Chris Millado takes home Best Director at 15th Gawad Buhay

by Boy Villasanta

Although internationally renowned theater artist Chris Millado wasn’t around during the Gawad Buhay Awards recently held at the Aliw Awards at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) grounds, Pasay City, he still won the Best Director Award for a Play for the outstanding theater production of “Balete,” a Tanghalang Pilipino (TP) offering adapted from National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose’s novel, “Tree.”

Chris was in his hometown in Mindanao but he sent in a digital acceptance speech that was uploaded in his Facebook spaces.

The inimitable Nonie Buencamino took home the Best Actor in a Play award for his sterling performance in “Balete.”

Here are the other winners in this year’s Gawad Buhay:

Outstanding Translation or Adaptation: Rody Vera, Chris Millado, Sabrina Basilio, Delphine Buencamino, and the Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company for “Balete”;

Outstanding Book of a Musical: Juan Ekis for “Pingkian: Isang Musikal”;

Outstanding Original Score: Ejay Yatco and Juan Ekis for “Pingkian: Isang Musikal”;

Outstanding Musical Direction: Ejay Yatco for “Pingkian: Isang Musikal”;

Outstanding Choreography: Delphine Buencamino for “Balete”;

Outstanding Costume Design: Raven Ong for “Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical”;

Outstanding Lighting Design: Roman Cruz for “Balete”;

Outstanding Sound Design: Fabian Obispo for “Betrayal”;

Outstanding Set Design: Wika Nadera for “Balete”;

Outstanding Projection and Video Design: GA Fallarme for “Pingkian: Isang Musikal”;

Male Lead Performance in a Play: Nonie Buencamino for “Balete”;

Female Lead Performance in a Musical: Nicole Omillo for “One More Chance, The Musical”;

Female Featured Performance in a Play: Toni Go-Yadao for “Balete”;

Male Featured Performance in a Play: Marco Viaña for “Balete”;

Male Lead Performance in a Musical: Vic Robinson for “Pingkian: Isang Musikal”;

Female Featured Performance in a Musical: Sheila Francisco for “Bar Boys: A New Musical”;

Male Featured Performance in a Musical: Juliene Mendoza for “Bar Boys: A New Musical”;

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Play: “Balete” for Tanghalang Pilipino;

Outstanding Ensemble Performance for a Musical: “Bar Boys: A New Musical,” Barefoot Theatre Collaborative;

Outstanding Stage Direction in a Play: Chris Millado “Balete”; 

Outstanding Stage Direction for a Musical: Jenny Jamora for “Pingkian: Isang Musikal”;

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Play: “Betrayal” for Repertory Philippines;

Outstanding Production of Existing Material for a Musical: “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” Repertory Philippines;

Outstanding Play–Original or Translation/Adaptation: “Balete,” Tanghalang Pilipino;

Outstanding Musical–Original or Translation/Adaptation: “Pingkian: Isang Musikal,” Tanghalang Pilipino;

Outstanding Production for Children: “Jepoy and the Magic Circle,” Repertory Philippines;

Special Citations for Achievement in Puppetry: “Jepoy and the Magic Circle,” Repertory Philippines and “Buruguduystunstugudunstuy: Ang Parokya ni Edgar Musical,” Full House Theater Company;

Natatanging Gawad Buhay: Dr. Nicanor G. Tiongson.