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Tuesday, October 4, 2022

“13th of September” -- The Philippines’ official entry to THEATERWELTEN’s theater worlds 2022 all set for October 15 performance, Germany


Wazzup Pilipinas!?



After its celebrated run in the 9th Festival International de Théâtre De Mont-Laurier in Quebec, Canada, “13th of September” is all set for yet another international show at the THEATERWELTEN 2022 on Saturday, 15 October 2022 at the Cultural Center Dieselstrasse in Esslingen, Germany, now with the support of the Philippine and German government, National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and Bund Deutscher Amateurtheater (BDAT). This opportunity and privilege to represent the Philippines fulfills one of the goals of BOGT Philippines to create and produce shows for international theater festivals.

“13th of September” is a Reimagination of Lanie Robertson’s “The Insanity of Mary Girard”, written and translated by playwright Eljay Castro Deldoc, directed by Riki Benedicto, with actors Marco Calilao, Norman Peñaflorida, and Lao Rodriguez who now takes the role of Mary Girard.

JayLo Conanan (Production Designer), Katreen Dela Cruz (Production and Stage Manager), Roldan Lozano (Lights Designer), and Ces Valera (Projection Designer) complete the delegation of 8 who will fly to Germany this October.


THEATERWELTEN is both a festival and an international theater encounter. It is held every two years since 2015 and - due to the travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic - had its first ever digital festival in 2021, which was also attended by BOGT Philippines. This year’s festival will be held from 13 - 16 October 2022 with performances coming from 8 countries: Philippines, Ukraine, Chile, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Lebanon, Germany, and Israel. An accompanying symposium will examine the topic of “Theater and Safe Spaces'' from local and global perspectives: Is theatre a safe space? How does it affect participation in social events?

The Philippines’ representation at the festival does not end on the stage after the curtain closes as Director Riki Benedicto leads two days of Stage Combat workshops (October 14 and 15, 2022) in Sporthalle der Gemeinschaftsschule. Stage Combat is an artistic representation of fighting based on principles of reality using techniques that ensure the safety of actors on stage, all the while showcasing the fight’s aesthetic aspects and dramatic power.

Any play can, practically, be “based on a true story” but “The Insanity of Mary Girard” is one of the few that took real-life events into a haunting and highly theatrical piece. Mary Girard (1758–1815) was committed to an asylum in 1790 where her husband declared her legally insane. During her confinement, she gave birth to a baby girl – unsure who the father was – who died five months later. After residing in the insanity ward for 25 years, she was laid to rest somewhere on hospital grounds, her grave unmarked.






SYNOPSIS

Sunday Evening, Mary Girard is preparing for her last night in Pennsylvania Asylum. Now, 56, her age is visible after more than two decades re-living the moments of her life inside the asylum. While doing her daily routine and preparation with other patients, her past is dawning inside her, the memories of her mother, husband and her dear daughter are right in front of her and it seems like she’s “sane” once again. As for her last night with the tranquilizing chair, she will fight and relive the moments of lies and betrayal that have never been proven.



ELJAY CASTRO DELDOC - PLAYWRIGHT

After the launch of one of his notable pieces, “Lukot-Lukot, Bilog-Bilog” with Tanghalang Pilipino, ELJAY CASTRO DELDOC makes his debut in the international scene with “13th of September” together with his dramaturg, Drew Espenocilla. In this piece, they illustrate the “present-time Mary Girards” as victims of a harsh society whose leaders are oblivious to the horrendous truth – that the Philippines is living within a culture that emphasizes resilience and humor amid suffering and pain making it difficult to talk about mental illness where you have no other choice but to be strong – both mentally and emotionally. They regard that, as people, we put so much importance in being able to roll with the punches, almost to the point that it’s a requisite to master how to laugh in the face of misfortune. This is why, despite the growing call to recognize mental health as a legitimate public health concern, initiatives to resolve this remain limited.

