In celebration of the Master of Arts in Theatre Arts’ (MATA) 40th year, the UP Diliman (UPD) Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts (DSCTA) holds four virtual round-table discussions every Saturday of May at 3 p.m.
“ArTisTalk 2021” brings together theatre educators, performance artist-scholars and MATA graduate students. Among invited theatre artists are Ana Valdes-Lim (alumna, The Julliard School’s Theatre Division), Anna Stojanovíc (alumna, Academy of Arts in Belgrade’s Acting Department), Missy Maramara (alumna, University of Arkansas in Fayetteville), Barbie Tan-Tiongco (alumna, Yale University School of Drama), Raven Ong (alumnus, University of Connecticut) and Clint Ramos (alumnus, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts).
The round-table discussions are part of events DSCTA lined-up from May to August as MATA turns 40 on Aug. 31.
The activities gather together MATA alumni in an effort to share with its current students, faculty, and potential students the program’s milestones and challenges of the last 40 years while anticipating future opportunities.
Gathering. “MATA Dialogues” set on Aug. 28, 3 p.m., will virtually gather together the program’s alumni and past and current faculty.
The video documentary project will give prominence to MATA’s past, present and future trajectories. Among the featured alumni are Lenaur Abbot, Paolo Amascual, Teguh Budiarto, Rene Carbayas, Jo Ann Catedrilla, Ma. Magdalena De Leon, Aileen Dela Cruz, Eric Dela Cruz, Dennis Gupa, Ma. Teresa Jamias, Jazmin Llana, Danilo Mandia, Percy Ng, Olivia Kristine Nieto, Davidson Oliveros, Armando Rutaquio, Dexter Santos, Geofferson Ting, Arnulfo Tolentino, and Sydney Villegas.
College of Arts and Letters (CAL) Dean Ma. Amihan L. Bonifacio-Ramolete, and Theatre faculty Prof. Josefina F. Estrella and Prof. Sir Anril P. Tiatco, PhD will also share their experiences as graduate students.
UP Board of Regents (BOR) institutionalized MATA in 1981 at its 1003rd meeting. Revisions in the program were approved in 2002 during BOR’s 1160th meeting. In 2017, the degree program established two specializations: Theatre Practice and Theatre Studies. These major revisions were approved during the 141st University Council meeting and officially released from the Office of the Secretary of the University and the BOR on Apr. 10, 2017.
The MATA curriculum continues to challenge its students to become critical theatre scholars, creators, and practitioners who internalize and understand the role of theatre and performance in society.
Partnering with DSCTA in the celebration are the UP System Office of International Linkages, UPD Office for Initiatives in Culture and the Arts, CAL, and the UP Cineastes’ Studio.
For more of the celebration, like and follow UP Diliman MATA on Facebook and Instagram at www.facebook.com/UPDilimanMATA or www.instagram.com/updilimanmata/.
For more of the MATA program, visit https://updiliman-theatre.org/master-of-arts/. For inquiries, send an email to updilimanmata@gmail.com.