Bodabil, theater, puppets, dance, film at UP during Arts Month

Bodabil, theater, puppets, dance, film at UP during Arts Month
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 30, 2016
Philippine Daily Inquirer

University of the Philippines is presenting concerts, a play, a puppet show, dance shows and film screenings for "Panahon ng Luwalhati," its celebration of arts and culture month in February.

Kicking off the festival is "Bodabil sa Kampus," a concert featuring Bituin Escalante, Natasha Cabrera, UP Dancesport Society and UP Jazz Ensemble, on Feb. 1, University Amphitheater, College of Science.

Bodabil is the localized version of vaudeville, popular from the 1910s to the 1960s. Shows featured comedic and dramatic skits, musical numbers and even magic acts.

"Gabi ng Luwalhati," a contemporary bodabil show, concludes the festival on Feb. 26, University Theater (near the College of Music).

This concert features singer Jeffrey Hidalgo, poet Juan Miguel Severo (known for the viral video of his poem "Ang Huling Tula na Isusulat Ko Para Sa'yo") and Virgilio Almario, National Artist for Literature, among other artists.

Lives and works
"Panahon ng Luwalhati" celebrates the lives and works of four National Artists: Severino Montano (Theater), Lamberto Avellana (Film and Theater), Manuel Conde (Film), and Nestor Vicente Madali "NVM" Gonzalez (Literature).

Twin Bill, a new theater company founded by twins, launches with 'Dog Sees God'

Twin Bill, a new theater company founded by twins, launches with 'Dog Sees God'
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 30, 2016
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Nel Gomez and Brian Sy

Snoopy, Charlie Brown and their friends are known to most from their comic strip created by Charles M. Schulz or from their animated films, the most recent of which is "The Peanuts Movie."

Theater fans will be familiar with the musical adaptation using these characters: "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown." Some will even know of its sequel "Snoopy The Musical."

Surprise, there is another stage adaptation. Described as an "unauthorized parody," Bert Royal's play "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead" imagines the familiar characters, though with different but familiar names, as teenagers dealing with everything from identity to sexual abuse.

Fil-Am play ‘Criers for Hire’ on Los Angeles stage in February

Fil-Am play ‘Criers for Hire’ on Los Angeles stage in February
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 28, 2016
Inquirer.net
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/135751/135751

(From left) Rudy Martinez, Nicole Barredo, 
Joan Almedilla, playwright Giovanni Ortega, 
Samantha Cutaran and Giselle Tongi.

A play about professional Filipina criers hired for funerals will go on stage in Los Angeles starting February 11.

"Criers for Hire" is written, directed and acted by Filipino American theater artists.

Presented by East West Players (EWP), the play is about three of the most sought-after professional funeral criers in Monterey Park. They are eager to welcome Aurora's 14-year-old daughter, Ligaya, from the Philippines into their somber trade.

Hagedorn’s 'Dogeaters' to open in San Francisco in February

Hagedorn’s 'Dogeaters' to open in San Francisco in February
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 19, 2016
Inquirer.net
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/135295/135295

Jessica Hagedorn's "Dogeaters," adapted by the writer from her own novel of the same title, will premiere in San Francisco next month.

The play, which explores the Philippines through the eyes of a balikbayan, Rio Gonzaga, as the Marcos regime unravels, will be staged by Magic Theatre starting February 3 at Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture.

It's a world filled with "drag queens, beauty queens and movie stars alongside statesmen, activists and rebels" - characters that will be fleshed out by a 15-member cast, a majority of whom are Filipino Americans, with some playing double and even triple roles.

Ogie Zulueta first worked on the play in its very first workshop in 1997 while Rinabeth Apostol will be performing the material for the first time.

How checking into motels has helped Allan Lopez win the Palanca 10 times

How checking into motels has helped Allan Lopez win the Palanca 10 times
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 16, 2016
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Allan Lopez

Allan Lopez won first place in the 2015 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature's Filipino One-Act Play category.

His "Sa Isang Hindi Natatanging Umaga, at ang mga Ulap ay Dahan-Dahang Pumaibabaw sa Nabubulok na Lungsod" is described as a love story between two "typical corporate types trapped in monotonous nine-to-five jobs" and their "bittersweet ruminations. after their affair halts to a hard stop."

It's his 10th win since 2000. He started off winning the third prize in either the Filipino one-act or full-length play categories and began winning first place awards in 2013 (once in the essay category).

He reveals that all the plays he's written have been done in motels.

In Toronto Filipino center, it's art for youths' sake

In Toronto Filipino center, it's art for youths' sake
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 12, 2015
Inquirer.net
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/134893/134893

Toronto's Kapisnan Centre for Arts and Culture will host an open-house January 22 to introduce guests to its youth programs Clutch and Navigation.

These two programs are arts-based, cultural immersion projects for Filipino Canadian youth, ages 17 to 24 years. They will run from March to August with Saturday sessions.

"We're hosting an open house where you can mingle with the programs' graduates, mentors and this year's coordinators," says executive director Nicole Cajucom.

"There will be light refreshments, good music and an all-ages after-party!"

Clutch is for young women and is now on its eighth year, and Navigation, now on its third year, is for young men. Both programs accept transgender and non-binary gender participants.

How Egg Theater Company got hatched

How Egg Theater Company got hatched
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 9, 2016
Philippine Daily Inquirer

(From left, standing) Renante Bustamante,
Paolo O'Hara, George De Jesus III, Alvin Trono;
Kristine Balmes, Martha Comia, Mara Marasigan

There is nothing like a deadline to set things in motion.

Playwright, director and actor George de Jesus III and his theater colleagues would get together and lament the dearth of Filipino plays.

"Aside from the annual Virgin Labfest's one-acts, there are few contemporary materials," he says. "If there are translations, they're usually of period plays."

Prompted by this realization and partly inspired by the consistent success of Red Turnip theater company, founded in 2013 and specifically focused on English plays, he and his coterie realized they could do something to fill the gap.

Then the deadline to the Fringe Manila 2015 festival came approaching.

Fil-Am playwright Jeffrey Lo kicks off 2016 with 2 plays

Fil-Am playwright Jeffrey Lo kicks off 2016 with 2 plays
By WALTER ANG
Jan. 5, 2016
Inquirer.net
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/134570/134570

Jeffrey Lo

Playwright Jeffrey Lo is kicking off 2016 with two plays.

"Writing Fragments Home" will have a free-admission staged reading on January 24 at Lohman Theatre, Foothill College in Los Altos, California.

"Dealing Dreams" will be staged from February 12 to 28 by Thanks for the Memories Theatre at Meese Auditorium, Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon.

Fragments
"Writing Fragments Home" is presented as part of the Asian American New Play Series at Foothill College. A talkback session with the playwright and cast will follow after the reading.