IBALONG, D'WONDER TWINS OF BOAC Lead Philstage Gawad Buhay! 1st/2nd-quarter Citations

Manila, Philippines, September 12, 2013--Tanghalang Pilipino's "Ibalong," a dance-musical reimagining of the Bicolano epic, topped the 1st/2nd-quarter citations of the 2013 Gawad Buhay!, the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, with 15 citations in the performance and technical categories.

"Ibalong" was adapted for the stage by Rody Vera, with neo-ethnic rock music provided by Carol Bello and direction and set design by Tuxqs Rutaquio. It garnered citations in the following categories: Outstanding Original Musical, Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical, Stage Direction (Tuxqs Rutaquio), Adaptation or Translation (Rody Vera), Musical Direction (Carol Bello), Musical Composition (Carol Bello), Choreography (Alden Lugnasin), Costume Design (Leeroy New), Lighting Design (Katsch Catoy), Sound Design (TJ Ramos), Set Design (Tuxqs Rutaquio), Female Lead Performance in a Musical (Delphine Buencamino and Jenine Desiderio), and Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Cheeno Macaraig and Jonathan Tadioan).

Meanwhile, the Philippine Educational Theater Association's (Peta) "D'Wonder Twins of Boac," which transposed Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" into the dying days of the old studio system of Philippine movies, was a close second with 14 citations. The adaptation was again courtesy of Vera, with music by Jeff Hernandez and direction by Peta Artistic Director Maribel Legarda.

"D'Wonder Twins of Boac" was cited in the following categories: Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical, Stage Direction (Maribel Legarda), Adaptation or Translation (Rody Vera), Musical Direction (Jeff Hernandez), Musical Composition (Jeff Hernandez), Choreography (Carlon Matobato), Costume Design (John Abul), Sound Design (Jeff Hernandez), Set Design (Lex Marcos), Female Lead Performance in a Musical (Cris Villonco), Female Featured Performance in a Musical (Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino and Gail Billones) and Male Featured Performance in a Musical (Lao Rodriguez).

Both "Ibalong" and "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" are musical productions. No original straight play was cited as an outstanding production in the first two quarters, but Actor's Actors, Inc.'s staging of John Logan's Tony Award-winning play "Red" was cited in the newly created category of Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play, as well as in seven other categories: Best Ensemble Performance for a Play, Stage Direction (Bart Guingona), Lighting Design (Jolu Escano), Sound Design (Dodo Lim), Set Design (Damien Anne and Baby Imperial-Anne), Male Lead Performance in a Play (Bart Guingona) and Male Featured Performance in a Play (Joaquin Valdes).

Tying with "Red" is 9 Works Theatrical's "They're Playing Our Song," which also got eight citations, including for its two leads, Nikki Gil and Lorenz Martinez. Meanwhile, in dance, Ballet Philippines' "A Midsummer Night's Dream" grabbed 11 citations, including Outstanding Modern Dance Production and Outstanding Ensemble in a Dance Production.

(See complete list of citations below.)

Now in its fifth 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 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 2014.

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.

Complete list of the 2013 1st/2nd-quarter citations in various categories:

Outstanding Original Play
• No citation

Outstanding Original Musical Production
• "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• "Ibalong" (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play
• "Red" (Actor's Actors, Inc.)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical
• "They're Playing Our Song" (9 Works Theatrical)

Outstanding Classical Dance Production
• No citation

Outstanding Modern Dance Production
• "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (Ballet Philippines)

Outstanding Stage Direction
• Bart Guingona, "Red" (AAI)
• Maribel Legarda, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Robbie Guevara, "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)
• Tuxqs Rutaquio, "Ibalong" (TP)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play
The Cast of
• "Red" (AAI)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical
The Casts of
• "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• "Ibalong" (TP)
• "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Dance
The Casts of
• "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)
• "Ballet & Ballads: Broadway Mamas" (Ballet Manila)

Outstanding Original Script
• No citation

Outstanding Original Libretto
• No citation

Outstanding Adaptation or Translation
• Rody Vera, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Rody Vera, "Ibalong" (TP)

Outstanding Musical Direction
• Carol Bello, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Jeffrey Hernandez, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Joseph Tolentino, "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)

Outstanding Musical Composition
• Carol Bello, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Jeff Hernandez, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)

Outstanding Choreography for a Dance Production
• Carlo Pacis, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)

Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical
• Alden Lugnasin, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Carlon Matobato, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)

Outstanding Costume Design
• Eric Pineda, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)
• John Abul, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Leeroy New, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Raven Ong, "Boeing Boeing" (Repertory Philippines)

Outstanding Lighting Design
• John Batalla, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)
• John Batalla, "The Graduate" (Rep)
• Jolu Escaño, "Red" (AAI)
• Katsch Catoy, "Ibalong" (TP)

Outstanding Sound Design
• Chuck Ledesma, "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)
• Dodo Lim, "Red" (AAI)
• Jeff Hernandez, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• TJ Ramos, "Ibalong" (TP)

Outstanding Set Design
• Damien Anne and Baby Imperial-Anne, "Red" (AAI)
• Mio Infante, "No Way to Treat a Lady" (Rep)
• Mio Infante, "The Graduate" (Rep)
• Mio Infante, "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)
• Lex Marcos, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Ricardo Cruz, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)
• Tuxqs Rutaquio, "Ibalong" (TP)

Female Lead Performance in a Play
• No citation

Male Lead Performance in a Play
• Bart Guingona, "Red" (AAI)
• Reb Atadero, "The Graduate" (Rep)

Female Featured Performance in a Play
Carla Dunareanu, "Boeing Boeing" (Rep)

Male Featured Performance in a Play
• Joaquin Valdes, "Red" (AAI)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical
• Cris Villonco, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Delphine Buencamino, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Jenine Desiderio, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Nikki Gil, "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical
• Audie Gemora, "No Way to Treat a Lady" (Rep)
• Lorenz Martinez, "They're Playing Our Song" (9WT)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical
• Gail Billones, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)
• Pinky Marquez, "No Way to Treat a Lady" (Rep)
• Shamaine Centenera-Buencamino, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical
• Cheeno Macaraig, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Jonathan Tadioan, "Ibalong" (TP)
• Lao Rodriguez, "D'Wonder Twins of Boac" (Peta)

Female Lead Performance in a Classical Dance Production
• No citation

Male Lead Performance in a Classical Dance Production
• No citation

Female Featured Performance in a Classical Dance Production
• No citation

Male Featured Performance in a Classical Dance Production
• No citation

Female Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production
• Katherine Trofeo, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)
• Kris-belle Paclibar, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)

Male Lead Performance in a Modern Dance Production
• Cyril Fallar, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)
• Richardson Yadao, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)

Female Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production
• Guia Dequinto, "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (BP)

Male Featured Performance in a Modern Dance Production
• No citation

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