• Road tours receive enthusiastic responses
• 22nd Theater Season on
• IPAG Director to Japan
• IPAG in fiesta concert
• Kudos in IPAG Concerts
• CCP rift aborts IPAG tour


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published event: IPAG campus tour

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22nd Season 
IPAG announces its productions for its 1999-2000  repertory season. 

A tribute to the Filipino Mother and Woman was the Guild's opening salvo in August 18. "Ugoy ng Duyan" is the theme of a series of dance and music vignettes adapted from the music and lyrics of National Artists Lucio San Pedro and Levi Celerio. A remount was staged Sept. 17.

Two one-act plays satirize corruption. These plays subtly mix sex and portray the tenuous relationships that characterize our society today. "Beer, Singsing, Yosi, at Si Little Red Riding Hood" by Palanca-winner German Gervacio pits a starlet with an older screenwriter. The other play "Patas" (written by Steven Fernandez) alludes to corruptioin in a university using a sado-masochistic relationship between 2 professors. Playdates (to be announced) at the MSU-IIT Mini Theater. 

Something new for local audiences: a pop music-dance concert by IPAG in the love month of February. After a successful concert at the PICC in Manila, IPAG remounts a concert that should surprise Iligan audiences who know of IPAG mainly as a dance-theater company. Concert dates: February 13-14 (venue to be announced later). 

On the boards is the full-length version (in song, music and dance) of "Lawanen" set to tour in early 2000. With "Lawanen" are the continuing performance tours of the "Tales From Mindanao" saga. Road show dates: Sept. 21 (Butuan), 25 (Iligan), November 26  (Cagayan de Oro) and December 3 (Marawi City)
 

New choreographed works from IPAG's pool are in the drawing boards. 

 

IPAG Artistic Director Steven P.C. Fernandez travels to Japan to observe Japanese theater on a grant from the Japan Foundation.

Fernandez joins a group of nine other theater artists from all over the country selected by a committee of the 1999 Observation Trip of Young Theater Leaders from October 19 to November 2.

IPAG celebrates San Miguel fiesta with dance concert

IPAG joined two other institute cultural groups in a cultural revue entitled "Kaplila-lilang" last Sept. 25 at the MSU-IIT gym. The dance concert formed part of the fiesta celebrations. Joining IPAG was the Octava Choral Society, the institute's resident choral group, and the ethnic dance-music ensemble Kalilang.

The event was the convention of the International Congress of Midwives, the London-based organization, which held their world meeting in Manila. The Manila confab was hosted by the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines (IMAP). 

IPAG was commissioned to produce a Filipiniana concert of music and dances (entitled "Kandungan") with the theme of "Motherhood" and a pop dance-music concert last May 22 and 26, respectively. IPAG headlined a cast of over 50 performers auditioned among midwives from all over the country. 

Both productions were conceptualized, written and directed by Steven P.C. Fernandez who also did the original music and all music arrangements for the 9-piece band. 

Some of the best artists in the national concert industry were tapped to provide production support: Joey Nombres (lights), Gerry Fernandez (sound consultant), Eric Cruz (sets), and Willy Munji (sounds). Choreography was by Nolly Ceballos. Jean Claire Fernandez stage managed. 

Nestle Philippines, Inc. was the main producer of both concerts. 

With the continuing rift at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, IPAG's tour of its "Tales From Mindanao" saga has been reset for a still-to-be-announced date later. The CCP is mired in a power struggle that started with the appointment of Gloria Angara as CCP Chair. While the courts have ruled on the illegal nature of Angara's appointments of key personnel in the center, still Angara refuses to vacate these posts and has locked out CCP President Baltazar Endriga and CCP employees on many ocassions. 

• "Lawanen" draws SRO crowds
• IPAG in Int'l congress
OPEN LETTERS IN SUPPORT OF THE CCP CHARTER:
• to GLORIA ANGARA
• from the NATIONAL ARTISTS
some related articles:
Iligan's 'Thriving' Theater Industry

Art and Theater Updates and Essays in this on-line magazine

IN THE NEWS...

25 new scholars selected

The IPAG has selected 25 new and re-applying student performing artists and production staff members. New trainees will undergo the  apprenticeship programs with the IPAG pedagogy. These scholars shall receive a monthly stipend, free tuition allowance, free book rentals, and exemption from certain classes.