LIST: Gawad Buhay Citations for Theater Shows in 2023 (Second Half)

(SPOT.ph) The second half of 2023 was packed with staging of plays and musicals all over Metro Manila. For Philstage member companies alone, we had Tanghalang Pilipino's Sandosenang Sapatos, Barefoot Theatre Collaborative's The Last Five Years, 9 Works Theatrical's tick, tick...Boom!, and Repertory Philippines' Snow White and the Prince.

That said, Gawad Buhay citations for the third and fourth quarters of the year are out, with Sandosenang Sapatos leading the pack with nine citations. Eight for The Last Five Years, seven for Tick, Tick...Boom!, and six for Snow White and the Prince.

Do note that citations and nominations differ for Gawad Buhay, often touted as the Philippine counterpart of Broadway's Tony Awards or the West End's Olivier Awards. Only professional theater companies that are members of the Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group Inc. (a.k.a. Philstage) are eligible for citations, which are selected and announced twice a year (formerly, quarterly). From these citations, an annual list of nominations is selected; then winners are chosen from the nominations. The whole process involves deliberation and votation by an independent jury of journalists, critics, and theater practitioners.

Official nominees for Gawad Buhay 2023 are yet to be announced.

Here is the list of Gawad Buhay Citations for the third and fourth quarters of 2023:

Outstanding Musical Direction

• Rony Fortich (The Last Five Years)

Outstanding Choreography

• Delphine Buencamino (The Last Five Years)
• Stephen Viñas (Sandosenang Sapatos)

Outstanding Costume Design

• Raven Ong (Snow White and the Prince)
• Marco Viaña & Paw Castillo (Sandosenang Sapatos)

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Meliton Roxas Jr. (The Last Five Years)
• Gabo Tolentino (Sandosenang Sapatos)
• Shakira Villa-Symes (Tick, Tick… Boom!)

Outstanding Sound Design

• Bam Tiongson (Tick, Tick… Boom!)

Outstanding Set Design

• Joey Mendoza (The Last Five Years)

Female Lead Performance in a Musical

• Jillian Ita-as (Snow White and the Prince)
• Pinky Marquez (Snow White and the Prince)
• Felicity Kyle Napuli (Sandosenang Sapatos)
• Gab Pangilinan (The Last Five Years)
• Julia Serad (Snow White and the Prince)
• Wincess Jem Yana (Sandosenang Sapatos)

Male Lead Performance in a Musical

• Khalil Ramos (Tick, Tick… Boom!)
• Myke Salomon (The Last Five Years)

Female Featured Performance in a Musical

• Kayla Rivera (Tick, Tick… Boom!)

Male Featured Performance in a Musical

• Reb Atadero (Tick, Tick… Boom!)
• Dingdong Rosales (Snow White and the Prince)
• Floyd Tena (Sandosenang Sapatos)

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical

• Sandosenang Sapatos (Tanghalang Pilipino)
• Snow White and the Prince (Repertory Philippines)
• Tick, Tick… Boom! (9 Works Theatrical)

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical

• Topper Fabregas (The Last Five Years)
• Jonathan Tadioan (Sandosenang Sapatos)

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical

• The Last Five Years (Barefoot Theatre Collaborative)
• Tick, Tick… Boom! (9 Works Theatrical)

Outstanding Production for Children

• Sandosenang Sapatos (Tanghalang Pilipino)

Notes on Gawad Buhay rules for restagings and reruns:

According to Gawad Buhay rules, only restagings (not reruns) are eligible for the awards, particularly under Production of Existing Material. "To be considered a restaging, a production must have been 'radically restaged': differently directed and designed (in terms of set, lights, costumes, sounds, projections, and choreography, where applicable)." Both tick, tick...Boom!, which had a run in 2016, and Sandosenang Sapatos, which was shown in 2013, were considered restagings.

It should also be noted that Gawad Buhay rules say: "All individuals involved in a restaging will be considered eligible in their respective categories, provided they have not previously done that same role or task in the earlier production of the relevant material by the relevant company."

This is why the following individuals were not considered for this round of citations:

• Jef Flores (Tick, Tick… Boom!, 2016; Winner - Male Lead Performance in a Musical
• Tanya Manalang (Tick, Tick… Boom!, 2016; Nominee - Female Featured Performance in a Musical)
• Robbie Guevara (Tick, Tick… Boom!, 2016; Nominee - Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical)
• Daniel Bartolome (Tick, Tick… Boom!, 2016; Musical Director)
• Mio Infante (Tick, Tick… Boom!, 2016; Set Designer)
• Joed Balsamo (Sandosenang Sapatos, 2013; Musical Director)
• TJ Ramos (Sandosenang Sapatos, 2013; Sound Designer)

Philstage is the alliance of Manila-based professional theater companies. Current Philstage company members include 9 Works Theatrical/The Sandbox Collective, Actors Actors, Inc./The Necessary Theatre, Ballet Manila, Barefoot Theatre Collaborative, Culturtain Musicat Productions, Full House Theater Company, Gantimpala Theater Foundation, PETA, Philippine Opera Company, Repertory Philippines, Stages, Tanghalang Pilipino, Trumpets, Twin Bill Theater, Upstart Productions, and Theatre Titas.

Also read: Walang Aray Gets Most Midyear Citations for Gawad Buhay 2023