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    The document discusses the 7 types of theater that originated and developed in the Philippines. It describes epic poetry, duplo, moro-moro, and senakulo as forms of traditional folk theater that have roots in pre-colonial and religious celebrations and storytelling. It also outlines contemporary art forms like bodabil, which was influenced by American vaudeville, and sarsuwela, a melodramatic form influenced by Spanish colonizers but incorporated nationalist themes. Traditional folk dances from different Philippine regions are also considered a form of theater in the country.

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    The document discusses the 7 types of theater that originated and developed in the Philippines. It describes epic poetry, duplo, moro-moro, and senakulo as forms of traditional folk theater that have roots in pre-colonial and religious celebrations and storytelling. It also outlines contemporary art forms like bodabil, which was influenced by American vaudeville, and sarsuwela, a melodramatic form influenced by Spanish colonizers but incorporated nationalist themes. Traditional folk dances from different Philippine regions are also considered a form of theater in the country.

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    489 views3 pages

    7 Types of Theater in Philippines

    Uploaded by

    NicoleSofia Gallenero
    The document discusses the 7 types of theater that originated and developed in the Philippines. It describes epic poetry, duplo, moro-moro, and senakulo as forms of traditional folk theater that have roots in pre-colonial and religious celebrations and storytelling. It also outlines contemporary art forms like bodabil, which was influenced by American vaudeville, and sarsuwela, a melodramatic form influenced by Spanish colonizers but incorporated nationalist themes. Traditional folk dances from different Philippine regions are also considered a form of theater in the country.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 3

    The 7 Types of Theater in the

    Philippines
    Hyacinth Gallenero

    The Phillipine theater is important and plays an important role on promoting Filipino
    culture and heritage. It showcases the beauty and talents of Filipinos. Furthermore it
    seeks to entertain people and as well as imparts knowledge through telling a story in a
    creative way.

    Long before the different forms of theater we enjoy today, like straight plays and
    musicals largely influenced by the West, the Philippines has had many types of theater
    through the years. It’s a rich performing arts tradition – from folk legends passed
    down through generations to intellectual debates as performance art; from pagan
    practices to the deeply religious celebrations influenced by years of colonization.

    Below are the types of Theater here in the Philippines.

    Epic poetry

    Epic poetry is considered the highest point of Filipino folk literature, and dates back to
    the pre-colonial period. These epics, usually of romance or adventure, are commonly
    presented during festivals and gatherings such as weddings, baptisms, and wakes.
    Singers have been known to perform for hours at a time. One of the most famous epic
    poems is Biag ni Lam-ang, the national epic of the Ilocano people, and notable for
    being the first folk epic to be recorded in written form after being passed on from
    generation to generation.
    Duplo

    The Duplo is a poetic debate presented through song and dance, which originated
    from indigenous courtship customs. Poets used proverbs and riddles to present their
    suit to the woman of their choice. This ultimately evolved into a more formal debate
    on issues, and started to be called the Balagtasan.

    Moro-moro

    For a time, one of the most popular types of theater in the Philippines was the Moros y
    Cristianos, which is not surprising for a country that was under Spanish rule for 300
    years. Commonly called moro-moro, it is a street drama that usually lasted for several
    days, and presented both secular themes like love and vengeance, and the Spanish-
    influenced religious theme of the conflict between Christians and Moors. The moro-
    moro only survives in isolated towns today, and though an integral part of Filipino art
    history, it may not bear too much close scrutiny these days with its less than admirable
    depictions of intolerance.

    Senakulo

    Another performing art stemming from religious custom is the senakulo or Passion
    Play. This is the dramatization of the life and death of Jesus Christ and is usually
    presented as a community activity during the Lenten season. This still endures to the
    present, ranging from simple productions to more technically sophisticated and
    modernized versions.
    Traditional Folk Dance

    With its varied cultures and communities throughout its 7000 islands, the Philippines
    has a diverse collection of folk dances. Some of the most popular folk dances are the
    Singkil, a folk dance that originated from the Maranao people of Lake Lanao in
    Mindanao, from the epic legend Darangen; the Itik-Itik, which originated as an
    improvised dance in Surigao del Sur and was discovered by National Artist for Dance
    Francisca Reyes-Aquino; and the Tinikling, which is similar to Singkil with its use of
    bamboo poles that dancers must weave through. It is supposed to mimic the
    movement of the local tikling birds.

    Bodabil
    It sounds like “vaudeville”, and it is. This form of theater was an American import in
    the pre-war era, but became uniquely Filipino with the indigenization of the name.
    Like its American counterpart, bodabil featured a variety of musical numbers, comedic
    and dramatic skits, and song and dance numbers. Popular Filipino performers such as
    Dolphy, Anita Linda, and sarsuwela legend Atang de la Rama got their start in bodabil.
    It has since died out with the rise of cinema, but its influence can still be felt in
    television variety shows.

    Sarsuwela
    The sarsuwela is a type of melodrama, usually in three acts, that uses alternately
    spoken and sung words. It was the Spanish influence that started the sarsuwela, but it
    was also this colonization that led Filipinos to incorporate nationalistic overtones in the
    art. This resulted in the arrest of several prominent writers such as Aurelio Tolentino
    and Pascual Poblete, and eventually, the shutdown of sarsuwela companies during the
    American occupation. As proof of its importance in Philippine culture, in 2011 the
    National Commission for Culture and the Arts designated the sarsuwela as a nominee
    for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage lists.

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