“Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon” - The Award-Winning Young Adult Bestseller Comes Alive on Stage Feb. 1 – 25

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Tanghalang Ateneo, the longest-running theater company of the Ateneo de Manila University’s Loyola Schools, continues its 38th season: De/Constructing Narratives with a production of the award-winning young adult bestseller “Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon” by Palanca awardee Edgar Calabia Samar.

Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon won the 2015 National Book Award for Novel in Filipino and the 2016 National Children’s Book Award for Best Read for Kids.

The play will be the first live action adaptation of the book. Two-time Palanca First Prize winning playwright Guelan Varela-Luarca adapted Samar’s work while Tanghalang Ateneo alumnus Charles Yee is bringing it to life onstage.

Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon takes place in the everyday world of an adolescent boy, Janus, whose world is turned upside down when characters from his favorite computer game and comic books appear and disrupt his personal life thereby forcing him to confront the mystery of his bloodline and his destiny.

Ateneo High School’s Earvin Estioco plays the title role of Janus Silang, a teenager who frequents the Malakas Internet Shop in Balanga where he plays TALA Online with his friends. His father disapproves of this which is why he often gets in trouble with him.

Ateneo Grade School’s Joachim Galvez and Sam Tango alternate as Juno, the tiyanak from Philippine mythology who disguises as Janus’ younger brother.

Allan Forte as Mang Joey, a bagani (protector of the Pusong bloodline) who becomes Janus’ mentor.

Bong Cabrera, JJ Ignacio and Diega Villanueva as Juan and Josie, Janus’ parents. Juan however is really a do-ol, a mythical creature sent by the tiyanak to keep an eye on Janus. By the time the play opens, Janus’ real father has already been dead for three years.

Cloie Hilomen as Mica, the love interest and classmate of Janus.

John Sanchez as Harold, Janus’ friend who dies along with other gamers upon reaching Level 9 of TALA Online.

Jacob Whittaker as Renzo, the messenger of Mang Joey tasked to meet and accompany Janus to him.

Dr. Jerry Respeto, Fr. Rene Javellana, SJ, and Xander Soriano alternately play the role of the mysterious Bungisngis. Mang Joey’s brother who disguises himself to watch over Janus.

Ateneo theater practitioners Peanuts Valerio, Ace Elgar and Soc de los Reyes, and the Tanghalang Ateneo ensemble of actors complete the cast.

The artistic team of Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon is composed of Tanghalang Ateneo Artistic Director and Moderator Glenn Sevilla Mas, Charles Yee (Direction), Guelan Varela-Luarca (Adaptation), Gwyn Guanzon (Set Design), Mitoy Sta. Ana (Costume Design), Toni Muñoz (Sound and Music Design), Delphine Buencamino and Zyda Baaya (Choreography), and Gab Mesina, Diana David, and Victor Datu (Graphics Design).

The playdates of Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tábon are February 1-4, 7-11, 13-16, 18, and 21-25. Performances start at 7:30PM while Saturday matinee shows start at 2:30PM.

For questions and additional details about the show, please contact Dean Silva at 0916-314-5475.

Connect to Tanghalang Ateneo online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TanghalangAteneo
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TAOfficial_
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tanghalangateneo

See you at the theater !

Japanese Video Art at Yuchengco Museum

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Japanese media artist Naoko Tosa, whose work includes the multimedia façade of the ArtScience Museum in Singapore, brings her Genesis video art projections to Manila until March 31

Yuchengco Museum is pleased to present Digital Dimensions, featuring the video art projections of internationally renowned Japanese media artist Naoko Tosa. She has recently been appointed as Japan Cultural Envoy 2016 by the Japanese government. Transforming the museum’s galleries into a scenic environment, Digital Dimensions: Video Art Projections by Naoko Tosa envelopes viewers in a sensual exploration of materials and ephemerality.

