2008 Gawad Buhay

Monday, February 09, 2009

PHILSTAGE’s Gawad Buhay! nominees bared, CCP awards rites set on February 18

Ballet Philippines’ productions of New Beginnings and Coppelia romped off with seven major nominations in the fourth quarter citations list released by the jury of the 2008 Gawad Buhay!, The PHILSTAGE Awards for the Performing Arts.

New Beginnings earned the jury’s nod for outstanding dance production, ensemble performance, choreography (Max Luna III and Alan Hineline), and set design (Gino Gonzales). Coppelia was cited for ensemble performance and set design (Mio Infante).

Tanghalang Pilipino’s Mga Gerilya sa Powell Street earned citations for ensemble performance, male lead performance (Joe Gruta and Dido dela Paz) and featured performance (Mailes Kanapi).

Ballet Manila’s Tatlong Kuwento ni Lola Basyang was cited for costume design.

Gawad Buhay! is the first industry awards conferred for outstanding achievements in the performing arts by member-companies of the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group, Inc. (PHILSTAGE). The PHILSTAGE Board of Directors is composed of Tanghalang Pilipino’s Fernando Josef, president; PETA's Melvin Lee, vice president; Ballet Philippines’ Sandy Hontiveros, secretary; Repertory Philippines' Gidget Tolentino, treasurer; Actors Actors’ Leonardo Lim, Ballet Manila's Susan Macuja, Gantimpala Theater Foundation’s Tony Espejo, Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit’s Mitch Valdes, TRUMPETS' Joel Reyes as Board Members, and PHILSTAGE Executive Director Elmar Beltran Ingles.

While PHILSTAGE administers the awards, the final recipients will be chosen by an independent Jury Panel selected by the PHILSTAGE Board of Directors from a roster of critics, performing artists, cultural researchers and scholars, and the general public.

The public is invited to watch the final awards rites to be held at the CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (Little Theater) at 7:30 p.m. on February 18, 2009. Invited to present the awards are the country’s foremost theater personalities.