Rising Filipino American actor Christian Quinto stars in suspense drama on gun violence

By WALTER ANG
April 30, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/28500/rising-fil-am-actor-stars-in-suspense-drama-on-gun-violence

SEATTLE — In the play "Office Hour," Christian Quinto plays a troubled college student who has been submitting grisly writing assignments to his alarmed professor.

Christian Quinto (left) in ArtsWest's staging of "Office Hour."
Photo by John McLellan

Staged by theater group ArtsWest, Julia Cho's play shows student and professor exploring gun violence, mental health, race, immigration and the breakdown of communication across society.

ArtsWest artistic director Mathew Wright directs. This is Quinto's second production with the group. He was previously in "Jane Eyre: The Musical."

Recent 

Quinto's recent credits include "The Odyssey" (Seattle Repertory Theatre), "Rosie the Riveter" (5th Avenue Theatre), "Pageant" (A Sensible Theatre Company) and "Filipino Folktales." (Honolulu Theatre for Youth), among others.

Christian Quinto plays a troubled college student in Julia Cho's "Office Hour." 

He also just completed a run playing Sky (the young male romantic lead) in Seattle Musical Theatre's production of "Mamma Mia!"

"My mom is the biggest ABBA fan I know and I grew up listening to their music. Performing in the musical meant so much to me because I dedicated my performance to my mom," he says.

"The music brought back many happy memories when I still lived in the Philippines." Quinto moved from the Philippines to Honolulu when he was 14 years old.

"I was introduced to the magic of theater when I auditioned for `Grease' at Kaimuki High School and was cast as Jock Number 2."

He studied Musical Theatre at Cornish College of the Arts and made his Seattle theater debut in Seattle Repertory Theatre and Public Works Seattle's coproduction of "The Odyssey."

Representation

During his run in "Mamma Mia!" he was even able to wear a barong Tagalog in the show. "I got to proudly represent my Filipino culture onstage," he says.

"Director Hattie Claire Andres and costume designer Michael Nostestine had previously seen me wearing my barong when I was in A Sensible Theatre Company's cabaret last March, singing `Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang' with Fil-Am actress Rheanna Atendido.

"They said I should wear it for the wedding scene in the show. I told them that in Filipino weddings, the groom and the groomsmen usually wear barong Tagalog. It was perfect!"

Adjusting

He was still performing in "Mamma Mia!" when rehearsals began for "Office Hour." Sometimes, rehearsals for the play would fall on the same day as performances for the musical.

Quinto (left) as Sky in in Seattle Musical Theatre's "Mamma Mia!" 

"To go from a fantastical world of disco balls, sparkly costumes and feel-good music to the realistic, dark and complex world that Julia Cho has written was an absolute shift."

He would take advantage of his one hour and 30-minute bus ride from Magnuson Park to West Seattle to decompress from the musical while calibrating his mindset for the play's rehearsals.

"I had to really be mindful about my emotional and mental state before rehearsals because diving head first to the subject material in `Office Hour' is very dangerous."

"I consider myself a lucky actor to be able to portray characters like Sky and Dennis in one day!"

Conversations, opportunities  

Quinto remembers his initial reactions to the play when he first read the script. "I was scared but also very ecstatic. Julia Cho has written a dynamite play with juicy characters. It's an actor's dream! The fear is helpful for me, it keeps me on my toes at all times," he says.

He's using his instincts to drive his performance. "I never get comfortable during rehearsals. I believe that this show calls for an actor who is always making new choices and discoveries at the moment."

He hopes that the play will provide audiences a jumping off point for discussions. "Gun culture and gun violence are important issues right now, especially here in the US. After they watch it, I hope that 'Office Hour' will spark a conversation among our audiences."

He reiterates that the show tackles other issues as well. "This show is so much deeper than just gun culture. Themes like immigration, Western views on Asian males, us versus them, white fragility and privilege, and so much more.

"Julia Cho has written complex and beautiful poetry that at its core, it's about two human beings aching to connect."

He hopes that theatergoers will appreciate "how incredible it is to see two Asian actors on stage go through a spectrum of emotions and the power of representation and visibility that it holds."

"Office Hour" runs May 2-26, ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery, 4711 California Ave. SW, Seattle. Visit Artswest.org. 

New musical captures Filipino immigrant experience in U.S.

By WALTER ANG
April 26, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/28294/new-musical-captures-filipino-immigrant-experience-in-u-s

NEW YORK — Composer and lyricist Paulo Tirol's musical "On This Side of the World" has characters that are selfless workers, young lovers, gossipy church ladies, aspiring actors and carefree millennials-all of whom are Filipino immigrants in the US.

Paulo Tirol is the composer and lyricist of "On This Side of the World." 

Without connecting dialogue between songs, each song is a self-contained vignette. The anthology is described as a "a mosaic of love and loss, humor and heartache, yearning and faith."

Filipino Americans in the cast include Albert Guerzon, Joanne Javien, Jaygee Macapugay, Diane Phelan and Michael Protacio.

Superfan

Tirol knows of where he creates. He himself moved from the Philippines to Boston in 2012 to study at Berklee College of Music. He then moved to New York to take up a master's in Musical Theatre Writing at New York University's (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts on a full tuition scholarship.

Cast of "On This Side of the World" rehearsing choreography.

As a musical director, his credits include "Reefer Madness," "Drowsy Chaperone" and "The Wedding Singer."

Tirol grew up listening to "my dad playing LPs and cassettes of Ella and Louis singing the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, 'West Side Story,' 'My Fair Lady,' 'Camelot' and pretty much everything by Rodgers and Hammerstein. I would also ask my parents to rent `Annie,' `The Sound of Music' and Disney movies—on Betamax!—over and over again."

"But it wasn't until the late '80s that I actually learned what a 'musical' is. I got the double-cassette of the cast recording of `Miss Saigon.' It was huge in the Philippines because of the many Filipinos in the cast and it was many Filipinos' entry point to musical theater.

"I was obsessed with how the music, with all its lushness and expressiveness, was in the service of character, moment, and storytelling."

Though Tirol could not play the piano or read music, he asked an aunt in the U.S. to send him sheet music for 'Miss Saigon.' Soon he acquired the sheet music for other musicals and taught himself to read them and play the piano.

He eventually wrote, composed and arranged music for groups and clients as well as scored films.

Development

"On This Side of the World" began as a project for his school work at NYU. Tasked to choose a community to create a song cycle on, Tirol chose Filipino immigrants.

"It's a community I'm part of and familiar with . also it was something unique to me, something only I could write," he says.

The community grew along the way. "When I started, the Filipino immigrant community I was a part of was comprised of grad students, medical professionals and artists.

"Over the years, my community has expanded dramatically. I lead music every Sunday for a predominantly Filipino parish in Jersey City, which includes Filipinos of all backgrounds, professions, ages, who speak different Filipino languages and come from all parts of the Philippines.

"My husband, a high school science teacher, has Filipino colleagues and lots of first-generation Filipino American students."

Mission   

"As my community of Filipino immigrants has expanded, so has the array of stories and characters that have gripped, intrigued and inspired me," says Tirol.

Cast rehearsing songs from "On This Side of the World."

"The Filipino immigrant story is one of courage, sacrifice, searching for identity, struggling to belong, and ultimately, redefining home."

For a long time, Tirol was reluctant to have his songs performed, assuming that "these were stories no one was really interested in hearing." 

"But my collaborator, director Noam Shapiro, who is not Filipino, believes in it so much and has pushed me to finish it and helped me present it."

A staged reading was held earlier this year to test the material's developments. "People's responses to it-Filipinos, Asians, non-Asians, immigrants, children of immigrants and people whose families have been here for generations, artists and non-artists alike-have convinced me that this is a piece worth sharing," says Tirol.

In addition, "the theater community has welcomed this piece with an excitement that I honestly didn't expect. Fil-Am actors are excited to share their own culture and heritage, to tell their communities' own stories, to play characters from their own lives."

"For the Filipino American community at large, my mission is to share the community's stories with pride, honesty and love. I'm happy to be telling it."

"On This Side of the World" runs May 2-12 at Access Theater, 380 Broadway, New York. Visit Onthissideoftheworld.com. 

Filipino American artists Kimberly Arteche and Wilfred Galila explore immigration, survival, adaptation

By WALTER ANG
April 23, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/28137/fil-am-artists-explore-immigration-survival-adaptation

SAN FRANCISCO — A group exhibition focusing on ways Filipinos have "coped, survived and adapted to diasporic life" will be presented by Kularts performing arts group this May.

Kimberly Arteche (left) and Wilfred Galila.

"PostColonial Survival Kit" will feature soil paintings, sculptures, installations and video/media art as well as scheduled panel discussions and performances.

Through the artists' works, the exhibition explores "challenges of racism, marginalization and the ways that colonization has affected interpersonal, familial and intra-communal relationships."

Filipino American artists joining the exhibition are Kimberley Arteche and Wilfred Galila.

Other included artists are Filipino Australian Caroline Garcia and Filipino artists Salima Agra-an, Marcelino Necosia Jr. and Rodelio Saway-all three of whom are Talaandig, an indigenous group in Bukidnon province.

Dreams and journeys

Kimberley Arteche's work for the exhibition, "Kulambo Dreams," is a soft sculpture installation using mosquito netting and Sto. Niño figurines. The work characterizes her "inherited intergenerational colonial dreams" and touches on her family's history.

Kimberly Arteche's sketch plans for her "Kulambo Dreams" installation.

Arteche works in photography, installation and performance. Recent credits include Kearny Street Workshop's APAture Festival and residencies at Vermont Studio Center and Growlery. She has shown at East Tennessee State University and at Wailoa Arts and Cultural Center in Hilo, Hawaii.

Kularts resident artist Wilfred Galila's work "Ang Paagi sang Panglakaton kag Pamaagi Pakadto sa Pakiguli sang Kaugalingon (The Way of Journey and Process Towards the Integration of Self)" is a multimedia installation with choreography and performance by Jonathan Mercado.

The work is his "exploration of an ongoing journey of decolonization and survival in a postcolonial world and the process of piecing together fragments of a Filipino identity."

Galila's recent video work for performances include "She, Who Can See" (and its film adaptation), "Incarcerated 6x9" and "In the Belly of the Eagle: Man@ng is Deity." His films have been screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

Garcia will present a digital video work featuring field recordings that have been turned into compositions by Fil-Am musician Josh Icban. Necosia Jr. and Agra-an will present soil paintings.

Performances

The exhibition will have an opening reception on May 3 featuring musical performances from the Talaandig artists.

In the "Komiks as Survival Kit" program on May 17, there will staged reading of Isugid Pinoy!, a comic book by illustrators Don Ellis Aguillo and Rafael Salazar. The performance will be done by Fil-Am theater group by Bindlestiff Studio.

In the "Hip Hop as Survival Kit" program on May 24, Joy Ng will moderate performances by Sammay Dizon and Rocky G.

Discussions

A panel discussion on May 11 will feature artists from the exhibition. This will be the fourth installment of what has become Kularts' series of panel discussions titled "Dialogue on Arts and Culture in the Pilipinx Diaspora."

Sculpture by Wilfred Galila. 

Focusing on "pressing issues and share successful models of impactful art-making," the series convenes Filipino American and international Filipino artists, funders and administrators.

This year's topics include Creative Survival Tactics; Folkloric/Indigenous Diasporic Expressions; and Intersection of Arts, Civic Engagement, and Funding.

That same day, there will be a Kamayan Kabaret in the evening. The traditional communal meal eaten without utensils will feature entertainment by comic Joe Cascasan and others.

There will be a closing reception on May 31.

"Postcolonial Survival Kit" runs May 3-31 at The Luggage Store Gallery, 1007 Market St., San Francisco. Visit Kularts-sf.org.

Filipino American George Salazar's bestie bathroom anthem now on Broadway

By WALTER ANG
April 9, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/27020/fil-ams-bestie-bathroom-anthem-now-on-broadway

NEW YORK — If you don't know who George Salazar is, it means you are not a teenager (or you are not a parent of one).

George Salazar (right) originated the role of Michael Mell
in the musical "Be More Chill."
Photo by Maria Baranova

He's a theater actor who currently plays a character who sings in a bathroom in a science fiction musical on Broadway.

The musical's title is "Be More Chill" and it's based on Ned Vizzini's 2004 young-adult novel about high school junior Jeremy who swallows a supercomputer (in pill form) that instructs him how to be cool.

Salazar plays Jeremy's best friend Michael Mell. A song that he sings in the show—titled, well, "Michael in the Bathroom"—is what has made him very popular with the teenage demographic.

The pop-rock musical adaptation has music and lyrics by Joe Iconis and book by Joe Tracz.

Onstage, online

Salazar has been with the show since its first incarnation in 2015. After its world premiere by Two River Theater in New Jersey, a cast album was produced.

Filipino American theater actor George Salazar.
Photo by Billy Bustamante

With no advertising or promotions, by 2017, the album had been streamed over a 100 million times by teenage fans worldwide.

The fandom spawned fan art and fan fiction on Tumblr and Reddit as well as fan-animated (called "fanimatics"), fan-lip synced and fan-interpretations of the show's songs on YouTube.

The online fanbase's numbers and enthusiasm prompted the show's creators to produce an Off-Broadway run last year. It sold out with ticket-buyers from all 50 states and all five continents.

The successful turnout paved the way for the show's transfer to Broadway.

Resonate

Throughout the years, Salazar's embodiment of the Michael Mell character has resonated with fans, online and otherwise.

To wit: he now has more than 36,000 followers on Twitter and 150,000 followers on Instagram. A video of his rendition of "Michael in the Bathroom" posted (back in 2017) on YouTube has garnered 3 million views.

"It is a truly overwhelming feeling to know that the art that I created with friends in a theater in New Jersey back in 2015 has become this beacon of love, acceptance, visibility, and hope for so many young people," he says.

"I make it a point to look each of those young people in the eye after the show at the stage door because somewhere in the crowd is a person who has been told they're too weird. In the next few years, they'll better understand their full potential and grow up to be someone who makes an impact.

"It's an honor to be a part of something like this. And to feel their energy, excitement, and exuberance night after night."

Background and credits

Salazar's interest in acting began in high school because of a friend's prodding.

"During my junior year, I was a bit of a class clown. I would rewrite lyrics to pop songs to make my classmates laugh. Some were appropriate, most were not."

One of his songs caught the ear of his friend Donald Rupe. "He came up to me and asked me to audition for the school musical 'Little Shop of Horrors.' I went and was cast as Seymour. I never looked back from then." 

He went on to study musical theatre at University of Florida. His credits include "Here Lies Love" (a musical about Imelda Marcos), "Godspell," "tick, tick.BOOM!," "The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical."

Salazar was born in Orlando, Florida to a Filipino mother and Ecuadorian father.

"Growing up as a first generation American, I was being groomed to go into medicine. My dream was to be a neurosurgeon, but life has a funny way of throwing curveballs that make you reassess.

"I now know that I found my calling, my purpose as an entertainer and I am so grateful I did."

Representation, encouragement 

The awkwardness of high school may be a universal experience, but Salazar imbues Michael Mell with an added layer for theatergoers to relate to.

Salazar in a scene from "Be More Chill."
Photo by Maria Baranova

"In the novel by Ned Vizzini, Michael is a white kid with a red `fro," he explains. "I am so grateful to the creative team for taking such a risk by casting me.

"It feels like a tremendous responsibility, one that I cherish and care immensely about, to represent not just Asian and Latin heritage, but also represent what it means to be mixed race in America."

He recalls that growing up was a "tricky time" for him. "I didn't feel like I fully fit in with either sides of my heritage and I was also coming to the realization that I was gay." 

"I experienced an identity crisis that stunted me a bit, but I've learned to embrace my differences. These things make me unique, special and like no one else.

"And so it's become my mission to use this moment as a bit of a platform to encourage brown kids, gay kids, trans kids, kids who feel left out, who feel a little weird-to own their weirdness and trust themselves."

For parents, too

Salazar isn't just taking advantage of the show's popularity to encourage the youth, he's also welcoming parents to use it as a way to connect with their children.

Salazar (left, 2nd row from top) with cast and crew of "Here Lies Love."
Photo from Instagram

"One of the things I've loved the most ... is watching this show bring parents and their kids closer together," he says. "I've met hundreds of parents who talk about how the show has opened up a dialogue with their kids."

"Teenagers are, by nature, incredibly angsty and volatile. Hormonal changes make them crazy! But this show has become something that parents and their kids can enjoy together.

"This musical is not just for teenagers. We've all been there, we've all experienced the nightmare of high school; it's universally relatable. High school is hard. It was hard when I went through it and it's hard for young people now.

