THEATER

C O N T E M P O R A R Y A R T S F R O M T H E
P H I L I P P I N E S A N D I T S R E G I O N
 MEET THE REPORTERS

Jason a. Modesto joshua magsagana lebron james Dwyane "the stone" johnson
contemporary philippine arts From its Regions
 WHAT IS THEATER?
The term "theater" refers to an art form that
involves performing carefully planned actions
and emotions in front of an audience. It has six
elements, which will be discussed below-
performers, audience, director, performance
space, design, and text.

Philippine theater is described as a wide range of

mimetic performances that were created and
presented during occasions. These performances
are also presented with specific social objectives
in mind.
ELEMENTS OF THEATER

PERFORMER AUDIENCE
These are persons who are The performers have to present in
front of an audience and connect
onstage and portray their
with them. They tend to respond to
characters in a convincing
the energy the audience shows while
way for the audience. watching the play.
ELEMENTS OF THEATER

DIRECTOR PERFORMANCE SPACE

The director serves as an overseer to the
This element may refer to the space
entire production. He or she ensures that
in which the actors can perform. It
the performers are doing their job well,
may also refer to the space for the
including understanding and delivering the
audience to sit or stand.
text. The director also ensures that the
production design works well.
ELEMENTS OF THEATER

DESIGN TEXT
The design is essential in placing the
This refers to the script. This
overall feel of the production. There are
two aspects of design. Visual aspects must be present in a particular
include lighting, set, and costumes, while play or production
nonvisual aspects primarily include sound.
 FORMS AND TYPES OF
PHILIPPINE THEATER

A typology of Philippine theater was developed

based on another typology created by Dr. Prospero
R. Covar, a Filipino anthropologist. In this typology,
there are four dramatic traditions based on where
contemporary theater takes place: the dulang
pahiyang (rituals), the dulambayan (people's
theater), the teatrong pansimbahan (church-
related theater), and theater as art.
 DULANG PAHIYANG

In this category, theater is not

viewed as a separate activity, but
as part of life. Rituals fall under
this type. Other forms include
duplo, balagtasan, bayok, and
balitaw.
 RITUALS
A ritual is described as a way to
communicate with gods or spirits. This
involves a shaman, usually a babaylan or
an albularyo, calling the spirit and being
possessed by that spirit. While in that
particular state, the shaman performs a
sacrifice or pours water over the
offerings.
 BAYOK

The bayok is a Maranao mimetic joust. The

theme of the joust depends on the
occasion on when the joust is to be
performed. Two or more singers interpret
the theme in a spontaneous song-dance-
debate. The singers, however, have to be
careful in articulating verses in order to
avoid heated conflict.
DUPLO
The duplo is described as a
poetic debate, in which the
balagtasan was derived from.
The balagtasan involves poems
with four lines with 12
syllables per line.
BALITAW
The balitaw is a poetic debate between a
man and a woman. Although the term
"balitaw" may also refer to the song and
its lyrics, or the dance, it may also refer
to the entire performance itself since it
exhibits an exchange of words in a
hypothetical situation. The balitaw later
evolved into drama-balitaw, which involves
portraying a particular story on stage
with minimal set.
 DALUMBAYAN
Also known as people's theater, this is
considered "theater in the conten of social
movements Plays under this type aim to
improve current systems of government.
Common among unions of peasants, groups of
workers, and liberationist movements, these
theatrical forms include drama simboliko
historical plays, plays with social realism,
teatrong bayan ng manggaga people's theater,
nationalist/protest/propaganda theater, and
street theater
DRAMA
SIMBOLIKO
This refers to allegorical
nationalist drama which
began during the American
regime. However, this was
revived during the Marcos
regime
 STREET THEATER
This refers to theater that is
presented outside the theater
building and without the stage
area. The political theater is a
form of street theater. However,
street theater can also be applied
in rituals and religious plays.
TEATRONG
PANSIMBAHAN
This type of theater is concerned
with spirituality. This is usually
performed depending on the events
in the church calendar (Catholic,
Protestant). There are some forms
that are traditional or folk, such
as in the case of the senakulo and
the komedya.
 KOMEDYA
The komedya is a play in verse that
portrays the lives of saints
However, the komedya may also
depict actual events, or tales
about royalty in the kingdoms of
Africa, Europe, Arabia, and Persia.
 DAPIT
Dapit refers to the tradition of
fetching the image of the community's
patron saint. This is usually done the
night before the fiesta or even on
the day itself. A typical dapit
involves escorting the image from the
house of the caretaker to the
church, with music played by the
brass band and dance.
 FLORES
Flores, which is presented in the
month of May, has three variations.
It may refer to the festival of
flowers in honor of Mary mother of
Jesus (flores de Mayo), the
everyday offering of flowers to
the image of the Virgin (alay), or
the closing procession on the last
 STREET THEATER
This refers to theater that is
presented outside the theater
building and without the stage
area. The political theater is a
form of street theater. However,
street theater can also be applied
in rituals and religious plays.
HULING HAPUNAN MORIONES
This is an actual supper enacted to This is a short street play portraying
commemorate the last supper of Jesus the capture and beheading of Roman
with his disciples on the night before His soldier Longinus, who was involved in
crucifixion. the crucifixion of Jesus Christ

HUDAS PANUNULUYAN
This refers to the burning of the image of This is a procession that reenacts
Judas Iscariot, which is popular in Mary and Joseph's search for an inn
Bulacan, Pampanga, and Cebu. This is in Bethlehem. This involves using two
usually held on the evening of Black karo or floats, which bear the
Saturday or on the morning of Easter images of Mary and Joseph, and
Sunday singing of one male and one female
singer accompanied by a brass band
PAGHUHUGAS NG PAA OSANA
This short ritual reenacts Christ washing The osana is a short reenactment of
the feet of his disciples before the Last the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ to
Supper. This ritual demonstrates humility Jerusalem.
and serving others.

