Rene O. Villanueva (September 22, 1954 – December 5, 2007) was a Filipino playwright and author. He is famed for his deep involvement in theater and television and in children's literature, whether it be on television, in books or on stage.
Awards
He won the following awards: Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP), New York Film and TV Festival, First Latin American Video and Film Festival (Columbia), Japan Prize (Preschool Category), Prix Juenesse Winner (Germany), Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM), CCP, Gawad Collantes, Gantipalang Quezon, National Book Award, and Palanca.
His short play, Kumbersasyon (1980), won him the first of many Palanca Awards. His award-winning plays include May Isang Sundalo (1981, first prize), Huling Gabi sa Maragondon (1983, first prize), Punla ng Dekada (1984, second prize), Ang Hepe (1986, third prize), Asawa (1987, second prize), and Awit ng Adarna (1987, second prize).
Biography
Rene O. Villanueva was born in the La Loma neighborhood of Quezon City in the Philippines to Francisco, Tesdaman, Eduardo and Vicenta Villanueva.
He graduated with a History degree in 1975 from the Lyceum of the Philippines University. He died on December 5, 2007, at the Philippine Heart Center due to sudden cardiac arrest. His last blog post on his personal blog is here
Posthumous
The UPAlumni.net wrote on Villanueva: “…Villanueva, a playwright, was among the leading figures in children's literature in the Philippines. He was in the hall of fame list of the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. He graduated with a degree in history at the Lyceum of the Philippines in 1975.” Villanueva was awarded the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining (Literature) in 2004 and the Gawad Chanselor sa UP in 2005.
Works
Full Length Plays
Sixteen and Three Fourths (1975) Burles (Burlesque) (1977) Tribu (Tribe) (1979) Kontsabahan sa Tirarang (Conspiracy in Tirarang) (1979) Hiblang Abo (Strands of Gray) (1980) Sinakulo (1981) Sandaang Panaginip (A Hundred Dreams) (1981) Samperang Muta (Cheap Thrill) (1982) Madyik (Magic) (1983) Sigwa (Storm) (1984) Huling Istasyon (Last Station) (1983) Ang Hepe (The Chief) (1986) Awit ng Adarna (Song of the Adarna) (1987) Botong (1989) Tonyo (1990) Kalantiaw (1994) Bintao (1995) The Bomb! (2003)
One Act Plays
Kumbersasyon (Conversation) (1980) May Isang Sundalo (There Is A Soldier) (1981) Nana (Mother) (1982) Huling Gabi sa Maragondon (Last Night at Maragondon) (1983) Punla ng Dekada (Seedlings of the Decade) (1984) Kaaway sa Sulod (Enemy Within) (1986) (with Rolando S. Dela Cruz) Mabuhay ang Pangulo (Long Live the President) (1987) (with Rolando S. Dela Cruz) Asawa (Spouse) (1987) (with Rolando S. Dela Cruz) Teodora (1993) Gregoria (1993) Dobol (Double) (1994) Watawat (Flag) (1999) White Love (2004) Bertdey ni Guido (Guido's Birthday) (2007)
Two-act Documentary Play
Sa Sariling Bayan (In One’s Own Land) (1988)
Translations and Adaptations
Florente at Laura (Florente and Laura) (1988) Ang Napigil-Sanang-Paghahari ni Arturo Ui (Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui) (1987) (with Joey Baquiran) Sutsot sa Dilim (Whistle in the Dark) (1985) Crimes of Passion (1985) Awit ng Adarna (Song of Adarna) (1984) Sa Kuko ng Liwanag (In the Claws of Neon Light) (1993) "Isperekengkeng Isperekangkang" (A Comedy of Errors) (2005)
Children’s Plays
Tiktipak-long (Grasshoppers) (1984) Si Pagong at si Matsing (The Turtle and the Monkey) (1984) (an opera with music by Lucrecia Kasilag) Ang Apoy ng mga Hayop (The Fire of the Animals) (1987) (music by Kasilag) Aguinaldo sa Niño (Gift for the Infant) (1987) Noong Unang Panahon (In the Beginning) (1988)
Screenplays
Gabi na Kumander (It’s Night Commander) (1986) Kamagong (Mahagony) (1987) Anak ng Lupa (Child of the Earth) (1987)
Autobiography/Memoirs
Personal: Mga Sanaysay Sa Lupalop Ng Gunita
Teleplays
Gabay Sa Pagsulat At Anim Na Dulang Pantelebisyon
Literature Eksena't Saknong (with Ligaya G. Tiamson Rubin)
