UST Creative Writing Center discusses state of PHL theater with multi-awarded playwrights, practitioners

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Center for Creative Writing and Literary Studies (CCWLS), in cooperation with the UST Publishing House, will hold a roundtable discussion on the state of contemporary Philippine theater in an “USTingan” on October 15, 3 to 5 p.m., at the Tanghalang Teresita Quirino, G/F Benavides Building, UST.

 

Titled ‘Ang Teatro sa Pilipinas sa Bagong Milenyo,’ the discussion will focus on Philippine theater in the new millennium that is plagued with all sorts of catastrophes and cataclysms.

 

The USTingan, a regular informal gathering of writers, teachers, students and lovers of literature, will feature playwrights and theater practitioners Rody Vera, Nicolas B. Pichay, Liza Magtoto, and Sir Anril Tiatco. 

 

Vera is a playwright, actor, theater director, and screenwriter and a Palanca Hall of Fame. He won for his plays “Luna: Isang Romansang Aswang,” “Ismail at Isabel,” “Paalam, Sister Soledad.” His prize-winning film scripts include: “Niño,” (Best Film, 2011 Busan International Film Festival, South Korea, and Best Screenplay Young Critics’ Circle, 2011); and “Requieme” (Cinemalaya 2012, Best Screenplay). 

 

Vera is currently the head of the Writer’s Bloc, and one of the key founders of the Virgin Labfest, an annual theater festival of new works for the stage.

 

Pichay, meanwhile, is a lawyer who was inducted into the Palanca Hall of Fame after winning his fifth first prize for his full-length play “Tres Ataques de Corazon” in 2007. He authored the book “Almanac for a Revolution” (UP Press 2000), which won the First Prize in English Drama of the Philippine Centennial Literary Prize. 

 

A playwright and freelance scriptwriter, Magtoto is an active senior member and artist-teacher of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) and a member of the Writer’s Bloc. 

 

Magtoto won Palancas with his plays “Despedida de Soltera, Agnoia,” and “Paigan.”

 

Tiatco, who teaches at the UP Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, is currently the Director of UP Diliman Information Office. He earned his Ph.D. in Theatre Studies from the National University of Singapore. 

 

He is the author of the Palanca-prize winning full-length play “Miss Dulce Extranjera o ang Paghahanap kay Miss B” (UP Press 2011).

Following the roundtable discussion, the UST Publishing House will launch Tiatco’s Palanca prize-winning play “Cuaresma,” the stage adaptation of Jose Rizal’s third and unfinished novel “Makamisa.” 

 

The event is open to interested creative writers, literary enthusiasts, and the general public. For seat reservations, you may contact Ms. Anna Nicolas at 406-1611 local 8281.


Press release from the UST Creative Writing Center