Leading theater company Repertory Philippines (REP) has teamed up with the Meridian International College (MINT) – A Business, Arts and Technology School to bolster a new generation of Filipino theater practitioners, strengthen the local theater industry, and broaden educational opportunities with a global perspective.
REP and MINT College made their partnership official through a ceremonial signing on January 8 at the Makati Garden Club. The noteworthy occasion marks the roll-out of The Bridge Project, the skills exchange program to be conducted by REP’s 2024 season opener Betrayal’s esteemed lineup of theater professionals.
Betrayal is the renowned play by British theater icon Harold Pinter which premieres in March 2024. REP’s Betrayal director, Victor Lirio, the Manila-born, New York and London-based actor and theater director, leads The Bridge Project together with London’s West End-based Filipino actors James Bradwell, James Cooney, and Vanessa White, and New York-based Filipino creatives, set designer Miguel Urbino and sound designer Fabian Obispo.
The Bridge Project provides Filipino theater artists and aspirants free masterclasses, lectures, and readings that will enhance their theater skills like voice and scene work, set and sound design, and even Shakespeare rhetoric. With the MINT Campus as the official venue, the program is designed to deliver collaborative learning.
Founded in 2010, MINT College places a premium on the arts by offering a variety of specialized art-related degrees such as Music Business Management, Multimedia Arts, Film and Video, Performing Arts, and Fashion Management and Design.
“We are delighted to join forces with MINT College on The Bridge Project,” says REP President and CEO Mindy Perez-Rubio. “This partnership reflects our commitment to nurturing young talent and providing them with the tools they need to succeed in the performing arts industry.”
“At MINT College, we believe in empowering deserving artists to pursue their passion while developing the essential skills for a successful career in performing arts,” shares Hendrik Kiamzon, Executive Vice-President of MINT College. “The Bridge Project will offer them a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and learn from theatrical experts.”