Above, under & beyond the rainbow: Gawad Buhay . . . Alive Because of Life,Thank You!

It was a night camaraderie and glamour. Last June 6, 2014, Philstage in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines has staged the annual awarding event for theater practitioners. This is that one night when all theater groups are together to celebrate and remember the year that was in the world of theater.

It was held at the CCP, Nicanor Abelardo Theater (Little Theater) and was well attended by theater practitioners and lovers as well. This year, the celebration was opened with a performance from Christian Bautista and Karylle, performing an excerpt from the musicale Cinderella.

The 1st set of awards were initially given out by Richie Chan, dressed in a stylish silver costume representing the now being shown theater production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

All through out the night, awards and recognition was being given out to those who really gave their all on stage. Performances of excerpts from various theater and dance works were also shown in-between set of awards. Excerpts from Grease-The Musicale (9 works), The Wonder Twins of Bo-Ac (PETA), Ibalong (Tanghalang Pilipino), Nutcracker (Ballet Manila), Rock Supremo (Ballet Philippines), Sandosenang Sapatos (TP) and the Producers (Rep), to name a few.

To quote the present Artistic Director of the CCP: " . . . it is a world that is insanely beautiful.", and this is true! The theater is a world that is insane, beautiful and definitely full of people who are driven to make it more insane and beautiful at the same time.

For Audie Gemora, founder of The Trumpets and president of Philstage, pointing out the various aspects of his life in and out of the stage is one inspiring moment. Knowing that this people did gave more than sweat to continuously give life to the theater. This is a call to support the arts in all its form. May it be visual or not, art is art and it is our lives reflected in it. For some, it is their life.

It was indeed a night full of fun, humor and friends. Fun because of the presentations made. Humor because of all the witty banter made by presenters and host. Friends because the world of theater is one big community or for some it is family.

Let us not forget that this a night of recognition. A night to honor and recognize two individuals who gave their all on stage and has touched and influenced the life of many through their given craft, in acting and in dancing respectively. Recepients of the Natatanging Gawad Buhay Awards are Prof. Naty Crame-Rogers (Acting) and Steve Basilio Villaruz (Dance).

(To those who doesn’t know me, I am a theater practitioner since I was a child. I started being on stage at age 8. It could either be as an individual competitor or part of the choral declamation team. Come HS, I was part of the theater guild which continued until college. It was diverse for me in college for even if I was part of the guild, I was also part of the dance troupe. After college, I continued being a theater practitioner, now as a profesional. Yes, I acted, directed, designed and coached other people about the life in the sacred halls of the theater. It stopped when I entered the corporate world.)

Meeting those two recepients brought back memories, the pride in me and hope; especially Prof. Naty Crame-Rogers, whom I interacted with and even saw her performance years ago. Memories of the life in that field. Pride because I was once part of this community. Hope because like what Kyla (another theater practitioner that I met that day)said: “Theater would always be there for you.”

There is always a rainbow and you can be above, under or beyond it.

Photos of the Event:

Some of the Awardees: