Repertory Company

History

The UP Repertory Company is a non-stock, non-profit student organization that continually aims to raise the social consciousness of the Filipino audience through theater. It was established by director Behn Cervantes in 1972 as an answer to the University’s need for a responsible performing group. In response to the worsening social conditions prevalent in those days, the company established a tradition of plays that mirrors the lives of Filipinos.

As its contribution to Philippine theater, the Company has developed a significant variant of the lightning/street play called the "tula-dula" (poem-play). The "tula-dula", developed by Cecile de Joya, is a lightning play where actors act out a mime to a poem being read aloud by readers. The “tula-dula” has been used by the Company in various venues, and is still being used to this date. It performed its first full-length “tula-dula” entitled “UP ng Ina” which was written by UP Rep’s own writers’ pool in 2000.