Eljay has been a part of The Virgin Labfest for six consecutive years since 2013. His most notable plays are first staged in this festival: “Owel”, “Ang Goldfish ni Prof. Dimaandal”, “Si Maria Isabella at ang Guryon ng mga Tala”, and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award-winning “Pilipinas Kong Mahal With All the Overcoat”. In 2016, “Si Maria Isabella…” was mounted by Bindlestiff Studio in San Francisco, California. Recently, he ventured into producing teleplays as a part-time writer for GMA 7. He’s part of the writing team of “Juan Tamad”, “Naku Boss Ko”, “Conan My Beautician”, and “I Heart Davao”.



RIKI BENEDICTO - DIRECTOR

Director RIKI BENEDICTO has headed several productions with Tanghalang Pilipino, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Virgin Labfest and Dulaang Filipino. True to BOGT’s primary objective, he has been consistently elevating the presence of Philippine theater globally with his directorial works in Dulaang Filipino’s Out at Sea (7th Montreal International Theatre festival) and Oedipus (7th Festival international de Théâtre de Mont-Laurier). The latter was awarded Best International Performance and special Jury prize in Teatralny Koufar in Belarus, SETKANI/ENCOUNTER International Theater Festival’s SWAG Award in Brno Czech Republic and Best International Performance in Escenamateur Spain. Solomon also won Best International Performance in Escenamateur Spain.

He received Best Director for a Musical and Best Director for Non-Musical nominations from ALIW awards in 2017 and 2018, respectively, Best Director for Philippine LEAF Awards 2020, and he is also the first ever Filipino professional jury in SETKANI/ENCOUNTER International Theater Festival in Czech Republic last 2021.

Riki is, once again, putting forward another universal concern in Eljay Castro Deldoc’s “13th of September” where he aspires to “challenge society’s restrictive definition of sanity, gender and sexuality or even your perception of truth - truth is relative.”



CAST

NORMAN PEÑAFLORIDA wears many hats in the events industry and in theater - Production Designer, Stylist, Stage Manager, Host, Actor and Singer and the proud and hard-working proprietor of THE CLOSET Events and Image.

His wide range of theater experience traces back to Gantimpala Theater Foundation, for decades he acted on several productions of the company under the artistic direction of the late Tony Espejo. From the famous Four Classics to original Filipino musicals. He was the 2018 ALIW awardee for Best Featured actor for Artist's playground "Geegee at Waterina" and the the first Outstanding actor in a featured role in the 1st Philippine L.E.A.F awards for "Nakakapagpabagabag".

With a natural leaning on design Norman was part of the Philippine delegate to the ASEAN Design Workshop and and currently the resident stylist of the award winning cultural online program of the National Commission for Culture and The Arts' (NCCA) "PADAYON".

Currently he is the co-chairman of UNESCO - International Theater Institute - Philippines Center.



MARCO EDWARD CALILAO was a former member of Sining-Lahi Poly Repertory. He has been part of several productions as an actor and production staff. Some of the memorable plays were Orlando Nadres’ “Hanggang dito na lamang at maraming salamat”, Chris Marinez’s “Sabado sa Sams” and “Last Order sa Penguin”; and Rody Vera’s “Luna: Isang Romansang Aswang”. He also had the chance to be one of the contestants for a noontime show, Its Showtime’s “Ms. Q&A: Intergalaktik” where he won Best in Chukchak.



PAOLO RODRIGUEZ, a.k.a. LAO, completes the cast taking along with him his expertise on television and film acting. Among his notable appearances were Erik Matti’s BuyBust, OTJ The missing 8 and Honor Thy Father, Halik sa Hangin and The Broken Marriage Vow. He was part of Tanghalang Pilipino Actors’ Company in 2002. Since then he has performed in a wide variety of productions, from his very first, Anatomiya ng Korupsiyon, to musicals (Zsa Zsa Zaturnah and Noli Me Tangere) to his title role and the critically acclaimed The Romance of Magno Rubio.