"It's so easy to feel like those years are the only thing that matters, but I like to think our show disproves that. And that it shows everyone that what's most important is staying true to themselves.

"Parents experiencing that with their kids, I think, can help strengthen that bond in a really beautiful way."

"Be More Chill" runs at Lyceum Theatre, 149 West 45th St., New York. Visit Bemorechillmusical.com.

Filipino American Mikko Juan plays lead in Seattle staging of musical 'Urinetown'

By WALTER ANG
April 4, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/26407/fil-am-plays-lead-in-seattle-staging-of-musical-urinetown

SEATTLE — Filipino American Mikko Juan will be playing the lead in "Urinetown," a musical set in a dystopian future where a 20-year drought has crippled a city's water supply.

Mikko Juan (center) plays Mark Strong in the musical "Urinetown."
Photo by Rosemary Dai Ross

The citizens are forced to use the pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by Urine Good Company. Those who try to circumvent the fees by not using the facilities risk being taken away to Urinetown-a mysterious place where many have been sent but from where no one ever returns.

Juan plays Bobby Strong, a character that will lead the city to revolution in this tale of greed, corruption and love.

A coproduction of 5th Avenue Theatre and A Contemporary Theatre, music is by Mark Hollmann and book by Greg Kotis with lyrics by both.

Credits

Juan's interest in acting began when he was still a child. He enjoyed watching movies starring Harrison Ford as well as behind-the-scenes documentaries about the Harry Potter films.

When his sister forced him to watch a film version of "The Phantom of the Opera" musical, he loved it so much, he was moved to tears. After finally catching and being awed by a stage version, he realized he wanted to give musical theater a shot.

He started acting on stage in high school and landed roles such as the Tin Man in "The Wizard of Oz" and Chip Tolentino "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (a role originated by Fil-Am actor Jose Llana). He went on to study musical theater at University of Washington

Juan's credits include "Jane Eyre: The Musical," "The Journal of Ben Uchida: Citizen 13559," "Kiss Me, Kate," "Peter and the Starcatcher" and "Pippin."

Rehearsals

"Rehearsals have been going really well!" he says. "We just finished our first week and we've really hit the ground running. It's been so humbling and inspiring to be in a room of brilliant actors and to watch them work."

Mikko Juan is humbled and inspired by his co-actors. 

"It helps that we have an amazing director in the form of Bill Berry. He has such a strong and innovative vision.

He credits Berry, for establishing a creative work environment.

"He's created a room where we all are given permission to make bold choices; to play and fail in order to bring out the best results. I'm having such a great time."

Lessons

While the show is a comedy, it touches on environmental, civic and social issues.

"With the current political climate, it's very easy to lean very strongly towards one side and to block out anything and everything the other side has to say," Juan says.

"After seeing this show, I hope audiences learn that there are gray areas to everything, that not everything is black and white."

He expounds further, "There is nuance in everything, and not everything has a perfect solution or foundation. Flaws exist in everyone and everything.

"Of course, I acknowledge that there is a line that needs to be drawn on some cases. However, as cliché as this sounds, we all need to listen to one another more."

He adds, "I don't want to give anything away for people who have never seen or heard of this show, but I will also say that the conclusion of the show offers a wake up call on a topic that is very much in discussion today. I hope people continue that conversation and even work towards action steps."

"Urinetown" runs April 6 to May 26 at A Contemporary Theatre, Visit acttheatre.org.

'Kulinary Confidential' in San Francisco highlights Filipino American cuisine, chefs

By WALTER ANG
March 29, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/25695/kulinary-confidential-highlights-fil-am-cuisine-chefs

SAN FRANCISCO — Filipino American cuisine is the focus of Kulinary Confidential, a two-week food crawl and series of pop-up dinners featuring seven restaurants and 16 chefs.

"Kulinary Confidential" runs for two weeks
in SOMA Pilipinas, the Filipino American cultural district.
Photos by Albert Law

All of the participating food crawl restaurants and the venues for the pop dinners are located in SOMA Pilipinas, the Fil-Am cultural district (from 2nd St. to 11th St., bordered by Market and Brannan Streets).

The event will run from April 1 to 14 and part of the proceeds will fund the Philippine immersion trip of more than 20 students from Balboa High School. The students will learn about their cultural roots and practice Tagalog.

The food crawl-composed of special off-menu dishes-can be accessed by purchasing a Tasting Passport. The pop-up dinners-which are single-evening events-are open to ticket buyers.

Food Crawl

For the first week, Mestiza, Manila Bowl, and Sarap Shop are the featured restaurants.

Lechon Kawali Tacos is one of the special off-menu items
featured during this year's "Kulinary Confidential." 

For the second week, the lineup includes JT Restaurant, Little Skillet, and Señor Sisig.

Alchemy, collaborating with San Francisco Chicken's Christian Ciscle, is part of both weeks.

Tasting Passport-holders can visit these restaurants anytime during their week of choice and redeem tickets for the special off-menu items created specifically for Kulinary Confidential.

Mestiza Taqueria will offer lechon kawali tacos and coconut horchata while Manila Bowl (located at The Market on Market food hall) will offer dinuguan.

Alchemy (located inside Trademark & Copyright bar) will offer a Filipino fried chicken that features pineapple mochi, spiced batter and soy chile sauce.

Sarap Shop (located at the Soma Streat Food food park) will offer a mystery bag that contains its signature halo-halo milk tea, an onigiri in a mystery flavor, and other surprise items.

Mackerel kinilaw with seaweed granita and roe
is one item that will be featured in one of the six Pop Up Dinners
this year for "Kulinary Confidential." 