The exhibition will feature Tosa’s Genesis video art series. Inspired by Rimpa, one of the major historical schools of Japanese painting with its 400-year legacy, Tosa plays with Zen concepts of chance through her use of Japanese color inks to generate solemn forms in water, the origin of all life. A pioneering feature of her practice is to introduce cutting-edge technology at the core of her creative process, playing with inks and dry ice captured by high-speed cameras.

Naoko Tosa explains: “Art can make it possible for us to experience invisible worlds that cannot be captured by our normal sense of time and space. Such experiences would induce awe and move toward nature and its energy in our mind. This work makes it possible for the viewers to experience a world where time is expanded one hundred times. Also, this work cannot be created using computer graphics, and dry ice is too complex to be expressed by a numerical formula of fluid dynamics. In other words, this is a hypernatural form of art that can be visualized only by using a high-speed camera.”

Naoko Tosa’s practice covers a wide range of areas from sculpture and visual arts to video art and digital art. Tosa also explores photography, media art, and software art. After receiving a PhD in Art and Technology Research from the University of Tokyo, she was a fellow at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2002 to 2004 and is currently a professor at Kyoto University. Tosa has exhibited her artworks at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, London County Hall, Long Beach Museum of Art, and Japan Creative Center, among many locations worldwide. Her works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the American Film Association, the National Museum of Art in Osaka, and the Nagoya City Art Museum.

Artist’s talk and Japanese products mini-fair
To give visitors a more enriching experience of the Digital Dimensions exhibition, Naoko Tosa will share insights into her creative process and examples of her major works in an Artist’s Talk on February 11, Saturday, at 2:30 p.m. Tosa will also discuss the technology behind her art and how she bridges Japanese tradition and technology. The talk is free with museum admission (P100 for adults, P50 for students and seniors). To reserve slots for the artist’s talk, email info@yuchengcomuseum.org.

In addition to Dr. Tosa’s talk, there will be a mini fair of new lifestyle products from the Land of the Rising Sun. Called Snapshot Japan, the mini product fair will showcase a different side to modern Japanese culture. Snapshot Japan will feature the country’s unique food, fashion accessories, apparel, and cosmetics. The mini product fair will be at the Yuchengco Museum lobby from February 9 to 11, Thursday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entrance to the mini fair is free. Snapshot Japan is presented by Global Initiative, Inc. with the support of The Japan Foundation, Manila. For event details, follow @YuchengcoMuseum and #SnapshotJapan on social media.

Digital Dimensions: Video Art Projections by Naoko Tosa is presented by Yuchengco Museum with the support of The Japan Foundation, Manila and with thanks to the Agency for Cultural Affairs of the Government of Japan. The exhibit will be on view from February 11 to March 31, 2017.

Yuchengco Museum is located at RCBC Plaza, corner Ayala and Senator Gil J. Puyat Avenues, Makati City. Museum hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call (632) 889-1234, visit www.yuchengcomuseum.org, or follow @YuchengcoMuseum on social media with the hashtags #DigitalDimensions and #NaokoTosa.

First NBA Filipino Heritage Week to Celebrate Philippine Culture

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced the first NBA Filipino Heritage Week to celebrate Philippine culture with millions of Filipino fans around the world. The celebration in the Philippines, which will run from March 13-19, will feature a viewing party attended by an NBA legend, an NBA Cares event, and social media activations on the NBA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts in the Philippines.

As part of NBA Filipino Heritage Week, the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat will host Filipino Heritage Nights in March, featuring in-arena Philippine-themed activations including musical performances and giveaways. All three games will be available in the Philippines on Basketball TV, with the Heat-Minnesota Timberwolves and Warriors-Milwaukee Bucks matchups also airing on ABS-CBN Channel 2 and Sports + Action respectively.

“The first NBA Filipino Heritage Week is the perfect opportunity for the NBA to celebrate the support of our Filipino fans around the world,” said NBA Philippines Managing Director Carlo Singson. “The activities in the Philippines, Miami and Oakland will showcase the country’s vibrant culture and passion for basketball.”

In addition, there will be specially designed merchandise to commemorate the first-ever Filipino Heritage Week.