THE PHILIPPINE Normal University paid tribute to its former drama program head and renowned theater actress Natividad ‘Naty’ Crame-Rogers.

Rogers died on February 1, 2021 in a Pasig hospital due to complications of old age. She was 98.

“The PNU Community is proud to have been home to Prof. Rogers, a leading educator, and an illustrious professional stage actor and director. She was appointed head of the drama program after Dr. Severino Montano with whom she worked as a speech teacher and assistant,” PNU said in a Facebook post.

“In 1974, Prof. Rogers revived the spirit of the Arena Theater through the Drama Education and Theater Arts program. With her strong artistic leadership, many memorable productions were staged featuring the PNC faculty and staff as cast, later heading the birth of the Teachers theater, the production arm of the DETA Department,” it added.

Rogers also helped organize the PNC Cultural Tours and conducted several drama workshops from 1976 to 1981.

She played the role of ‘Paula’ in A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino by Nick Joaquin and the titular role in The Love of Leonor Rivera by Severino Montano.