Revitalizing Philippine Theater: A Framework for Theater as Creative Entrepreneurship

Revitalizing Philippine Theater: A Framework for Theater as Creative Entrepreneurship

Purpose – Despite the rich culture of the Philippines, the country has not been able to create products, services, and experiences that sustainably cater to domestic and international markets. Instead of harnessing its creative force to drive economic growth, it remains a creative labor supplier. The country is envisioned to become “a major creative hub in the Asia-Pacific, with strong and thriving creative industries” (British Council, 2017). Performing arts, including theater, is a key creative industries sector. However, theater is beset with precarity and instability (Santiago, 2021). This study sought to analyze the challenges and opportunities for revitalizing theater as an industry. Design/Methodology/Approach – In this investigation, a critical review was employed. This methodology not only describes the phenomena, but also formulates a re-conceptualization based on an integrative review of old and current models. A comparative analysis of creative economy models was made between Philippine theater and theaters internationally. Findings – Philippine theater is not fully utilizing its economic potential because current models involve high production costs, need for highly specialized creative labor, and lack of enabling policies. Among the four creative economy models (Potts and Cunningham, 2010), Philippine theater may benefit from Model 3, the Innovation Model, which may evolve into Model 4. Mapping representative theater companies and genres across the models provides insights into directions for theater innovations. A conceptual framework for innovating Philippine theater through Creative Entrepreneurship is forwarded. Research Implications – The framework yields valuable insights for theater managers, educators, heritage and cultural advocates, tourism creatives, and entrepreneurs.