 8 now accepting play submissions
The Virgin Labfest YEAR 8 is now open for script submissions. One-act plays and full-length play scripts are accepted. For 2012, submissions are requested for the following written works:
1. One-act plays (maximum running time: 40 minutes)
2. Full-length plays (minimum running time: 1 hour 20 minutes; maximum running time: 2 hours)
3. All submitted works must NOT have previously been published in book form; staged commercially for more than two performances (staged readings, one-time workshop productions are allowed); awarded any literary or drama recognition in competitions and the like.
4. Works may be in Filipino or English.
The festival is open to various themes and genres. While we continue to uphold this principle, this year, however, the Virgin Labfest hopes to include works that fall into these categories:
1. Regional Language plays: plays written in Hiligaynon, Cebuano and/or Ilocano.
2. Plays for children (special venue)
Submission deadline is MARCH 31, 2012. Send your submissions either:
1) In .doc or .pdf format only to rodyvera@yahoo.com or drama_ccp@yahoo.com
2) Deliver at least two hard copies of the manuscript to
DRAMATIC ARTS DIVISION
Performing Arts Department
Cultural Center of the Philippines
Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Submissions should indicate name and contact address of the playwright.
1. One-act plays (maximum running time: 40 minutes)
2. Full-length plays (minimum running time: 1 hour 20 minutes; maximum running time: 2 hours)
3. All submitted works must NOT have previously been published in book form; staged commercially for more than two performances (staged readings, one-time workshop productions are allowed); awarded any literary or drama recognition in competitions and the like.
4. Works may be in Filipino or English.
The festival is open to various themes and genres. While we continue to uphold this principle, this year, however, the Virgin Labfest hopes to include works that fall into these categories:
1. Regional Language plays: plays written in Hiligaynon, Cebuano and/or Ilocano.
2. Plays for children (special venue)
Submission deadline is MARCH 31, 2012. Send your submissions either:
1) In .doc or .pdf format only to rodyvera@yahoo.com or drama_ccp@yahoo.com
2) Deliver at least two hard copies of the manuscript to
DRAMATIC ARTS DIVISION
Performing Arts Department
Cultural Center of the Philippines
Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
Submissions should indicate name and contact address of the playwright.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Joanna, Audie, Cris, Marvin et al.--catch them in Resorts World Manila's The Sound of Music
Cris Villonco wasn't at the presscon [update: she was! My bad, completely forgot], but Joanna Ampil, Audie Gemora, Marvin Ong, Tanya Manalang and the kiddie cast sang songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Resorts World Manila's production of which is opening this weekend, Oct. 15, 2011 at its Newport Performing Arts Center under Roxanne Lapus' direction. Cris alternates with Joanna in the role of Maria, Audie plays Capt. Von Trapp along with Ed Feist and Jon Joven, Marvin Ong is Rolf and Tanya Manalang is Liesl, Pinky Marquez and Shiela Franciso alternate as the Mother Abbess, and Pinky Amador and Lynn Sherman play the Baroness Elsa Schraeder. The Manila Philharmonic Orchestra provides the live accompaniment under the baton of musical director Rodel Colmenar. Enjoy this teaser:
PLUS: Director Roxanne Lapus explains what she plans to bring to this chestnut musical, to reimagine it and make it fresh--
(Wondering what the good-looking TV director Paul Soriano is doing up there with the cast? He's in charge of the video component of the show's scenography, to take advantage of the LED screen that Resorts World Manila touts as the largest in Asia.)
PLUS: Director Roxanne Lapus explains what she plans to bring to this chestnut musical, to reimagine it and make it fresh--
(Wondering what the good-looking TV director Paul Soriano is doing up there with the cast? He's in charge of the video component of the show's scenography, to take advantage of the LED screen that Resorts World Manila touts as the largest in Asia.)
This time, Noli Me Tangere: The Opera, from Dulaang UP
In the continuing year-long celebration of Jose Rizal’s birth sesquicentenary and also as a pre-birth centennial tribute for National Artist Felipe de Leon, Dulaang UP is proud to present "Noli Me Tangere: The Opera." This production of de Leon’s classic with libretto by Guillermo Tolentino marks only the third time since the 1980s that Rizal’s immortal novel is staged not as a play but as an opera.