On the second week, JT Restaurant will serve chicken afritada while Little Skillet will offer toyomansi-glazed fried chicken with pandan mochi waffle.

It's going to be adobo carnitas with dirty rice at Señor Sisig while Alchemy will have chicken escabeche (coconut vinegar-marinated fried chicken thighs) with calamansi tartar sauce on cabbage and tomato salad.

Pop-Up Dinners

The Pop-Up Dinners will offer a broad range of flavors across multi-course meals with tickets starting at $65.

Undiscovered SF is the organizer of "Kulinary Confidential,"
a food festival featuring Fil-Am chefs and cuisine,
such as this banana turon with matcha. 

The first week begins with Rod Reyes of Barya Kitchen. He will prepare a five-course meal of classic Filipino dishes with a modern spin at Trademark & Copyright bar.

A blending of cultures is the theme for the first weekend. EJ Macayan and Japanese American Hitomi Wada of Ox & Tiger will prepare a Fil-Japanese dinner at Joint Venture Kitchen (a venue for pop-up dinners).

Marc Pescon of Aliwang Lutu will prepare a Fil-French meal at Executive Order bar.

Kicking off the second week is Yana Gilbuena of Salo Series. She will prepare six dishes at Mestiza Taqueria.

The final weekend will have Francis Ang of Pinoy Heritage preparing an eight-course modern Filipino dinner at Picnic on Third.

Concluding the Pop-Up Dinner series is Aileen Suzara of Sariwa, who will prepare a Fil-Indian dinner at Mestiza Taqueria.

Kulinary Confidential is organized by Undiscovered SF, a nonprofit promoting economic development in SOMA Pilipinas. Among other activities, Undiscovered SF hosts night markets in the summer that celebrate Fil-Am culture through music, dance, art, food, and retail.

To purchase passports and tickets; and for the addresses and operation hours of the food crawl restaurants and pop-up dinner venues, visit UndiscoveredSF.com.

Fil-Am director helms back-to-back family saga plays in SF

By WALTER ANG
March 28, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/25618/fil-am-director-helms-back-to-back-family-saga-plays-in-sf

SAN FRANCISCO — Think of a saga spread across a nine-episode mini-series, but on stage. Filipino American Victor Maog is directing two of these "episodes" back-to- back in two different venues in San Francisco.

Victor Maog

Nigerian American playwright Mfoniso Udofia has written a series of nine plays about several generations of a family-from its Nigerian immigrant matriarch to her American-born children.

Maog is directing the fourth and fifth installments for American Conservatory Theater (ACT) and Magic Theatre, respectively.

"Her Portmanteau," the fourth installment, runs until March 31. He's currently in rehearsals for the world premiere of "In Old Age," the fifth installment, which will open on April 3.

The first installment ("Sojourners"), where audiences are introduced to the family matriarch, Abasiama Ufot, and the third ("runboyrun") were both previously staged at Magic during their 2015-16 season.

San Francisco son

Maog's recent credits include "South Pacific" (Drury Lane Theatre), "See Rock City" (Play Chester Theatre), "The Tempest (Three- Person Adaptation)" (Resonance Ensemble), "Sex! Drugs! & Ukuleles!" (Musical Theatre for a New City).

From 2016 to 2018, he was a show director at Disney Parks Live Entertainment, working on stage shows and large scale events.

"I started my professional directing career with Teatro ng Tanan's production of Edgar Poma's 'Little Train' at the Mission Cultural Center," says Maoag.

Teatro ng Tanan was a Filipino American theater group (formed by Luz de Leon and Chris Millado) that was active in the 1990s.

"I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd be on the main stages of American Conservatory Theater and Magic Theatre. And simultaneously. It's a thrill!"

"As someone who grew up here, it's weird and wonderful to return to the Bay Area. There's definitely been a lot of shifts and booms and gentrification since my days in Union City. Still, it feels familiar, I'm in constant conversation with my youthful recollections of the Bay."

Ongoing relationship

Maoag has been collaborating with Udofia since 2013. "This was before she had any workshops and productions. She didn't even think her plays would get produced. I was lucky enough to be set up on a creative director-playwright blind date with her.

"Then I was fortunate enough to stage her first workshop production ever, which was `Her Portmanteau' at National Black Theatre. Fast forward to 2019, I'm privileged to give that same play a first-class production at ACT," he says.

In "Her Portmanteau," Abasiama and her U.S.-born daughter are visited by Abasiama's other daughter, Iniabasi. Nigerian traditions soon clash with American realities and the family is forced to confront its literal and emotional baggage.

"I now also have a once-in-lifetime great privilege to mount the world premiere of 'In Old Age' at the Magic," Maog adds.

In the play "In Old Age," Abasiama clashes with repairman Azell Abernathy who has come to redo her dilapidated floors. An unlikely spiritual connection soon forms and both learn a thing or two along the way.

Glorious

"It's glorious, but hard," Maoag says of his directing responsibilities.

"It's requires a rigor and tenacity to truly honor this nine-play Ufot Family saga, exploring histories and the interconnected nature of the characters.

"Working within Mfoniso's plays means a keen attention to punctuation, subtext, symbols and musicality. The language, intelligence and striking theatricality is addictive.

"This marathon tests every fiber of my being. Though there might be bags under my eyes, I wake up every day chomping at the bit to give life to this American story."

"Her Portmanteau" runs until March 31 at Strand Theater, 1127 Market St., San Francisco. "In Old Age," previews start March 27, opens April 3 at Magic Theatre, 3rd floor, Bldg. D, Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco. Visit MagicTheatre.org.

