Lesson: 6

THEATER
 What is
THEATER?
THEATER
It is an art form that refers
to an art that involves
performing carefully planned
actions and emotions in front
of an audience.
Elements of Theater
• Performers
• Audience • Performance
• Director Space
• Design • Text
1. PERFORMERS
PERFORMERS
These are persons who are
onstage and portray their
characters in a convincing
way for the audience.
2. AUDIENCE
AUDIENCE
The performers have to
present in front of an
audience and connect with
them. They tend to respond to
the energy the audience
shows while watching
the play.
3. DIRECTOR
The director serves as an
overseer to the entire production. He
or she ensures that the performers
are doing their job as well, including
understanding and delivering the
text. The director also ensures that
the production design works
as well.
4. PERFORMANCE SPACE
PERFORMANCE SPACE
This element may refer to
the space in which the
actors can perform. It may
also refer to the space for
the audience to sit or stand.
5. DESIGN

The design is essential

in placing the overall feel
of the production.
TWO ASPECTS OF DESIGN

1.Visual
2. Nonvisual
Visual
Nonvisual
6. TEXT

This refer to the script.

This must be presented in a
particular play or production.
Philippine Theater
Philippine theater is
described as a wide range of
mimetic performances that
were created and presented
with specific social objectives
in mind.
Forms and Types of Philippine Theater
According to Dr. Prospero R. Covar, a
Filipino anthropologist, there are four
dramatic traditions based on where
contemporary theater takes place:
• Dulang pahiyang • Teatrong
(rituals) pansimbahan
• Dulambayan (church-realted
(people’s theater)
theater) • Theater as an Art
Dulang Pahiyang
In this category, theater is not
viewed as a separate activity,
but as part of life. Ritual falls
under this type. Other forms
include duplo, balagtasan, bayok
and balitaw.
Rituals
A ritual is described as a way to
communicate with gods or spirits. This
involves usually a babylan or an
albularyo, calling the spirit and being
possessed by that spirit. While in that
particular state, the shaman performs
a sacrifice or pours water over
the offerings.
Duplo
The duplo is described as a
poetic debate, in which the
balagtasan was derived from.
The balagtasan involves poems
with four lines with 12 syllables
per line.
Bayok
The bayok is a Maranao joust.
The theme of the joust depends on
the occasion on when the joust is
to be performed. Two or more
singers interpret the theme in a
spontaneous song-dance-debate.
Bayok
The singers, however, have
to be careful in articulating
verses in order to avoid heated
conflict.
Balitaw
The balitaw is a poetic
debate between a man and a
woman. Although the term
“balitaw” may also refer to the
song and its lyrics, or dance.
Balitaw
It may also refer to the entire
performance itself since it
exhibits an exchange of words
in a hypothetical situation. It
later evolved into drama-balitaw.
Dulambayan
Also known as people’s theater, this is
considered “theater in context of social
movements.” Common among unions of
peasants, groups of workers, and
liberationist movements, these theatrical
forms include drama simboliko, historical
plays, plays, plays with social realism,
teatrong bayan ng manggagawa, people’s
theater, nationalist/ protest/ proganda
theater; and street theater.
Drama Simboliko
This refers to allegorical
nationalist drama which
began during the American
regime. However, this was
revived during the Marcos
regime.
Dulang Pangkalye
This refers to the theater that is
presented outside the theater
building and without a stage area.
The political theater is a form of
street theater. However, street
theater can also be applied in
rituals and religious plays.
Teatrong Pansimbahan
This type of theater is concerned
with spirituality. This is usually
performed depending on the events
in the church calendar (Catholic,
Protestant). There are some forms
that are traditional or folk, such as
in the case of the senakulo and that
komedya.
Komedya
The komedya is a play in verse
that portrays the lives of saints.
However, the komedya may also
depict actual events, or tales
about royalty in the kingdoms of
Afica, Europe, Arabia and Persia.
Dapit
It refers to the tradition of
fetching the image of the
community’s patron saint. This
is actually done the night before
the fiesta or even the day itself.
Dapit
A typical dapit involves
escorting the image from the
house of the care taker to the
church, accompanied with
music played by the brass band
and dance.
Flores
Flores, which is presented in the
month of May, has three variations. It
may refer to the festival of flowers in
honor of Mary, mother of Jesus (flores
de Mayo), the everyday offering of
flowers to the image of the Virgin (alay),
or the closing procession on the last
Sunday of May (flores de Maria).
Flores
Another variant of the flores is
the sunduan, which involves
males fetching young ladies and
going together with the
procession. People participating
in the sunduan carry beautiful
arrangements of flowers.
Hudas
This refers to the burning of
the image of Judas Iscariot,
which is popular in Bulacan,
Pampanga and Cebu. This is
usually held on the evening of
Black Saturday or on the
