Filipino American Flordelino Lagundino is Park Square Theatre’s new artistic director

By WALTER ANG
Aug. 1, 2018
USA and Canada Section, Inquirer.net
http://usa.inquirer.net/14253/fil-park-square-theatres-new-artistic-director

ST. PAUL, Minnesota — Filipino American Flordelino Lagundino as been appointed the artistic director of Park Square Theatre.

Flordelino Lagundino.

Lagundino was chosen with a unanimous vote by the selection committee after a five-month national search that attracted more than a hundred applications from across the country.

"My vision for Park Square Theatre is to have impact with bold, theatrical events which surprise and transform our audiences," he said.

"Together, we will build a theatre that represents us all; the story of inclusion will permeate every aspect of our organization, from the choice of plays-classical to contemporary-to the way we market our shows and sell our tickets, to faces that we see in our audience and how we interact with the community.

"We will build this theatre with love.

"Audiences will see it in the details and care we put into our productions. Students will feel it in how we welcome them into our theatre. The board will know it as they invite new friends to the hottest show in town. People who have been othered will see it when actors who look like them share their stories."

Across the country

Lagundino was most recently artistic director of Leviathan Lab, a theater company in New York City founded by Filipino American Ariel Estrada.

His work as an actor and director spans across the country.

His recent directing and acting work include productions in the East Coast for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and the West Coast for The Old Globe Theater in San Diego and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland, Lagundino has master's degrees in acting from University of Texas and in directing from Brown University (where he was a founding producer of Romp of Otters, the school's graduate theater company).

He previously cofounded Tsunami Theatre in Washington, DC, where he was artistic director until 1999. He was also founding artistic director of Thunder Mountain Theatre Project in Juneau, Alaska (founded in 2007), later renamed Generator Theater Company in 2009.

Lagundino is not new to the Minneapolis area. Last year, he worked at the Guthrie Theater, assistant directing "Blithe Spirit," and at Mixed Blood Theatre, acting in "Vietgone."

In a Facebook post, he wrote, "I ... am fortunate to be returning [to St. Paul] as one of the leaders of a theater that shares my love of theatrical possibility and of civic engagement by opening up space for all voices in our community to find their full expression."

Leadership

Lagundino will be the third artistic director in the history of Park Square Theatre, which was founded in 1975. He succeeds Richard Cook, who has been the artistic director since 1980.

"Flordelino is both a theater maker and a company-builder, which builds on our history," Cook said. "As a leader, he is ambitious for his fellow artists and professionals. Empathetic by nature, he listens intently and pulls people together to make things happen."

He begins his tenure on Aug. 1 and will overlap with Cook for a month as Cook prepares to retire on Sept. 1.

An exhibition celebrating the history and contributions of Park Square Theatre will be held at Landmark Center during September. A welcome reception for Lagundino is scheduled for Sept. 26.

A major contribution to the theater has bestowed the company's artistic director position with the official title of "The John W. Harris Family Artistic Director."

Currently playing at Park Square Theatre's Andy Boss Thrust Stage is Theater Mu's production of "The Korean Drama Addict's Guide to Losing Your Virginity," helmed by Mu's artistic director Fil-Am Randy Reyes. The romantic comedy runs until Aug. 19.

Visit Parksquaretheatre.org.

READ about Lagundino's recent involvement with Leviathan Lab here.

READ about Marlina Gonzales' play 'Isla Tuliro' staged in Minneapolis, Minnesota here.

READ about theater director Randy Reyes here.

Fil-Am N’Jameh Camara honors her lolo in ‘The Color Purple’ nat’l tour

By WALTER ANG
July 28, 2018
USA and Canada Section, Inquirer.net
http://usa.inquirer.net/14159/fil-njameh-camara-honors-lolo-color-purple-natl-tour

WASHINGTON, DC — Filipino American N'Jameh Varona Camara is currently playing the role of Nettie in the national touring production of "The Color Purple," which opens in Washington, DC at The Kennedy Center on July 31 and runs until August 26.

N'Jameh Camara (kneeling, right) plays Nettie
in the national touring production of "The Color Purple."
Photo by Matthew Murphy

This tour is of the 2015-17 Broadway revival staging that won the 2016 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

Based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker, the musical follows the journey of Celie, an African-American woman, who sacrifices herself to allow her sister Nettie to escape an abusive life.

