Repertory Philippines Opens 2010 Season

For 2010, Repertory Philippines has picked an exciting selection of shows sure to stimulate local theatergoers.

Repertory’s new Season starts off with the Philippine premiere of Peter Quilter’s new romantic comedy, DUETS. Scheduled for mid-January to the end of the month, DUETS is four different vignettes with four sets of characters. Set in glorious comedy, the play explores the hilarious nuances of love in seemingly impossible, but extremely funny situations. Joy Virata and Miguel Faustmann take on all four sets of characters, providing rollicking entertainment as they go through costume and character changes onstage. DUETS is directed by Ana Abad Santos. Playdates are January 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. with 3:30 p.m. matinees on January 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31.

Still high on love and laughter, February is ROMEO AND BERNADETTE, Mark Saltzman’s musical comedy. Directed by Joy Virata, the story promises to be uproariously funny. A take-off from good old Shakespeare, you’d think Romeo died? Well, he didn’t. He just took a sleeping potion and wakes up on Broadway in 1960. And he doesn’t fall in love with dear Juliet; instead he runs after someone he thinks is Juliet, but is not. Because she’s Bernadette and she just happens to be the daughter of a local mobster. That being said, this musical is sure to be a bag of real fun for everyone. Catch it on February 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. with 3:30 p.m. matinees on February 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28.

As stark contrast to the lightness and gaiety of the first two offerings, the month of July brings on EQUUS, Peter Shaffer’s powerful, riveting drama that invades the dark corners of the human psyche. The play focuses its light on the naked reality of what contemporary society can do to the beauty that once was the human soul. This now considered classic of our time will be performed on July 9, 10, 16, 17, 23 and 24 at 8 p.m. with 3:30 p.m. matinees on July 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25.

Repertory has always had a special place for young audiences through Children’s Theatre. In 2010, Repertory brings the adaptation of the well-loved fairytale SLEEPING BEAUTY. With book, music and lyrics by Jim Eiler, this show is sure to set the hearts of everyone, both old and young alike, singing to the melodies that include “I’m So Mad,” “It’s Lovely To Be A Troll” and “Spinning Song.” SLEEPING BEAUTY is set for August 14 to December 10.

As a perfect ending to the Company’s Season, Repertory presents LITTLE WOMEN, a Louis May Alcott’s classic. With music by Jason Howard, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and book by Allan Knee, the musical is an exceptional offering for the merry season of giving and loving. The story, with its warm, feel-good theme focuses on the March family, Marmee and her four girls, and is a timeless reminder of what family is truly all about. Directed by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, LITTLE WOMEN is set for November 19 to December 12.

All Repertory performances are at ONSTAGE, 2nd floor, Greenbelt 1, Paseo de Roxas corner Legazpi St., Makati City. For tickets and inquiries, call (632) 887-0710 or log on to repertory.ph. Tickets are also available at Ticketworld at (632) 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph.

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1st NCCT’s Cinepambata Premieres on Street Children’s Day

The National Council for Children’s Television in cooperation (NCCT) with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Kalahi Cultural Caregiving Program celebrates the Street Children’s Day thru its 1st CinePambata Festival on December 28, 2009 at the NCCA Auditorium, NCCA Intramuros, Manila. Registration begins at 8:00am.

The Street Children’s day is celebrated pursuant to Malacañang Proclamation No.1207 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, otherwise known as Holy Innocent’s Day, declaring December 28 as a special day dedicated to street children and other abandoned, orphaned, abused and marginalized youth.

According to UNICEF, there are 250,000 street children in the Philippines who literally live, sleep, and work in key cities nationwide. These children are exposed to various risks endangering their health, well-being, and even their lives.

NCCT Executive Director Frank G. Rivera said, “It is about time that films and television shows will not only be for entertainment but most importantly, will contribute positive behavior, culture and values among Filipino children.”

Around 300 street children under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development headed by Secretary Esperanza Cabral and City Hall of Manila will enjoy series of children’s films twinned with dance, painting, choral singing and learn to play the national sport, Arnis, thru the Kalahi Caregiving Program of NCCA chaired by Dr. Vilma Labrador with Cecile Guidote Alvarez as NCCA Executive Director. As a finale, children will walk to Fort Santiago to appreciate our heritage and commemorate Dr. Jose P. Rizal through the cooperation of the Intramuros Administration headed by Bambi Harper where the prizes for the best films will be awarded.

Films to be shown are created and produced for children featuring young and talented filmmakers like Noriel Jarito, Donnie Sacueza, Jedd Chris P. Dumaguina, Carlos Corpus IV, Vic Tiro, Rica Arevalo, and Milo Tolentino.

