Friday, August 31, 2007 Gantimpala presents Pearl Theatre Festival
LIVE theater is special and unique. The experience cannot be recorded for playback at another time except in your memory. You have to be there to see and experience it yourself, this is what Gantimpala Theater has been giving its audiences for the past 30 years theater that excites the intellect, stirs the heart and electrifies the soul!
This season, Gantimpala commits itself to bring the finest productions to its young and growing audiences as they present the Pearl Theater Festival.
Winners of the annual Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Playwriting Contest, untested and untried plays produced and staged by the company considered as instrumental to the development of Philippine Dramaturgy are now being revived to underscore the highlights of Gantimpala productions during the past three decades.
The festival presentation begins on September 2 with "Katipunan, Mga Anak ng Bayan"(first prize, 1978), written by Bonifacio Ilagan, The very first Gantimpala production is about the life story of the great plebian, Andres Bonifacio. This historically based play is about the events on the life of the so-called supremo prior to the tearing of the cedulas, which marked the start of the Philippine revolution.
Playing the leads are Lowell Conales (Andres Bonifacio), Pamela Hundana
(Gregoria de Jesus), and Remus Villanueva (Emilio Jacinto). Jeffrey Camaag is director.
On September 9 comes "Ramona Reyes ng Forbes Park" (second prize 1976), with the late Bienvinido Noriega Jr., as playwright. This drama is about a house cleaner thorn between staying with the man she dearly loves or following her dream if working abroad and secure her future.
Kathy Arguelles is Ramona with Sharlene Rivera and Arkin Da Silva. Jake de Asis as director.
On September 16 is "Bombita" (first prize 1981), by Tony Perez. This black comedy questions the blind obedience and subservience of young rookies in the military. Funny in a pathetic sense, it reveals the emotional and intellectual capacities of men in uniform.
Portraying the soldiers are Perry Escano as Bombita, Abel Napuran, Troy de Guzman Alfred Caezar Urieta, and Yutaka Yamakawa with Mark Paolo Angelo Cayabyab, Christian Parado and Jose Nilo Mortel. Soxie Topacio is the director.
Capping the Pearl Festival on September 30 is "Taluktok" by Leoncio P.
Deriada, third prize, 1983. In honor of Caloy Abrera who performed in the original production as retreat master, this is a coming-of-age tale about five graduating senior high school student who conquered Mt.Apo and their growing up fears. Tony Espejo directs his boys starring Michael King Urieta, Christopher David, Raymond Talavera, Kristian Chua, Noel Escondo and Billy Parjan as Fr. Feliciano Guerrero.
Supporting the Pearl Theater Festival are Alice Borbe (production manager) Jeffrey Camaag (production designer), Andy Villareal (lights designer), Christopher David and Jeffrey Camaag (choreographers), and Andrew Alcoba, Shalo Ram and Christopher David (stage managers).
The National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Everbilena and Color Care are the partners of Gantimpalas Pearl Theater Festival.
Admission for the plays is for free and will be shown 7 p.m., at the
Concert at the Park Open Air Auditorium in Rizal Park.
For inquiries about outreach performances, please call 528-0503/536-5860 or write to: gantimpalaproduction@yahoo.com. (Press release)
