IN AN EARNEST bid to revive the community theater in the countryside, one of the springboards of the Dulaang Don Mateo Lopez (Dumalo), the municipal drama organization in Lopez, Quezon is to conduct province-wide basic acting workshops in the region.
As it is, Dumalo Artistic Director Sidney Dalanon committed to take the lead for an outreach theater seminar to various sectors in Quezon Province.
“Nakahanda na ulit akong pumunta sa malalayong bayan at baryo para magturo ng mga elemento ng teatro sa lahat ng mga interesado (I am on my toes again to go the remotest towns and barrios to teach the elements of theater to all interested parties),” gushed Dalanon.
Although Sidney is from Mandaon, Masbate and stays in Sampaloc, Manila most of his time, he is inclined and devoted to teaching theater to residents of various regions.
Why not?
After Dumalo took off years ago in Lopez but was dormant for quite some time, Dalanon has been conducting acting workshops in different parts of the country.
On Sunday, June 7, 2026 Sidney will share his theater talents with the Art Apprenticeship 1 students of the Leon Guinto Memorial College in Atimonan, Quezon in collaboration with Christian Furio, LGMICI Art Apprenticeship Coordinator.
“I will lecture and hold theater workshops with these young people from Atimonan. I am so excited about this. I miss Quezon and its people,” exclaimed Dalanon.
As a graduate of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) in the early 90 with award-winning actress Ruby Ruiz as one of his teachers, Master Sidney has trained theater students on the onset of the millennium in Dasmarinas, Cavite, Sapang Palay in Bulacan and Tondo, Manila through the auspices of Helping Foundation; Mariveles, Bataan through the invitation of Fr. Robert Florido, a former chaplain of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, now known as Our Lady of Fatima Chaplaincy; Calaca, Batangas through the initiatives of private and public individuals in the area.
In his tenure as Artistic Director of DUMALO, Dalanon has directed several PETA plays in Lopez like “June Bride,” “Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo,” “May Isang Sundalo,” among others which were collaborated creatively and technically by his workshoppers in the 90s.
PETA generously gave permissions to DUMALO to mount the stage plays in Lopez.
Sidney also originally wrote a one-act play titled “Sariwang Hangin,” a loosely adaptation on environment protection from Joey Ayala’s folk song of the same title and was staged at Arellano University in Legarda Street, Manila in 1991.
Under his watch, Sidney has mentored TV, movie and multimedia stars like Lawrence David (“Sibak: Midnight Dancers” “Anino sa Dilim,” “Mula sa Puso” etc.), Mark Jacob (“Latak”), Mercedes Cabral (“Latak,” “Thirst,” “Kinatay,” “Batang Quiapo,” “Ang Bangkay,” among others) etc. in his past regular acting workshops.
Dumalo is also the home of artists Cymbie Osias, Dalanon’s fellow PETA alumnus and Marze Sibayan, also known as Vince Sibayan, a nurse-actor, the three of them make up the creation of the community drama group.
At the moment, Sidney is collating and updating all theater materials to apply into the Atimonan workshop and the revival of Dumalo.
On Sunday, Dalanon is expected to meet his former drama students like Eric Arela, Joseph Alano, Manny Pangaruy, Tricia Eugenia Masaga Maronilla in Lopez in a reunion of sorts.