Dennis Gupa & Gossip with Whales Gets First Green Award Honour

  • Page Views 443
  •  

    Dr. Dennis Gupa and his unique artistic collaboration “Gossip with Whales: Exploring Ocean Science through Applied Theatre” is honoured by The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) Inaugural Green Award this year as the Individual Artist Runner-Up.

    The Inaugural PACT Green Award is initiated by PACT, a “leader in the national performing arts community and a devoted advocate for the value of live performance”. The Green Award goes to one winning project along with two runner-up projects, one for a company and one for an individual artist.

    At the Ceremony on Thursday, Feb 23 EST/12pm EST, the Winner, The Only Animal Theatre Company for its project The Artist Brigade, Artist Runner Up Dennis Gupa for Gossip with Whales, and Company Runner Up Soulpepper Theatre for The Green Sessions will present on their projects and share their experiences with the community.

    Dr. Gupa is now Assistant Professor at the University of Winnipeg, Theatre and Film Department. While working with Gossip with Whales, he was then a PhD student at the University of Victoria’s Theatre Department and the artist-in-residence with Ocean Networks Canada (ONC). For Gupa, this residency fitted in with his doctoral focus on Indigenous sea rituals, climate change, and sustainable ecology. He presented Gossip with Whales in its world premiere,  with the performances of four new choral compositions, musical performances with artists from the Philippines, and a panel of artists, performers, and scientists.  This feast of music and celebration of the ocean which all of humanity shares was presented at the launch of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030.

    Gossip with Whales was made possible by the University of Victoria-Faculty of Fine Arts and Ocean Networks Canada, the Victoria Filipino Canadian Association, UP Alumni Association in BC, Bayanihan Community Centre in Victoria, and the National Pilipino Canadian Cultural Centre. Gupa worked with his collaborating team made up of Karla Comanda, Roijin Suarez, Darren Vega, Thai Hoa Le, and Jeremiah Carag.

    Gupa beautifully used the collaboration of ocean science and the arts and drew upon the Filipino tanaga and mangyan lyrical art forms to produce four original and beautiful choral compositions: Corals Crawl, To the Pacific, Gossip with Whales, and Bamboo Stilts.

    “By looking at the experience and knowledge of local people—who have been experiencing these climatic events for so many years, but are not really given a lot of opportunities to tell their stories—we can learn from their knowledge and wisdom,” said Gupa at the panel interview during the world premier. “Our poetries and songs renew our kinship with the ocean.”

    Listen to the songs of the ocean and watch Gupa’s Gossip with Whales via this free and accessible online webinar. ###

    National Pilipino and Canadian Cultural Centre (NPC3)

    Reference: Prof. Leonora Angeles |nora.angeles@ubc.ca

     

    PHOTO CREDITS: Photo credit: NPC3, Oceans Network Canada

    Dennis Gupa in February 2021. (Photo credit: John Threlfall)

    Share

    New Posts Recently publish post More

    • 24 September 2023
      1 week ago No comment

      Kumukuti-kutitap: Paskong Pinoy Shines in New Westminster

      Vancouver, BC – September 16, 2023 – Christmas comes early in Metro Vancouver as the Filipino- Canadian community will be in for a treat to the first Kumukuti-kutitap: Paskong Pinoy 2023. The main event will highlight the Parol-Making Workshop to be hosted by the New Westminster Philippine Festival Society. ...

    • 24 September 2023
      1 week ago No comment

      2 Filipino films playing at VIFF

      This year, 2 films telling stories of Filipino characters are playing at the upcoming Vancouver International Film Festival. Paris Zarcilla’s Raging Grace and Seán Devlin’s Asog will be shown during the 42nd edition of VIFF! The Vancouver International Film Festival is one of the 5 largest film festivals in ...

    • 24 September 2023
      1 week ago No comment

      B.C. moves to increase housing supply, deliver more homes faster

      New measures are coming to B.C. that will help create more housing as the Province speeds up permitting and helps build more secondary suites for rent. “People in our province deserve a decent place to live they can actually afford to rent or buy, but a chronic housing shortage ...

    • 24 September 2023
      1 week ago No comment

      Netflix Philippines drops first-ever Station ID

      Netflix Philippines drops first-ever Station ID featuring Donny Pangilinan, Belle Mariano, other stars Netflix Philippines is celebrating Christmas early this year as the streaming service released its Christmas-themed Station ID via its social media channels on Monday, September 18. The video—titled “Kumukutikutitap ang Mga Bituin sa Brgy. Netflix!“— features ...

    • 24 September 2023
      1 week ago No comment

      “Senior High” now available for free and on-demand in US, Canada, Europe, Middle East, and Australia

      Available only on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel Mondays will always be on a high as viewers worldwide can now enjoy binge-watching ABS-CBN’s trending mystery-thriller series, “Senior High” starring Andrea Brillantes, which is now available for free and on-demand only on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel. Kapamilyas in the US, Canada, ...

    %d bloggers like this: