In a performance season dominated by musicals and revivals, Ballet Philippines’ (BP) production of the dance-musical “Rama, Hari” dominates the 2012 Gawad Buhay!: The Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts with a record-high of 22 nominations.
First staged in 1980, this adaptation of the Indian epic “Ramayana” got the jury’s nod as nominee for the following categories: modern dance production, stage direction (Alice Reyes), adaptation or translation (Bienvenido Lumbera), ensemble performance in a dance production (the entire cast), musical direction (Ryan Cayabyab and Jed Balsamo), musical composition (Ryan Cayabyab), choreography (Alice Reyes), costume design (Salvador Bernal), lighting design (John Batalla), sound design (Rards Corpus), set design (Salvador Bernal), female lead performance in a musical (Kalila Aguilos), male lead performance in a musical (OJ Mariano), male featured performance in a musical (Noel Rayos), female lead performances in a dance production (Carissa Adea and Katherine Trofeo), male lead performances in a dance production (Jean Marc Cordero and Richardson Yadao), female featured performance in a dance production (Rita Winder), and male featured performances in a dance production (Earl John Arisola, Paul Timothy Cabrera and Cyril Fallar).
Because of its distinct multidisciplinary staging technique and style, the jury decided to place “Rama, Hari” in two award categories where the production and its dancers are nominated in the dance category, and the singing artists in the musical category.
Tanghalang Pilipino’s (TP) “Stageshow,” a musical that reenacts an era in Philippine cultural history when bodabil/stage show was the dominant form of entertainment among Filipinos, received 13 nominations, including a lone nomination and automatic victory for its playwright, the late Mario O’ Hara, in the outstanding libretto category.
Tied with “Stageshow,” also with 13 nominations, is Repertory Philippines’ (Rep) production of the Broadway musical “Jekyll and Hyde”—a tale of love, redemption, and the seductive power of evil. (See complete list of nominations on page C2.)
The awarding ceremonies have been set for June 16, 8 p.m. at the Star Theater in Star City at the CCP Complex along Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.
Now on its fifth year, Gawad Buhay! is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts organized by the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group Inc. (Philstage), the country’s only alliance of professional performing arts companies.
It is juried by an independent panel of critics, scholars, reviewers and artists. 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 members of the jury who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.
The nomination process does not distinguish between one-act and full-length plays, or between full ballets and short modern pieces.
The Philstage Board of Directors is composed of Trumpets’ Audie Gemora, president; Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (Peta) Maribel Legarda, vice president; BP’s Paul Alexander Morales, secretary; Rep’s Liesl Batucan, treasurer; and board members Bart Guingona of Actor’s Actors Inc. (AAI), Fernando Josef of TP, Susan Macuja of Ballet Manila (BM), Roobak Valle of Gantimpala Theater Foundation (GTF), Fernando Josef of TP, and Gemora of Trumpets.
Admission to the awarding ceremonies is open to the public.
(Elmar Beltran Ingles of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit [OPM] serves as Gawad Buhay! executive director and jury coordinator.)
2012 Gawad Buhay! complete list of nominations
Outstanding Play
“Bona” (Peta)
“Doc Resureccion, Gagamutin ang Bayan” (TP)
“Haring Lear” (Peta)
“Next Fall” (Rep)
“Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Outstanding Musical Production
“Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
“Stageshow” (TP)
“Walang Sugat” (TP)
Outstanding Classical Dance Production
“Don Quixote” (BM)
“Giselle” (BM)
Outstanding Modern Dance Production
“Alamat: Si Sibol at si Gunaw” (BM)
“Anting” (BP)
“Pusong Wagas” (BP)
“Rama, Hari” (BP)
“Songs” (BP)
Outstanding Stage Direction
Chris Millado, “Stageshow” (TP)
Alice Reyes, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Tuxqs Rutaquio, “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Tuxqs Rutaquio, “Doc Resureccion, Gagamutin ang Bayan” (TP)
Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play
The Casts of “Bona” (Peta), “Next Fall” (Rep) and “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical
The Casts of “Camp Rock” (Rep), “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep), “Stageshow” (TP) and “Walang Sugat” (TP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Dance
The Casts of “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM), “Anting” (BP), “Don Quixote” (BM), “Giselle” (BM), “Rama, Hari” (BP) and “Sinderela” (BM)
Outstanding Original Script
Reuel Molina Aguila, “Maliw” (TP)
Layeta Bucoy, “Doc Resureccion, Gagamutin ang Bayan” (TP)
Layeta Bucoy, “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Nicolas Pichay, “Isang Araw sa Karnabal” (TP)
Outstanding Original Libretto
Mario O’ Hara, “Stageshow” (TP)
Outstanding Adaptation or Translation
Hazel Sabas-Gower, “Sinderela” (BM)
Bienvenido Lumbera, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Ed Maranan, “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM)
Outstanding Musical Direction