The original Broadway production opened in 2005 where the Nettie character was originated by Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica Schuyler in "Hamilton"). Whoopi Goldberg played Celie in the 1985 film adaptation directed by Steven Spielberg.

Lolo

The tour kicked off in Baltimore, Maryland last year and has toured cities such as Atlanta, Des Moines, Pittsburgh, Boston, and Oklahoma, as well as several cities in states such as California, Texas and Florida. Its previous leg before DC was Chicago.

N'Jameh Camara.
Photo by David Muller.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Camara is proud to be a woman who has a Filipino mother and a Gambian father. The J in her first name is pronounced as a Y.

In her playbill dedication for the show, Camara states her performance is "for my Lolo," referring to her maternal grandfather Dr. Guillermo Varona.

When she was younger, as any teenager would, she got embarrassed when he praised her singing abilities.

"Every time he saw me, he would always tell me how beautiful my voice was and would share that with his friends and colleagues," she says.

"Now that he is gone from my life, I see what a treasure it was to have had that and him in my life. I know that I am the combination of my ancestors' decisions and perceptions on life."

"I honor him with my success in the performing arts because he affirmed me at 14 years old that I had a gift and to always put my faith in God and myself. He would always tell me how I would be on Broadway someday, and to keep working hard."

Journey

Camara's foray into theater began in the eighth grade when she auditioned for a school production of "The Sound of Music" and was cast as the lead character, Maria.

Camara honors her Filipino grandfather when she performs in "The Color Purple."

Support and encouragement from relatives and teachers led her toward studying theater. Camara received her master's in acting from UC San Diego and, in turn, has taught acting and movement workshops at various universities including Loyola University-New Orleans, University of California-San Diego, State University of New York-Oswego, Northern Arizona University and University of Central Missouri.

Previous credits include "X: or Betty Shabazz vs. The Nation," "Julius Caesar," "Up Here," "OjO," "Marguerite to Maya," and "Dance of the Holy Ghost," among others.

Camara was actually out of the country attending a conference when she found out that she landed the role of Nettie. "My fiancé and I went out for a celebratory drink! I was excited, nervous, anxious and in disbelief all at once!"

But more importantly, Camara felt it was a sign that all her hard work was paying off and that she was on the right path.

Lola

Now several months into the tour, she has been able to unearth truths about herself through the character she plays.

"I continue to discover how Nettie and I are similar, and I use it," she says.

"The other day my cousin posted on Instagram an old black-and-white photo of my maternal grandmother, Dr. Rose T. Varona, at 18 years old, dressed in traditional Ifugao clothing and playing a musical instrument. The caption read: "Losing tradition to whitewashing and assimilation."

"That's what happened when my grandmother came to this country. It was very hard for her not to assimilate and to be submitted to whitewashing."

Camara goes on to explain that Nettie also encounters similar experiences while she is in Africa, "watching her village get destroyed, all in the name of colonization and imperialism."

"I continue to discover Nettie when I am able to pull from my roots and form connections with her."

Food and fun

Meanwhile, she's taking in the visual, cultural, and culinary offerings of the different cities where the production has been touring.

"I loved the food and celebratory nature of New Orleans. I will eat blackened gator any day. I enjoyed the cheesesteaks and the history of Philadelphia, the enchanting river walk and history of San Antonio, the barbecue of Kansas City, the Motown museum and African American History museum in Detroit, and the community of downtown Charlotte."

The top of her list so far has been Los Angeles for one reason. "I loved being able to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Butterbeer, people!"

"The Color Purple" runs Jul. 31-Aug. 26 at Eisenhower Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC. Visit Colorpurple.com.

Fil-Am Annelih Hamilton kills monsters in Seattle play

By WALTER ANG
July 20, 2018
USA and Canada Section, Inquirer.net
http://usa.inquirer.net/13974/fil-annelih-hamilton-kills-monsters-seattle-play

SEATTLE — Actress Annelih Garciano-Holganza Hamilton will be slaying otherworldly creatures in Theater Schmeater's production of Vietnamese American playwright Qui Nguyen's "She Kills Monsters."

