• 1999-2000 Season
• "Lawanen" draws SRO crowds
• IPAG in Int'l congress
some related articles:  
Iligan's 'Thriving' Theater Industry 

 



LAST ISSUE'S NEWS 

• "Lawanen" World Premiere

The latest IPAG dance production presented a segment of the Maranao epic Darangen narrating the abduction of Princess Lawanen and the war that ensues. The magic and spectacle of the IPAG theater enthralled the SRO crowds. Romance, treachery, and pride were the human passions that drew another compelling coup d’ theatre. 

Lawanen, the Princess of Gumbaran, is abducted by Bantugan’s arch-rival Salindagaw, with the help of the passionate tonong spirits. Passion turns Lawanen between Bantugan and Salindagaw, and this conflict heightens to a panorama of violence and war, a local counterpart of the Greek siege of Troy. 

IPAG, hailed for its innovative productions that have represented the country in major performing festivals abroad, highlighted “Lawanen” with other dance-stories that feature Mindanao women in the lead characters. The other dance-vignettes were “The Legend of Maria Cristina” (from a poem by Christine Godinez-Ortega) and “Muddas” (from a story by Anthony Tan). 

“Lawanen” and the other Mindanao tales will be featured in a CCP Outreach tour performance from May 28 to June 13 in Manila and other venues in Luzon. 

Leading the cast were Leilani Monterola, Reynan Revillas, Melvin Pascubillo, Eleanor Judith and Lilybeth Maraon supported by the IPAG performing ensemble. 

Steven Patrick C. Fernandez adapts, scores, and directs from his scenario. Main choreography developed from improvisations of the IPAG Creative Collective is facilitated by Nolly Ceballos. Arlem Abanes stage-manages and acts as second director. 

“Lawanen” is coordinated with the programs of the Mindanao Theater Artists (Mindulani, Inc.). The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) partially supports the production through a grant. Other major sponsors include the Cultural Center of the Philippines, MSU-IIT, and the Iligan Council for Culture and the Arts. Marketing is facilitated by the Lex Juris Fraternity of the MSU College of Law and the Dept. of Filipino, College of Arts and Social Sciences. 

Concept, book. and music is by Steven P.C. Fernandez.  
related news 

The Guild celebrates its 22nd Theater Season starting in April 1999 highlighted by a tour of  Manila accompanying its commissioned works for the International Congress of Midwives, May 22 to 26, at the Philippine International Convention Center. 

Two new chamber plays are in the works. A pop concert will be a new addition to the wide IPAG repertoire. The musicale "Datu Matu" will be remounted in the middle of next year. 
 
The "Tales From Mindanao" saga sets for regional and international tours. This same production has represented the country in various performance events abroad. 

Intl Confab Commissions IPAG 
The country hosts the International Congress of Midwives, last held two years ago in Norway, in May 22 to 26 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. To provide the cultural presentations will be the IPAG that has created two full-length productions specifically for this meet. 

Handling the logistics for this congress is the Integrated Midwives Association of the Philippines which has regularly commissioned the Guild for production-related work since 1991. 

IPAG presents a Filipiniana production "Ugoy ng Duyan" and a "concept" concert "Tanging Hangarin" with the theme "Birth and Courtship" in May 22 and 26, respectively, at the PICC. 

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

 

NCCA supports "Lawanen" 
A grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts partially subsidized the production of the world premiere of "Lawanen".  The grant has been approved as a pheripheral theater development project of Mindulani, Inc., the Mindanao Theater collective efforts.