Ryan Cayabyab and Jed Balsamo, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Jeffrey Hernandez, “Stageshow” (TP)
Felix Rivera, “Disney’s Camp Rock” (Rep)
Jed Balsamo, “Crisostomo Ibarra” (BP)
Onyl Torres, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Outstanding Musical Composition
Jed Balsamo, “Crisostomo Ibarra” (BP)
Ryan Cayabyab, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Outstanding Choreography for a Dance Production
Osias Barroso Jr. and Gerardo Francisco, “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM)
Hazel Sabas Gower, “Sinderela” (BM)
Alden Lugnasin, “Pusong Wagas” (BP)
Alden Lugnasin, “This is My Life” (BP)
Redha, “Les Petite Mots” (BP)
Alice Reyes, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical
Denisa Reyes, “Stageshow” (TP)
Paolo Infante, “Disney’s Camp Rock” (Rep)
Natalie Everett, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Outstanding Costume Design
Michael Angelo Albay, “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM)
Salvador Bernal, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Dennis Maristany, “Anting” (BP)
Raven Ong, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Tuxqs Rutaquio, “Pusong Wagas” (BP)
Outstanding Lighting Design
John Batalla, “Anting” (BP)
John Batalla, “Disney’s Camp Rock” (Rep)
John Batalla, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
John Batalla, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Katsch Catoy, “Maliw” (TP)
Katsch Catoy, “Stageshow” (TP)
Jimmy Villanueva, “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM)
Jonjon Villareal, “Anting” (BP)
Outstanding Sound Design
Aries Alcayaga, “Bona” (Peta)
Rards Corpus, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
TJ Ramos, “Stageshow” (TP)
TJ Ramos, “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Gidget Tolentino, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Outstanding Set Design
Jerome Aytona, “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Salvador Bernal, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Ezard Eguia, “Anting” (BP)
Gino Gonzales, “Haring Lear” (Peta)
Lex Marcos, “Disney’s Camp Rock” (Rep)
Female Lead Performance in a Play
Eugene Domingo, “Bona” (Peta)
Sherry Lara, “Maliw” (TP)
Suzette Ranillo, “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Male Lead Performance in a Play
David Bianco, “Next Fall” (Rep)
Bart Guingona, “Next Fall” (Rep)
Edgar Allan Guzman, “Bona” (Peta)
Teroy Guzman, “Haring Lear” (Peta)
Jonathan Tadioan, “Doc Resureccion, Gagamutin ang Bayan” (TP)
Male Featured Performance in a Play
Abner Delina, “Haring Lear” (Peta)
Nor Domingo, “Haring Lear” (Peta)
Gary Lim, “Haring Lear” (Peta)
Juliene Mendoza, “Bona” (Peta)
Female Featured Performance in a Play
Sherry Lara, “Walang Kukurap” (TP)
Olive Nieto, “Bona” (Peta)
Cris Villonco, “Leading Ladies” (Rep)
Female Lead Performance in a Musical
Kalila Aguilos, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Kalila Aguilos, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, “Stageshow” (TP)
Cris Villonco, “Walang Sugat” (TP)
Male Lead Performance in a Musical
Nonie Buencamino, “Stageshow” (TP)
Arman Ferrer, “Walang Sugat” (TP)
OJ Mariano, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Jett Pangan, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Michael Williams, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Female Featured Performance in a Musical
Noemi Manikan Gomez, “Walang Sugat” (TP)
Angelina Kanapi, “Stageshow” (TP)
Cris Villonco, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Male Featured Performance in a Musical
Junix Inocian, “Jekyll and Hyde” (Rep)
Noel Rayos, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Lou Veloso, “Stageshow” (TP)
Rody Vera, “Stageshow” (TP)
Female Lead Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, “Don Quixote” (BM)
Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, “Giselle” (BM)
Jennifer Olayvar, “Giselle” (BM)
Male Lead Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Arnulfo Andrade, “Giselle” (BM)
Rudy de Dios, “Don Quixote” (BM)
Elpidio Magat, “Giselle” (BM)
Mikhail Martinyuk, “Don Quixote” (BM)
Mikhail Martinyuk, “Giselle” (BM)
Alfren Salgado, “Giselle” (BM)
Female Featured Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Seihee Hong, “Giselle” (BM)
Megumi Nishimori, “Giselle” (BM)
Male Featured Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Arnulfo Andrade, “Giselle” (BM)
Elpidio Magat, “Giselle” (BM)
Female Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Carissa Adea, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Jan Erica Basilio, “Sinderela” (BM)
Jennifer Olayvar, “Sinderela” (BM)
Yanti Marduli, “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM)
Katherine Trofeo, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Male Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Francisco Cascaño, “Alamat: Si Gunaw at si Sibol” (BM)
Jean Marc Cordero, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Richardson Yadao, “Pusong Wagas” (BP)
Richardson Yadao, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Female Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Rita Winder, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Male Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Earl John Arisola, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Timothy Paul Cabrera, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Cyril Fallar, “Rama, Hari” (BP)
Michael Divinagracia, “Sinderela” (BM)
Gerardo Francisco, “Sinderela” (BM)
Jonathan Janolo, “Sinderela” (BM)