Aicelle Santos, who just finished a yearlong stint as Gigi in the UK-Ireland touring production of “Miss Saigon,” won the Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Musical award for her work in “Himala, Isang Musikal” in the 11th Philstage Gawad Buhay held May 28.

Santos played the purported visionary Elsa, the role famously essayed by Nora Aunor, in Ricky Lee and Vincent de Jesus’ musical stage adaptation of the 1982 Ishmael Bernal film classic.

Santos’ costar, stage veteran and fellow pop singer Bituin Escalante, took home Outstanding Female Featured Performance in a Musical—the same award Santos won last year for her role in another screen-to-stage adaptation, Gantimpala Theater Foundation and Grand Leisure Corp.’s “Maynila sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag, The Musical.”

Santos is only the seventh actor to win back-to-back trophies at the Gawad Buhay, joining the ranks of Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, Audie Gemora, Teroy Guzman, Cris Villonco, Jef Flores and Rody Vera.

Big winner

“Himala,” a coproduction of sister companies 9 Works Theatrical (9WT) and The Sandbox Collective (SC), was the night’s big winner, picking up six other awards, including Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical, Ensemble Performance for a Musical, and two trophies for Ed Lacson Jr., for stage direction and set design.

The production will have a rerun in September at Power Mac Spotlight, The Circuit, Makati City.

9 Works’ other hit production last year, the APO Hiking Society jukebox musical “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!,” coproduced with Globe Live, scooped five awards, including Outstanding Musical—Original or Translation/Adaptation and Male Lead Performance in a Musical for radio DJ Jobim Javier, the son of APO pioneer Danny Javier, in his musical theater debut.

Resorts World Manila and Full House Theater Company’s (FHTC) Eraserheads musical, “Ang Huling El Bimbo,” which led the field of nominations with 12 nods alongside “Himala,” won for Myke Salomon’s musical direction and Dexter Santos’ choreography.

Among the nonmusical productions, Red Turnip Theater’s (RTT) “A Doll’s House, Part 2” bagged four trophies, including Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play, Male Lead Performance in a Play for film director Carlitos Siguion-Reyna (in his acting debut) and Stage Direction for a Play for Villonco’s directorial debut—marking her sixth Gawad Buhay, after five wins for acting.

Philippine Educational Theater Association’s (Peta) “’night, Mother” won Outstanding Play—Original or Translation/Adaptation, Female Lead Performance in a Play for Sherry Lara, and Outstanding Translation or Adaptation for Ian Lomongo’s Filipino rendering of the eponymous Marsha Norman play.

Now on its 11th year, the Gawad Buhay also conferred lifetime achievement awards—the Natatanging Gawad Buhay—to dance icon Felicitas Radaic and Peta pioneer Lutgardo Labad.

The 23 competitive awards considered only the premiere runs of 2018 productions by member companies, and excluded reruns. No awards were given to Outstanding Production for Children, Original Script, Original Musical Composition and Male Featured Performance in a Play; the awards for dance and ballet productions have been discontinued.

The ceremonies were hosted by Carlo Orosa and Kakai Bautista, who will next be seen in the sixth rerun of the megahit “Rak of Aegis” beginning July 5. —CONTRIBUTED

Complete list of winners

Outstanding Original Book: Robbie Guevara, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)

Outstanding Translation or Adaptation: Ian Lomongo, “’night, Mother” (Peta)

Outstanding Musical Direction: Myke Salomon, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)

Outstanding Choreography: Dexter Santos, “Ang Huling El Bimbo” (FHTC)

Outstanding Costume Design: Carlo Pagunaling, “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Outstanding Lighting Design: Barbie Tan-Tiongco, “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Outstanding Sound Design: Rards Corpus, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)

Outstanding Set Design: Ed Lacson Jr., “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Female Lead Performance in a Play: Sherry Lara, “’night, Mother” (Peta)

Male Lead Performance in a Play: Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)

Female Featured Performance in a Play: Sheila Francisco, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical: Aicelle Santos, “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical: Jobim Javier, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical: Bituin Escalante, “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical: Jon Abella, “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play: Cris Villonco, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical: Ed Lacson Jr., “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play: “Manila Notes” (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical: “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)

Outstanding Play—Original or Translation/Adaptation: “‘night, Mother” (Peta)

Outstanding Musical—Original or Translation/Adaptation: “Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!” (9WT)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play: “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (RTT)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical: “Himala, Isang Musikal” (9WT/SC)