Dr. Arthur P. Casanova is a teacher, playwright, actor, director,
production designer, acting workshop director for stage, television, and
film. He is also a linguist, folklorist, folk dancer, and translator.
He has directed more than fifty (50) stage plays either in English or
Filipino language. He was an actor, director, technical director, and
tour manager of the major productions of MSU-Sining Kambayoka like “Mga
Kuwentong Maranao,” “Maharadia Lawana,” “Serapio in Rock,” “Ambon, Ulan,
Baha,” “Halik sa Kampilan,” “Di Maguni-gunii A Papanok,” “Oyayi,” and
“Kambayoka’s Vaudeville,” among others. Casanova is also one of the
founding members of the said theater group. He was also trained in
acting, directing, and integrated arts in the Philippine Educational
Theater Association (PETA) in 1974.
Arthur P. Casanova finished B.S.E. Chemistry (1975) and B.S.E.
Filipino (1982, Cum Laude) in Mindanao State University in Marawi City.
He was a member of the the famed MSU-Sining Kambayoka and the
MSU-Darangan Cultural Dance Troupe in the same university. He was a
professor at MSU High School, MSU-Integrated High School and MSU College
of Liberal Arts from 1975-1984.
He received his four graduate degrees from the Philippine Normal
University: Graduate Certificate in Filipino Linguistics, Graduate
Certificate in Drama Education and Theater Arts, M.A. in Education with
Specialization in Filipino Linguistics, and Ph.D. with Specialization in
Filipino Linguistics and Literature. Dr. Casanova was also a recipient
of a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship at the Arizona State University,
Arizona, USA in 1996. He also received the Council for International
Exchange Scholarship (CIES), a professional Lecture Grant in Hardwood
High School, Vermont, U.S.A. in September, 1996.
Dr. Casanova was accorded the following awards: Metrobank Foundation
Ten Outstanding Filipino Teachers (2013); Diona Tulaan sa Facebook
(2014); Metrobank Award for Continuing Excellence (ACES, 2009); Patnubay
ng Kalinangan at Sining para sa Teatro mula sa Pamahalaang Lungsod ng
Maynila (2009); Ramon Magsaysay High School Outstanding Alumnus in the
field of Arts, Culture, and Literature (2009); Aliw Award for Best
Musical Play Director (2007); National Book Award-Best Book on Cultural
Studies for Kasaysayan at Pag-unlad ng Dulaang Pambata sa Pilipinas mula
sa Manila Critics Circle and National Book Development Board (2007);
National Book Award-Best Anthology for Mga Piling Mindanao: Unang Aklat
from the Manila Critics Circle and National Book Development Board
(2008); Mindanao State University (MSU) Alumnus of the Decade for Arts
and Literature (2007); Gawad PASATAF (2003); Honorable Mention in
DaliText of Filipinas Institute of Translations (2008), Second Prize,
Gawad Collantes sa Pagsulat ng Tula, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (2003);
PASADO Award – Natatanging Guro sa Pelikula (2003); Bugal Sang
Antique-Layas Antiqueño Achievement Award (2003); Kabayan Gawad
Natatanging Guro sa/ng Filipino (2002); Sining Kambayoka Gador Award for
Drama and Theater Arts (2002); PNU Outstanding Alumnus in the field of
Arts and Letters (2002); Distinction Award for Culture and the Arts,
Kambayoka Alumni Association at ng Department of Education Cultural
Affairs Office, ARRM (2002); Metrobank Outstanding Teacher of the
Philippines (1999); Brent International School Jubilee Service Award
(1999); Gawad-Balagtas, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (1995); Gawad
Kapisanan ng mga Propesor sa Filipino (KAPFIL, 1995), Best Book Award,
Catholic Mass Media Awards for the book Kasaysayan at Pag-unlad ng
Dulaang Pilipino (1985); and a nomination from FAMAS for Best in Art
Direction for the film “Puri” (1985).
He has written more than forty (40) books, either as sole author or
co-author. His Diksyunaryo sa Drama at Teatro was published in 2001 by
Rex. Publishing House, Inc. The UST Publishing House published
Casanova’s anthologies of plays: Ulos: 4 na Dula ng Pakikidigma sa
Mindanao (2003), Mga Dulang Pambata sa Estilong Kambayoka (2003), Bata
Batuta, Dulang Pambata (2004), Mga Piling Dulang Pambata (2005), Mga
Piling Dulang Pantinedyer: Unang Aklat (2006), Mga Piling Dulang
Pantinedyer: Ikalawang Aklat (2006), Mga Piling Mindanao: Unang Aklat
(2007), Mga Piling Mindanao: Ikalawang Aklat (2008); Mga Piling Dulang
Pambata, Ikalawang Aklat (2009); Semento Boys at Iba pang Dulang May
Isang Yugto (2010); Kidney for Sale at Dalawa pang Dulang Ganap ang Haba
(2010); and books on theater history The Kambayoka Book: Thirty Years
of the Sining Kambayoka of the Mindanao State University, Marawi City
(2004), Kasaysayan at Pag-unlad ng Dulaang Pambata sa Pilipinas (2006)
and Kasaysayan at Pag-unlad ng Dulaang Pantinedyer sa Pilipinas (2009).