Simultaneously, an NCCA Kalahi Cultural Caregiving for healing in a resettlement area of victims in Datu Piang, Maguindanao coordinated by Basilidas Pilapil and in Bohol for the marginalized youth; a competition in music and dance coordinated by Lutgardo Labad focused on child and parenthood is undertaken with the cooperation of the UNFPA and the health sector of the provincial government.

Conducted nationwide, the KALAHI Cultural Caregiving Program is a poverty alleviation program aimed at achieving the eight UN Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGs). This program utilizes the Earthsavers DREAMS Methodology which involves Human Resource Development, Eco-Social Rehabilitation and Values Education through Arts and Media and Sports and Science. Its holistic approach underscores the therapeutic and participatory values derived from meaningful and relevant arts training that culminates into a showcase of talents in the field of visual arts, music, dance, theater arts, rondalla, creative crafts, media and animation and broadcast modules.

The event will be featured in the Sining Gising program held on Sundays on NBN from 4:00-6:00pm. For more information, please contact Patrick Jay Veril and Chay Dionco at 634-7156/0922-887-8254.

For inquiries, please contact the Public Affairs and Information Division at (T) 527-5529, (F) 527-2191 local 612-615, or email at info@ncca.gov.ph.

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NCCA Culture Writing Page Competition Opens

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will hold a Culture Page Writing Competition, in line with the 2010 Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF) for the 19th National Arts Month (NAM) Ani ng Sining celebration in February. The competition hopes to encourage student journalists from high school and college to feature PIAF events in their respective school papers, in order to further raise awareness, and deepen the appreciation for Philippine culture and arts among students.
The Culture Page Writing Contest is open to all recognized school papers from any secondary and tertiary level school, college or university in Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and the NCR. Entries may be written in English and/or Filipino, and should have at least one backgrounder story on the NAM as per Presidential Proclamation No.683 in 1991, and the PIAF as NCCA’s flagship project for the NAM. The Culture Page may contain editorials, essays, features, poetry, cartooning, photography, or researches on Philippine culture, arts, tradition, and heritage.

The winning school papers from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and the NCR for the tertiary level will receive the grand prize of thirty thousand pesos (P30,000), while winners for the secondary level will receive twenty thousand pesos (P20,000).

The deadline for submission of entries is on February 12, 2010, and the announcement and awarding of winners will be in March 2010 during NCCA’s Philippine arts and culture TV program, Sining Gising, aired every Sundays at 4 p.m. over at NBN 4. Winners will also be published in the NCCA’s official newsletter, Agung.

For details, please contact RENE NAPEÑAS, Head of the NCCA-Public Affairs and Information Office (PAIO) and PIAF Media Director at 527-5529 or at numbers 097-5582656 / 09285081057 or VANESSA MARQUEZ, PIAF Deputy Festival Manager at 527-2209 or 0918-6380412. You can also call us at 527-2192 (loc. 612-615) or email us at ncca.paio@gmail.com

For inquiries, please contact the Public Affairs and Information Division at (T) 527-5529, (F) 527-2191 local 612-615, or email at info@ncca.gov.ph.

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Jojo Barja's Dead City @ Blanc Makati

Ang Cum Laude ng Kalsada

“Dead City” Renato Barja Jr.’s 7th Solo Exhibition

Dead City is a series of short visual stories about underprivileged Filipinos.

"I created images, taking off from what I feel about the people
around me. These individuals are discarded but are an undeniable
segment of our society. This is a story of how Filipinos accept the
norms of everyday life, without fully understanding it- that we are
in the middle of chaos, deaf and blinded by the ills of the government,
the never ending media and political mudslinging, overlooked inner
city population. We are in the brink of a social meltdown, what now?"

Look around it is a Dead City.

The exhibit opens on Monday 6PM, January 4, 2010 at blanc Gallery
Makati. blanc is located at Crown Tower, 107 H.V. dela Costa St.,
Salcedo Village, Makati City. For more information, please call or
sms 752-0032 / 0920-9276436, email info@blanc.ph or visit
www.blanc.ph, www.blancartspace.multiply.com

Dead City will run until January 22, 2010.

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Request for Information on All Philippine Museums

The National Committee on Museums (NCOM) initiated a project for 2010 titled: “Directory of Museums in the Philippines .

The West Visayas Museum Association was assigned by the Committee to facilitate the collection of data and production of the directory. The directory will be launched in mid-May 2010 during the International Museum Day celebration in Cebu.

In order to make this project possible, the NCOM is requesting all museums to please submit on or before February 15, 2010 information on your museums.