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Filipino Americans create performing arts collective in Baltimore

By WALTER ANG
March 22, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/25078/young-fil-ams-create-performing-arts-collective-in-baltimore

BALTIMORE, Maryland — Filipino Americans are taking the lead in pushing for Asian American involvement in the performing arts in the Baltimore area.

(From left) Sam Callanta, Marela Kay Minosa, Catrece Tipon,
Cori Dioquino and Donna Ibale are the Fil-Am cofounders of
Baltimore Asian Pasifika Arts Collective. 

Five Fil-Ams are half of the Asian American cofounders of Baltimore Asian Pasifika Arts Collective (Bapac), a newly formed organization dedicated to strengthening racial understanding between communities.

The group also aims to empower the youth through artistic practices and community engagement.

Bapac will hold its launch program on March 30 with "AAPI Voices: How We Party!" The program includes a storytelling session and an announcement of its inaugural season line-up.

Together

Founding co-executive director Cori Dioquino says the group aims to unify and to create. She manages the group with founding co-executive director Mohammad Suaidi.

"During our first meeting, we realized that while there were a number of us who had been cast together in different shows before, we'd never actually been together outside of these productions to just come together to talk about issues," she says.

"It was empowering to be in one room all together and say to ourselves `Hey, we are here and we are allies.'"

Another of the group's objectives is to establish itself as a go-to resource for the theater and performing community when it comes to Asian American concerns, for example, questions about scripts, costume and casting choices, etc.

"We think along the lines of `here's a hole that needs to be filled, let's fill it.' Let's do what we can to produce the best art we can do. We want to be there for one another."

Cofounders  

Raised in Laurel, Maryland, Dioquino studied theater at Towson University. Acting credits include "Neverwhere" (Cohesion Theatre), "Top Girls" (Fells Point Corner Theatre), "Titus Andronicus" (Faction of Fools), Institute of Visionary History (Submersive Productions), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Glass Mind Theatre), among others.

Bapac's Fil-Am cofounders include Donna Ibale, managing and marketing manager; Sam Callanta, project manager; Marela Kay Minosa, operations and finance manager; and Catrece Tipon,production coordinator.

Callanta, Minosa and Tipon are all native to the US. Dioquino and Ibale both were born in the Philippines and immigrated to the US with their families when they were children.

The other cofounders are Cara Hinh, Mika Nakano, Channbunmorl Sou and Mani Yangilmau.

Strong

Feedback has been positive. "The theater community has been so welcoming. A couple of theaters reached out immediately to offer to work with us," Dioquino says.

According to Dioquino, this kind of response is aligned with Baltimore's sense of civic culture.

"Balitmore is such a supportive community because everyone builds things from scratch," she says.

"It really is a charmed city. At first glance, it can feel gritty and rough around the edges, but if you're here long enough or make an effort find these hidden cultural gems, you'll find a strong underground cultural arts scene."

Season line-up

After the launch event, BAPAC's inaugural season continues with the production "Tornkid" in May.

"Tornkid" will be a collaborative production with Cohesion Theatre Company that aims to explore themes of healing using ancient female and non-binary stories.

Filipino American playwright Katelynn Kenney will assist both groups with crafting their script.

In August, the group will stage "#Modelminority: A Musical Parody Revue." It will about the highs and lows of Asian Americans in the performing arts.

With music by Bobby Ge, the show will be written by Dioquino and directed by Donna Ibale.

"AAPI Voices: How We Party!" is on March 30 at The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave., Baltimore. Visit Baltimoreapac.org. 

New dance work from Alleluia Panis probes San Francisco’s 20th century Filipino immigrant life

By WALTER ANG
March 20, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/24864/new-dance-work-probes-sfs-20th-century-filipino-immigrant-life

SAN FRANCISCO — Filipino Americans from San Francisco's past are the focus of a new full-length dance piece by Fil-Am choreographer Alleluia Panis.

Aimee Amparo (second from left) as Divine Mother
and Ladislao Arellano as Pablo Valentin
 in "In the Belly of the Eagle: Man@ng is Deity."
Photo by Wilfred Galila

"In the Belly of the Eagle: Man@ng is Deity" is inspired by real-life accounts of Fil-Ams who lived in San Francisco from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Fil-Am performing arts group Kularts, of which Panis is artistic director, will stage a workshop production this month at Bindlestiff Studio.

The ensemble piece features the character Valentino Pablo, who is of the manong generation-a blanket term for Filipinos, mostly male, who immigrated to the U.S.  from the 1920s to the 1930s and worked in farm crop harvesting, fish cannery and other blue collar jobs.

In a statement, the show is described as portraying "the 8,000-mile immigration journey to America and the resilience of the Pilipino people."

"Pablo experiences vivid moments of his early 20th century American life: he and his fellow Pilipinos bonding together to ease their struggles of living in a society that values them for their cheap labor but loathes them and denies their humanity, the bitter hardships, the fleeting joys, and their determined spirit of survival and camaraderie that defines his generation."

Themes

The multi-awarded Panis has choreographed more than 20 full-length dance theater works. Recent credits include "Incarcerated 6x9," "She, Who Can See" (which she also adapted into a film), and "Ibig, Pulse of Desire."

Choreographer Alleluia Panis is artistic director of performing arts group Kularts. 

"My main inquiry for this piece," says Panis, "is the experiences of the diaspora living in the United States-the country who subjugated our people as its colony for decades and continues to exert its economic, military and cultural power over the Philippines."

The eagle in the work's title represents the United States while the term "man@ng" is Panis' gender-neutral spelling for the Filipinos, women and men, who immigrated to the US in the first third of the 20th century.

"The 'man@ng' generation is our deity in the diaspora," she explains.

