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| PETA celebrating their victory |
Ballet Philippines (BP) and the Philippine Theater Educational Association (PETA) win
big by bagging 13 awards each at the 2011 Gawad Buhay! PHILSTAGE Awards that
recognized performers and productions from 2011. The dance category was
dominated by BP’s Encantada which won a haul of 10 awards. PETA’s two
productions won most of the major awards in both the play and musical
categories. William, a play meant to make Shakespeare current and relevant won
seven awards while their runaway hit musical Care Divas won six.
Ballet Manila’s Rudy de Dios and and Care Divas’ Vincent de Jesus were in the same
category as National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera and Salvador Bernal as the
evening’s recipients of two awards each. The evening also gave the Natatanging
Gawad Buhay! (lifetime achievement award equivalent) to Rene Villanueva and
Charley dela Paz (Playwriting and Development), Tony Fabella (Dance and
Choreography), Nonoy Froilan (Dance) and Baby Barredo (Theater Arts).
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| PETA Chorus |
There
were many memorable moments during the proceedings like when Michael Williams
accepted his award in the midst of getting out of costume since he had just finished performing a
number from Peter Pan as Mr. Hook. Melvin Lee, on the other hand, fought back
tears as he dedicated his award to his late mother stating that Care Divas was
the last show of his that she had seen. One of the most surprising moments of
the evening was the appearance of Rafa Santos, who gained notoriety among the
theater community by his now infamous Skyflakes remark. He presented a few
awards with Kalila Aguilos, president of the Philippine Theater Actors Guild
who told Rafa that he has been forgiven.
The
awards ceremony held at the CCP Main Theater Lobby also had a handful of
performances from various dance and theater companies performing excerpts from
past and upcoming productions. Numbers were also performed before the
Natatanging Gawad Buhay! Awardees were honored. Compared to last year’s
edition, this year was a lot more energetic and upbeat, very much owing to the
high energy level of the PETA members present. The ceremony started a bit late
and then got behind prompting director Audie Gemora to hasten the proceedings.
And yet, well after the ceremonies were over, people were still celebrating
that lasted until way past midnight .
It was a great sight seeing people from different theater companies bond and
socialize and this was when I realized that the arts and culture scene in the
Philippines (especially in Metro Manila) is still very small.
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| Cris Villongco |
The
Gawad Buhay! is the PHILSTAGE awards for the performing arts which is now on its fourth year. PHILSTAGE stands
for the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group, Inc. and is currently
composed of the country’s most established performing arts companies: Actors
Actors Inc. (AAI), Ballet Manila (BM), Ballet Philippines
(BP), Gantimapala Theater Foundation (GANTIMPALA), Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), Philippine Education Theater
Association (PETA), Repertory Philippines (REP), Tanghalang Pilipino (TP)
and Triumphant People’s Evangelistic Theater Society (TRUMPETS).
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| Gawad Buhay! Trophies |
Here is the list of all the winners of the 4th Gawad
Buhay! Awards.
Musical
Production
Care Divas
by PETA
Ensemble
Performance in a Musical
Care Divas
by PETA
Male
Lead Performance in a Musical
Melvin
Lee, Care Divas by PETA
Female
Lead Performance in a Musical
Cris
Villonco, Noli Me Tangere The Musical by TP
Male
Featured Performance in a Musical
Michael
Williams, Peter Pan by REP
Female
Featured Performance in a Musical
Pinky
Amador, Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah by TP
Musical
Composition
Joey
Ayala, Encantada by BP
Ryan
Cayabyab, Noli Me Tangere The Musical by TP
Musical
Direction
Vincent
de Jesus, Care Divas by PETA
Choreography
for a Play or Musical
Carlo
Matobato, Care Divas by PETA
Stage
Direction
Maribel
Legarda, William by PETA
Play
Production
William
by PETA
Ensemble
Performance in a Play
William
by PETA
Female
Lead Performance in a Play
Marjorie
Lorico, Nobyembre Noong Akala Ko’y Mahal Kita by TP
Male
Lead Performance in a Play
Ian
Segarra, William by PETA
Female
Featured Performance in a Play
Me-Ann
Espinosa, William by PETA
Male
Featured Performance in a Play
Jojo
Atienza, William by PETA
Ensemble
Performance in a Dance Production
Encantada
by BP
Female
Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Georgette
Sanchez, Encantada by BP
Female
Lead Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Lisa
Macuja-Elizalde, Swan Lake
Female
Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Carissa
Adea, Encantada by BP
Female
Featured Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Rita
Winder, Sleeping Beauty by BP
Male
Lead Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Rudy
de Dios, Swan Lake
Male
Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Rudy
de Dios, Ang Prinsipe ng mga Ibon by BM
Male
Featured Performance in a Classical Dance Production
Jean
Marc Cordero, Sleeping Beauty by BP
Male
Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production
Angel
Gabriel, Every Woman by BP
Choreography
for a Dance Production
Agnes
Locsin, Encantada by BP
Classical
Dance Production
Modern
Dance Production
Encantada
by BP
Set
Design
Costume
Design
Lighting
Design
John
Neil Batalla, Encantada by BP
Sound
Design
TJ
Ramos, Encantada by BP
Original
Libretto
Liza
Magtoto and Vincent de Jesus, Care Divas by PETA
Bienvenido
Lumbera, Noli Me Tangere The Musical by TP
Original
Script
Ron
Capinding, William by PETA
Adaptation
or Translation
Bienvenido
Lumbera, Noli Me Tangere The Musical by TP
