Topic:

The National Artists of the Philippines for Theater

Objectives:
Explains Filipino artists’ roles and Identify their
contribution to contemporary Arts. CAR11/12CAP-oc-e-5
-Identify the National Artist for Theater
-Enumerate representative works that made them national artists
-Discuss the important contributions of these national artists to
the Philippine Theater
According to Doreen Fernandez(Theater and Culture
scholar) the Philippine dramatic tradition has its roots
in the rituals and ceremonies of precolonial Filipinos.
The way they performed offerings to their gods and
held communal celebrations were already dramatic
performances.
Colonization brought many forms of drama and
theater: from the religious-themed cenaculo and
moro-moro, to the zarzuela, a traditional Spanish one-
act comic opera and the American entertainment, and
the vaudeville, a stage performance that consists of
various play acts.
 National Artist for Theater
1.Daisy Avellana
1917-2013
Year of Conferment: 1999
-First lady of Philippine Theater
-born in Roxas City,Capiz in 1917.
-She was a notable actress and a passionate director
and writer.
-her contributions to Philippine theater had brought “ anew level
of excellence by staging and performing in breakthrough
productions of classic Filipino and foreign plays.”
-her advocacy and efforts had also brought about profound
reformation in dramatic and theatrical practice in the country “
by encouraging the establishment of performing groups and the
professionalization of Filipino theater.”
-her performances were exquisite and alluring, taking in roles in
productions such as Othello, Macbeth in Black, Casa de
Bernarda Alba, and Tatarin.
2.Honorata “Atang” de la Rama
1905-1991
Year of Conferment: 1987
When the Philippines were still under American rule,
Atang de la Rama battled for the supremacy of the
Kundiman.
-she popularized the song”Mutya ng Pasig” by
Deogracias Rosario and Nicanor Abelardo.
-in 1987, former President Corazon C. Aquino declared her as a
National Artist for theater and Music
-she has been crowned as the Queen of the Kundiman, as she
began her career in music and performance at the early age of
seven.
-She starred in Zarzuelas such as Marina, Mascota and Sueño de
Un Vals.
-for her the zarzuela and Kundiman” express best the Filipino
soul”
-a stage performer, also credited to have penned the zarzuelas
Anak ni Eba, Aking Ina, and Puri at Buhay.
3.Rolando Santos Tinio
1937 - 1997
Year of Conferment: 1997
-a director, actor, educator, critic, translator, poet, and
dramatist.
-known for translating western classics into Tagalog,
including the works Shakespear(The Merchant of
Venice), Arthur Miller( Death of a Salesman), Samuel
Beckett( Waiting for Godot)
and August Strinberg (Miss Julie).
-his work as a director is well remembered as
someone”whose original insights into the scripts he
handled brought forth productions notable for their
visual impact and intellectual cogency.”
-the highlight of his colourful career was when he
became the artistic director of the CCP’s resident theater
company, Tanghalang Pilipino.
-his legacy as teatro Pilipino’s artistic director is his
laborious efforts to revitalize Filipino drama through the
revival of traditional works which is described with
"excellence and beauty of his practice that claimed for
theater a place among the arts in the Philippines.”
according to the NCCA.
-stage directors bring insights to have script creating
visual and intellectual impact on stage.
4.Salvador Floro Bernal
1945-2011
Year of Conferment: 2003
-in 1969 ,he began his career in theater .
-part of over 300 productions in art, film, and music.
-his style is known for maximizing the use of raw
materials in theater production.
-used native Filipino materials such as bamboo, abaca
fiber, and the basic gauze cacha.
-theater designer an educator who transmitted his
knowledge and skill by holding classes and training in
universities and the CCP.
5.Lamberto Vera Avellana
1915-1991
Year of Conferment: 1976
-his legacy is one that has lived in both theater and film.
-Avellana’s Barangay Theater Guild propagated many
dramatic and theatrical performances of foreign and
local plays, from the readings of Shakespeare’s
tragedies to Nick Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artists as
Filipino.
-his contributions to film started early on and he was
dubbed as “ The Boy Wonder of Philippine Movies”
in 1939.
-from being a stage actor, Avellana took on the
challenge as film director and has directed landmark
films such as Kandelerong Pilak(the first Filipino
film to be shown at the prestigious Cannes
International Film Festival), Sakay, Anak Dalita and
Badjao.
6.Wilfrido Ma. Gurrero
1911-1995
Year of Conferment:1997
-talented writer, director, educator, and artists who wrote
a number of outstanding plays, 41 of which were
circulated.
-At a young age of 14, he wrote his play entitled No
Todo Es Risa in Spanish.
-his greatest contribution to arts is his introduction of
the concept of a theater campus tour. This revolutionary
outreach program staged over 2500 performances in
almost two decades of runs.
-his works include Half an Hour in a Convent, Wanted: A
Chaperon, Forever, Condemned, In Unity, Three Rats,
Our Strange Ways and The Forsaken House.
7.Severino Montano
1915-1980
Year of Conferment:2001
-is named as one of the “Titans of Philippine
Theater.”
-exceptional poet, director, actor, and theater organizer.
-both a playwright and an educator and thus pursued the
establishment of “legitimate theater” in the country.
-with about 1000 pesos, he used his own money to start
the Arena Theater in the Philippine Normal College(now
Philippine Normal University)
-he trained and directed a new generation of artists such
as: Joonee Gamboa and Behn Cervantes.
-his plays include Sabina, But Not My Sons Any Longer,
Gabriela Silang and The Merry Wives of Manila.
GOD bless us!!!