In celebration of their 50th
year anniversary, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)
presents a jam-packed 2017 that will see the release of a commemorative album, the
comeback of one of their hit musicals, and a return to the stage where the
company was born.
PETA has accumulated a vast
catalog of songs from the various musicals that they’ve staged throughout their five decades. A selection of these songs have made the cut in Sa Hirap at Ginhawa, PETA’s 50th
Commemorative Album. Five themed suites and eight singles make up the
thirteen tracks of the album that feature the vocals of May Bayot-De Castro, Joan Bugcat,
Noel Comia Jr., Rody Vera, Dessa Quesada-Palm, Myke Salomon, Cynthia
Culig-Guico, Neomi Tabanao-Gonzales, Michael Odoemene, Lionel Guico, Buddy
Caramat, Ricci Chan, Vincent De Jesus, Melvin Lee, Jerald Napoles, and groups
like the PETA Choir, UP Singing Ambassadors, and the Kilyawan Children’s Choir.
The PETA Choir |
Noted artists like Aicelle
Santos, Jett Pangan, Bodjie Pascua, Noel Cabangon, and Celeste Legaspi-Gallardo
have also lent their voices into this album. These songs and more will be heard
performed live at PETA in Concert on
April 7, 2017 (the actual founding day of the company) at the PETA Theater
Center.
One of PETA’s biggest hit
musicals, Care Divas comes back
to usher in the company’s golden year. In keeping with the 50th anniversary
celebrations, the care givers by day and drag queen performers by night will glam
up the stage for 50 shows starting February 3, 2017 until March 19, 2017
(Tuesday-Sunday) at the PETA Theater Center.
Caregivers by day |
New divas led by Red Concepcion
and Thou Reyes will be strutting the stage joining PETA artists Melvin Lee,
Vince De Jesus, Ron Alfonso, Dudz Teraña, Eko Baquial, Jason Barcial, Buddy
Caramay, Gio Gahol, Joan Bugcat, Eric Dela Cruz, Joseph Madriaga, and Gold Villar.
Guest artists in this production include Ophir Burton, Ricci Chan, Jef Flores,
Paul Holme, Sherry Lara, Leo Rialp, and Myke Salomon.
Divas by night |
Care Divas tell the story Chelsea, Shai, Thalia, Kayla, and Jonee
who all work as care givers in Israel. The musical tackles the plight of the
Overseas Filipino Workers and the LGBT community told through the words of
playwright Liza Magtoto and the music of Vince De Jesus. During the 2011
Philstage Gawad Buhay! Awards, Care
Divas bagged six awards for Musical Production, Ensemble Performance in a
Musical, Male Lead Performance in a Musical for Melvin Lee, Musical Direction
for Vincent de Jesus, Choreography for a Play or Musical for Carlo Matobato,
and Original Libretto for Liza Magtoto and Vincent de Jesus.
After Care Divas, the other productions to watch out for at the PETA
Theater Center and beyond include the return of the Silly People’s Improv Theater (SPIT)’s Manila Improv Festival
2017 this March 22-26, 2017. PETA will host Bunk Puppets' Sticks, Stones, & Broken Bones, a
shadow puppetry production by Jeff Achtem. A
Game of Trolls, a timely play about Martial Law meant for students and
millennials is set to premiere on April 1, 2017 before it embarks on a countrywide
tour throughout the year.
On April 7, 2017 PETA goes back
to the Rajah Sulayman Theater in Fort Santiago where it all began for Rites at the Fort. The PETA in Concert at the PETA Theater
Center follows soon after in the evening.
PETA’s newest children’s
production Tagu-taguan, Maliwanag ang
Buwan will have its run on August 24-September 24, 2017. PETA’s local and
international partners will converge at the Festival of Windows happening on
October 6-22, 2017. Ang Buhay ni Galileo
gets re-staged on November 9-26, 2017.
The Rajah Sulayman Theater will
be the venue for Living Voices,
(November 29-December 1, 2017) a retrospect of the most significant plays that
were originally staged there. Capping up the 50th year celebrations
will be the Grand Alumni Homecoming
on December 10, 2017 at the PETA Theater Center.
I came in late in the game when it comes to
PETA. But what they have in offer in their 50th year is a great way
for me to catch up with 50 years’ worth of productions and history that made
this company one of the pillars in the Philippine theater scene today.
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