Himala, El Bimbo get most Gawad Buhay nods

HIMALA: Isang Musikal and Ang Huling El Bimbo each got 12 nominations for the upcoming 11^th Gawad Buhay Awards which honors the performing arts.
Based on the 1982 film written by Ricky Lee, Himala: Isang Musikal follows the story of small-town girl Elsa, a faith healer in the town of Cupang who sees visions of the Virgin Mary. The sick and curious arrive in their town upon the news of her miracles.
Ang Huling El Bimbo is an original musical set to the songs of rock band Eraserheads. The story follows the story of four friends from their college days to the present.
Philstage president Audie Gemora and singer Celeste Legaspi announced the nominees on March 22 at the lobby at the Theatre at Solaire via Facebook live.
Other leading nominees are Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! with 11 nods including Outstanding Original Libretto and Outstanding Musical Direction; Silent Sky with 10; Lungs and A Doll’s House, Part 2 with seven each; and Manila Notes and ‘night Mother with six each including Outstanding Play — Original or Translation /Adaptation.
No nominees were named for the following categories: Male Featured Performance in a Play, Outstanding Original Script, and Outstanding Original Musical Composition.
The Gawad Buhay are given by Philstage (The Philippine Legitimate Stage Artists Group), which is the country’s only organization of professional performing arts companies founded in 1997.
The 11^th Gawad Buhay Awards will be held on May 28, 8 p.m. at the Onstage Theater in Greenbelt 1 in Makati City.
The list of nominees follows:
• Outstanding Play — Original or Translation/Adaptation — ‘night, Mother; and Manila Notes
• Outstanding Musical — Original or Translation/Adaptation — Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; and Ang Huling El Bimbo
• Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play — A Doll’s House, Part 2; Lungs; Silent Sky
• Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical — Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Stage Direction for a Play — Oriza Hirata for Manila Notes; Melvin Lee for ‘night, Mother; Andrei Pamintuan for Lungs; Cris Villonco for A Doll’s House, Part 2; Joy Virata for Silent Sky
• Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical — Robbie Guevara for Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; Ed Lacson Jr. for Himala: Isang Musikal
• Male Featured Performance in a Play — No nominations
• Female Featured Performance in a Play — Caisa Borromeo in Silent Sky; Sheila Francisco in A Doll’s House, Part 2; Sheila Francisco in Silent Sky; Issa Litton in A Comedy of Tenors; Elle Velasco in Manila Notes
• Male Lead Performance in a Play — Jake Cuenca in Lungs; Lorenz Martinez in A Comedy of Tenors; Gabs Santos in Lungs; Carlitos Siguion-Reyna in A Doll’s House, Part 2
• Female Lead Performance in a Play — Cathy Azanza-Dy in Silent Sky; Meann Espinosa in Manila Notes; Sab Jose in Lungs; Sherry Lara in ‘night, Mother; Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo in A Doll’s House, Part 2
• Male Lead Performance in a Musical — Reb Atadero in Ang Huling El Bimbo; Alfritz Blanche in Eto Na, Musikal nAPO; Boo Gabunada in Ang Huling El Bimbo; Jobim Javier in Eto Na, Musikal nAPO; Gian Magdangal in Ang Huling El Bimbo
• Female Lead Performance in a Musical — Tanya Manalang in Ang Huling El Bimbo; Aicelle Santos in Himala: Isang Musikal
• Male Featured Performance in a Musical — Jon Abella in Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; Steven Hotchkiss in Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale; Sandino Martin in Himala: Isang Musikal
• Female Featured Performance in a Musical — Bituin Escalante in Himala: Isang Musikal; Sheila Francisco in Ang Huling El Bimbo; Neomi Gonzales in Himala: Isang Musikal; Carla Guevara Laforteza in Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale; Kakki Teodoro in Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play — A Doll’s House, Part 2; Manila Notes; Silent Sky
• Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical — Ang Huling El Bimbo; Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; Himala: Isang Musikal; Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale
• Outstanding Original Libretto — Robbie Guevara’s Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!
• Outstanding Original Script — No nominations
• Outstanding Translation or Adaptation — Ian Lomongo’s ‘night, Mother; Rody Vera’s Manila Notes
• Outstanding Choreography for a Play or Musical — PJ Rebullida for Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; Dexter Santos for Ang Huling El Bimbo
• Outstanding Original Musical Composition — No nominations
• Outstanding Musical Direction — Daniel Bartolome for Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; Vincent de Jesus for Himala: Isang Musikal; Myke Salomon for Ang Huling El Bimbo
• Outstanding Costume Design — Joey Mendoza for A Doll’s House, Part 2; Joey Mendoza for Silent Sky; Raven Ong for Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale; Carlo Pagunaling for Himala: Isang Musikal; Eric Pineda for Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!
• Outstanding Lighting Design — John Batalla for Balag at Angud; John Batalla for Silent Sky; Monino Duque for Ang Huling El Bimbo; Miggy Panganiban for Lungs; Barbie Tan-Tiongco for Himala: Isang Musikal
• Outstanding Sound Design — Rards Corpus for Eto Na! Musikal nAPO!; Rards Corpus for Ang Huling El Bimbo; Jethro Joaquin for Silent Sky; TJ Ramos for ‘night, Mother
• Outstanding Set Design — Jodee Aguillon for Lungs; Gino Gonzales for Ang Huling El Bimbo; Ed Lacson Jr. for Himala: Isang Musikal; Joey Mendoza for Silent Sky; Ben Padero for ‘night, Mother
Eto Na! Musikal nAPO! was produced by 9 Works Theatrical and Globe Live; ‘night, Mother was produced by Philippine Educational Theater Association; Manila Notes and Balag at Angud by Tanghalang Pilipino; A Doll’s House, Part 2 was produced by Red Turnip Theater; Lungs by The Sandbox Collective; Silent Sky, A Comedy of Tenors, and Rapunzel! Rapunzel! A Very Hairy Fairy Tale were produced by Repertory Philippines; Himala: Isang Musikal by The Sandbox Collective/9 Works Theatrical. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman