Virgin Labfest Playwrights Win the Palanca Awards for Literature

Every year, I always look forward to the Virgin Labfest where untried, untested, unpublished and unstaged plays are being presented onstage at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). For the past 3 years since 2008, I have watched all the 15 to 18 one-act plays (15 new plays + 3 best plays of the previous year).  Of all the Virgin Labfest plays that have already won in the prestigious Palanca Awards for Literature, I wasn't able to watch the 3 plays: Liza Magtoto’s Paigan, J. Dennis Teodosio’s Asunto, and Debbie Ann Tan’s Teroristang Labandera. 

Congratulations to this year's winners: Nicolas Pichay, Floy Quintos and Allan Lopez!!!

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PLAYWRIGHTS featured in the annual Virgin Labfest, a theater festival featuring unstaged, untried and unpublished plays, captured the top three prizes for the One Act Play Category Filipino division of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards For Literature.  Nicolas B. Pichay bagged the first prize for Isang Araw sa Karnabal, Floy C. Quintos, second for Suor Clara and Allan B. Lopez came in third for Higit pa Dito. All three plays were seen at the recent Virgin Labfest 2010 held at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute in July 2010.

Pichay’s Karnabal is the story of a couple who attempt to bridge the ‘missing’ links in their relationship while coming to terms with their desparecidos – loved ones who have been involuntarily disappeared -  while braving a rollercoaster ride in a theme park. Quintos’s Suor Clara imagines Maria Clara and Padre Salvi, characters of Jose Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere, 25 years after in a relationship filled with passion and warped love.  Lopez’s Higit Pa Dito tells the tale of a mother and son – how they care for each other, how roles are reversed and relationships salvaged. 

This is the third year in a row that this category has been dominated by playwrights whose works were featured in the Virgin Labfest.  Past winners include Layeta Bucoy’s Doc Resureccion, Gagamutin ang Bayan, Liza Magtoto’s Paigan, J. Dennis Teodosio’s Asunto, Floy Quintos’ Ang Kalungkutan ng mga Reyna, Debbie Ann Tan’s Teroristang Labandera and Allan Lopez’s Masaganang Ekonomiya.
        

Entries for the Virgin Labfest 2011 are now being accepted. In 2011, eighteen plays will be staged.  Of the 18, three of the works will be in the regional dialects while three will be for children. 

The deadline for submission of works is March 31, 2011. For inquiries, please call Nikki Torres or Clottie Lucero at (632) 832-1125 local 1606/1607.  Or send e-mails to rodyvera@gmail.com or drama_ccp@yahoo.com or through CCP facebook account (facebook@culturalcenter.gov.ph).