Livin high and takin it easy

PLAYWRIGHTS featured in the annual Virgin Labfest, a theater festival featuring unstaged, untried and unpublished plays, captured the top three prizes for the One Act Play Category Pilipino division of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards For Literature.  Nicolas B. Pichay bagged the first prize for “Isang Araw sa Karnabal”, Floy C. Quintos, second for Suor Clara and Allan B. Lopez came in third for Higit pa Dito. All three plays were seen at the recent Virgin Labfest 2010 held at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute in July 2010.

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These photos were taken on the June 29th 8pm and June 30th 3pm shows. My thanks to Nicco Manalo for giving up his seat on the front center row so I can take decent photos.

Carmi Martin
written by J. Dennis Teodosio
directed by Paul Santiago

Stage Managers: Kristian Bernardo Prago & Lucci Mangoba Javier

Cast:
Paul Jake Paule as Adonis
Ariel Diccion as Gabriel

Carmi Martin is a play that has nothing to do with Carmi Martin.

Gabriel picks up Adonis, a young hustler wearing a college student uniform

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Imagine living in a time when poetry was simply an everyday language. Beauty was magnified ten folds, pandemonium was disguised in lyrical verses, and love was simply glorious. Chaos translated to poetry is Orosman at Zafira, a play written in the 1850s by Francisco Baltazar (Balagtas). It tells the story of three warring tribes in thirst for power, a plot we could still relate to today.

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When I first saw Orosman at Zafira in 2008, I was utterly moved to tears. Though I was not a part of the production, it felt like I was, too.

I saw them through their movement rehearsals, their music rehearsals with Carol Bello, even the Cirque du Soleil DVD watching in Teatro Hermogenes Ylagan (THY) and I was with members of the production before, in-between and sometimes even after the rehearsals. For some reason, I was even at the cast party. (Yes, I had a tremendously huge amount of free time back then).

I must have seen the show in its entirety at least four times and never did it lose the magic for me. I was always blown away. I was always moved to tears no matter how many times I saw it. Orosman at Zafira of 2008 was one of the best plays I saw that year.

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A Fist Full of Sand
written by Arlo de Guzman
directed by Katte Sabate

Video Design: J. Victor Villareal
Music Design: Alden/Noemer Sy
Stage Managers: Ava Santos and JV Canta

Cast:
Trency Cagaanan as Character 1
Pat Valera as Character 2
Olive Nieto as Woman in Abaya 1
Maryjane Alejo as Woman in Abaya 2
Zaf Masahud as Man in Jihab
Nikka Angeles as Oud Player 1

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I just really had to write about what I thought of the photos from this particular play and my experience in taking them. This play was the so far, the hardest of all the plays to photograph, for the sole reason that it was too dark.

Nicco Manalo and Alex Dorola Yasuda

I was able to catch two shows and the first time, I was still fumbling around my camera’s settings (which was by then less than a week old). I did not get any good photos on that first time. Most of them are too dark to be of any use to me or to anyone else. I am surprised that the camera was still able to focus given that amount of light.

When I do post-processing, I actually just move the curves.  That is just basically what I do all the time. For this set however, I had to Despeckle too every now and then.

I thought about adjusting the Brightness, but I found out that adjusting the Brightness only made the photos more glaringly red – which was painful to the eyes. In the end, I opted not to.

As much as possible, I try to take photos of each cast member. More

Opening Dulaang UP’s 35th season is the restaging of Francisco Baltazar’s Orosman at Zafira.

The contemporary adaptation directed and choreographed by Dexter M. Santos and original music by Carol Bello garnered nominations for both Best Musical Production and Best Stage Director at the 21st Aliw Awards. It also received acclamation from various renowned critics and artists.
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Ever since we had the problems with the Teatro Pilipinas website and are waiting for hosting transfers and redesign and so on and so forth, I have not really been into the theater scene. I went to UP yesterday though with Lia to file my reimbursement forms and get my cheque from the Cashier’s Office and I was told previews were last night and tonight. I could have stayed yesterday to watch last night’s show but I had my daughter with me.

So tonight I am on my way in a bit to watch.

Before I go, here are a few details about this show.

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Huling Habilin ng Sirena
written by Layeta Bucoy
directed by J. Victor Villareal

Sound Designer: Noemer Sy
Stage Manager: Glenda M. Alday

Cast:
Nicco Manalo as Sarah Jane
Abner Delina, Jr. as Sabiniano
Jerald Napoles
William Elvin as Batotoy
Alex Dorola Yasuda as Sid

Preparing to battle it out as the Reynang Sirena ng mga Barang-gay in their carnivalesque town fiesta, gay farmer Sarah Jane is unfazed when his landlord Sabiniano threatens to throw him out of his land if he refuses to offer his ward, seven year-old Batotoy.

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Matyag
written by Maynard G. Manansala, U Z. Eliserio and Chuckberry J. Pascual
directed by Paolo O’Hara

Stage Manager: Jennina Bernadette Cruz

Cast:
Isab Marinez as Anak
Randy Villarama as Daddy
Mayen Estañero as Jenjen

Father and daughter shoot their greetings on video for the absent mother, who is working in another land. Father records the excitement his daughter feels over being chosen as one of the little parading ladies in the Santacruzan.

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