Annelih Hamilton (top row, right) in
Theater Schmeater's "She Kills Monsters."

Hamilton plays the character of Agnes Evans in this comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games. Agnes finds a way to know more about her recently deceased sister-along with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture-through her sister's refuge: the world of Dungeons & Dragons.

For television, Nguyen has written for AMC, Netflix, SYFY, PBS, and Marvel Studios.

Nguyen's other play, "Vietgone," is currently enjoying several stagings across the country. Writers Theatre's Aug.-Sept. Chicago staging later this year includes Fil-Am actors Rammel Chan and Emjoy Gavino in the cast; East West Player's Oct.-Nov. Los Angeles production will be helmed by Fil-Am director Jennifer Chang.

Engaging antics

"After Agnes loses her sister Tilly, she comes across a Dungeons & Dragons campaign that Tilly wrote. Agnes plays the game in an effort to learn about her sister since they didn't have much of a relationship," she says.

Annelih Hamilton hopes the play will inspire audiences to "life fully as possible."

Through the game, Agnes is able to play along and have an adventure "with" Tilly, as well as with a demon queen, a dark elf and a demon overlord.

Theatergoers need not be familiar with the Dungeons & Dragons game to go watch the show, reassures Hamilton.

"Also, in our production, we've got lots of puppets, stage combat, and even a dance battle, so there's lots of fun, engaging antics to watch!"

Credits

Hamilton was born in Anchorage, Alaska to Filipino parents (Hamilton is her married surname) and fell in love with acting while she was as student in middle school. She went on to study theatre performance at Chapman University in California and later took up a master's degree in theatre at University of Florida.

Hamilton previously acted in Seattle Children's Theatre's
one-actor play "The Lamp is the Moon."

She recently concluded a run at the Seattle Children's Theatre tackling the one-actor play "The Lamp is the Moon," as Shawn, a girl who dreams of becoming an astronaut.

Other credits include "Don't Split the Party" for Transparent Storytelling Theatre, "King of the Yees" for ACT Theatre, "Squatch! The Musical" Ensemble Centerstage Theatre helmed by Fil-Am director Sara Porkalob, and "The Realization of Emily Linder" for Taproot Theatre Company.

Games

While she herself does not play Dungeons & Dragons, Hamilton appreciates its appeal. "I can see why many people love the game. It's a chance to play characters in a magical world and you get to create that world with friends. It's a great way to build community and stretch your imagination."

When she was a child, Hamilton preferred playing the card game Uno. "I really enjoyed playing that with family during get-togethers."

As an adult, she's no technophobe—"I occasionally play mobile games. I like puzzle games. My current favorite is 2048, a single-player sliding block puzzle game. The objective is to slide numbered tiles on a grid to combine them to create a tile with the number 2048. The highest I've gotten is 512, so I've got something to work towards!"

Nurturing relationships

Despite the overtly fantastical and comedic aspects of the play, and without giving away the story, the plot also touches on grieving and other "serious" topics.

Hamilton hopes that "audiences will be inspired to nurture the relationships that matter most to them."

She also hopes that watching the production, to be directed by Butch Alice, will encourage theatergoers to appreciate what life has to offer. "I hope they'll be inspired to create the world they want to live in and to live as fully as possible. I hope they'll be inspired to be silly, to play, and to kick ass!"

"She Kills Monsters" runs July 27-Aug. 18 at Theater Schmeater, 2125 3rd Ave., Seattle. Visit Schmee.org.

Fil-Am May Adrales wins Alan Schneider directing award

By WALTER ANG
July 11, 2018
USA and Canada Section, Inquirer.net
http://usa.inquirer.net/13752/fil-wins-alan-schneider-directing-award

ST. LOUIS, Missouri — Theater director May Adrales has won the Alan Schneider Director Award from Theatre Communications Group (TCG), a support organization for theater companies and artists. A native of Covington, Virginia, she was born to Filipino parents.

May Adrales

Adrales was bestowed the recognition in St. Louis, Missouri, where TCG's annual national conference was held this year. Filipino American leaders TCG include board member Randy Reyes, artistic director of Mu Performing Arts in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and director of artistic programs Emilya Cachapero.

