More on the Bard’s fete / Kabayaos in the arts / A socio-civic meeting

In the Philippines, Germany leads in musical presentations, being the land of such titans as Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chopin, et al. The US is inimitable for its breezy musical comedies with their git-up-and-go spirit. Spain, having ruled the Philippines for over 300 years, has left us its music, songs and dances which will be performed at the Spanish Fiesta in October.

The UK, particularly England, is unmatched for its classic theater tradition solidly built on Shakespeare’s 37 plays which are staged throughout the world.

As previously noted, there will be a Shakespeare Festival here in September. Three of the Bard’s most famous works to be presented will be in line with the British Council’s main objective of helping Filipinos master the English language through educational incentives. Shakespeare’s works will ride on the crest of the BC’s 25th anniversary celebrations, proving that Shakespeare, far from being dead, is still read.

CCP’s Tanghalang Pilipino, with its solid reputation for Shakespearean adaptations lyrically translated by Rolando Tinio, is currently staging R’meo luvs Dew-Lhiett – a whimsical version of the immortal love story. Starring Noel Escondo and Catherine Racsag under the direction of Herbie Go, the play at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino will move to Tanghalang Huseng Batute in September.

Regarded as the country’s leading proponent of English language theater, Repertory Philippines will produce an all-male version of Taming of the Shrew starting Sept. 2 at Rep’s Globe Theater in Greenbelt. With Bart Guingona at the helm, and Rep’s young talents Joel Trinidad, Niccolo Manahan and Topper Fabregas heading the cast, the production is a return to the age-old Shakespearean tradition of featuring exclusively males in the cast.

Scotland’s celebrated Theatre Babel will present Macbeth at the CCP Little Theater on Sept. 14 and 15 as the centerpiece of the Shakespeare Festival.

Its lead actors Lewis Howden and Pauline Knowles, together with director Graham MacLaren, will judge the finals of the Shakespeare Speech Competition at the Lyceum University Theater on Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. High school students from both public and private schools are invited to participate in the competition whose 10 finalists will tackle the art of soliloquy while deriving power from their physical isolation onstage.

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The Gilopez Kabayao Foundation, Inc., since its founding in 1994 by violin virtuoso Gilopez Kabayao and his concert pianist wife Corazon Pineda, promotes cultural along with spiritual, educational and medical endeavors with considerable dedication, being aware of the need of fellow artists to be supported, encouraged and given opportunities for development and growth. Thus, they invest in producing plays, musicals, concerts and other cultural events even with no assurance of sound financial returns.

Specifically, the Kabayaos promote theater, music and dance artists from Iloilo, and provide the training and exposure needed to be better prepared for bigger productions in the future. They realize only too well that much has to be done to elevate the standard of production and performance in the provinces, and unless individuals, schools and organizations in the community contribute their share, audiences will always consider cultural presentations in Manila the only ones commanding attention, respect and admiration.

The invitation from the FEU’s President’s Committee on Culture chaired by Dr. Rustica Carpio for the play The Miracle Worker by William Gibson to be staged at the FEU auditorium was indeed a great encouragement for the artists in Iloilo. The Kabayaos believe this will be an auspicious beginning for many other productions to be taken to other places in the country.

This early, the Kabayao Foundation is announcing three other productions for its 2005-2006 theater season: Anatomiya ng Korapsyon by Malou Jacob, in November, with Dora Jane Alleras in her directorial debut; Sa Faraon, a musical fantasy for children based on the original music by Don Gil Lopez, January and February of 2006, with direction by Joan Paulette Libo-on and choreography by Julius Martin Solliesta, and Shakespeare’s King Lear in July 2006, under the collaborative direction of Iloilo’s leading directors, with Rodolfo Cabado as King Lear, Farida Kabayao as Cordelia, Joan Paulette Lib-on as Regan and Leane Marie Salas as Goneril.

Playdates for The Miracle Worker are Sept. 6, FEU auditorium, Sept. 8, 9 and 10, Fr. James Reuter Theater, QC.

Farida Kabayao portrays Annie Sullivan, Richelle Dollosa, Helen Keller; Jon Jainga, Capt. Arthur; Dora Jane Balleras, Kate Keller; Teddy Tan Jr., James Keller.

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Linda C. Gamboa, board chair and president of the Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association, announces a socio-civic meeting on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the residence of Priscilla Pacheco at No. 5 Flamingo St. Green Meadows Subdivision, QC. The meeting at 1 p.m. will have 1) a two-hour session on socio political awareness, its impact on our country and daily lives, followed by an open forum; 2) inter-active and sisterhood-enhancing discussions of "anything under the sun"; 3) an SWS survey presentation by SWS VP Linda Luz Bacungan Guerrero, and a talk by Nandy Pacheco, prime advocate of "A Gunless Society" and "Kapatiran"; 4) an open forum with panelists Da Guerrero, Nandy Pacheco and political analyst Randy David.