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The artistic team of “13th of September” are as follows: Riki Benedicto (Director), Eljay Castro Deldoc (Playwright), Drew Espenocilla (Dramaturg/English translation), Jay Lorenz Conanan (Production/Costume Designer), Roldan Lozano (Lights Designer), Ces Valera (Projection Artist), Paw Castillo (Photo and Graphic Artist), and Jared Acuna (Video Artist).



BOGT Philippines is a team of professional theater and film practitioners based in Manila, Philippines. The group’s major goal is to create and produce shows for different international theater festivals. They want to boost the presence of the Philippine theater in the international realm and at the same time, bring home and share their learnings to Filipino professional and school-based theater companies.

For further details, please check their social media: Facebook (BOGT Philippines). #sep13mberPHL #sep13mberGER

The World's eight best escape rooms worth traveling for!


Wazzup Pilipinas!?


Are you excited by the title? I mean, you should be! 10 Best Escape Rooms? Every escape room lover's dream! But we've covered you even if you don't know what escape rooms are! Let's go along on this ride, shall we?


Escape Rooms are the rooms where you go to play but in real time! In simple terms, you get locked up or stuck in a room where it's hard to escape. And now you have to find tools or a way out of it. And the way out is laced inside the room with puzzles, clues, and hints in between! So, everything is laid out in front of you to solve it. In short, with the help of these puzzles and tips, you have to find the key or solution & then you have to escape the room!


Now that we know what Escape rooms are let's go towards the World's eight Best Escape Rooms Worth Travelling For!

 
The Laboratory in Bunschoten, the Netherlands

The thrilling escape room with only a 50% chance of getting out! It's based in Bunschoten, Netherlands, and it's quite a treat. It's often rated as the best escape room in the Netherlands! It was founded on a great storyline... The website says...

"The infamous Doctor Steiner has gone completely mad. The mysterious and cold ambiance is still present after 72 years in this first escape room of all escape rooms in The Netherlands.

Will you and your team be capable of discovering what Doctor Steiner experienced 72 years ago?"

You get time, access to the theme, several other pools, and arcade games beforehand! It's said to be very logical & based on simple problem solving that you are bound to fall in love with!

 
The Mr. X Mystery House in Shanghai

It's a famous one from China! It has five rooms full of mystery and puzzles, starting from the entrance! It's based on many themes from various cultures. You will be given one hour inside each room and can go in a group too! It's a sensory experience for both mind and body as these are hard and require your body to wriggle in small places, slide like a ninja, and even go through lasers. You must use your whole mind and body to get out of this one!

 
The Room Berlin

This is also a very challenging one! It consists of 4 rooms filled with different themes, and you're given 60-75 minutes to finish each one! These are amazingly crafted for people and offer some serious graphics and aesthetics! You will be amazed by how wonderfully they are made! Words are not enough to describe how amazing these are! They are award-winning escape rooms, so you know you are in for a real deal! They received the Golden Lock-In award in 2017 and many later on! If one visits Berlin, one should check this out!


Locked In: The Birmingham Escape Game in Birmingham: 

- This is an excellent place to explore... They have three different rooms to go and solve, which are not scary. You get 60 minutes with your team of 2-8 people. Here, you might need to find proof of a conspiracy, a cure to an epidemic, or the answer to a classroom mystery! But don't underestimate them, as they are pretty tricky to get around! You should go to Birmingham for this cause!

 
Paradox Project 2

The Bookstore Escape Room Athens: - This one is a whole house for you to solve! Filled with secret basements and passageways and a unique theme with scary elements, this is sure to get your heart pumping! You have earned yourself 200 minutes in total to solve it! It is inside a bookstore that is so unique and new. It's the best way to experience real escape as it's a whole house to solve. The pictures are something worth checking out as well. Worth visiting Athens for!

