UP DECL celebrates centenary and arts month with "Screen: Macbeth"

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In celebration of its centennial, the Department of English and Comparative Literature (DECL) of the College of Arts and Letters of the University of the Philippines-Diliman presents the World Theatre Project’s Screen: Macbeth. Direction and concept by Dr. Anton Juan Jr. with the dramaturgy of Dr. Judy Celine Ick, Screen: Macbeth recreates a hyper visual staging of The Bard’s tragedy written in the 17^th century for the 21^st century Filipino audiences. The play is a commemoration of Shakespeare: From Globe to Global, an international celebration, and opens in the National Arts Month on February 28 and runs until March 6 at the Media Center of the College of Mass Communication, UP Diliman. Shows from February 28 to March 4 are at 7:00 p.m.; shows on March 5 to 6 are at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. 

“Screen means to show but it also means to conceal. The screens in the movie theatres, television, computers, mobile phones, and other digital gadgets that we use today display images and information that mirror only one or two dimensions of ourselves,” Juan says. He adds, “However, there are the other dimensions not captured by these screens. These are our deepest desires and fantasies, which we do not show but conceal.” 

The DECL has earned the distinction as the seat of English and Comparative Literature Studies in the Philippines and in the Asian region. Its faculty has been producing groundbreaking scholarly works that delve on the creative, cultural, and literary discourses. Juan taught at the DECL and is now its artist-in-residence, currently on sabbatical from the University of Notre Dame du Lac where he is a senior professor at the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre Arts. Ick teaches Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature at the graduate and undergraduate levels at the department. She also authored Unsex Me Here: Female Power and Shakespearean Tragedy.

DECL has produced a significant number of poets, dramatists, fictionists, filmmakers and theatre artists. Some of the more prominent figures include National Artists for Literature, namely Francisco Arcellana, NVM Gonzales, Carlos P. Romulo, and Jose Garcia Villa; National Artists for Cinema such as Lino Brocka and Ishmael Bernal and; National Artist for Theater and Film Daisy Avellana.

The cast is composed of Teroy Guzman, Judy Ick, Romnick Sarmenta, Earl Ignacio, Jamie Wilson, Ron Capinding, Chiqui Burgos, Frances Makil-Ignacio, William Elvin, Ian Lomongo,

Gigi Escalante, Mary Jane Alejo, Tara Cabaero, Zaf Masahud, Florence Alverne,

Lhenvil Paneda with the special participation of Ricky Abad and Eugene Domingo.

The artistic team consists of Pat Valera (Assistant Director for Stage), Katte Sabate (Assistant Director for Film), Winter David (Video Designer), Ohm David (Set Designer), Jethro Joaquin (Sound Designer), Meliton Roxas (Lights Designer), Lhenvil Paneda (Costume Designer), and Paul Gaerlan (Properties Designer). The production team includes Olive Nieto and Sabate (Production Managers), Karen Gaerlan (Stage Manager), Garett Picardal and Bonsai Cielo (Assistant Stage Managers), Lehner Mendoza (Video Assistant/Projectionist), Krystel Dionisio (Sound Boardperson), Mark Ortilla (Technical Apprentice), Zaf Masahud (Staff), Giovanni Basco and Florianne Jimenez (Marketing and Publicity Content)

Ticket is at P250. For show or ticket inquiries, please contact Katte Sabate at (0927) 749-1842, Olive Nieto at (0915) 452-6372, or the DECL office at 926-3496. 

"Jejemon" is now the 2010 word of the year, and these two Opposing "Jejevideos" are the Diliman Diary videos of the Week

A "Jejelover" Video



A "Jejebuster" Video



Editor's Note:

The word, "Jejemon" was chosen today as the 2010 Word of the Year in Sawikaan 2010: Word of the Year Conference in UP Diliman.

The Filipinas Institute of Translation (FIT), Inc. in cooperation with the Blas Ople Foundation, Anvil Publishing, DepEd, CHED, U.P. Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, and the U.P. College of Arts and Letters held Sawikaan 2010: Pambansang Kumperensiya sa Salita ng Taon on July 29-30, 8:00am-5:00pm at the Pulungang Claro M. Recto, Bulwagang Rizal, Diliman, Quezon City.

In 2007, “miskol” was declared word of the year because it perfectly captured the Filipino style of appropriating a foreign communication practice to suit the local mores. The conference was not held in 2008 and 2009, as the organizers believe no words came out at that period worthy of the title. It follows then that in 2010 there were enough word contenders for the event’s revival.

Old or new words were be considered by the judges as possible word of the year as long as these impacted on the sociocultural, political, social, economic, and other aspects of Filipino life in the last two years. These could be borrowed from a foreign or a local language, or an old one that has acquired a new meaning. The word of the year is a significant addition to Filipino vocabulary and a welcome dictionary entry. As in the previous years, Sawikaan has invited language experts to talk about how to further develop the Filipino national language. Speakers for the July 29 sessions included Dr. Mario I. Miclat, the dean of the U.P. Asian Center; Dr. Zeus Salazar, the respected historian; Dr. Jaime Caro, computer scientist; and Dr. Jesus Federico Hernandez, the Chair of the U.P. Department of Linguistics. Topics to be tackled are neologism, lexicon from non-English languages, computer technology and language, and contribution from the gay subculture.

The revised edition of the UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino (Anvil Publishing) will be launched after the fora. National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario is the editor of the dictionary.

On July 30, papers were presented. Entries included “jejemon, “unli,” “load,” “tarpo,” “spam,” “solb,” “emo,” “namumutbol,” “Ondoy,” and “Ampatuan.” Presentations were judged according to the paper’s outstanding research, power of evidence and argumentation, and quality of writing. The Blas Ople Foundation gave cash prizes to the first, second, and third best papers. The Sawikaan papers will be later published as a book.