PETA’s Summer Theater Arts Program

The Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) leading educational theater company in the Philippines since 1967, opens fifteen intensive theater arts classes for its annual summer workshop starting April 7-May 20. 

Young Artists Give Life to Ancient Manobo Epic Through Dance Theater

From chanting and trance to theater and dance – some of the most promising dancers and actors of our contemporary art scene give life to the Manobo Ulahingen in Agyu: Patungo sa Paraiso.

This a dance drama brought to you by Del La Salle College of St. Benilde’s (DLS-CSB) Arts Management Program and Siklab Productions.  shows this November 26 and 27 (7:30 PM) and Nov 28-29 (3:00 PM and 7:30 PM) at the Black Box Theater, 6F DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts Building, P. Ocampo St, Taft, Manila.

PETA braces for “Rak of Aegis”

Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) has recently concluded its auditions for its newest production “Rak of Aegis”.

A young boy who traded his cow for magic beans

Jack and the Beanstalk is a story of a young boy who traded his cow for magic beans that have turned out to be a beanstalk growing up to the sky where a giant lived with his golden harp and golden hen that lays golden eggs.

Bare: a pop opera about two boys in love

In line with its 20th anniversary, the Ateneo blueREPERTORY of the Loyola Schools Performing Arts Cluster proudly presents “ BARE: A POP OPERA ” — the amazing Off-Broadway musical that narrates the story of two boys at a Catholic boarding school as they struggle through the challenges their clandestine love brings.

Is theater dying?

With the dominance of television, movies and multimedia entertainment, traditional theater is finding it difficult to survive. Though by any measure, live performances are equally or even more entertaining, people do not invest on it because they think theater is a dying form of art.

Battle of the ‘tweens’: From T.G.I.S. vs Gimik to Tween Hearts vs Growing Up

by Nickie Wang

Some of the brightest names in show business today started out as part of teen-oriented shows and programs. And we can still identify those who were products of GMA-7’s T.G.I.S. or ABS-CBN’s Gimik, two teen drama shows that were very popular back then.

Tony Perez’s riveting trilogy: Tanghalang Pilipino’s second offering for its 25th Theater Season

by Nickie Wang

If you have not experienced losing a family member, been intensely in love and got heartbroken or at least confronted by a life-changing situation at some point, then it would be difficult for you to understand the concept of emotional truth.

Peter Pan: The timeless tale about the boy who never grew up

The legend of PETER PAN has been delighting children for over 100 years.  This faithful new version which will be first seen in Asia, promises to be a festive adventure with stunning scenery, show-stopping performances, swashbuckling sword fights, jaw dropping and breath-taking flying scenes.

Perfect dance from a dancer’s imperfections

by Nickie Wang

You have already seen the movements such as turned-in knees, sideways shuffling, and rolled shoulders in Beyoncé Knowle’s “Single Ladies” music video, which achieved great success and spawned numerous parodies from people all over the globe, including the wacky versions of Justin Timberlake and Joe Jonas. 

ZsaZsa Zaturnnah: gayest musical in town

by Nickie Wang

A mysterious stone falls from the heavens granting Ada, a quaint beauty salon owner, the ability to transform into ZsaZsa Zaturnnah, a superhuman warrior endowed with uncanny strength and remarkable beauty. As she fearlessly defends a small town from power-tripping planet women, a giant frog and rampaging zombies, she finds her true calling and concedes to destiny.

Dancing to the beats of Francisco Balagtas

by Nickie Wang

That might sound contemporary and innovative yet a little unexciting since we all knew Francisco “Balagtas” Baltazar as the great poet with a laurel on his head, famous for his work Florante at Laura, which is now a staple in the high school curriculum.

So how are you going to enjoy a story in an archaic language written by a 19th century man? Simple, replace the words with modern and elaborate movements, like turning a long narrative into a beautiful dance number complete with live orchestra for musical accompaniment.

Animals,costumes, dance and music

by Nickie Wang

Funny animals, bright colored costumes, and lively music are the perfect ingredients for a musical play that appeals to children of all ages. And these are the same components that makes Virgilio Almario’s Dugtong-Dugtong na Sumbong (Ang Hukuman ni Sinukuan) a live musical treat to watch out for.

The story, which is adapted for the stage by Liza Magtoto, combines two legends: the mosquito encircling the human ears; and the dispenser of justice known as Mariang Sinukuan and her kingdom in Mt. Arayat. The production promises to be a fun and exciting feast where set pieces ingeniously transform into costumes that also turn actors into different characters right before the audience’s eyes.

Olivier Ochanine: New kid on the PPO block

by Nickie Wang

French-American conductor and music educator Olivier Ochanine has an impressive portfolio of work experience at a very young age. At 30, his resume boasts a number of achievements ranging from awards and recognitions to academic degrees in music education. But guess where this new kid on the block wants to perform:

“Given a chance, I would want to perform in places like schools, hospitals, jails and in some undeserved areas where music education is inaccessible, where performances staged by symphony orchestras like the PPO are not usually witnessed,” Ochanine poured his heart out in an interview with the Standard Today.

Revitalizing classical concert scene

by Nickie Wang

There have been many misconceptions a propos classical music. Some say the form is reserved for the rich and upper class in society, and others say it is already dead.

A great number of people are inclined to patronizing only popular music, reason being, it is the main musical form that is available on the radeio. Little did they know, most musical forms including pop, are heavily influenced by classical music, which is the base foundation of any musical composition.

“Classical music is like a type of food. Some people didn’t have the chance to experience or taste it but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will not like it,” says Victor Coo, a virtuoso cellist.

WITHOUT WANG²: Cats love music, too

by Nickie Wang

It’s always been a mystery tor us humans how animals think or how they process stimuli. That’s the reason why we make movies, TV series, and musicals that cast animal characters acting like humans (or the other way around). It is our own means of expressing our curiosity on how they behave.

Cats, the second longest-running musical on Broadway, defines our understanding of the nature of animals. Like humans, they also have a clan with mixed and contrasting members. The reason why this musical lasted so long is because it has a very simple story that we can easily relate to. It’s about acceptance, dispute, and victory.

WITHOUT WANG²: Rock Musical opens Tanghalang Pilipino’s new season

by Nickie Wang

The opening salvo for the Tanghalang Pilipino’s 24th season is a rock musical that aims to attract theater aficionados of all ages. Titled Banaag at Sikat Isang Rock Musical, the production raises the curtain on Aug. 18 and will run for two weeks at the CCP Little Theater.

Revitalizing theater scene in the South

By Nickie Wang

South Metro residents need not to go far just to have good theater experience because a new theater company dedicated to providing quality productions has opened its doors.

A grand musical at the CCP

By Nickie Wang

The UST Conservatory of Music and UST Symphony Orchestra will turn the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater into a splendid stage with a grand musical event slated today and tomorrow at 8 p.m.

With the direction by Floy Quintos, lighting by Ruel Beronio, and set design by Ricardo Cruz, the impressive roster of UST faculty, alumni, and students come together to present Love Unspoken, a pre-Valentine and a post-New Year concert, which features an operatic setting of excerpts from various operas, operettas, and Broadway musicals.

A peek into the former president’s life

By Nickie Wang

What else don’t we know about the life of Corazon Aquino? As one of the most influential icons in the Philippine modern history, her life is already like an open book in all sense of the word. Her life is even discussed in schools from the time a student is introduced to the world of history, civics and culture.

Cory, the Musical, a stage production inspired by the life of no other than former President Aquino, tells nothing but the old and common facts about the first woman to be ever elected in the highest position in the government.