 
The Basement in Los Angeles

The city of Hollywood has a fantastic escape room on the board! This is rated as the best #1 Escape Room in the USA! And it's said to be quite scary. Many people are terrified to go there. So only go if you are a brave heart in real life! You are locked in a basement of a cannibalistic killer/psychopath who has had a traumatic childhood and a weird sense of justice revolving around him. You have only 45 minutes to do it before his dinner. With several things distracting you and scaring you on your way. Can you escape?

 
The Office in Philadelphia

What would you do if you were just stuck in an Office forever? This is a nightmare for all of us, and this escape room fulfills this nightmare! There are tables, desks, and computers filled with scary elements and loads of puzzles! You will get stuck in this dull place and feel like there is no escape like you do in real/day-to-day life. But here, you can escape! You must solve puzzles and mysteries and get out of this Office themed escape room soon!

 
The Catacombs Escape Room Paris:

Saved the best for the last! Have you heard about the Catacombs underneath the beautiful city of Paris? These are underground ossuaries (where remains of the dead are kept) in Paris, France, which hold the remains of more than six million people in a small part of a tunnel network built to consolidate Paris' ancient stone quarries. Imagine an escape room theme to this! It's not for the faint of the heart, as it's pretty scary! Do it only if you can handle these tunnels.


That's all for the ten best escape rooms in the World primarily catered to you! Do visit them once, whether you are traveling in the country. Or visit the country only for these escape rooms, if you can! Try these out, and let us know your experience in the comments below!


Author Bio: Charlotte Lin is a content creator at escaperoom.com. She’s a passionate young woman, mother to an amazing nine-year-old, and an avid reader. Over the years, writing has helped her explore and understand the world as well as her own self. She loves to travel, meet new people, and spend quality time with her daughter. You can find her on LinkedIn.  

Monday, October 3, 2022

Metro Manila subway to generate employment, bring comfort, convenience


Wazzup Pilipinas!?


While the Metro Manila Subway Project (MMSP) is expected to provide comfort and convenience to commuters, the Philippines’ “Crown Jewel” of mass transit system will also generate employment for Filipinos, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said Monday, 03 October 2022.

During the groundbreaking ceremony for the Metro Manila Subway Project’s Contract Package 104, Secretary Bautista said the project will provide over 18,000 jobs for Filipinos during its construction phase.

“Construction is estimated to create more than 18,000 jobs,” Secretary Bautista said.

According to Secretary Bautista, the Metro Manila Subway, will provide a comfortable, convenient, safe, and affordable transportation to commuters once completed.



Secretary Bautista stressed that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is committed to complete the project at full speed as the agency “owes it to the commuting public.”

President Bongbong Marcos said the Metro Manila Subway is expected to stir up economic activity in key areas covered by the project and ensure opportunities for businesses.

“With the improved linkages of key areas and business districts in the Metro as well as the availability of stalls and other stores in the stations, and nearby markets, we can see more business opportunities to entrepeneurs, investors and additional economic activity,” President Marcos, who led the ground breaking ceremony, said.

The President added that the project is likewise expected to increase Filipinos’ efficiency with less travel time expected during their commute with the help of the underground rail line.

“As our people gain more time by cutting long hours of travel, we can now engage in more worth while and productive endeavors, making time for greater self improvement and equally important-- spending quality time with their families,” he said.

The MMSP’s Contract Package 104 (CP104) is part of the seven civil work contracts of the project, and covers the construction of the Ortigas and Shaw Blvd. Stations and tunnels with a total route length of 3.397 kilometers.

With a total of 33-kilometer route length and 17 stations, the Metro Manila Subway will cut across eight local government units that will stretch from Valenzuela City to FTI-Bicutan in Parañaque City with a spur line to NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

Funded by the Japanese government, the Metro Manila Subway will be the first underground mass transit system in the Philippines – a modern railway system that will be at par with the rest in the world.

The rail line aims to cut travel time between Quezon City and Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) from the present one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes. Once operational, the underground railway system can service up to 519,000 passengers daily.
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