morning of Easter Sunday.
Huling Hapunan
This is an actual super
enacted to commemorate the
last supper of Jesus with his
disciples on the night before
His crucifixion.
Moriones
This is a short street play
portraying the capture and
beheading of Roman soldier
Longinus, who was involved
in the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ.
Paghuhugas ng Paa
This short ritual reenacts
Christ washing the feet of his
disciples before the Last
Supper. This ritual
demonstrates humility and
serving others.
Panunuluyan
This is a procession that reenacts
Mary and Joseph’s search for an inn in
Bethlehem. This involves using two
karo or floats, which bear the image of
Mary and Joseph, and singing of one
male and one female singer
accompanied by a brass band.
Pastores or Shepherd’s
Dance
This is a reenactment of shepherds
honoring the infant Jesus. This is
typically presented before Christmas
Day. In some areas, pastores involves
a group of singers dressed as
shepherds who go to every house in
the area singing and dancing to
Christmas songs.
Osana
The osana is a short
reenactment of the triumphal
entry of Jesus Christ to
Jerusalem.
Pangangaluluwa
This refers to a tradition
involving carolers who go to
each house in the community
to act like souls in purgatory
and beg for alms.
Siete Palabras
This is a reenactment of
the last three hours of Jesus
Christ on the cross. It was
during this time when the
Seven Last Words were
stated.
Sinakulo
A sinakulo is a play performed
during the Holy Week. It depicts
the story of salvation, starting
from the creation of the world up
to the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Sinakulo
The traditional sinakulo
focused on the final triumph of
good over evil. However, the
sinakulo evolved and is now
depicting the struggle between
sectors and classes.
Salubong
This short reenactment
focuses on the meeting of
Mary, mother of Jesus and
Jesus Christ who rose from
the dead.
Soledad
This procession, which is
usually performed late in the
evening, portrays Mary’s grief
after burying Jesus Christ.
Tatlong Hari
This is a reenactment of
the travel of the Magi to
worship the Infant Jesus in
Bethlehem.
Via Crucis
This tradition is a way of
remembering the events
leading to Christ’s death
and burial.
Theater as Art
Theater under this category is
based on Western models. Theater
is viewed as a profession.
Production values, including set
design, props, and lighting, are
being considered seriously.
Theater as Art
Plays are being performed in
formal private buildings and
school auditoriums. The culture
of ticketing also plays a role in
making sure that the profession
will thrive.
Theater as Art
Related to school-based
theater is the children’s
theater, which may refer to
plays with children as actors.
Theater as Art
Puppet theater is another
example. This is also frequently
performed in schools. This a form
of drama in which puppets portray
the roles of the characters in the
story.
Theater as Art
Another example of theater as
art is opera, which refers to a
form of musical theater that was
introduced in the Philippines
during the late 19th century.
Theater as Art
Theater can also be classified
based on influences seen in the
form. These are indigenous, plays
with Spanish influence and
theater with Anglo-American
influence.
Indigenous theater
These are usually rituals,
mimetic customs and dances.
This type of theater has mostly
Malay qualities and is performed
in communities that comprise of
about 5% of the population.
Indigenous theater
Balitaw, duplo, and
Maranao bayok also fall
under this type.
Play with Spanish influence
These plays include drama,
komedya, sinakulo, and sarswela.
Sarswela is considered to be the
most popular form of musical
theater in the Philippines. Themes
depicted usually revolve in Filipino
domestic and social situations.
Theater with Anglo-American
Influence
This comprises of
bodabil, and modern
Filipino plays written in
English and in Filipino.
Bodabil
The bodabil is a stage
presentation that consists of a
range of musical and comedy
acts, skits and monologues,
novelty and acrobatic numbers,
solos and chorus lines.
Bodabil
During the 1980’s, this was
used mainly as a form of
political theater. Nowadays, the
bodabil is performed during
town fiestas, in film musicals,
and in radio.
Modern or Original Plays by Filipinosa
During the 1980’s, writers
continue to create theater texts
using the Filipino language. The
themes of these plays still
revolve around social,
economic, political and cultural
issues in the country.
Documentary Style
This is performed
to connect historical
persons and events
to the present.
Brechtian Theater
Also known as theater of
instruction. Inspired by Berolt
Brecht, this play features a social
orientation and utilizes mime,
dances, songs, stylizes sets and
costumes, and typical characters.
Brechtian Theater
Themes are usually taken from
history, folklore, and other sources.
Related to the Brechtian theater is
the Absurd Theater, in which
situations are deliberately
exaggerated to prove an idea and
whose characters are seen as
types instead of as individuals.
Dula-Tula
The dula-tula is a variant of
dramatic monologue, which involves
one actor speaking while singing
out his emotions and thoughts.