THE PHILIPPINE EDUCATIONAL Theater Association’s “Rak of Aegis,” a musical-comedy production about a fictional urban-poor community coping with floods that features the songs of the iconic pop-rock band Aegis, grabbed the lead in the 1st/2nd-quarter citations of the 2014 Gawad Buhay!, the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, with 16 citations in the performance and technical categories.
“Rak of Aegis,” written by Liza Magtoto and directed by Maribel Legarda, got nods in the following categories: Outstanding Original Musical, Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical, Stage Direction for a Musical (Legarda), Original Libretto (Magtoto), Musical Direction (Myke Salomon), Choreography (Gio Gahol), Costume Design (Carlo Pagunaling), Sound Design (Salomon and Happy Constantino), Set Design (Mio Infante), Female Lead Performance in a Musical (Aicelle Santos and Joan Bugcat), Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Kalila Aguilos) and Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Salomon, Pepe Herrera, Jerald Napoles and Juliene Mendoza).
Meanwhile, Repertory Philippines’ production of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer- and Tony-winning play “August: Osage County,” directed by Chris Millado, followed closely with 13 citations.
It was cited in the following categories: Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play, Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play (Millado), Lighting Design (Katsch Catoy), Sound Design (Jethro Joaquin), Set Design (Miguel Faustmann), Female Lead Performance in a Play (Baby Barredo), Female Featured Performance in a Play (Pinky Amador, Liesl Batucan, Shiela Francisco and Tami Monsod) and Male Featured Performance in a Play (Richard Cunanan and Hans Eckstein).
Tanghalang Pilipino’s production of “Mga Ama, Mga Anak,” a translation into Filipino by Virgilio Almario and José Lacaba of Nick Joaquin’s short story and later three-act play “Three Generations,” got eight nods, including citations for its two alternating male leads (Robert Arevalo and Spanky Manikan) and three of its featured female actors: Madeleine Nicolas, Celeste Legaspi and Banaue Miclat.
Tying with the eight citations of “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” is Resorts World Manila’s production of the musical “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” under its newly formed Full House Theater Productions (the newest member company of Philstage). “Priscilla” received nods for, among others, Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical (Jaime del Mundo) and Male Lead Performance in a Musical (Red Concepcion).
In dance, both Ballet Manila’s “Aramica,” choreographed by Bam Damian for BM’s “Heart2Heart: Ballets and Ballads” production, and Ballet Philippines’ “Muybridge Frames,” choreographed by Denisa Reyes for BP’s “Art of Dance,” got four citations each.
(See complete list of citations below.)
Now on its sixth year, Gawad Buhay! is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts juried by an independent panel of critics, scholars, artists and theater enthusiasts. 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 members of the jury who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.
From the four quarterly citations, the jury will select the final nominees qualified to win the awards by the end of the performance season. Awarding ceremonies will be in early 2015.
Philstage is the only alliance of professional performing arts organizations in the Philippines. Its members include Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Gantimpala Theater Foundation, Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM), Peta, Repertory Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino, Trumpets, Actor’s Actors, Inc., 9 Works Theatrical, and Philippine Opera Company and RWM’s Full House Theater Productions.
COMPLETE LIST OF THE 2014 1ST/2ND-QUARTER CITATIONS IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES:
Outstanding Original Script
No citation
Outstanding Original Libretto
• Liza Magtoto, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Outstanding Translation or Adaptation
• Virgilio Almario and José Lacaba, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
Outstanding Musical Direction
• Myke Salomon, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Inday Echevarria, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House Theater Productions)
Outstanding Original Musical Composition
No citation
Outstanding Choreography for a Dance Production
• Bam Damian, “Aramica”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
• Denisa Reyes, “Muybridge Frames”/“Art of Dance” (BP)
Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical
• Nancy Crowe, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House)
• Gio Gahol, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Outstanding Costume Design
• Carlo Pagunaling, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Edgar San Diego, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Peta)
• Rajo Laurel, “Full Gallop” (My Own Mann Productions/AAI and The Necessary Theatre)
Outstanding Lighting Design
• John Batalla, “Wait Until Dark” (Rep)
• Monino Duque, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
• Katsch Catoy, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Shakira Villa-Symes, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House)
• Katsch Catoy, “Muybridge Frames”/“Art of Dance” (BP)
• Jaime Villanueva, “Shutter”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
Outstanding Sound Design
• Jethro Joaquin, “Noises Off” (Rep)
• Jethro Joaquin, “Wait Until Dark” (Rep)
• Jethro Joaquin, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Myke Salomon and Happy Constantino, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Outstanding Set Design
• Mio Infante, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Joey Mendoza, “Full Gallop” (My Own Mann/AAI)
• Miguel Faustmann, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Miguel Faustmann, “Noises Off” (Rep)
• Tuxqs Rutaquio, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
Female Lead Performance in a Play
• Baby Barredo, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Cherie Gil, “Full Gallop” (My Own Mann/AAI)
• Liesl Batucan, “Wait Until Dark” (Rep)
Male Lead Performance in a Play
• Spanky Manikan, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
• Robert Arevalo, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
Female Featured Performance in a Play
• Pinky Amador, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Liesl Batucan, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Sheila Francisco, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Tami Monsod, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Madeleine Nicolas, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
• Celeste Legaspi, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
• Banaue Miclat, “Mga Ama, Mga Anak” (TP)
Male Featured Performance in a Play
• Richard Cunanan, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Hans Eckstein, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
Female Lead Performance in a Musical
• Aicelle Santos, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Joan Bugcat, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Male Lead Performance in a Musical
• Red Concepcion, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House)
Female Featured Performance in a Musical
• Bituin Escalante, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House)
• Kalila Aguilos, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Male Featured Performance in a Musical
• Pepe Herrera, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Jerald Napoles, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Myke Salomon, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Juliene Mendoza, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Female Lead Performance in Modern Dance
• Donna Mangahas, “Shutter”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
• Monica Gana, “Duet”/“Art of Dance” (BP)
Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance
• Elpidio Magat, “Shutter”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
• Earl John Arisola, “Duet”/“Art of Dance” (BP)
• Rudy de Dios, “Aramica”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
Female Featured Performance in Modern Dance
No citation
Male Featured Performance in Modern Dance
No citation
Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance
No citation
Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance
No citation
Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance
No citation
Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance
No citation
Outstanding Modern Dance Production
• “Aramica”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
• “Muybridge Frames”/“Art of Dance” (BP)
Outstanding Classical Dance Production
No citation
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play
• Chris Millado, “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• Miguel Faustmann, “Wait Until Dark” (Rep)
• Bart Guingona, “Full Gallop” (My Own Mann/AAI)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical
• Maribel Legarda, “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
• Jaime del Mundo, “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play
• “August: Osage County” (Rep)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical
• “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Modern Dance
• “Aramica”/“Heart2Heart: Ballet & Ballads” (BM)
• “Muybridge Frames”/“Art of Dance” (BP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Classical Dance
No citation
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play
• “August: Osage County” (Rep)
• “Full Gallop” (My Own Mann/AAI)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical
• “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (Full House)
Outstanding Original Play
No citation
Outstanding Original Musical
• “Rak of Aegis” (Peta)