The Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group, Inc. (PhilStage), the country’s only alliance of professional performing arts companies, announces the staging of the awarding ceremonies of the 2011 Gawad Buhay!: The Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, on July 1, 7 p.m., at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Main Theater Lobby.
Veteran actor, singer and director Audie Gemora will direct the program scripted by George de Jesus.
Now on its fourth year, Gawad Buhay! is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts 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 jury who are required to watch all productions of PhilStage member-companies for the entire year.
The Philippine Educational Theater Association (Peta) leads this year race with a total of 19 nominations for its hit comedy-musical-drama production “Care Divas,” about a group of Filipino caregivers working in Tel Aviv, Israel, who moonlights as glamorous drag queens by night.
It won the jury’s nod for nominations in the categories of outstanding musical production; stage direction (Maribel Legarda); ensemble performance in a musical (the entire cast); original script (Lisa Magtoto); original libretto (Lisa Magtoto and Vincent de Jesus); musical direction and musical composition (Vincent de Jesus); choreography for a play or musical (Carlon Matobato); costume design (John Abul); lighting design (Jonjon Villareal); sound design (Vincent de Jesus); set design (Leo Abaya); male lead performance in a musical production (Vincent de Jesus, Melvin Lee and Jerald Napoles); female featured performance in a musical production (Angeli Bayani); and male featured performance in a musical production (Paul Holme, Myke Salomon and Dudz Terana).
With 16 nominations each, Peta’s “William,” which casts Shakespeare in a modern light before its characters and audiences, tied with Tanghalang Pilipino’s “Noli Me Tangere: the Musical,” an adaptation of Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel, for the second most-nominated production.
To be elevated in the Natatanging Gawad Buhay! roster of distinguished lifetime achievers in the performing arts are premier danseur Nonoy Froilan for dance, and veteran actor and director Baby Barredo for theater. Posthumous awardees are Tony Fabella for dance, and Rene Villanueva and Carlos dela Paz for playwriting and playwrights development.
According to PhilStage president and Tanghalang Pilipino artistic Fernando Josef, this year’s Gawad Buhay! Edition is a tribute to the enduring creative excellence, perseverance and the unrelenting spirit of the Filipino performing artists in the face of unmitigated influx of foreign artists to the country.
“Despite lack of government support for the arts, we managed to come up with world-class productions that can equal or even surpass the quality of imported productions,” Josef said.
Other PhilStage officers are Peta’s Maribel Legarda, vice president; Ballet Philippines’ Paul Alexander Morales, secretary; Repertory Philippines’ Rem Zamora, treasurer; and board members Bart Guingona (Actors Actors, Inc.), Susan Macuja (Ballet Manila), Tony Espejo (Gantimpala Theater Foundation), and Audie Gemora (Trumpets). Elmar Beltran Ingles of the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit serves as executive director.
Admission to the awarding ceremonies is open to the public.
2011 Gawad Buhay!—complete list of nominees
OUTSTANDING PLAY
“Bombita” (TP)
“Nobyembre, Noong Akala Ko Mahal Kita” (TP)
“The Joy Luck Club” (REP)
“William” (Peta)
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PRODUCTION
“Care Divas” (Peta)
“Noli Me Tangere: The Musical” (TP)
“Peter Pan: a Musical Adventure” (REP)
OUTSTANDING CLASSICAL DANCE PRODUCTION
“Sleeping Beauty” (BP)
“Swan Lake” (BM)
OUTSTANDING MODERN DANCE PRODUCTION
“Encantada” (BP)
OUTSTANDING STAGE DIRECTION
Audie Gemora, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Anton Juan, “The Joy Luck Club”
Maribel Legarda, “Care Divas” and “William”
Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo and Jaime del Mundo, “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE (Play)
“Bombita”
“Shakespeare in Hollywood”
“The Joy Luck Club”
“William”
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE (Musical)
“Care Divas”
“Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
“Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE (Dance)
“Swan Lake”
“Encantada”
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCRIPT
Ron Capinding, “William”
Lisa Magtoto, “Care Divas”
Tony Perez, “Bombita” and “Nobyembre, Noong Akala Ko Mahal Kita”
OUTSTANDING ADAPTATION OR TRANSLATION
Bienvenido Lumbera,“ Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL LIBRETTO
Lisa Magtoto and Vincent de Jesus, “Care Divas”
Bienvenido Lumbera, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Al Santos,“ Encantada”
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION
Jed Balsamo, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Vincent de Jesus, “Care Divas”
Jeff Hernandez, “William”
Jojo Melferrari,“Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL COMPOSITION
Joey Ayala, “Encantada”
Vincent de Jesus, “Care Divas”
