Virgin Labfest in Visayas returns with new fellows

After its successful second staging, the Virgin Labfest (VLF)  in Visayas returns with a new batch of fellows. Following careful deliberation, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) names eight fellows who will undergo a two-week mentorship program on the study and practice of dramatic writing for the stage — Gilmore Agustin, Jr., Melchie Marie Mediadero, Alvin Dave Bensig, Talisa Nicole Clavel, John Arbe Arroyo, Lilia Jean Garrovillo, Ira Dawn Myer Vinco and Leezo Dionzon.

VLF, the theater festival of untried, untested and unstaged one-act plays, extends its reach to the region through the writing fellowship program by providing trainings and workshops to region-based writers, playwrights, and aspiring theater talents. With award-winning playwright Glenn Mas as mentor, the young and aspiring playwrights will attend lectures and writing sessions, undergo script critiquing, and interact with known playwrights and directors. They will have opportunities to study past VLF plays.  

The fellows are expected to produce their own plays, written in their local languages such as Cebuano, Hiligaynon, and Kinaray-a. 

The writing fellowship program will culminate with a Fellowship Showcase, featuring the final outputs of the fellows, on  20 July at 5 p.m., at the  Negros Museum in Bacolod City.

The Virgin Labfest Writing Fellowship Program in the Visayas is a project of the CCP, in collaboration with The Performance Laboratory, Inc.