* Presented on 22 August 2020 via a webinar/conference TAMPOK 2020: SABADULAAN organized by the National Commission on Dramatic Arts of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts Maraming salamat, Mr. Eric Divinagracia for that generous introduction. Maraming salamat rin sa NCCA, lalo na kina Lutgardo Labad, Filemon Blanco at Dessa Quesada Palm for…
Author: SAP Tiatco
I am Sir Anril Pineda Tiatco. And yes, Sir is really part of my name. I was not knighted - I wish I were. I am a Filipino academic from the University of the Philippines Diliman. I am interested in cultural performances - rituals, festivals and theatre performances. I am also a World Heritage Site enthusiast and an advocate of inscribing UP Diliman and Corregidor Island as World Heritage Sites. For more about me, visit: https://pages.upd.edu.ph/sptiatco/introduction
A Simplified History of Traditional Theatres in the Philippines (Part 3)
At the height of the localization of the komedya, Dario Cepedes came to Manila in 1878 bringing with him the zarzuela, a Hispanic musical performance following domestic or ordinary people’s stories. The origin of this performance form is vague. However, the recognized origin is Isagani Cruz’s narration that the zarzuela started in Spain as sainete or an intermission performance in a comedia. Like the komedya the…
A Simplified History of Traditional Theatre in the Philippines (Part 2)
Most of the dramatic troupes in the islands came from Spain through the Galleons. Since the colonial era, actors or performers are what we call human resources. Human resources were (and still are) expensive. Back then, performers of comedia were the celebrities of the time. They were the KathNiels or the JaDines or LizKen of the colonial…
A Simplified History of Traditional Theatres in the Philippines (Part 1)
The Hispanic annotators wrote in their reports to the Hispanic monarchy that if not for their introduction of the theatre, the natives (the precolonial settlers in the islands in the Visayas) would not have one. In a way, this is true because the theatre (read here as formal theatre), meaning the staged, the costumed, and…
The Intramuros Project
On 8 June 2019, I reported about the OVCRD-funded project titled Performing Heritage/The Intramuros Project. The project officially ended on 15 June 2020. The entry below is an excerpt from the final report submitted to OVCRD and a short excerpt of the documentary-drama developed by the research/dramaturgical team. Excerpt from the FINAL REPORT: Performing Heritage…
The Map
For Alonzo A. Gabriel. . . Thank you for leading my life toward a beautiful direction! You will forever be missed but I am certain, I will never be lost again! Thank you for being my home for almost 15 years! THE MAP Streets and cities,Confusing districts;With your face,Illuminating . . .Like bright lightsIs a…
Almost 15, Happy Anniversary! (Part 3)
This is a semi-fiction and a semi-autobiographical narrative. The past few months have been very difficult for all of us due to the global health crisis brought about by COVID-19. But these months were even more difficult for me. I lost the love of my life, Alonzo. He was battling cancer (lymphoma) for almost six…
Almost 15, Happy Anniversary (Part 2)
This is a semi-fiction and a semi-autobiographical narrative. The past few months have been very difficult for all of us due to the global health crisis brought about by COVID-19. But these months were even more difficult for me. I lost the love of my life, Alonzo. He was battling cancer (lymphoma) for almost six…
Almost 15, Happy Anniversary! (Part 1)
This is a semi-fiction and a semi-autobiographical narrative. The past few months have been very difficult for all of us due to the global health crisis brought about by COVID-19. But these months were even more difficult for me. I lost the love of my life, Alonzo. He was battling cancer (lymphoma) for almost six…
Melbourne's Expo House and Royal Gardens
I am writing this post while the entire Luzon was on an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). It is the 7th day since the ECQ and right now, Barangay UP Campus (and the entire academic town of the University of the Philippines Diliman) is on lock down. This COVID-19 situation is really so scary and so…
