University theater as springboard for new talents

MANILA, Philippines - Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso, TV and film director and theater educator, recently took part in the 10th World Congress of the International University Theater Association (IUTA) in Liege, Belgium. The international organization is composed of over 1,000 colleges and universities in 50 countries around the world. Lizaso participated in the discussions with delegates made up of theater teachers, mentors and practitioners.

The IUTA World Congress is held once in every two years. The next one in 2016 will be in Caldas, Columbia in South America.

 In the same event, Lizaso was re-elected for another four-year term as a member of the executive committee of IUTA.

Lizaso was tasked by Jean Marc Larrue, IUTA president, to head a special delegation that will represent the IUTA in the World Congress of the International Theater Institute-UNESCO to be held in Armenia in November. 

During the 10th IUTA Congress, Lizaso also gave a talk on Drama Therapy in which he shared the experience of Tanghalang Pilipino members in facilitating the healing process for those traumatized by Supertyphoon Yolanda through the conduct of drama therapy sessions. He urged attendees to make the issue of climate change part of their university theater repertoire.