Ryan Cayabyab, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY FOR A DANCE PRODUCTION
Osias Barroso, “Ang Prinsipe ng Mga Ibon”
Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, “Ang Kapatid ng Tatlong Marya”
Tony Fabella, “Ang Mahiwagang Biyulin”
Hazel Sabas Gower, “Green”
Agnes Locsin, “Encantada”
Carlo Pacis, “Mithi”
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY FOR A PLAY OR MUSICAL
Deana Aquino, “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
Agnes Locsin, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Carlon Matobato, “Care Divas”
Batche Tan, “William”
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
John Abul, “Care Divas”
Salvador Bernal, “Encantada”; “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”; and “Sleeping Beauty”
Jonathan Janolo and Michael Angelo Albay, “Tatlong Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang”
Raven Ong, “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure” and “Shakespeare in Hollywood”
Carlo Pagunaling, “William”
Eric Pineda, “The Joy Luck Club”
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Joaquin Jose Aranda, “Sleeping Beauty”
John Batalla, “Encantada”; “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”; Shakespeare in Hollywood and The Joy Luck Club
Katsch Catoy, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Jimmy Villanueva,“ Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang”
Jonjon Villareal, “Care Divas”
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
Teresa Barroso, “William”
Vincent de Jesus, “Care Divas”
TJ Ramos, Encantada, “Shakespeare in Hollywood” and “The Joy Luck Club”
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Leo Abaya, “Care Divas”
Salvador Bernal, “Encantada”
Ricardo Cruz, “Sleeping Beauty”
Ohm David, “The Joy Luck Club”
Gino Gonzales, “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
Mio Infante, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Boni Juan, “William”
FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
Mayen Estañero, “Nobyembre, Noong Akala Ko Mahal Kita”
Jay Valencia-Glorioso, “The Joy Luck Club”
Anj Heruela, William
Frances Makil-Ignacio, “The Joy Luck Club”
Marjorie Lorico, “Nobyembre, Noong Akala Ko Mahal Kita”
Anna Luna, “William”
Ana Abad Santos,“ The Joy Luck Club”
Cris Villonco, “The Joy Luck Club”
MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
Hans Eckstein, “Shakespeare in Hollywood”
Inno Martin,“ William”
John Emmanoel Moran, “William”
Ian Segarra, “William”
Jonathan Tadioan, “Nobyembre, Noong Akala Ko Mahal Kita”
Marco Viana, “Bombita”
FEMALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
Me-Ann Espinosa, “William”
Cris Villonco, “Shakespeare in Hollywood”
MALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
Jojo Atienza, “William”
Jelson Bay, “Bombita”
Red Concepcion, “Shakespeare in Hollywood”
Jonathan Tadioan, “Bombita”
Rem Zamora, “The 39 Steps”
MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL
Sam Concepcion,“ Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
Vince de Jesus, “Care Divas”
Melvin Lee, “Care Divas”
Gian Magdangal, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Jerald Napoles, “Care Divas”
FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL
Cris Villonco, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
FEMALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL
Pinky Amador, “ZsaZsa Zaturnnah”
Angeli Bayani, “Care Divas” and “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Tippy Dos Santos, “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
Bituin Escalante, “Seussical”
MALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL
Al Gatmaitan, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Paul Holme, “Care Divas”
Bodgie Pascua, “Noli Me Tangere, the Musical”
Myke Salomon, “Care Divas”
Dudz Terana, “Care Divas”
Michael Williams, “Peter Pan, a Musical Adventure”
FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A CLASSICAL DANCE PRODUCTION
Mylene Aggabao, “Swan Lake”
Candice Adea, “Sleeping Beauty”
Carissa Adea, “Sleeping Beauty”
Lisa Macuja Elizalde, “Swan Lake”
MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A CLASSICAL DANCE PRODUCTION
Jean Marc Cordero, “Sleeping Beauty”
Rudy De Dios, “Swan Lake”
Nobuo Fujino, “Swan Lake”
Angel Gabriel, “Sleeping Beauty”
FEMALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A CLASSICAL DANCE PRODUCTION
Rita Winder, “Sleeping Beauty”
MALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A CLASSICAL DANCE PRODUCTION
Jean Marc Cordero, “Sleeping Beauty”
Cyril Fallar, “Sleeping Beauty”
MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MODERN DANCE PRODUCTION
Jean-Marc Cordero,“ Encantada”
Rudy De Dios, “Ang Prinsipe ng mga Ibon”
Alvin Santos, “Ang Kapatid ng Tatlong Marya”
FEMALE LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MODERN DANCE PRODUCTION
Carissa Adea, “Encantada” and “Hardin ng Bato-Inamorata”
Georgette Sanchez, “Encantada”
Rita Winder, “Every Woman-Inamorata”
Katherine Trofeo, “Mithi-Inamorata”
Sofie Sangco, “Alon ng Buwan”
MALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MODERN DANCE PRODUCTION
Angel Gabriel, “Every Woman”
FEMALE FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MODERN DANCE PRODUCTION
Carissa Adea, “Encantada”
Katherine Trofeo, “Encantada”