“As welcome as the aesthetic explorations of Ota Shogo and the intellectual thoroughness of Rustom Bharucha, internationally-respected Philippine artist, Steven Fernandez… set(s) down a lifetime’s thought in a valuable series of meditative essays on theatre as the mirror of life. … a philosophical book that will find its place amongst the academics in international theatre studies, but it is all the richer because he is a performer, a writer, composer, musician, choreographer, director, dramaturge, producer and theatre-maker with a life-time of practical experience…. .  I have known Steven Fernandez and … the Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) … for several decades and have the pleasure of watching them grow into an internationally-acclaimed troupe of multi-skilled artists who constantly bridge dance and drama, traditional and modern, academic and aesthetic.  The collaborative nature of Fernandez’ leadership is future-looking and well ahead of most directors anywhere.  These essays give insights into how to respect, empower, and draw from collaborators and their culture.” Foreword, PERFORMANCE LEVEL, by Aubrey Mellor, Director-Dramaturge

Directing on the Fringes enhances studies and craft in Philippine Theatre, particularly in the practice of Theatre in Mindanao within the larger National Theatre purview. Various essays about theatre pedagogy, production, and practice are collated from 4 decades of theatre practice. These essays – in the first-person point-of-view – narrate on Aesthetics, personal choices of the principles applied in production, road show preparations, criticism, director’s notes, and, most significantly, the creative process.

These personal vignettes go beyond narrating experiences being invaluable to the apprenticing theatre maker, the audience, theatre goers, and cultural researchers. Most significantly, the narratives explain how the author and his collaborating theatre makers have coped up with deficient resources in not-so-friendly conditions, of dwindling audiences, absence of infrastructure, lack of funding, and an apathetic community.

“… a bold theoretical design which maps out a field, a road, and a space for one interested in apprehending Philippine culture and art. … this book comprises Fernandez’ essays that explore, excavate, and disentangle dominant ideologies that influence, if not condition, scholars’ and researchers’ view of culture and art. Beyond delineating concepts as fundamental as “culture” and “art” and “order,” he states the premises and principles that set the grounds for his project and program.” – Victor Sugbo, Ph.D, scholar, award-winning writer

Covers the breadth of topics in Arts Appreciation, Aesthetics, and the Humanities. The book discusses Art within the purview of our local experiences, including: a brief guide of Man’s creative history, easy-to-comprehend theories distinguishing Arts of the West, Asia, and the Philippines, dual approaches to the study of Art as form and as a cultural expression, a sweep of the history of Art in the West, comprehensive introduction to Philippine Art and its problems of classification, essays on relevant expressions by our prominent practitioners, generous displays of illustrations and visuals.

Performance Level. IPAG-ARM, Inc. and Culture and Arts Studies Center, MSU-IIT. 2020

Attention away from the “center” has shifted to phenomenon in the fringes, as have been the trends. This book documents and discourses on the active performance practices of the last four decades proving that there is more outside of the mainstream.