The award identifies and assists "exceptional directors whose talent has been demonstrated through work in specific regions, but who may not be well known nationally."

WATCH May Adrales accept her award.

The recipient receives $7,500 which may be used for travel, research, or related developmental activities.

Recent work

Adrales was named associate artistic director of Milwaukee Repertory Theater for its 2017-2018 season. She directed the group's productions of Ayad Akhtar's "The Who and The What" last year and an adaptation of George Orwell's "Animal Farm" earlier this year.

Scene from Milwaukee Rep's "Animal Farm" directed by May Adrales.
Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Adrales' work as a freelance director spans across the country. Of note, she has directed the world premiere (in Costa Mesa, California) and several stagings (New York; Ashland, Oregon and Seattle) of Qui Nguyen's play "Vietgone."

(Filipino American actors Flordelino Lagundino and Sherwin Resureccion were in the cast of a "Vietgone" production last year by Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This year, San Diego Repertory Theatre's Jan.-Feb. staging was directed by Jesca Prudencio; Studio Theatre's April-May Washington, DC production featured Regina Aquino, Marc delaCruz and Eileen Rivera. Writers Theatre's Aug.-Sept. Chicago staging later this year includes Rammel Chan and Emjoy Gavino in the cast; East West Player's Oct.-Nov. Los Angeles production will be helmed by Fil-Am director Jennifer Chang.)

Adrales is also known for her administrative and teaching work. She served as Director of On Site Programs at Lark Play Development Center, an Artistic Associate and faculty member at the Public Theater, spearheading its Shakespeare Lab, and directed and taught at Juilliard, New York University, Brown University, and Yale University, where she received her master's degree in directing and theater production.

Essentially American

In her acceptance speech, Adrales addressed the lack of Asians and women in the theater industry by noting that she had never seen Asians on stage until she saw Jessica Hagedorn's play "Dogeaters" at The Public Theater and that, in the early part of her career, she had never worked as an assistant director with a director who was woman or person of color.

Adrales is directing "The Way the Mountain Moved" for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

"Representation matters. Telling stories that have not found their way into the main stream matters. Dismantling stereotypes and reframing history to reflect those who have been left out of the telling of that history. This [award] matters. I am a living testament to that," she said.

"I want to show that work directed by me, or women like me, works written by women and or artists of color are not risky.  They are essential.  They are essentially American."

Upcoming

Adrales' upcoming productions include "The Way the Mountain Moved," which she directed for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The cast includes Fil-Am actor Julian Remulla.

The play, written by Idris Goodwin, is about a US Army lieutenant, a sharpshooter, botanist, and an artist who are surveying a route for the planned transcontinental railroad in the 1850s and the individuals (lost pioneers, cautious Native Americans and an African American Mormon couple) whom they encounter.

"We tell the story how the west was really won or lost by the escaped slaves, Native Americans, immigrants, and those fleeing religious persecution that inhabited it," Adrales said.

She is scheduled to direct Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical "In The Heights" for a co-production between three theater companies later in the year: Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Sept.-Oct.), Seattle Repertory Theatre (Nov. -Dec. 30) and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (Jan.-Feb. 2019).

WATCH May Adrales talk about "In The Heights"

Next year, she is slated to direct Lloyd Suh's "The Chinese Lady" for Milwaukee Rep (Feb.-March 2019), about Afong Moy, a woman from China put on display to the American public; and Qui Nguyen's "Poor Yella Rednecks," part two of his Vietgone trilogy, for South Coast Repertory (March-April 2019).

"The Way the Mountain Moved" runs July 10-Oct. 28 at Thomas Theatre,15 S. Pioneer St., Ashland, Oregon. Visit OsfAshland.org.

"In The Heights" kicks off in Milwaukee in September. Visit Milwaukeerep.com.

READ about May Adrales being appointed associate artistic director of Milwaukee Repertory Theater here.

READ about Randy Reyes being named a board member of TCG here.

Fil-Am lands lead in SF staging of 'Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame'

By WALTER ANG
July 8, 2018
USA and Canada Section, Inquirer.net
http://usa.inquirer.net/13563/fil-lands-lead-sf-staging-disneys-hunchback-notre-dame

SAN FRANCISCO — Filipino American Alysia Beltran will play Esmeralda in "Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame" in a staging by Bay Area Musicals at Victoria Theatre.