"Noli Me Tangere: The Opera" runs November 16-December 4, 2011 (Wednesday to Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.) at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater, Palma Hall, University of the Philippines Diliman.
Under the vocal coaching and music supervision of Camille Lopez Molina, promising opera singers Myramae Meneses, Antonio Ferrer, Kuya Manzano, Elaine Vibal, Chuck Hipol, Mark Queddeng, Michael Bulaong, along with veterans Jonathan Velasco, Jean Judith Javier, Joy Abalon Tamayo, Cynthia Guico, Rica Nepomuceno and Natasha Cabrera, among many others from UP and other music conservatories, interpret memorable songs from the opera.
Production designer Gino Gonzales puts to good use Philippine indigenous materials for the sets. and the inabel cloth from the Ilocos region for the costumes. The creative team also includes lighting designer Jon Jon Villareal, sound designer Jethro Joaquin, choreographer Dexter Santos and videographer Winter David. Special props are designed and executed by John Gaerlan, with Pow Santillan rendering the graphics design and photos by Jojit Lorenzo.
"Noli Me Tangere: The Opera" is supported by the UP Office of the President, UP Diliman Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Dean College of Arts and Letters, UP Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, Day by Day Christian Ministries, Ms. Irene M. Araneta, Dr. Joven Cuanang , NCCA Chairman Jun de Leon and Lyric Piano and Organ Corporation.
For sponsorship and ticket inquiries, please contact Cherry Bong Edralin 0917-7500107, or the Dulaang UP Office 9261349, 9818500 local 2449 or 4337840.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Bohol Notebook 1: A jewel of a river cruise--and not the famous one in Loboc, by the way
[Note: an excerpt from a piece I wrote for the latest issue of Susan Calo-Medina's Travel Time magazine, coming out this October. Excerpt posted here with permission.]
The Abatan River Community Life Tour, a pet project of Bohol governor Edgar Chatto, seeks to highlight the historic importance of the third largest river in Bohol, which winds its way through vast protected swaths of nipa, mangrove and forests with their stunning firefly apparitions at night, along riverine communities that have drawn sustenance all this time from this preternaturally calm, greenish body of water that also serves as a watershed for the island’s interior municipalities.
But not just any ordinary tour--for the twist is, visitors and tourists riding a “bandong” boat (an open-sided motorboat that can carry up to 20 passengers, originally used for quarrying sand from the river but retrofitted for this eco-project now that quarrying has been disallowed) will not only get to enjoy the scenic river sights, but will also visit five coastal municipalities along the way--beginning with Maribojoc, then off to Antequera, Balilihan, Cortes and Catigbian.
At each of the five stops, visitors come ashore and are met with a lively musical presentation showcasing the town’s history, heritage, native food and crafts. At Antequera, for instance, talented young performers (trained by Bohol-based artist Lutgardo Labad of the Philippine Educational Theater Association) welcomed us with an excerpt from their musical play about local folk hero Tamblot, before plying us with suman and muscovado, and a coffee-tasting brew made from corn (believe it or not). And because Antequera is the basket capital of Bohol, samples of its intricate, export-quality woven products were also on display.
In Balilihan, the main attractions include the 50-ft Kawasan Falls, glistening emerald-like at a fork in the river; its Mt. Carmel Church, built in 1902 with murals adorning the ceiling from end to end; and the Spanish belfry built in 1836, the only remnant of the old church and now relocated to a well-tended park on higher ground. Whereas kids held forth at Antequera, at Balilihan what greeted us were the town’s senior citizens dressed in baro’t saya and barong, dancing and playing folk ditties on banduria and guitar, while a few demonstrated how to make nilupak (mashed kamoteng kahoy) the traditional way--pounded on an oversized wooden pestle.
