MANILA, Philippines—The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in partnership with Southern Lantern Studios and Daluyong Studios present a short feature documentary on the backstage work of the Center’s Theater Crew. The anticipated film is set to premiere on March 30, 2022 at 3:00PM at the CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater).
Billed as “Backstage Pass: Life Behind the Curtains”, the 30-minute feature documentary directed by award-winning indie filmmaker Joseph Mangat covers the back-of-house activities of the CCP Theater Crew in lights, fly, and stage areas. Featured crew members likewise share their unique backstage stories in the film.
Image courtesy of The CCP
Since the CCP raised its curtains on September 8, 1969, various local, regional, and international productions, events, activities in dance, music, theater, visual arts, film, television, radio, and literature were staged in its hallowed halls. People from all walks of life have set foot in this iconic structure to include Presidents, High Ranking Officials, and Royalties.
Artists of local and international caliber have performed and have graced performances, events, launches, screenings, exhibits in the main performance spaces, exhibition spaces, and screening rooms.
The pandemic caused booked and scheduled performances from March 16, 2020 up to October 2021 to postpone, cancel or reschedule; bringing theater activities to a halt. It displaced a significant number of artists, theater workers/technicians, carpenters, painters, seamstresses and several other skilled craftsmen.
With the imposed dark theater lull extended indefinitely, the theater crew were re-assigned to an intensive maintenance program; with some, doing research and skills development, as well as design and fabrication of a few work implements.
The situation lent itself for capturing life happening behind the curtains in a short film documentary. The feature pays tribute to the unsung heroes who tirelessly work behind the curtains, people who create a seamless event spectacle, unseen by the audience, garbed in standard-issue black, weaving their way through huge sets and high voltage dimmers, as well as grids and catwalks in dizzying heights.
For more information, visit the CCP website at www.culturalcenter.gov.ph or follow the official CCP social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.