Alysia Beltran will play Esmeralda in
"Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
in San Francisco.

Based on the Victor Hugo novel and on the animated Disney film, the musical features songs by Alan Menken ("Disney's Little Mermaid," "Disney's Beauty and the Beast") and Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked").

Esmeralda is a brave gypsy who is kind to Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell ringer of the Notre Dame cathedral.

Set in 15th century Paris, the musical follows Quasimodo and Esmeralda as they deal with Dom Claude Frollo, Quasimodo's evil caretaker who hates gypsies but lusts after Esmeralda.

Other Filipino American actors in the production include Alex Rodriguez as Quasimodo and Juan Castro as Quasimodo understudy/ensemble actor, as well as ensemble actors Alvin Bunales, Christopher Juan, Jessie Anne Lukban, and Kaylamay Suarez.

The show is directed and choreographed by Matthew McCoy, with musical direction by Jon Gallo.

Inspiring character

Born and raised in San Francisco, Beltran's father is Filipino and her mother is Salvadoran and Colombian.

"I'm so lucky to have grown up in such a culture-rich city, around so many different people.  I wouldn't trade it for the world!" she says.

When Beltran found out she had landed the role of Esmeralda, she called up her boyfriend and her parents. "In tears. It was such an exciting moment in my life!"

Along with the excitement came the weight of responsibility she knows that the role carries.

"I knew at that moment that I had a huge challenge in my hands. Esmeralda is such an inspiring character, and someone I looked up to growing up.

"She always fought for the underdog and stood solely for social justice. She fought for progress and never let ability, race, or class stand in her way. Being a woman of color, it is an honor to be able to play a strong character fighting for her people!"

Hero of color

However, Beltran was not always a fan of the animated film.

Beltran (left, front) and the rest of the cast in rehearsals.

"To be completely honest, I was a little afraid of the movie growing up," she confesses. "But then again, I was also afraid of Ursula in 'Disney's The Little Mermaid!'"

But it was because of the Esmeralda character that Beltran soon grew to appreciate the musical more and more. "I remember looking up to Esmeralda as the hero in the story, someone who looked like me, fighting for what she believed in."

To now have the opportunity to play a character she identified with so much growing up is not lost on Beltran. "As an actress of color, being a part of this musical means a lot because I had few role models to look up to in the theater world growing up."

More love

Beltran has been dancing since she was four years old. She enrolled in a musical theater class when she was ten years old. "And I fell in love!"

"When the movie version of 'Rent' came out, my older sister would play the DVD non-stop. I saw an array of humans singing and dancing and that was when I knew that musical theater was the right place for me."

Beltran's recent dance credits include Kulintang Arts (Kularts)' staging of "Ba-e Makiling." Theater credits include "Gandhi! The Musical" (B Street Theatre), "The 1940's Radio Hour" (SJMT), "Hair" (Landmark Musical Theater), and "Spamalot" (Palo Alto Players).

Alex Rodriguez's recent credits include "Evita," "Triassic Parq," "Cabaret," "Bat Boy," "Rent" and "A Chorus Line." He is also an award-winning choreographer, recently winning arts service organization The Bay Area's 2016 award for best choreography for "The Wild Party." Recent choreography credits include "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Reefer Madness," "Silence! The Musical," and "Heathers: The Musical," among others.

Juan Castro is originally from Los Angeles. His recent credits include "Willy Wonka," "Into the Woods," "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Rock of Ages," "The Addams Family" and "American Idiot."

Beltran observes that stories with diverse characters are gaining popularity, giving "families everywhere the heroes to look up to that look like all of us."

She believes that the story of "Hunchback" is "so relevant today as people are still cast out from society for so many different reasons. My hope is that everyone walks away from the show with a little more love in their heart for others."

READ about Filipino American Justine Moral playing Belle in "Disney's Beauty and the Beast" here.

READ about Filipino American and Filipino performers aboard Disney cruise ships here.

"Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame" runs July 7- Aug. 5 at Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St., San Francisco. Visit Bamsf.org.