At Catigbian, the last stop, the enjoyment shifted from the cultural to the visceral. The town’s newly launched G.R.E.A.T (Green Recreational Eco-Adventure Tour) project offers outdoor activities at a 204,500-sqm park marked by mountainous terrain, sheer cliffs and its own waterfalls, where visitors can take a dip. Taking advantage of this dramatic topography, the local government has built facilities for adventurers and thrill-seekers, among them a Canopy Walk, a Monkey Bridge (a single cable line stretched across a deep gorge; those trying this out are harnessed with required safety equipment) and the Mountain Slide--literally, a zipline that whisked us from one promontory to the next on a breath-stopping ride in the air some 90-plus feet above the rocky river below.
The Abatan River Community Life Tour takes half a day to complete, but within those endlessly engrossing five or six hours, Bohol’s profusion of old churches, rustic towns, culinary delights, native produce and finery and other heritage attractions, rounded out by modern eco-adventure attractions, is ingeniously distilled into one attractive package. A teaser platter, if you will, of pretty much everything that has made the island one of the country’s top tourist destinations these days.
PLUS: They love Bohol, they really do--
The Abatan River Community Life Tour, a pet project of Bohol governor Edgar Chatto, seeks to highlight the historic importance of the third largest river in Bohol, which winds its way through vast protected swaths of nipa, mangrove and forests with their stunning firefly apparitions at night, along riverine communities that have drawn sustenance all this time from this preternaturally calm, greenish body of water that also serves as a watershed for the island’s interior municipalities.
But not just any ordinary tour--for the twist is, visitors and tourists riding a “bandong” boat (an open-sided motorboat that can carry up to 20 passengers, originally used for quarrying sand from the river but retrofitted for this eco-project now that quarrying has been disallowed) will not only get to enjoy the scenic river sights, but will also visit five coastal municipalities along the way--beginning with Maribojoc, then off to Antequera, Balilihan, Cortes and Catigbian.
At each of the five stops, visitors come ashore and are met with a lively musical presentation showcasing the town’s history, heritage, native food and crafts. At Antequera, for instance, talented young performers (trained by Bohol-based artist Lutgardo Labad of the Philippine Educational Theater Association) welcomed us with an excerpt from their musical play about local folk hero Tamblot, before plying us with suman and muscovado, and a coffee-tasting brew made from corn (believe it or not). And because Antequera is the basket capital of Bohol, samples of its intricate, export-quality woven products were also on display.
In Balilihan, the main attractions include the 50-ft Kawasan Falls, glistening emerald-like at a fork in the river; its Mt. Carmel Church, built in 1902 with murals adorning the ceiling from end to end; and the Spanish belfry built in 1836, the only remnant of the old church and now relocated to a well-tended park on higher ground. Whereas kids held forth at Antequera, at Balilihan what greeted us were the town’s senior citizens dressed in baro’t saya and barong, dancing and playing folk ditties on banduria and guitar, while a few demonstrated how to make nilupak (mashed kamoteng kahoy) the traditional way--pounded on an oversized wooden pestle.
At Catigbian, the last stop, the enjoyment shifted from the cultural to the visceral. The town’s newly launched G.R.E.A.T (Green Recreational Eco-Adventure Tour) project offers outdoor activities at a 204,500-sqm park marked by mountainous terrain, sheer cliffs and its own waterfalls, where visitors can take a dip. Taking advantage of this dramatic topography, the local government has built facilities for adventurers and thrill-seekers, among them a Canopy Walk, a Monkey Bridge (a single cable line stretched across a deep gorge; those trying this out are harnessed with required safety equipment) and the Mountain Slide--literally, a zipline that whisked us from one promontory to the next on a breath-stopping ride in the air some 90-plus feet above the rocky river below.
The Abatan River Community Life Tour takes half a day to complete, but within those endlessly engrossing five or six hours, Bohol’s profusion of old churches, rustic towns, culinary delights, native produce and finery and other heritage attractions, rounded out by modern eco-adventure attractions, is ingeniously distilled into one attractive package. A teaser platter, if you will, of pretty much everything that has made the island one of the country’s top tourist destinations these days.
PLUS: They love Bohol, they really do--
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