(Philippine Stagers earns 8 awards at BroadwayWorld.com)
The all-original Filipino musical that continues to stir controversy because of the awards it has earned. It was dubbed to be 'disturbing', but the 'disturbed' critics have to watch the production in order to dispel their respective biases. Photograph by Dale Bacar.
MANILA, Philippines – Perhaps amongst the nominees in the first-ever Broadway World Philippines Awards, the humble theater company named Philippine Stagers Foundation (PSF), led by Atty. Vince M. Tañada is the one sweeping most of its awards, as predicted, it raised eyebrows and made some questioned about its most wins as results were announced on Saturday, January 21.
“Even if it’s a mere popularity voting—still we take pride of what it has earned so far,” says Jude Cartalaba, the publicist of PSF.
“We may not have the biggest stars in all its productions to attract theater enthusiasts, but we ensure that our shows are sold and we still serve the company’s two-fold objectives: To entertain and educate.
“Cory ng EDSA is one musicale that every Filipino should watch. It’s not because it’s about the former and late President Corazon C. Aquino alone, but it’s because—the material’s message is universal. It is something that even ordinary Filipinos could identify with—it is about one’s sacrifice for the love of his or her country.”
PSF is not identified as a mainstream theater company by its critics and it produces this no-heard productions like 'Cory ng EDSA', but the group never fails to deliver a moving, inspiring and at the same time quality content in all its productions. Being a touring theater company, it is not limited to Metro Manila runs, but it spawns to other key cities in the Philippines.
This 2012, it will be staging its 2011 Aliw Awardee for best musical ‘Cory ng EDSA: A Filipino Musicale’ again and had a successful one in Dumaguete and will continue to bring it to other parts of the country.
BroadwayWorld.com Philippines Awards recently proclaimed ‘Cory ng EDSA’ as
Best Musical and so as Vince Tañada as
Best Leading Actor and
Best Direction in a Musical.
The other awards that the musical got:
Best Choreography - John San Antonio;
Best Costume Design - Emy Tañada;
Best Musical Direction - Pipo Cifra;
Best Set Design - Jeffrey Ambrosio; and
Best Sound Design - Art Grabentina.
Inset: Job Bautista as Angel Dummott and OJ Mariano as Tom Collins won Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role/Ensemble Role (Musical). Cris Villonco as Waverly Jong earned the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role/Ensemble Role is seen in the photograph with Frances Makil-Ignacio as Lindo Jong. Photograph by Dale Bacar.
Other big winners were:
Best Leading Actress (Musical) - Nikki Gil for ‘Sweet Charity’ of 9 Works Theatrical;
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role/Ensemble Role (Musical) - OJ Mariano for ‘Rent’ of 9 Works Theatrical;
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role/Ensemble Role (Musical) - Ciara Sotto for ‘Sweet Charity’
of 9 Works Theatrical;
Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role/Ensemble Role (Play)- Cris Villonco
for ‘The Joy Luck Club’of Repertory Philippines;
Best Leading Actor (Play) - Martin Delos Santos for ‘Ang Post Office’ of PETA;
Best Leading Actress (Play)- Shamaine Buencamino for ‘Fake’ of UP Playwrights' Theater;
Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role/Ensemble Role (Play)- Jeremy Domingo for ‘American Hwangap’ of Tanghalang Pilipino;
Best Play - ‘American Hwangap’ of Tanghalang Pilipino;
Best Lighting Design -Shoko Matsumoto for ‘Next To Normal’of Atlantis Productions Inc.;
Best Theater Company -9 Works Theatrical;
Best Theatrical Venue -Resorts World Manila.
Nominations were submitted in October 2011, and voting ran through midnight of December 31, 2011.
