ABOUT THE ARTIST

James Harvey Estrada is a part-time Associate Professorial Lecturer III at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines teaching drama in broadcast performance, semiotics in the arts/theater, and writing dramatic materials and was awarded Pandemic Achiever Award 2022 for his creative contributions during the pandemic. Art Specialist at DepEd Regional Lead School for the Arts in Angono mentoring performing arts students.

Based in Binangonan Rizal, the Founder of Parika Kalye Sining, Festival Curator of the Parika Binangonan Arts Festival an interdisciplinary festival that ran from August to November 2022.

A proponent of THEATER OF TOGETHERNESS, a form of theater research that discovers Asian-ness in performing and producing theatrical works.

Facilitator of Asian Performing Arts Camp 2022 and Exhibition Director of an international hybrid buzz-worthy performance piece, Fure Fure Ostrich Hayupang Die-Bow-Ken in 2020 Tokyo Arts Festival that was invited for re-run in 2021. One of the Directors/Collaborators of the Fake New Project researching in Korea, New York, and Malaysia.

The Artistic Director and Founder of The Scenius Pro.. He is a journalist, writer, director, actor and playwright. As an artistic director of The Scenius Pro. a contemporary performance company. James’ works advocates on empowering the Deaf community with Hear, Here!, HIV stigma reduction with Reign-Bow a drag-vocacy and Maikling Dasal, Mahabang Gabi a theatre play on the plight of Overseas Filipino Workes. His latest works focused on the drug war of the Philippines entitled “Pagsusumamo Para Sa Kinalimutang Kislap Ng Perlas Ng Silanganan” a prayer performance for the victims and families of Philippine drug war.

Performing arts mentor at the Regional Lead School for the Arts in Angono and founding artistic director of Luwal Sining-Pagganap, the official performing group of RLSAA Senior Highschool Arts and Design Track, a collaboration of five art areas; music-vocal, music-orchestra, dance, rondalla and theater arts.

Asian Performing Arts Farm 2019 Laboratory member in facing the cities of Yogyakarta Indonesia and Tokyo Japan.

His media production experiences includes a wide array of multimedia platforms where he was a researcher, producer, writer, news editor, acting coach and director. Explored every possible broadcast formats like docu-drama, teleplays, magazine shows, reality shows, showbiz talkshows, satirical news program and news and public affairs special hard hitting coverage and viral internet short videos for TV 5, ETC Solar Entertainment and currently with GMA Network Inc.

He graduated Film Directing under Cinemalaya Institute and the former festival director and curator for Queer International Film Festival and Short+Sweet Film Manila.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I am coming with an Asian Transfield perspective from the Pearl of the Orient, the Philippines. A
Filipino artist actively participating in the region interweaving regional stories and developing
transcreations of narrative and expression under transnational collaborations with topics on
international solidarity, human relation with nature, fake news, and human rights.

As a contemporary theater-maker with and master’s in communication, I have been researching
and experimenting with hybrid performances and hybrid production for the past two years. I
have been fascinated by the key roles of Information and Communication Technology in our hybrid process of production. I have also presented a paper under the PUP Open University forum
on Best Media Practices during the pandemic. In my paper, I analyzed the phases of production
and how we can maximize technology as a tool. I am also continuously studying technological
ethics and media ethics involved as well as how to address possible threats in this kind of
technological integration in both media and theatrical production which will be the THEATRICAL
SPACE OF THE POST-PANDEMIC.

Right now, I have this recurring question; How to become a Transnational Artist in the post-
pandemic? I would want to share more about the evolution of theatrical space that can showcase/stream for online and in-person audiences and how this kind of format will open doors for international collaboration possibilities. I am dreaming of making a SMART THEATRE or an E-
Theatre where physical infrastructure is well coordinated with a digital infrastructure of the space. A collaboration of theatre architecture, digital technology, and world-wide-web
infrastructure. I had a vision of this prototype inspired by my 2- year work with the Tokyo Festival
where I was an online and in-person director and performer.

HEALING Since 2018. I have acknowledged my faith healer grandfather’s contribution to my
artistic work. In the lineage of my ancestors, I would be the next healer in the community. I think
living in a time of the pandemic, where the world needs healing both from the virus and psychologically, moved me in creating works that are anchored in prayers, rituals, and truth-
seeking/telling. I had a vision before that the next pandemic will be a mental health crisis. I believe in the power of theater and performances as a tool for healing. I want to continue my
research on this theme. I have been experimenting with this form, but I want to extend it to an
international scale. Maybe, the post-pandemic e-theatre of the future will help us towards a
better and healing community.

My core is communication and healing crafted in the power of meticulously knowing privileges
and safe spaces for sensitive topics and information. I see theatre and performances as a
communication tool for communal development, healing, personal reflections, and a venue to
discuss difficult information. As a communication expert, listening and speaking is very
important. In my artistic process, listening and consenting with the community lays the
foundation of any artistic work. And once the context and objectives are laid with the community
that is the time, we develop the project.

Speaking for and Speaking with the community is the final process of the work. It is the staged
output or an activity/platform for discussion. This communication process aligned with artistic
projects is proven to be best in building and connecting with the communities whether locally or
internationally.