Direk Joel urges film actors to do theater

A-list film director Joel Lamangan strongly advised film actors to do theater acting to acquire its kind of discipline that is essential to the craft. He frankly expressed the seemingly general view that live stage acting primarily rests on molding one’s talent while film work is more grounded on glitz and fame. 

MANILA, Philippines - “Lahat ng artista gusto kong dalhin sa theater para magkaroon ng disiplina. Theater acting is an expression of who we are and it’s not mere work. It’s passion to create and not to finish it for the next check,” said the filmmaker who is back in the theater circle as the current artistic director of Gantimpala Theater. 

The multi-awarded film and TV director took over the post vacated by the late Tony Espejo who founded the dramatic arts company. Gantimpala is now on its 36th season as it announced its stage play line-up in a press conference recently at Cafe Ysabel in Quezon City. 

Lamangan criticized film actors who got into the business too quickly without having learned the ropes as experienced by true-blooded thespians. He conveyed,  â€œAng theater acts may desire to know while those in film hanggang dun na lang sila. Ikaw na ang star for two days, then laos ka na kaagad without having honed your craft.” 

The veteran director used to be a PETA actor in the ’80s and was trained under the late great Lino Brocka. He also acted for Dulaang UP. 

He elaborated, “Theater is my first love. It just so happened I have to support my existence so I did film and TV where the money is. Theater is where I find fulfillment.” 

Preferring to do “advocacy over commercial films,” Lamangan is thankful he was able to reach “a certain kind of stature” so he now intends to give something back to where he came from. 

This year’s Gantimpala Theater Season presents Four Classics, namely, Florante at Laura, Kanser, Ibong Adarna and El Filibusterismo. A couple of touring musicals Ang Prinsipe at ang Pulubi and Katipunan: Mga Anak Ng Bayan complete the list. 

The first to be staged is Florante at Laura set on Aug. 2 at SM Southmall Cinema 3, Aug. 9 and Aug. 10 at Star City’s Star Theater, and Aug. 16 and Aug. 17 at AFP Theater, Camp Aguinaldo. For details, call 998-5622. 

Meanwhile, entertainment celebrities are gracing the inaugural season of UNTV Cup, a basketball tournament participated in by public servants from particular government institutions. Showbiz personalities like Zoren and Kier Legazpi, Jay Manalo and Ervic Vijandre are joining the government employee-players as reinforcements, obviously to attract more televiewers since it will be covered by free channel UNTV and to air every Sunday at 4 p.m. 

Opening tip will be tomorrow, July 29, at the Araneta Coliseum with the parading of the seven participating teams: AFP, PNP, Supreme Court, Congress-LGU, Philhealth, DOJ and MMDA. Each team will pick a beneficiary group as recipient of a million-peso championship prize at the end of the four-month basketball tourney.

TV anchor Daniel Razon conceptualized the self-styled basketball league “to provide an opportunity for public servants to play for a good cause and promote camaraderie and physical fitness.”

He further enthused, “I’m looking forward to the success of this tournament. Sana hindi lang ito isang season.” 

The Congress-LGU team headed by former PBA player and Valenzuela Councilor Gerry Esplana is planning to get into its line-up famed athlete-politician Manny Pacquiao.