The National Book Store published the following: Samu’t Saring Dulang
Pambata (2007) and Mga Dulang May Isang Yugto na Batay sa Noli at Fili
ni Dr. Jose P. Rizal (2005, co-author). Moreover, Anvil Publishing
published the following books Klasrum Drama, Mga Anyo ng Dulaan sa
Paaralan (2011); Folktales of the Southern Philippines (2011,
cp-author); Mga Kuwentong-bayan ng Katimugang Pilipinas (2011,
co-author); Isahan, Kalipunan ng mga Dramatikong Monologo (2012), and
Dalawahan, Kalipunan ng mga Dulang may Dalawang Tauhan (2012).
Casanova has directed more than sixty (60) plays either in Filipino
or English language; from musical plays to straight plays; from
classical to contemporary; various genres – realistic, Brechtian
Theater, Theater of the Oppressed, Ethnic Theater, Dula-Tula,
Sayaw-dula, and Musical Theater. He studied different traditional
theater forms of Asia such as Noh and Kabuki of Japan, Peking Opera of
China, Wayang Kulit of Indonesia and Malaysia; and likai of Thailand. He
also had the opportunity to study Butoh Theater and Commedia del’Arte.
He had written more than thirty (30) plays in Filipino. Most of the
plays he wrote were children’s plays, either one-act play or full-length
play making use of the kambayoka style, the theater form of the
Maranaos propagated by the Sining Kambayoka. A great majority of his
plays were based on the Mindanao folktales where he injected relevant
advocacies.
From 1980 to 1989, he had a stint in film-making. He worked as an
actor, assistant director, Art director, Crowd Director, dubbing
director, and acting coach under the tutelage of Lino Brocka, Elwood
Perez, Joey Gosiengfiao, Mario de los Reyes, Mario O’Hara, among others.
He also served as the Executive Director of The Nora Aunor Foundation,
Inc. in 1985-1989.
Dr. Casanova has attended various seminar-workshops, conferences, and
theater festivals related to the teaching of International
Baccalaureate Theatre Arts in Bali, Indonesia; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
Jakarta at Bali, Indonesia; Taipei, Taiwan; and in United World College
sa Montezuma, New Mexico, USA and in Asia Pacific Athletic Conference
(APAC) Theatre Festivals in Beijing, China and Shanghai, China (2003,
2006, 2008, at 2012); at Brent International School Manila (2004, 2009);
Kobe, Japan (2005); and in Osaka, Japan (2007).
Casanova taught Filipino Language and Literature and Theater Arts at
Brent International School Manila for 24 years. In this school, he also
served as chair of the Filipino Department and later in the Modern
Language Department from 1992-1999. From 1989 to present, he directed
the following musical productions of Brent International School, Manila:
“The King & I,” “South Pacific,” “The Wizard of Oz,” Oliver,”
“Annie,” “Godspell,” “On the Way to Broadway,” “West Side Story,” “Bye,
Bye, Birdie,” “My Fair Lady,” “No, No, Nanette,” “Grease,” “Pippin,”
“The Fantasticks,” “Jeckyl’s Hydes,” “Once on this Island,” and
“Seussical, the Musical,” among others.
He was also a feature article contributor to Liwayway, Philippines’s
oldest magazine in Filipino language. He also served as Member of the
Board of Trustees ng Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in 2010.
He was also elected as President of the Network of Outstanding Teachers
and Educators (NOTED) in 2012-2013.
Casanova also taught at the Philippine Normal University (PNU)
Graduate School, De La Salle University (DLSU) Graduate School, and
Miriam College. He taught Advance Filipino under the program Advanced
Filipino Abroad Program (AFAF) at UP, Los Banos, PNU, and DLSU.
Moreover, as a Fulbright Fellow, Casanova taught Filipino Language at
Arizona State University, in Arizona, USA (1996) and at Wisconsin State
University in Madison, Wisconsin, USA (2012 and 2015). At present, he is
teaching at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde.
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