Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts
University of the Philippines Diliman
Creative Work
Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (DUP)
Established in 1976 by the late professor emeritus Antonio “Tony” O. Mabesa, Dulaang UP is the country’s premiere academic theater organization. Originally established as the production arm of UP’s Speech Communication and Theatre Arts Program, it has become a semi-professional group with a regular season. Dulaang UP has been a vehicle for seasoned theater artists to articulate their visions and to interact with theater students through productions mounted by veteran theatre directors including Anton Juan, Amiel Leonardia, Alexander Cortez, Josefina Estrella, Dexter Santos, and the late Behn Cervantes, Ogie Juliano, and Tony Mabesa. Through their productions, Metro Manila audiences have witnessed masterworks of the world repertoire. These include works by Shakespeare, Brecht, Ibsen, Chekhov, Moliere, Wilde, Williams, Miller, Lorca and Strindberg, among others. Original Filipino plays staged by Dulaang UP include works by National Artists Nick Joaquin, Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, Bienvenido Lumbera, and Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio. Other homegrown and renowned writers whose works have been staged by DUP include Severino Montano, Anton Juan, Boy Noriega, ReneVillanueva, Butch Dalisay, Floy Quintos, Chris Millado and other playwrights.
Dulaang UP has also had the privilege of working with theater designers like National Artist Salvador Bernal, Monino Duque, Gino Gonzales, Leo Abaya, Eric Pineda, Voltaire de Jesus, Tuxqs Rutaquio, Ohm David, John Ilao Batalla, Lex Marcos, Jethro Joaquin, Dennis Marasigan, and Barbie Tan-Tiongco. It has also been developing emerging and exciting young designers for theatre like Faust Peneyra, Meliton Roxas, Jr., Arvy Dimaculangan, and Carlo Pagunaling. Students of the Theatre Arts Programs (Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s) are prepared to participate in productions through the mentorship of the division’s faculty members and collaborating artists. Dulaang UP has established a reputation for innovation and excellence in theatre as a training ground for young talent, a venue for published and new works, and a source of new talent for local and international theatre, cinema, television and even the advertising industries.
UP Playwrights' Theatre
Dulaang UP, the official theatre group of the University of the Philippines, is based in the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts (DSCTA). DUP runs the sole formal theater training program in the country leading to the completion of undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as an associate in arts course in Theater. Dulaang UP employs the conservatory approach to training where enrollees enjoy maximum guidance in performance from scholars, practitioners, leading stage and film artists and recognized personages in the theater.
Under the Dulaang UP umbrella is the UP Playwrights’ Theatre (UPPT) that started in 1986 by the late Professor Emeritus Tony Mabesa. UPPT is founded to exclusively stage original plays by Filipino playwrights such as Butch Dalisay, Anton Juan, Floy Quintos, Rody Vera, Nick Pichay, Joi Barrios, Luna Sicat-Cleto, Rene Villanueva, Charlson Ong, Allan Palileo, Aureus Solito, and Chris Martinez.
Prior to the tragic Faculty Center fire in March 2016, UPPT plays had originally been staged at the Faculty Center’s intimate 200-seater Teatro Hermogenes Ylagan (THY). In the meantime, UPPT productions will be staged at the Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater at Palma Hall, the same theater hall that houses the rest of the Dulaang UP Plays.
Dulaang Laboratoryo
Auxiliary to Dulaang UP, the official performing group for theater of the University of the Philippines, is the UP Dulaang Laboratoryo which also serves as a training ground for Theatre Arts students enrolled in their thesis subject as well as in special projects, directing, acting, lighting, production design, and production management courses. Under the supervision of a faculty member, productions are mounted at the end of the semester as a final requirement for the above-mentioned courses.
To know more about the UP Dulaang Laboratoryo, like and follow UP Dulaang Laboratoryo Facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/updulaanglab
