Dr. Nicanor Tiongson’s MABINING MANDIRIGMA – a steam-punk musical adaptation of the life and times of Apolinario Mabini – bagged twelve (12) major awards including Original Outstanding Libretto and Outstanding Musical Direction in this year’s Gawad Buhay! – the annual Philstage Awards for the performing arts, Thursday, April 28, at the Onstage Greenbelt Makati.
Kanakan Balintagos Receives This Year’s Outstanding Original Script For Tanghalang Pilipino’s MGA BUHAY NA APOY
Sharing the lead is star of stage and screen, Ms. Irma Adlawan, as she wins her first Gawad Buhay for the Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play for Tanghalang Pilipino’s adaptation of Kanakan Balintagos’ MGA BUHAY NA APOY.
Veteran actor, Audie Gemora, bagged the Outstanding Male Lead Perfomance for his role as Albin in 9 Work Theatrical’s LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.
For dance, Ballet Philippines’ PETER PAN led the pack with five awards, including Outstanding Classical Dance Production. Ballet Manila’s BLOOM, a highlight of the company’s BM 2.0, took home the Outstanding Modern Dance Production. Gerardo Francisco of Ballet Manila also won the rare distinction of two awards in one evening, bringing home the Outstanding Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance for ANG MAHIWAGANG BIYULIN (a segment in TATLONG KWENTO NI LOLA BASYANG), and Outstanding Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance for ROMEO AND JULIET, also from Ballet Manila.
National Artist For Dance, Ms. Alice Reyes In Her Acceptance Speech For The Natatanging Gawad Buhay For Lifetime Achievement
The Natatanging Gawad Buhay! for lifetime achievement was given this year to two bastions of Philippine performing arts. Repertory Philippines’ Celia Diaz-Laurel and former Ballet Philippines’ Artistic Director, and now our National Artist for Dance, Ms. Alice Reyes, graced the evening with their presence and bowed to a much-deserved ovation.
Hosted by Topper Fabregas and Kakai Bautista, the 8th Gawad Buhay ran for three hours and gathered great cheers from theater actors, directors, producers and enthusiasts.
Here’s the complete list of winners for the 8th Gawad Buhay!
Outstanding Original Script
Kanakan Balintagos, “Mga Buhay na Apoy” (TP)
Outstanding Original Libretto
Nicanor Tiongson, “Mabining Mandirigma (TP)
Outstanding Translation or Adaptation
Rody Vera, “Arbol de Fuego” (Peta)
Outstanding Musical Direction
Joed Balsamo, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Original Musical Composition
Joed Balsamo, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Choreography for a Dance Production
Edna Vida-Froilan, “Peter Pan” (BP)
Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical
Denisa Reyes, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Costume Design
James Reyes, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Lighting Design
John Batalla, “33 Variations” (RTT)
Outstanding Sound Design
TJ Ramos, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Set Design
Toym Imao, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Play
Irma Adlawan, “Mga Buhay na Apoy” (TP)
Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Play
Jef Flores, “This Is Our Youth” (RTT)
Outstanding Female Featured Performance in a Play
Roselyn Perez, “The Normal Heart” (AAI)
Outstanding Male Featured Performance in a Play
Teroy Guzman, “33 Variations” (RTT)
Outstanding Female Lead Performance in a Musical
Delphine Buencamino, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Male Lead Performance in a Musical
Audie Gemora, “La Cage aux Folles” (9WT)
Outstanding Female Featured Performance in a Musical
Cris Villonco, “Bituing Walang Ningning, The Musical” (Full House)
Outstanding Male Featured Performance in a Musical
Antonio Ferrer, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Female Lead Performance in Modern Dance
Rita Winder, “Sarong Banggi” (BP)
Outstanding Male Lead Performance in Modern Dance
Gerardo Francisco, “Ang Mahiwagang Biyulin” /from “Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang” (BM)
Outstanding Female Featured Performance in Modern Dance
Monica Gana, “Sarong Banggi” (BP)
Outstanding Male Featured Performance in Modern Dance
Earl John Arisola, “Sarong Banggi” (BP)
Outstanding Female Lead Performance in Classical Dance
Lobreza Pimentel, “Don Quixote” (PBT)
Outstanding Male Lead Performance in Classical Dance
Victor Maguad, “Peter Pan” (BP)
Outstanding Female Featured Performance in Classical Dance
Pia Dames, “Romeo and Juliet” (BM)
Outstanding Male Featured Performance in Classical Dance
Gerardo Francisco, “Romeo and Juliet” (BM)
Outstanding Modern Dance Production
“Bloom” /from “BM 2.0” (BM)
Outstanding Classical Dance Production
“Peter Pan” (BP)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play
Bart Guingona, “The Normal Heart” (AAI/TNT)
Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical
Chris Millado, “Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play
“The Normal Heart” (AAI/TNT)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical
“Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Modern Dance
“Bloom” /from “BM 2.0” (BM)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance for Classical Dance
“Peter Pan” (BP)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play
“The Normal Heart” (AAI/TNT)
Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical
“La Cage aux Folles” (9WT)
Outstanding Play—Original or Translation/Adaptation
“Arbol de Fuego” (Peta)
Outstanding Musical—Original or Translation/Adaptation
“Mabining Mandirigma” (TP)
Outstanding Production for Children
“Peter Pan” (BP)
Natatanging Gawad Buhay for Lifetime Achievement
Celia Diaz-Laurel
Alice Reyes
Now on its 8th year, Gawad Buhay is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts.
It is juried by an independent panel of critics, scholars, artists and theater enthusiast. 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 members of the jury who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.
From the four quarterly citations, the jury selects the final nominees qualified to win the awards by the end of the performance season, and votes on the winners by secret balloting.
Philstage is the only alliance of professional performing arts organization in the Philippines its members include 9Works Theatrical, Actor’s Actors Inc. Ballet Manila, Ballet Philippines, Full House (Resort World Manila), Gantimpala Theater Foundation, PETA, Philippine Ballet Theater, Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Red Turnip, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino and Trum
