| Vaudeville in the Philippines | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Bodabil |
| Stylistic origins | Filipino folk music, Western vaudeville |
| Cultural origins | Early 20th century, Filipino |
| Typical instruments | Vocals |
Vaudeville in the Philippines, more commonly referred in the Filipino vernacular as bodabil, was a popular genre of entertainment in the Philippines from the 1910s until the mid-1960s. For decades, it competed with film, radio and television as the dominant form of Filipino mass entertainment. It peaked in popularity during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines from 1941 to 1945. Many of the leading figures of Philippine film in the 20th century, such as Dolphy, Nora Aunor, Leopoldo Salcedo and Rogelio de la Rosa, began their showbusiness careers in bodabil.
Bodabil is an indigenized form of vaudeville, introduced in the Philippines around the turn of the 20th century.[1] It featured a hodgepodge of musical numbers, short-form comedy and dramatic skits, and even magic acts, often staged inside the theaters of Manila.[1] Bodabil proved the vehicle for the popularization of musical trends and musicians, performance genres and performers.[1]