More questions

She began developing this piece in 2017. Her research included interviewing fourth and fifth generation Filipino

Dancers rehearsing a movement from
"In the Belly of the Eagle: Man@ng is Deity."
Photo by Wilfred Galila 

Americans "to hear about their Pilipina great-grandmothers and grandmothers."

"There are many stories about the manongs but we rarely hear about the manangs who came prior to 1950s. If there was one Pilipina for every 20 Pilipino immigrants, I wanted to know more about their stories."

Panis says she also wanted to explore questions such as, "Why do we stay [in the US] despite our marginalization as an immigrant population in the country of our former colonizer/subjugator?"

"What keeps us doing so? Why do we continue to suffer these challenges? Why not simply just go back home [to the Philippines]? How do we empower ourselves in a society who treat us as second-class citizens?"

Collaborators

Singer and healer Aimee Amparo will dance the role of the Divine Mother. Dancing the role of Pablo is Ladislao "June" Arellano, who is a principal dancer at Parangal Dance Comapny. Arellano will also handle costume design for the production.

Panis (left) evaluating her dancers' progress during rehearsals. 

The production features music by Joshua Icban and video design by Wilfred Galila.

Galila's films have been screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. His recent collaborations with Panis include "She, Who Can See" and "Incarcerated 6x9."

Icban's credits include the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco State Gospel Choir and Afro-Cuban Ensemble. He has served as composer, arranger and music director for Awesome Orchestra and Bindlestiff Studio.

This workshop production of "In the Belly of the Eagle: Man@ng is Deity" is a recipient of a Special Art Award grant from the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation.

Workshop production of "In the Belly of the Eagle: Man@ng is Deity" runs March 22-24 at Bindlestiff Studio, 185 6th St., San Francisco. Visit Kularts-sf.org. 

Filipino American directors Alan Quismorio and Ely Orquiza helm shows for San Francisco’s Theatre Rhinoceros

By WALTER ANG
March 15, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/24440/2-fil-am-directors-helm-shows-for-san-franciscos-theater-rhinoceros

SAN FRANCISCO — Filipino American theater directors Alan Quismorio and Ely Sonny Orquiza will helm back-to-back productions for Theatre Rhinoceros' Pop-Up Theater series.

Actors rehearsing a scene from "Underpants Godot."

Theatre Rhinoceros describes itself as the longest-running queer theater in the world.

The series will be held at Spark Arts Gallery, kicking off with Duncan Pflaster's "Underpants Godot" from March 16 to 23 to be directed by Quismorio.

Orquiza will then direct the US premiere of Mark O'Halloran's "Trade," which will run April 5 to 14.

Underpants Godot

Theatre Rhino's literary manager and development director Joe Tally reached out to both directors to join the Pop-Up series.

Alan Quismorio directs "Underpants Godot" for Theater Rhinoceros. 

Alan Quismorio had been previously involved with the group's Staged Reading series. He had previously been a co-artistic director at Asian American Theater Company and a former artistic director at Bindlestiff Studio.

"Joe asked me to direct and I accepted. There's a chance we'll both regret it. Hashtag kidding!" he says, laughing.

If the title of the play he's directing and his quips have not provided enough clues already, "Underpants Godot" is not a serious play.

"It's a satire on both 'Waiting for Godot' and well-intentioned high-concept interpretations of classic theater works. Also, it is a classy reason to see men in their tighty-whities," he says. "And much less!"

The play presents a final dress rehearsal of a bold, postmodern, stripped down interpretation of the Samuel Beckett classic, when a representative of the Beckett estate shows up with serious questions about the production: Is it true to the author's intent? Is it a fresh look at difficult play? Or, are those just men in their underwear?

Irish

The Pop-Up series offers a variety of subject matter. To contrast with the first offering, "Trade" is described as a piece about "duty, morality and desire."

Actors John Tranchitella (left) and Michael Loria
rehearsing a scene from "Trade." 

Set in a Dublin guesthouse, the play opens with a vulnerable and confused young rent boy who is with a middle-aged client who has blood on his shirt.

"The script is so simple yet profound," says Ely Sonny Orquiza. "It explores intersectional layers and dynamics of financial, romantic, sexual and psychological relationship between the two characters."

While in college, Orquiza had a chance to study in Ireland, where he began to appreciate its theater heritage.

"I studied modern and contemporary Irish Drama from the 1900s to present. The ethos of Irish Theater is rich and profound: it is full of drama, history, culture and tradition. Their dramatic literature is provocative and unapologetic."

Sociopolitical

Born in Metro Manila, Orquiza moved to San Francisco with his family when he was 12 years old. A passion for acting led him to study Theater and Performance Studies at University of California-Berkeley. While there, he founded experimental theater group Projector Room Ensemble.

Ely Sonny Orquiza directs "Trade" for the Pop-Up Theater series. 

He is a faculty member at American Conservatory Theater's Young Conservatory and a teaching artist at Magic Theater and StageBridge.

As an actor, he has worked with groups such as Bindlestiff Studio, Cal Performances, Inferno Theatre, Exit Theatre, among others. Directing credits include "Bound 4 Heaven" for National Queer Arts Festival and "Predator Block Tango."

He adds, "I am very drawn to sociopolitical theater and performing arts used as an agent of social change."

"Underpants Godot" runs March 16-23, "Trade" runs April 5-14 at Spark Arts Gallery, 4229 18th St., San Francisco. Visit Therhino.org.

Filipino American actor Jose Abaoag wins 2018 Gypsy Rose Lee Award

By WALTER ANG
March 13, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/24149/fil-am-actor-wins-gypsy-rose-lee-award

SEATTLE — Filipino American actor Jose "Jojo" Abaoag has won the 2018 Gypsy Rose Lee Award for Excellence in Performance in a Play by a Supporting Actor for his work in "An Octoroon" for ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery.

