The 2026 Saint Louis University (SLU) Arts Festival resumes with the sensational Drama Festival, held at the Fr. Joseph Van den Daelen CICM Center for Culture and Arts (CCA) Theater on 28 April 2026.
The Drama Festival had two categories, the One-Act Play and the Tula-Dula. A One-act Play is a performance art with one act and may consist of multiple scenes. This year, the theme for the One-Act Play category was “Not All Heroes Wear Capes.” Six entries from the School of Accountancy, Management, Computing, and Information Studies (SAMCIS), School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA), School of Law (SOL), School of Nursing, Allied Health and Biological Sciences (SONAHBS), School of Medicine (SOM), and School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts (STELA) participated in the said category. On the other hand, Tula-Dula is a performance art combining poetry (tula) and theater (dula). This year’s theme was “Resilience, Redefined” with participants from SEA, SOL, SOM, and STELA competing in the afternoon’s category.
In her opening remarks, Mrs. Katherine Nobleza-Estavillo, CCA Tanghalang SLU Trainer and Drama Festival Chairman, pondered that the theater is not just about acting, it is a mirror to society–its truths and its lies. “Dito binubuhay ang kasaysayan, dito rin hinihimay ang kultura, at dito rin hinaharap ang mga reyalidad na minsan mahirap tignan. Sa teatro, palaging may puwang para sa tanong, “ (This is where history is given life, this is where culture is dissected, and this is where reality is faced–even if sometimes it’s difficult to look at. In theater, there is always a space for questions.) she further reiterated.
The board of judges, consisting of established creatives from the theater and acting industry, was then introduced. Among them were Ms. Alecx Lorica, Ms. Teetin Villanueva, and Mr. Phi Palmos.
Intermissions by SLU Rondalla and Tanghalang SLU sustained the guests’ energy before formally closing the program.
The event concluded with the announcement of the winners for each category:
One-Act Play:
Best Poster Design – SAMCIS
Best Set Design – SOL
Best Costume Design – SOM
Best Lights and Sound Design – SAMCIS
Best Supporting Actor in a Male Role – Angelo Antolin as “Lantay” (SOL)
Best Supporting Actor in a Female Role – Hannah Likiyan as “Becky” (SOL)
Best Actor in a Male Role – Gaudwin Dumo as “Ferdy” (SOL)
Best Actor in a Female Role – Isabelle Aurelio as “Babaylan Diwata” (SOM)
Best Script – Gaudwin Dumo and Daniella Ducusin (SOL)
Best Director – Gaudwin Dumo and Daniella Ducusin (SOL)
3rd Place Best Play – SOM
2nd Place Best Play – SAMCIS
Champion Best Play – SOL
Tula-Dula:
Best Poster Design – SOL
Best Costume Design – SOL
Best Movement Ensemble – STELA
Best in Narration – STELA
Best Script – SOL
Best Director – SOL
3rd Place Best Performance – SOM
2nd Place Best Performance – STELA
Best Overall Performance – SOL
The 2026 Drama Festival celebrated students’ passion for the arts and the way theater is a means of introspection. Each performance presented a story that challenged our perspectives on the issues plaguing our country. SLU contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by providing students with an avenue to demonstrate not only their talents but also their voices. (Article by Guenne Gabriel Patano, UIO Intern | Photos by Kemm Mitchell Olarte, UIO Interns)
