Only three productions in the play/musical category—Tanghalang Pilipino’s (TP) “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” and “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” and Red Turnip Theater’s (RTT) “Tribes”—and another three in the dance category—Philippine Ballet Theater’s (PBT) “The Great Classics” and “Filipino Masterpieces,” and Ballet Philippines’ (BP) “Firebird and Other Ballets”—were up for citation in the 2016 third-quarter coverage of Gawad Buhay, the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts.
(Ballet Manila’s rerun of “Rebel” in August was not included per the Philstage board’s new policy to submit for jury consideration only the original productions of its member-companies. Also, in the case of Resorts World Manila’s “Annie,” which started its run Sept. 30 and is still ongoing, the jury decided to move the musical for consideration to the fourth quarter of this year.)
Of the third-quarter shows up for citation, Ballet Philippines’ “Firebird and Other Ballets,” a two-act production consisting of a full-length reimagining by choreographer George Birkadze of the classic Russian ballet for Act 1, and a suite of three contemporary pieces for Act 2—earned a collective 13 citations.
Meanwhile, Red Turnip’s production of Nina Raine’s “Tribes,” about a young hearing-impaired man and his offbeat family, garnered 11 citations.
Tanghalang Pilipino’s two entries for this quarter—Lloyd Suh’s children’s play “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” staged as a joint project between TP and the Ma-Yi Theater Company of New York; and “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw,” Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” rendered in Filipino by the late Rolando Tinio—got seven nods each.
(See complete list of citations below.)
Now on its ninth year, Gawad Buhay is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts.
It is 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 members of the jury, who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.
From the four quarterly citations (the first and second quarters are merged into the midyear citations), the jury selects 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 9 Works Theatrical, Actor’s Actors Inc., Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Full House Theater Company (Resorts World Manila), Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Peta, Philippine Ballet Theatre, Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Red Turnip Theater, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino and Trumpets.
COMPLETE LIST OF 2016 THIRD-QUARTER CITATIONS IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES:
Outstanding Original Script
None
Outstanding Original Libretto
None
Outstanding Translation or Adaptation
Rolando Tinio, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Outstanding Musical Direction
None
Outstanding Original Musical Composition
None
Outstanding Choreography for a Dance Production
George Birkadze, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Carlo Pacis, “Weighted Whispers”/ from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical
None
Outstanding Costume Design
Mark Higgins, “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Mio Infante, “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
Outstanding Lighting Design
Barbie Tan Tiongco, “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
John Batalla, “Tribes” (RTT)
Outstanding Sound Design
Teresa Barroso, “Tribes” (RTT)
Outstanding Set Design
Toym Imao, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Ed Lacson Jr., “Tribes” (RTT)
Ohm David, “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Female Lead Performance in a Play
Blanche Buhia, “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
Liesl Batucan, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Male Lead Performance in a Play
Kalil Almonte, “Tribes” (RTT)
Aldo Vencilao, “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
Audie Gemora, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Female Featured Performance in a Play
Angela Padilla, “Tribes” (RTT)
Dolly de Leon, “Tribes” (RTT)
Thea Yrastorza, “Tribes” (RTT)
Antonette Go, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Male Featured Performance in a Play
Teroy Guzman, “Tribes” (RTT)
Jonathan Tadioan, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Marco Viana, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (TP)
Female Lead Performance in a Musical
None
Male Lead Performance in a Musical
None
Female Featured Performance in a Musical
None
Male Featured Performance in a Musical
None
Female Lead Performance in Modern Dance
None
Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance
None
Female Featured Performance in Modern Dance
None
Male Featured Performance in Modern Dance
None
Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance
Rita Winder, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Irene Kim Abrojena, “The Great Classics” (PBT)
Regina Magbitang, “The Great Classics” (PBT)
Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance
Garry Corpuz, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Jimmy Lumba, “The Great Classics” (PBT)
Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance
Monica Gana, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Denise Parungao, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance
Cyril Fallar, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Victor Maguad, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Outstanding Modern Dance Production
“Weighted Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Outstanding Classical Dance Production
“Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play
Topper Fabregas, “Tribes” (RTT)
Ralph Peña, “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical
None
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play
“Tribes” (RTT)
“The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical
None
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Modern Dance
“Weighted Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (BP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Classical Dance
None
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play
“Tribes” (RTT)
“The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!” (TP)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical
None
Outstanding Play-Original or Translation/Adaptation
None
Outstanding Musical-Original or Translation/Adaptation
None