A FEW WORDS ON PHILIPPINE

THEATER FORMS
 Ethnic Rituals

 many and varied rituals of the Philippine cultural

communities living mostly in the mountainous
interior of the islands.
 performed as a way of communing with the
ancestral spirits, invoked in healing rituals.
Baylan or Babaylan, Bayok, Pag-aanito or
Catalonan or Mambunong Pagdiwata
 Call upon the spirits while  General indigenous
sacrificing an animal such as term for ritual
chicken, pig or carabao, and  Dealing with the
offerings gifts of food, nga-nga
or betel nut chew, wine, spirits
textile, or jewelry.
Catholic Rituals

 Liturgical year, the annual cycle of celebration

that begins around late November or
December (Advent) and ends with the Feast of
Christ the King in November.
 Used by Spanish missionaries as a tool to
educate the Christianized Filipinos.
Panunuluyan
 Reenacts the search of
Mary and Joseph for a
place to stay in
Bethlehem so that Jesus
could be born.
Pastores
 Named after the shepherds who visit the
Child Jesus in the manger.

• Tatlong Hari
 Feast of the Epiphany
 Dramatizes the visit of the Magi to the
Child Jesus
Holy Week
 Months of March and April
 It recalls the triumphant entry of Jesus
into Jerusalem
Humenta
 Statue of Christ carried in procession
place in a donkey.
Sacred Triduum ( Three days of prayer)
 Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the Holy
Week
 For Holy Thursday, the Huling Hapunan or
Ultima Cena is held in the house of an
hermano or hermana.
 Paghuhugas ng Paa
 Reenactment
Site Palabras or ofSeven Last of the disciples’ feet
the washing
Wordsdone by Jesus before the Last Supper.
 Three-hour sermon on the
last words of Jesus as he
hung on the cross
 At the end of the sermon, a
crucifix with a body of Jesus
is brought down from the
cross and placed on bier
dresses as the Santo Entierro
or dead Christ.
Via Crucis (Way of the Cross)
 Is a devotion consisting of
walking from one station to
another depicting 14 scenes
from the story of Jesus’
Passion and Death.

Senakulo
Dramatization of Jesus’
life especially his last
days on earth.
Salubong
Soledad or Encuentro

The meeting
Image
Hudas of theof Dolorosa
Jesus and Mary on the first
or sorrowful Virgin
Easter.
Mary, dressed
Dramatizes in black, winds
the despairing through
Judas who hang the
streets on Good Friday night.
himself
Held on Holy Saturday evening or Easter Sunday
morning
Annual Fiesta
 Celebrated in towns is the context for a
number of theatrical forms.
Fiesta of San Roque
Celebrated with a procession depicting scenes
of his life.
Flores or Flores de Mayo
 Ritual consisting of prayers and floral offerings
to the Virgin Mary.
Santacruzan
 Participants personify the virtues of the Virgin
Mary.
Pangangaluluwa
 Performed late night on the vigil
of All Saints’ Day.
 Corresponds to the celebration of
Halloween.
Four Dramatic Forms:

1. Mimetic Dances
2. Mimetic Games
3. Mimetic Games
4. Saynete
Drama
 generic name for plays.
Dulang Mahinuk-logon (tragedy)
Dulang Kataw-anan (Comedy)
Dulang Pang-araw-araw (everyday life stories)
Dulang Social (social)
Dulang Lirico
Dulang Romatico
Dulang Politikal
Dramatic Monologue
 Modern type of play where one actor speaks
and acts out thoughts and innermost feelings.

Dula-tula
 Was used as vehicle for political messages.
 Developed by Steven Patrick Fernandez.

Puppet Theater
 Figures are cut out of cardboard, its part
hinged to allow limited movements like
walking or making gestures.
Komedya
 Dramatizes historical events, lives of saints,
or stories about the conflict between
Christians and Moorish kingdom.
Bodabil
 Variety show consisting of dances, short
plays or skits, comic acts and singing
Musical Theater Children's Theater
 Refers to plays where  Does not represent a
music is integral. distinct theater form but is
theater adapted to
children.