For details, please go to this link in our web site: http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca/announcements/announcement.php?i=1806

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Winners of 21st CCP Alternative Film & Video Tilt Named

The winners of the 21st Gawad CCP Para sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video were announced in awarding rites held on December 11, 2009 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Tanghalang Manuel Conde.

In the Experimental category, the 1st Prize went to ANG EBOLUSYON NI KASALANAN by Emerson Reyes, 2nd prize to ANG ROMANSA NI TINYENTE GIMO AND MARYA LABO by Joenar Pueblo and 3rd Prize to PONKAN by John Japhet Tubeo and Jonathan Marasigan. Honorable Mention was given to BIYAHILO By Revsson Antonio, Anthony Delima, Sheena Pearl Barandino, Joecel Bueno, Rochelle Relosa, Ronald Diata, Analyn Gamelo and Reggie Lapera.

In the Animation category, the 1st Prize was awarded to MASKARA by Alejandro Karlo Zapanta and 2nd Prize to CLOWNES by Neil Paul Molina. Two entries— LUKSO by John Kristoffer Sta. Clara and GRANDFATHER' S CLOCK by Marcelo William W. Muñoz—won 3rd Prize. Honorable Mentions were given to PERANG KENKOY by Christopher C. Asa, BOX by John Kristoffer Sta. Clara and ROBOTICA by Alan Ray Bumanglag

In the Documentary category, the 1st Prize was awarded to WINDMILLS: The Case Study of Bangui Windmills by Ellaine R. Bensal, C. Castro, K. Colo and A. Cruz; 2nd Prize to TAWILIS: Palaot sa Mailap na Huli by Reymer Salvador and 3rd Prize to THE FILIPINO STUDENT'S GUIDE ON HOW TO BE INVISIBLE IN LONDON by Raz de la Torre. KUYA by Mary Angelica Eileen A. Cruz won Honorable Mention.

In the Short Feature category, the 1st Prize was awarded to APRIL FOOLS by Trinka Lat and 2nd Prize to BA'T `MAN by Noriel Jarito. The 3rd Prize was given to both RIVER OF DREAMS by Michael Angelo Dagñalan and ARAW NG PIGHATI by Ryanorlie "Yan" Abeledo. Honorable Mention was awarded to BATANG JAPAN by Al Eugenio, KINULAYANG KITI by Richard S. Legaspi and BABAE AKO by Jeyow Evangelista.

The animation entries from Ateneo de Naga University were collectively awarded the Best Regional Entry award while the RIVER OF DREAMS by Michael Angelo Dagñalan was named Best Entry for/on/by Children.

The 21st Gawad CCP Para Sa Alternatibong Pelikula at Video was held December 8-11 at the CCP. A competition for works for both Film and Video formats, it is held in four categories of Short Feature/Narrative, Experimental, Documentary and Animation.

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CJ Andaluz Revisits His Roots

Independent filmmaker Christopher John Andaluz returned to his first love, theater, with the successful restaging of Frank G. Rivera's modern zarzuela "Ambon, Ulan, Baha" last December 13 at SM Centerpoint Cinema 5.

Andaluz was back on the helm of Rivera's 2004 Aliw Awards Best Musical Production after directing the short film "Nekro" and the full-length feature "Sisa" for OnCam Productions.

"Ambon, Ulan, Baha" is another production of Alab Artistika and Pixel Art Media Production Co. based on Rivera's play aside from "Tao, Isang Tagulaylay" and "Oyayi."

Andaluz earlier dipped his hands in directing films with "Nekro," which won best narrative short film in the first Pambujan Pelikula Para sa Publiko (PPPP) National Short Film Festival and Competition held in Northern Samar and also competed in the Lyons Asian Film Festival in France, Exground Film Festival in Germany, Third Eye Asian Film Festival Mumbai in India, and .MOV International Digital Film Festival in Manila.

His short film, which tells the story of a man who fulfills his sexual urges by having sex with the dead, was also part of the Short Wave program of the 7th World Film Festival of Bangkok and the selection of the 16th Filipino American Cine (FACINE) Festival in San Francisco last month.

Meanwhile, "Sisa" competed in the Digital Lokal competition of Dekada Cinemanila last year with Jodi Sta. Maria-Lacson bagging the Best Actress award in the international film festival.

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Blame the Savages at NCCA Gallery

t is not hard to disapprove when all around there are bomb threats, corruption, massacres, natural disasters or even sex scandals. The whole world has long been in a dire mess and so we have our advocacies, movements, forums to fuss about it. We humans, as we think ourselves to existence, are naturally critical about all things else.

