‘To Ken with Love’ premiering at NewFilmmakers LA’s fest

By WALTER ANG 
June 7, 2023 | USA.Inquirer.net

LOS ANGELES — Filipino American Mike Talplacido's short film To Ken with Love is premiering on June 17 at New Filmmakers Los Angeles' monthly film festival.

Mike Talplacido (left) with Maria Isabel Lopez.

The film focuses on Ken Jones, a flamboyant talk show host who relishes being the "whitest gaysian ever." Ken's perfectly curated world of glitz and glamour is suddenly rocked by a work incident involving his network TV executive boss, along with the arrival of Marikit, a young Fil-Am intern. He also has to contend with the reappearance of his mother, who he has not seen in decades.

Ken's colorful persona belies internalized racism. He does not see himself as Asian and the one thing he really wants is to be accepted and validated by white people. Ken must deal with the toxic tokenism at work and carve a path towards embracing his roots and identity. Will Ken find a way toward finding out who he really is?

First-time filmmaker Talplacido says, "The film is a story about family, relationships and the journey towards finding one's true authentic self."

Collaborators

Talplacido has written the screenplay, directs and plays Jones. Fil-Ams in the cast include Pinky Albea, Jefferson Carvey, Marco Torres, and Ashley Rapunao.

Seasoned actress Maria Isabel Lopez, plays Jones' mother in the film. Lopez performs alongside her daughter Mara Lopez, who is essaying the role of Marikit.

The film also features costumes designed by Kenneth Barlis, who was a finalist on the 19th season of Project Runway.

Other Fil-Ams involved in the production include director of photography Luke Dejoras, music composer Jamie Pangan, editor Seth Dacio and co-Producer: Julian Bataclan.

Focus

For June, coinciding with Pride Month, the film series' programming focus is "LGBTQ+ Cinema." Talplacido says, "This film is my love letter to the gay Asian community. This story needs to be told now.

"There's still a lot of negative stigma towards the LGBTQ community. While there has been a strong momentum going on for diversity and inclusion, there is still so much more that we need to do to further create change and make a positive impact.

"I was inspired to tell this story because it is something that I have seen in my own community. I realize much of this phenomenon was really a result of internalized racism. As a Filipino American and an

Asian American, I have seen so many of us struggle with our own identities. Many of us have felt `not enough' and, as such, have chosen to stay away from our own identities and culture.

Unique beauty

"Worst, a few others I know have even `hated' themselves for being who they are. Myself included at some point in the past. It is important for actions to start from within ourselves. We must smash every bit of notion related to internalized racism. We must learn to love who we are and embrace our unique beauty," he says.

Maria Isabel Lopez echoes the need for a more accepting society. "At the end of the day, all we need is love. I love the story and the message behind the film," she says.

Talplacido hopes to enter the film in other upcoming film festivals in the US and internationally. For organizations interested in screening the film, email tokenwithlovefilm@gmail.com.

Visit newfilmmakersla.com.

~
https://usa.inquirer.net/130880/to-ken-with-love-premiering-at-newfilmmakers-las-fest

‘Here Lies Love’ Imelda musical slammed by Broadway union

By WALTER ANG 
June 1, 2023 | USA.Inquirer.net 

NEW YORK — "Here Dies Love of Live Music," notes one comment on social media reacting to the latest hurdle faced by the Broadway-bound musical "Here Lies Love."

Television star Conrad Ricamora (ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder,"
Hulu's "Fire Island") plays Ninoy Aquino in "Here Lies Love,"

The musical has already been provoking strong sentiments due to its subject matter, the life story of Imelda Marcos. (Read about it here.)

Now it has angered the industry's musicians union because it will not be using a band or orchestra for its production.

The musical is staged in a dance club setting with its cast singing to recorded music. The producers say this staging device is, "part of the karaoke genre inherent to the musical."

"Here Lies Love" features all Filipino American actors leading the cast, with Arielle Jacobs as Imelda Marcos, Jose Llana as Ferdinand Marcos and Conrad Ricamora as Ninoy Aquino.

Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians says its contract with the Broadway League, the trade organization representing Broadway producers, guarantees the use of a minimum number of musicians for musicals in certain theaters, specifically 19 for the Broadway Theatre.

The union's president Tino Gagliardi has said, "A show with no live music . is absolutely an existential threat to Broadway . by using just pre-recorded tracks, it not only cheapens the art, it's putting jobs and livelihoods at risk."

Explainer

A statement from the producers, which include Tony Award winning costume designer Clint Ramos and Pulitzer Prize winner Jose Antonio Vargas, said, "Since 'Here Lies Love' was first conceived 17 years ago, every production has been performed to pre-recorded track; this is part of the karaoke genre inherent to the musical and the production concept. The music for 'Here Lies Love' was inspired by the phenomena of 'track acts' which allowed club audiences to keep dancing, much like this production aims to do." 

Tony Award winner Lea Salonga and Grammy Award winner Fil-Am singer H.E.R. (Gabriella Wilson) are part of the producing team.

The show's producers have been negotiating with the union to have the show declared a "special situation" to allow for the pre-recorded tracks instead of live instrumentalists. In a statement, the producers said, "We will continue to work in good faith with the union to move through the steps of the contractual process."

Social media

In the show's social media accounts, it has posted a lengthier explanation of its staging conceit, that composer David Byrne intentionally employed performance styles that are conceptually aligned and because of the show's subject matter. Disco track acts and karaoke, which both use vocalists singing along to pre-recorded, synthetic tracks.

"Disco Track Acts, popular in the 1970s and '80s disco scenes, were disco singers who popped into dance clubs unannounced, handed the DJ a cassette tape of a song, and sang live to it on a temporary platform as the crowd danced.

"Karaoke, or sing-along, is deeply rooted in Filipino Culture-and the diasporic Asian culture at large. In the Philippines, karaoke is ubiquitous, crossing class, generational, and economic lines. Almost every Philippine home has a karaoke machine.

"While visiting the Philippines to conduct research, Byrne realized that not only was Karaoke inescapable, it was also prevalent in Imelda Marcos' political strategy.

"The slickness and artificiality of the music relates directly to the synthetic seduction of political figures. [the musical's] every moment is informed by the concept of dance club Track Acts and Karaoke."

The posts go on to say that "Here Lies Love" is "not a traditional Broadway musical" and denounces "artistic gate-keepers."

Reactions in the comments support and oppose the situation. One comment reads, "If it is not a traditional musical, it should not be in a traditional musical theater."

Another states, "As a Filipino musician and scholar, I already find the subject matter of this show deplorable, but to disregard live musicians? Musical theatre is about the liveness of performance."

One comment states, "The criticism is all from people who haven't seen the show. There is nothing for live musicians to play. Do you go to Fatboy Slim and DJs performing at dance clubs and lament they don't have live musicians?"

Visit Herelieslovebroadway.com.

~
https://usa.inquirer.net/130396/here-lies-love-imelda-musical-slammed-by-broadway-union