Photo of Dennis Gupa, sourced from UVic.
Dennis Gupa, a PhD candidate in UVic’s Department of Theatre, is using an approach called applied theatre to amplify Filipino voices on climate change. Gupa is creating a series of stories told through song, poetry, acting, and dance in which people in the Philippines tell their own narratives about the impacts of typhoons and climate change.
Though there are different definitions of applied theatre, the most common theme is that it is a practice that reflects on social change. It is a process that mobilizes a community in order to create theatre that reflects their stories.
Photo from UP Diliman MATA Facebook page
Among those greatly affected by the pandemic is the theater industry. All around the world, theaters have not just let their curtains down but closed their doors to visitors. Thespians and staff are left out of work, and much like in “Waiting for Godot,” they are patiently on standby, hopeful that the day will come when they could come back to the stage again.
In order to continue its artistic mission, just like many industries, theater took a digital leap. With online theater learning and virtual spaces for productions, the spirit of theater was kept alive by transitioning from IRL to URL. And that is how the University of the Philippines – Diliman’s