In this era, wars are constantly waged by service providers, product suppliers and such. Their artilleries boast of glossy packaging, massive billboards, bright television commercials and fully-furnished stores. Everything is pleasing and machine-made at a dizzying pace to please greedy consumers. Failing to be blinded by all the sparkles, Francis Commeyne remembers where all these started. His Takataks are artworks that reject the highly materialistic world today and revive the old ways of simple trades on the streets. With this, he also taps on old traditions that are tarnished by new technology. The artworks remind very well of the Dada period of ready-made objects. Francis assembles them inside the takataks, much like box art, and creates unified meaning with multiple elements. The works rest on the thin line between art and life as he incorporates personal objects and ideas.

Raymond Carlos, on the other hand, dismisses tradition. His realistic paintings force the audiences to zero in on social issues that hamper themselves. His works are highly provocative and graphic, and lean much on real human problems. With his paintings, he decapitates what notion of taboo the society has. What we see here is pure human, no rights or wrongs. It is a self-indulgent approach to life. Upon seeing Raymond’s work, our very initial response is to recoil due to the boldness of his work. What the paintings aim for is to free the audience of that initial response, that moment of self-censorship, and see the world without expectations or limits.

With a pocket full of satire, shaggy-dog stories, puns, parody, mockery, sarcasm and a list of airy jokes, Mark Sanchez creates a series of collages on paper. Humor is seen as shallow and futile. However, taking a second look, we see that jokes are often an attack on social flaws we have as humans. Mark provides you that second look. He gives you a chance to become the analytical you you wanted to be. His paintings allow you to see the alternate paths you can take beyond the mere chortle, to an exploration of arbitrary connotations. Here we can see that language is broken apart.

However, the simplicity of Manu Farol’s works let you expand into the complexities of meaning and also their arbitrary experience. In most cases, we are apt to defining artworks in comprehensible language. Manu emphasizes on the recognition of the experience rather than defining a complete understanding. We can contrast this with language’s limitation in defining perceptual experience (understanding is achieved through language). Art can exist out of language.

Catalina Africa plays with ideas like time and space. Out of these banal systems (ethics and rules that have been established way back in time, for example) we are dancing in, Catalina finds away to break away from the austerity of it all. Catalina uses photographs and video installation to capture her mischievous practices. At times, she photographs flowers to juggle the transient quality and the durability of a photo. Her video explores the structure of language. The video loop delineates the divide between irrationality and order.

Cian Dayrit’s figures are grotesque and bold, awkward in linear quality. They debunk all sense of morality that was painstakingly established by philosophers, prophets, rabbis, and scholars. The usage of ancient icons, symbols, signs and myths from Greece, Egypt and even from our local Bukidnon and manipulation of these sacred images, defiling them in their juxtaposition, had given the works their edge. He creates his own world of orgies and massacres.

Media is one of the greatest inventions of the preceding century. Thus rose celebrities, pop icons, and rock stars, all venerated by masses. These people have their lives dictated by the media; we all see them through television, magazines, and tabloids. We trustingly nod to every gossip and rumors there are -- too bad for those who are depreciated by the media. Eunice Lacaste’s defacement of her own paintings attempts to reprimand this kind of gullible acceptance of distorted information. In Eunice’s painting, the linear defacement are well-researched and in accordance to the underlying image as opposed to the misinformed and negative remarks of the tabloids. The artist channels this antagonism into a positive decoration of otherwise adverse portraits.

Blame the Savages is a group exhibition of seven artists questioning everything; our tradition, our lives, our system, ourselves. The artists here refuse to be ignorant and acceptant of the invasion of the media, the government, the big shot imports, the gods, the truth. All these sum up into a mixture of varied contemporary mediums, grounds, approaches, thinking talking back to age old earth.

The exhibit "Blame the Savages" runs from 15 December – 10 January 2010 at the NCCA Gallery located at G/F NCCA Building 633 Gen. Luna St. Intramuros Manila. For details please contact Ethel Buluran at (632) 5272192 or email ncca_gallery@yahoo.com

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U Ave - A Musical Play By Sinagbayan

SINAGBAYAN
Sining na Naglilingkod sa Bayan
in cooperation with
OICA
Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts

invites you to

U Ave
a musical play
directed by Soc Jose
concept written by Prof. Rommel Rodriguez

For the benefit of disaster-stressed families in Marikina and Cordillera Region

December 12 and 13
3:30 PM | 7:30 PM
Aldaba Recital Hall, University of the Philippines, Diliman

For ticket reservations and for more info on how you can help, contact +63906.3504141
Relief goods and other donations may be dropped at the show booth.

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