Two original Filipino jukebox musicals—Full House Theater Company’s (FHTC) “Ang Huling El Bimbo” and 9 Works Theatrical (9WT) and Globe Live’s “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!”—led the combined third and fourth quarter citations of the 2018 Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards for the Performing Arts.
The Eraserheads musical “El Bimbo” garnered the most citations with 14; “Eto Na!,” which uses the songs of APO Hiking Society, had 11 citations.
The three eligible nonmusical plays—Tanghalang Pilipino’s (TP) “Manila Notes,” Red Turnip Theater’s (RTT) “A Doll’s House, Part 2” and The Sandbox Collective’s (SC) “Lungs”—each earned seven citations.
No citations were given outstanding production of existing material for a musical, original script, original musical composition and male featured performance in a play.
Now on its 11th year, Gawad Buhay is the first 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 and musical productions and performances are given recognition in quarterly citations deliberated on by members of the jury, who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.
From quarterly citations (the third and fourth quarters are here merged into the second semestral citations), the jury selects the final nominees qualified for the awards by the end of the performance season.
No dance, ballet
Beginning in 2018, the Gawad Buhay will focus on theater productions; categories for dance and ballet productions will no longer be included.
Philstage is the only alliance of professional performing arts organizations in the Philippines.
Its members include 9 Works Theatrical and The Sandbox Collective, Actor’s Actors Inc./The Necessary Theatre, Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Culturtain Musicat Productions Inc., Full House Theater Company (Resorts World Manila), Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Peta, Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Red Turnip Theater, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino, Trumpets and Twin Bill Theater.
COMPLETE LIST OF 2018 SECOND SEMESTRAL
CITATIONS IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES:
Outstanding Original Libretto:
1. Robbie Guevara, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
Outstanding Translation or Adaptation:
1. Rody Vera, “Manila Notes” (TP)
Outstanding Musical Direction:
1. Daniel Bartolome, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
2. Myke Salomon, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Outstanding Choreography:
1. PJ Rebullida, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
2. Dexter Santos, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Outstanding Costume Design:
1. Joey Mendoza, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
2. Raven Ong, “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale” (Repertory Philippines/Rep)
3. Eric Pineda, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
4. Marlon Rivera, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Outstanding Lighting Design:
1. John Batalla, “Balag at Angud” (TP)
2. Monino Duque, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
3. Miggy Panganiban, “Lungs” (SC)
Outstanding Sound Design:
1. Rards Corpus, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
2. Rards Corpus, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Outstanding Set Design:
1. Jodee Aguillon, “Lungs” (SC)
2. Gino Gonzales, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
3. Toym Imao, “Balag at Angud” (TP)
4. Itaru Sugiyama, “Manila Notes” (TP)
Female Lead Performance in a Play:
1. Meann Espinosa, “Manila Notes” (TP)
2. Sab Jose, “Lungs” (SC)
3. Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
Male Lead Performance in a Play:
1. Jake Cuenca, “Lungs” (SC)
2. Gabs Santos, “Lungs” (SC)
3. Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
Female Featured Performance
in a Play:
1. Sheila Francisco, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
2. Elle Velasco, “Manila Notes” (TP)
Female Lead Performance in a Musical:
1. Tanya Manalang, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Male Lead Performance in a Musical:
1. Reb Atadero, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
2. Alfritz Blanche, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
3. Boo Gabunada, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
4. Jobim Javier, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
5. Gian Magdangal, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
6. Bibo Reyes, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Female Featured Performance in a Musical:
1. Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante, “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale” (Rep)
2. Sheila Francisco, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
3. Carla Guevara-Laforteza, “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale” (Rep)
Male Featured Performance in a Musical:
1. Jon Abella, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
2. Steven Hotchkiss, “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale” (Rep)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play:
1. Oriza Hirata, “Manila Notes” (TP)
2. Andrei Pamintuan, “Lungs” (SC)
3. Cris Villonco, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical:
1. Robbie Guevara, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play:
1. “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
2. “Manila Notes” (TP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical:
1. “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
2. “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
3. “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale” (Rep)
Outstanding Play—Original or Translation/Adaptation:
1. “Manila Notes” (TP)
Outstanding Musical—Original or Translation/Adaptation:
1. “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)
2. “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play:
1. “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)
2. “Lungs” (SC)