PANGANGALULUWA
PASTORES OR SHEPHERDS' This refers to a tradition involving
DANCE carolers who go to each house in
the community to act like souls in
This is a reenactment of shepherds
honoring the infant Jesus. This is
purgatory and beg for alms.

VIA CRUSIS
typically presented before Christmas
Day. In some areas, pastores involves a
group of singers dressed as shepherds This tradition is a way of
who go to every house in the area singing remembering the events leading to
and dancing to Christmas songs. Christ's death and burial.
SALUBONG SINAKULO
This short reenactment focuses on the A sinakulo is a play performed during the
Holy Week. It depi the story of salvation,
meeting of Mary, mother of Jesus, and
starting from the creation of the world
Jesus Christ who rose from the dead
to the life, death, and resurrection of

SIETE PALABRAS
Jesus Christ. The tradition sinakulo
focused on the final triumph of good over
evil. However, the sinakulo evolved and is
the cross, it was during this time when the now depicting the struggle between
Seven Last Words wes This is a sectors and classes
reenactment of the last three hours of
Jesus Christ stated
SOLEDAD
TATLONG HARI This procession, which is usually
This is a reenactment of the travel of performed late in the evening
the Magi to worship the Infant Jesus in portrays Mary's grief after burying
Bethlehem. Jesus Christ.
 THEATER AS ART
In this category, theater under this category is based on Western models
Theopter is viewed as a profession. Production values, including set design
props and lighting, are being considered seriously. Plays are being performed
also play prevate buildings and school auditoriums. The culture of ticketing
also plays a role in making sure that the profession will thrive

Related to school based theater is a children's theater, which may refer to

plays with children as actors. It may also include plays performed by adulys
for an audience of children. Children's theater can also be community to
plays with children as actors. It may alsoThis
include plays performed
procession, which is by is the
usually
children's theater, which based, which aims to educatelate
performed the children
in the and the
evening
rest of the members of the community onportrays
basic rights
Mary'sofgrief
the after
children and
burying
issues concerning them. Jesus Christ.
Puppet theater is another example. This is also frequently performed in
schools. This is a form of drama in which puppets portray the roles of the
characters in the story. These puppets can be flat figures that cast
shadows on a screen. Rounded miniature figures that are controlled by the
puppeteer can also be used. These rounded figures can be manipulated using
hands, rods. strings, or wires.

Another example of theater as art is opera, which refers to a form of

musical theater that was introduced in the Philippines during the late 19th
century.

Theater can also be classified based on influences seen in the form. These
This procession, which is usually
are indigenous theater, plays with Spanishperformed
influence, late
and theater with
in the eveningAnglo-
American influence. portrays Mary's grief after burying
Jesus Christ.
INDIGENOUS THEATER PLAY WITH SPANISH
This type of theater is usually seen in the INFLUENCE
form of rituals, mimetic customs, and
dances. Indigenous theater has mostly These plays include drama, komedya,
Malay qualities and is performed in sinakulo, and sarswela. A sarswela is
considered to be the most popular form
communities that comprise about 5% of the
of musical theater in the Philippines. It is
country's population. The balitaw, duplo,
generally described as a musical play
and Maranao bayok also fall under this with a particular structure and
type. standards. Themes depicted in sarswelas
usually revolve in Filipino domestic and
social situations.
THEATER OF ANGLO- BODABIL
AMERICAN
The bodabil is a stage
This comprises of presentation that consists of a
range of musical and comedy
bodabil, and modern acts, skits and monologues,
novelty and acrobatic numbers,
Filipino plays written solos and chorus lines. During
in English and in the 1980's, this was used mainly
as a form of political theater.
Filipino. Nowadays, the bodabil is
performed during town fiestas,
in film musicals, and in radio.
 MODERN OR ORIGINAL PLAYS BY FILIPINO
During the 1990's, writers continue to create theater
texts using the Filipino language. The themes of these
plays still revolve around social, economic, political,
and cultural issues in the country. Other
developments in theater include the existence of the
pro-gay culture movement, and the growing number
of theater scholars. This categorized into the
following:
DOCUMENTARY STYLE BRECHTIAN THEATER
This is also known as theater of
This is performed to instruction. Inspired by Bertolt
Brecht, this play features a social
connect historical orientation and utilizes mime, dances,
songs, stylized sets and costumes,
persons and events to and typical characters. Themes are

the present. usually taken from history, folklore,

and other sources. Related to the
Brechtian theater is the Absurd
Theater, in which situations are
deliberately exaggerated to prove
an idea and whose characters are
seen as types instead of as
individuals.
 DULA-TULA
The dula-tula is a variant of the dramatic
monologue, which involves one actor speaking while
acting out his emotions and thoughts. However, in
the dula-tula, other characters are present to
play all the parts, and one actor simply acts as
the narrator and is the only person speaking in the
play. This was first performed by UP Repertory
This procession, which is usually
Company during the early 1970s.
performed late in the evening
portrays Mary's grief after burying
Jesus Christ.
THANK YOU