Wazzup Pilipinas!
JC Santos,
the young Dulaang UP-trained theater actor who became a TV sensation last year when
he was cast as the third wheel to the James Reid-Nadine Lustre tandem in the
ABS-CBN teleserye “Till I Met You,” won the Outstanding Male Lead Performance
in a Play for Red Turnip’s “Constellations” at the 9th Gawad Buhay, held at the
CCP Little Theater this evening.
His co-star
in “Constellations,” Cris Villonco, won the Outstanding Female Lead Performance
in a Play honors, while the play itself, directed by Rem Zamora, was adjudged
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play.
The Gawad Buhay,
the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, on its ninth year celebrated not
only the best performance and technical achievements of its member-companies’
productions in 2016; it also conferred the Natatanging Gawad Buhay for Lifetime
Achievement to stalwart actor-directors Soxie Topacio and Joy Virata.
Topacio and
Virata are pioneering members and pillars of their respective theater
companies, the Philippine Educational Theater Association and Repertory
Philippines, both of which are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year.
The twin milestone achievement for Philippine theater was a focal point of
celebration at the evening’s ceremonies, which also featured a segment jointly
honoring Peta founder Cecile Guidote-Alvarez and Rep co-founder Baby Barredo.
The
ceremonies were hosted by Jon Santos.
Krystal
Brimner, the child actress who appeared as John Lloyd Cruz’ daughter in the
Erik Matti thriller “Honor Thy Father,” was adjudged Outstanding Female Lead
Performance in a Musical for her turn in “Annie.” The classic Broadway musical,
mounted by the Full House Theater Company of Resorts World Manila, won four
other awards: Outstanding Female Featured Performance for Menchu
Lauchengco-Yulo, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical for director Michael
Williams, and Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical and Outstanding
Production of Existing Material for a Musical.
Jef Flores
scored an unprecedented back-to-back Gawad Buhay win by copping the Outstanding
Male Lead Performance in a Musical for his turn as the young pre-“Rent”
Jonathan Larson in 9 Works Theatrical’s “Tick, Tick... Boom!” Only last year,
he was the Outstanding Male Lead recipient in the play counterpart for Red
Turnip’s “This Is Our Youth.”
In dance,
Rita Winder of Ballet Philippines also notched a rare double
nomination—Outstanding Female Lead Performance in Modern Dance for “Awitin Mo
at Isasayaw Ko,” a dance-musical that featured the music of the 70’s band VST
& Co; and Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance, for “Firebird and
Other Ballets.”
The trophy
for Outstanding Female Featured Performance for Modern Dance went to dance
legend Edna Vida, for “Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko,” eliciting some of the
evening’s loudest cheers.
The most
honored production of the night was also in dance—Ballet Philippines’ “Firebird
and Other Ballets,” which went home with seven trophies.
Tying with
“Annie’s” five wins was Red Turnip’s “Tribes,” which garnered nods for, among
others, Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play for Topper Fabregas, and for the
featured performances of Angela Padilla and Teroy Guzman. Peta’s “3 Stars and a
Sun,” meanwhile, a musical that employed the music of the late rap artist
Francis Magalona, earned four wins, including Outstanding Original Musical and
for its libretto by Mixkaela Villalon and Rody Vera.
COMPLETE LIST OF 2016 PHILSTAGE GAWAD
BUHAY! WINNERS IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES:
Outstanding Original Libretto
Mixkaela
Villalon and Rody Vera, “3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)
Outstanding Translation or Adaptation
Rolando
Tinio, “Pangarap sa Isang Gabi ng Gitnang Tag-araw” (Tanghalang Pilipino)
Outstanding Musical Direction
Myke Salomon,
“3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)
Outstanding Original Musical
Composition
Malek Lopez,
“Opera” (Ballet Philippines)
Outstanding Choreography for a Dance
Production
Carlo Pacis,
“Weighted Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Outstanding Choreography for a Play
or Musical
PJ Rebullida,
“American Idiot” (9 Works Theatrical)
Outstanding Costume Design
Gino Gonzales,
“3 Stars and a Sun” (Peta)
Outstanding Lighting Design
John Batalla,
“Almost, Maine” (Repertory Philippines)
Outstanding Sound Design
Teresa
Barrozo, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)
Outstanding Set Design
Mio Infante,
“American Idiot” (9 Works Theatrical)
Female Lead Performance in a Play
Cris
Villonco, “Constellations” (Red Turnip Theater)
Male Lead Performance in a Play
JC Santos,
“Constellations” (Red Turnip Theater)
Female Featured Performance in a Play
Angela
Padilla, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)
Male Featured Performance in a Play
Teroy Guzman,
“Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)
Female Lead Performance in a Musical
Krystal
Brimner, “Annie” (Full House Theater Company)
Male Lead Performance in a Musical
Jef Flores,
“Tick, Tick… Boom” (9 Works Theatrical)
Female Featured Performance in a
Musical
Menchu
Lauchengco-Yulo, “Annie” (Full House Theater Company)
Male Featured Performance in a
Musical
Ariel Reonal,
“Tick, Tick…Boom” (9 Works Theatrical)
Female Lead Performance in Modern
Dance
Rita Winder,
“Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” (Ballet Philippines)
Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance
JM Cordero,
“Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” (Ballet Philippines)
Female Featured Performance in Modern
Dance
Edna Vida,
“Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” (Ballet Philippines)
Male Featured Performance in Modern
Dance
Erl Sorilla,
“Simoun” (Ballet Philippines)
Female Lead Performance in Classical
Dance
Rita Winder,
“Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Male Lead Performance in Classical
Dance
Rudy de Dios,
“Cinderella” (Ballet Manila)
Female Featured Performance in
Classical Dance
Denise
Parungao, “Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Male Featured Performance in
Classical Dance
Cyril Fallar,
“Firebird”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Outstanding Modern Dance Production
“Weighted
Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Outstanding Classical Dance
Production
“Firebird”/from
“Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a
Play
Topper
Fabregas, “Tribes” (Red Turnip Theater)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a
Musical
Michael
Williams, “Annie” (Full House Theater Company)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for
a Play
“Tribes” (Red
Turnip Theater)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for
a Musical
“Annie” (Full
House Theater Company)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for
Modern Dance
“Weighted
Whispers”/from “Firebird and Other Ballets” (Ballet Philippines)
Outstanding Production of Existing
Material for a Play
“Constellations”
(Red Turnip Theater)
Outstanding Production of Existing
Material for a Musical
“Annie” (Full
House Theater Company)
Outstanding Musical—Original or
Translation/Adaptation
“3 Stars and
a Sun” (Peta)
Natatanging Gawad Buhay
Joy Virata
(Repertory Philippines)
Soxie Topacio
(Peta)
Photo by Jaypee Maristaza
