at the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards. — BW FILE PHOTO
TANGHALANG PILIPINO (TP) emerged as the big winner of the 15th Gawad Buhay Awards, which was held on July 30 at the Aliw Theater. The Cultural Center of the Philippines’ resident theater company took home 17 of the 26 competitive prizes for its productions of Balete and Pingkian: Isang Musikal last year.
Balete, a new play drawn from National Artist for Literature F. Sionil José’s novel Tree and his autobiography Promdi, won 10 awards — the most for a single production. Meanwhile, Pingkian, a new musical on the life and works of the Katipunero Emilio Jacinto, bagged seven awards.
Balete won the Gawad Buhay equivalent of best production of a play using new material, as well as prizes for stage direction (Chris Millado’s fourth); ensemble performance; Nonie Buencamino’s lead performance; and its script which was credited to 11-time winner Rody Vera, Mr. Millado, Sabrina Basilio, Delphine Buencamino (who also won Outstanding Choreography), and the TP Actors Company.
Meanwhile, Pingkian won the equivalent of best production of a musical using new material, as well as trophies for stage direction (Jenny Jamora’s second), Vic Robinson’s lead turn as Jacinto, book of a musical (for Juan Ekis), and original score (co-credited to Mr. Ekis and Ejay Yatco, who also nabbed his second musical direction award).
Repertory Philippines picked up the two prizes for production of existing material, for Harold Pinter’s Betrayal (play) and the Off-Broadway hit I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (musical). Moreover, the company’s children’s theater arm won Outstanding Production for Children for the new musical Jepoy and the Magic Circle.
Theater scholar Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson, a Gawad Buhay winner for his libretto of Mabining Mandirigma, received the Natatanging Gawad Buhay, the lifetime achievement award.
This year’s roster of winners boasted 11 first-time Gawad Buhay recipients, including seven who won on their first nominations.
Only productions by Philstage-member companies are eligible for these annual awards. Current members include 9 Works Theatrical, The Sandbox Collective, The Necessary Theatre, Alice Reyes Dance Philippines, Ballet Manila, Barefoot Theatre Collaborative, Culturtain Musicat Productions, Full House Theater Company, the Philippine Educational Theater Association, the Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Stages, Theater Titas, Tanghalang Pilipino, Trumpets, and Twin Bill Theater.
The full list of winners follows:
Outstanding Translation or Adaptation: Rody Vera, Chris Millado, Sabrina Basilio, Delphine Buencamino, and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company (Balete)
Outstanding Book of a Musical: Juan Ekis (Pingkian: Isang Musikal)
Outstanding Original Score: Ejay Yatco and Juan Ekis (Pingkian: Isang Musikal)
Outstanding Musical Direction: Ejay Yatco (Pingkian: Isang Musikal)
Outstanding Choreography: Delphine Buencamino (Balete)
Outstanding Costume Design: Raven Ong (Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical)
Outstanding Lighting Design: Roman Cruz (Balete)
Outstanding Sound Design: Fabian Obispo (Betrayal)
Outstanding Set Design: Wika Nadera (Balete)
Outstanding Projection and Video Design: GA Fallarme (Pingkian: Isang Musikal)
Male Lead Performance in a Play: Nonie Buencamino (Balete)
Female Featured Performance in a Play: Toni Go-Yadao (Balete)
Male Featured Performance in a Play: Marco Viaña (Balete)
Female Lead Performance in a Musical: Nicole Omillo (One More Chance, The Musical)
Male Lead Performance in a Musical: Vic Robinson (Pingkian: Isang Musikal)
Female Featured Performance in a Musical: Sheila Francisco (Bar Boys: A New Musical)
Male Featured Performance in a Musical: Juliene Mendoza (Bar Boys: A New Musical)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play: Balete (Tanghalang Pilipino)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical: Bar Boys: A New Musical (Barefoot Theatre Collaborative)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play: Chris Millado (Balete)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical: Jenny Jamora (Pingkian: Isang Musikal)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play: Betrayal (Repertory Philippines)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical: I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Repertory Philippines)
Outstanding Play – Original or Translation/Adaptation: Balete (Tanghalang Pilipino)
Outstanding Musical – Original or Translation/Adaptation: Pingkian: Isang Musikal (Tanghalang Pilipino)
Outstanding Production for Children: Jepoy and the Magic Circle (Repertory Philippines)
Special Citations for Achievement in Puppetry: Jepoy and the Magic Circle (Repertory Philippines); Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical (Full House Theater Company)
Natatanging Gawad Buhay: Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson
