Gantimpala Theater' "Ibong Adarna" Sept 18-Oct 8, 2011

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Announcement from Gantimpala Theater

Gantimpala Theater
presents
Ibong Adarna
         
Gantimpala Theater presents the the tale of the elusive and enchanting “Ibong Adarna,” a play written by Ed Maranan based on the "Corrido* at Buhay na Pinagdaanan nang Tatlong Principeng Magkakapatid na Anak ng Haring Fernando at nang Reina Valeriana sa Kahariang Berbania," directed by Roobak Valle.

Synopsis
Three dons and brothers from the Kingdom of Berbania, Don Pedro, Don Diego and Don Juan, set out to capture Ibong Adarna, as commanded by their mother Reyna Valeriana, whose enchanted songs are the cure to their father's foreboding illness, Haring Fernando.

“Bringing life to Ibong Adarna on stage is always exciting for us. This Filipino folklore is filled with adventure and magic, dance, and lessons about finding oneself and the hero within, ” says GT artistic director Tony Espejo.

Homegrown

Cris Pastor as Maria Blanca
and Kristian Chua as Don Juan

“Playing Don Juan is homegrown Gantimpala actor Kristian Chua," says Espejo. "He was a summer workshopper, then became part of the Actors’ Company, trained and gained expertise in production work and acting. He was initially molded in our Four Classics as koro/taong bayan.  He is proof that we are doing our share in honing and training new theater artists."

“Being part of this production, regardless of the role that you’re playing, is something that you can really be proud of because of its magic and spectacle," says Chua.

Jay Gonzaga plays Don Pedro and Junjun Quintana plays Don Diego.

Collaborators
Choreography by Raul Nepomuceno Jr. based on
dances originally researched and choreographed by
the late National Artist Dance for Dance Ramon Obusan.


Live musical accompaniment by Maui Bayani, Smith Bitoon and JR Oga.
Lighting design by Andy Villareal

Performances are on
September 18, (7pm), at the Open Air Auditorium in Luneta, Manila;
September 23 and 24, September 30 and October 1 (10am/2pm), at the AFP Theater, in Quezon City; October 7 and 8 (11am/2pm), at the Cinema 3, SM Southmall, in Las Piñas City.

Gantimpala Theater’s Ibong Adarna is supported by the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC), Jimm’s 7-in-1, The Skin Sanctuary and Everbilena.

Contact 899-5911 or 998-5622.

Visit: www.gantimpalatheater.multiply.com or www.faceboook.com/gantimpala.


*http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Awit_at_Korido
Philippine metrical romances, awit and korido in Tagalog, as defined by Dr. Damiana L. Eugenio, are long verse narratives on chivalric-heroic, religious, legendary and folkloric themes.

The terms 'awit' and 'corrido' are both related to music. 'Awit' is the Tagalog word for song while the Spanish word 'corrido' means "a metrical story, usually sung to the accompaniment of a guitar, in fandango style.

Korido is the generic name for Philippine romances. In Tagalog literature, an awit is distinguished from the korido basically by the number of syllables in each line. The korido refers to metrical romances in octosyllabic (8 syllables) verse called 'hakira' while the awit is in dodecasyllabic (12 syllables) verse called 'plosa.'

Epifanio de los Santos refers to the awit as "chivalric-heroic" poems while corridos are "legendary and religious poems." Gabriel Bernardo on the other hand finds the distinction more in the music to which the romances are often set and in the amount of time the reader takes in singing or reciting it. "The awit is set to music in andante or slow time; the corrido, in allegro or hurried time." Further, Bernardo believes that "the awit is read mainly for the quality of its thoughts and for its beauty and sweetness of expression; the corrido, mainly for the plot of the story it tells."

Jose Villa Panganiban and Consuelo T. Panganiban suggest a distinction in terms of the source of the story it tells; the corrido is based on an existing tale or legend from European countries while the awit is a story fabricated from the imagination of the writer although the setting and characters are still European.

They are inclined to believe, however, that the two terms refer to one and the same type of narrative poetry, except that the name ‘awit’ was later given to it when it was chanted or sung and ‘corrido’ when it was merely narrated.

Except for the length of the verses, which is only observed in Tagalog romances, Dr. Eugenio finds no other valid distinction between the awit and korido. Both are read for the story they tell as much as for their imaginative devices.

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