NEW YORK CITY: On May 23, 2009, the “Filipinas Magazine Show” came to New York City to interview me in New York City. Why? That month, I became the first Asian American and Filipino American to win the George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism, the highest accolade for dramatic criticism in the United States. The ceremony took place at the Philippine Consulate in New York, where the “Filipinas Magazine Show” did its taping. And in 2007, I was the recipient of the Filipinas Magazine Arts & Culture Prize during the 10th annual Filipinas Magazine Achievement Awards. “Filipinas Magazine Show” is a 30-minute, weekly TV magazine program on GMA Pinoy TV. It airs every Saturday 6:30 pm (PST) or 9:30 pm (EST) via DirecTV and Dish Network and on cable systems that carry GMA network in the U.S. Then, on March 23, 2010, Raymond Virata of Filipinas Magazine made the filmed segment available online by posting it on its website. Here is the link: An interview with New York theater critic, playwright and American Theater magazine editor Randy Gener, the Filipinas Magazine Show, May 23, 2009. Looking back at that experience, I found the interview quite lovely and professionally done. I am very grateful to producers of Filipinas Magazine. What I love best is that I now appear on YouTube: On the Filipinas magazine website, someone named Wally Jaspers posted a remark in which he observes: “This guy talks like English is his second language.” By profession, I am a writer. I know how to present myself on the page. I don’t get interviewed for broadcast frequently, so I am still learning to be a more polished talker on camera. I speak in public a lot, and I am comfortable with speaking in front of a crowd. I swear the camera makes you feel hyperconscious. During the filming of that interview last year, I was …
Randy Gener Wins NLGJA Journalist of the Year
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Today the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) announces the recipients of its Excellence in Journalism Awards.    The recipient of this year’s Journalist of the Year is Randy Gener of American Theatre magazine. The recipient of this year’s Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Media goes to Kerry Eleveld of The Advocate.  NLGJA’s Excellence in Journalism Awards were established in 1993 to foster, recognize and reward excellence in journalism on issues related to the LGBT community. In addition to Journalist of the Year and the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Media, awards will be presented for excellence in news writing, feature writing, opinion writing, network television, radio, online, photojournalism, HIV/AIDS and student journalism.  The NLGJA Journalist of the Year award recognizes the outstanding professional achievements of an LGBT journalist. This year, NLGJA will present that honor to Randy Gener of American Theatre magazine, a writer, editor, critic, playwright and visual artist based in New York City.  Of Gener, judges said: “Some of the best journalism is being done outside of traditional newsrooms and by people covering niche areas. Gener’s writing on theater, especially as it interacts with LGBT lives, is beautifully done, knowledgeable and almost lyrical in its language.”  Kerry Eleveld of The Advocate has been selected to be honored with the Sarah Pettit Memorial Award for Excellence in LGBT Media. Named for the late Newsweek journalist and founding editor of Out magazine, the award recognizes outstanding contributions of a journalist working in the LGBT media.  Of Eleveld’s work, judges said: “Eleveld needs to be commended for pushing for a D.C. bureau for The Advocate,” as well as “From her unique place inside the White House, she’s consistently making news and controlling the direction of news stories.” Founded in 1990, NLGJA is the leading professional organization for …
2010 SPJ Deadline Club Award Goes to Randy Gener
  NEW YORK CITY — The DEADLINE CLUB, the New York City chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, honored the best of the best in New York area journalism June 7 at the Annual Dinner of the DEADLINE CLUB AWARDS, one of New York City’s most prestigious journalism awards. Randy Gener won the 2010 Deadline Club Award for Best Arts Reporting in New York – printed, broadcast or otherwise disseminated in 2009. The judges said, “This category was blessed with exceptional entries overall, which bodes well for the relevance of arts reporting. Gener’s writing had special relevance. He shed light into government censorship and repression of artists. He met the high standards of excellence for journalism and went above and beyond with regards to enterprise, resourcefulness, and overcoming obstacles in pursuit of the story. He demonstrates the effect that spotlighting artistic passion can have. Congratulations!” Beating The Forward and The New York Times in the specialized writing category, Gener received a Rube Goldberg bronze statue from Deadline Club president, Rebecca Baker and keynote speaker Robert Thomson, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal and editor-in-chief of Dow Jones & Co. Gener won for “Fomenting a Denim Revolution,” which appeared in the May/June 2009 international theatre edition of American Theatre, published by Theatre Communications Group. This magazine article chronicles the plight of the guerilla artists of Belarus Free Theatre who perform underground in Minsk while arguing openly for regime change. The Deadline Club recognized more than two dozen winners and scores of finalists who were deemed the best in New York area journalism – printed, broadcast or otherwise disseminated in 2009 by news organizations based in and around the New York City area. With 29 categories, the focus ranged from newspapers to radio and television to online. Winners in the other categories …
Gener Wins 2 Awards for Writing Excellence in Travel Media Competition
PASADENA, CA — The North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) today announced that Randy Gener won two awards of merit for writing excellence in the 2009 annual awards competition. “The North American Travel Journalists Association honors the best of the best in travel journalism,” says Helen Hernandez, CEO of the membership organization. In the leisure activity category, Gener won a 2009 NATJA Award for “Why are the Dutch Invading Governor’s Island?,” a travel essay about the Terschelling Oerol Festival and de Parade in the Netherlands.  In September 2009, both interdisciplinary festivals from Holland imported to Governor’s Island the New Island Festival. In the personality/profile category, Gener won for “Dreaming in Yoruba Land,” about the African-American playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney whose trilogy The Brother/Sister Plays premiered at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey and The Public Theater in New York City. Both articles were published in the September 2009 issue of American Theatre magazine, published byTheatre Communications Group in New York City. Randy Gener is the senior editor of American Theatre magazine. Adds Hernandez, CEO of NATJA: “This was a banner year for excellence. Given the creativity, writing and vision of the submissions, the judges had a difficult time selecting the winners from the more than 500 entries.” The annual NATJA awards competition, now in its 18th year, honors travel journalists, publications and destination marketing organizations. Winners were presented with their awards at the annual NATJA conference May 11-14, 2010 in Reno, Nevada. NATJA Awards recognize excellence in travel writing, photojournalism, multimedia platforms, advertising, marketing and public relations for the travel and tourism industry. NATJA received more than 500 submissions from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. NATJA is the second largest travel media association in North America. Members include travel media professionals, convention and visitors bureaus and other travel marketing agencies. Members are provided with professional development workshops, peer-to-peer …
Randy and Lewis