Jojo Abaoag won the
2018 Gypsy Rose Lee Award
for Excellence in Performance in a Play
by a Supporting Actor
for his work in "An Octoroon"
for ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery. 

The awards are given annually by the Seattle Theater Writers group in 33 categories in two divisions (Large Theaters and Small Theaters). ArtsWest Playhouse falls under the Small Theater division.

"I was quite surprised honestly," Abaoag says of his achievement. "There is so much good work being done in the city. The people I have the privilege of working with are generous, talented and forgiving. We don't do it for awards.

"I keep doing theater because I like telling stories. I like the work and the sense of community from working with other artists."

This is Abaoag's second Gypsy Rose Lee Award. He'd won in 2013 as Lead Actor for his work in Fil-Am playwright A. Rey Pamatmat's "Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them" staged by Seattle Public Theatre (Large Theater division).

"My wife Miko is incredibly supportive and grounds me. She does a lot of things behind the scenes to make this all work so that I can appreciate it more. I approach my work and any recognition for it for what it is, an honor at my age to still be a working actor in Seattle."

Community

Born in Garden Grove, California, Abaoag was frustrated by his attempts at basketball for his school elective and instead chose an improvisation class. "I remember feeling so alive up there. I could just make it up and be creative with how I reacted to others."

Abaoag (top, left) struggled with the
racially-charged material of "An Octoroon." 

His teacher was directing "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" at the local community college and suggested he join the cast.

"I got to hang out with older actors, see them work and rework the story, and hung out with them outside of rehearsals. I started to understand how you become a community of actors and stage crew and you all do something that's exciting.

"It wasn't competitive like in sports. You have a family of really interesting and different people to hang out with for a few weeks. I was hooked."

He went on to study Theatre at Cornish College of the Arts. Credits include "The Cherry Orchard" (A Contemporary Theatre), "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" (Sound Theatre Co.), "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (Book-It Repertory), among others. He's currently the Marketing and Community Partnerships Manager at Seattle Children's Theatre.

Discomfort

Wokring on "An Octoroon, written by African American playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, was very challenging for Abaoag.

"The play required a lot of focus with quick changes and supporting each other with difficult material. I thank my castmates and my director for this experience and for so much support."

With a story immersed in racial matters, the play's male actors have to perform in blackface, whiteface and redface.

"'An Octoroon' asks actors to go deep into these American stereotypes and paint their faces the color of other races. But the play requires you to commit to this so that the audience gets the full impact of the play. This is where I struggled the most.

"I had to say racial epithets at my castmates. They were wonderful and very supportive but I still had to get past myself. I went through numerous voices and approaches in the rehearsal process but I pushed through because I knew that, ultimately, the play's impact was far more important than an actor's anxiety of presenting racial stereotypes in blackface to audiences. Discomfort is the point."

Diversity in Seattle

Fortunately, things are getting a little bit more comfortable in the real world, or with the diversity of Seattle's theater scene at the very least.

Abaoag in Seattle Children's Theatre's "Go, Dog. Go!"

Abaoag says, "It is getting better. Having been in Seattle since 1994, there is no denying it. I've tried to make a go in other cities and I chose Seattle as my artistic home for this very reason." 

"What's encouraging is that there are just more actors of color, particularly Asian Americans, in the Seattle theater scene. They are trained and they are good."

"More theaters are presenting new works by Asian American playwrights, hiring Asian American directors and casting Asian Americans in all roles."

He hopes to see continued improvement and more collaboration. "It has gotten better but there are still missteps by many Seattle theaters that still need to be addressed. Some still tend to cast shows or pick their productions through a white lens.

"There needs to be real effort and conversations with artists of color and theaters in Seattle about what stories we'd like to see and how we can help grow the audiences to get more people of color into seats. I have no doubt that the audiences will come if this conversation is followed by action."

Filipino American women playwrights reap top awards

By WALTER ANG
March 8, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/23700/fil-am-women-playwrights-reap-top-awards

NEW YORK — Three Filipino American women playwrights have won top awards for their respective works.

Filipino American playwrights (from left)
Rehana Lew Mirza, Lily Padilla and Ren Dara Santiago. 

Lily Padilla won the 2019 Yale Drama Series Prize for her play "How to Defend Yourself." The award includes $10,000, publication of the play by Yale University Press and a staged reading of the play.

The play is about a university sorority that starts a self-defense class in response to a series of campus rapes.

The award is given out annually by the David Charles Horn Foundation in an international competition for emerging playwrights where all entries are read blindly. The winner is selected by one playwright judge, who this year was Pulitzer Prize winner Ayad Akhtar.

Akhtar, who chose "How to Defend Yourself" from over 1,750 submissions from 65 countries, said in a statement, "Lily Padilla's play about desire, defense, and the insidious, labyrinthine reach of rape culture is that rare thing: Formally inventive, timely, accessible, and soulful. I can't wait for people to experience it."

Padilla, whose father is Filipino Puerto Rican and mother is Colombian, was born and raised in Poway, California. She studied for a master's in playwriting at University of California-San Diego and founded the American Nightcap play series at Intar Theatre in New York.

Padilla, whose credits include "(w)holeness," "Incidental Friends," "Other People," said in a statement, "I feel so grateful and inspired to win the Yale Drama Prize."

"'How to Defend Yourself' comes from listening to the parts of me that were shamed into silence; to be able to write it was healing beyond what I had imagined. That folks are connecting deeply with the play is gorgeous affirmation of what is possible when we act together in service of our collective liberation. I am in awe of and deep gratitude for the many folks who have given their energies, time, talents and hearts to holding these stories with me."

"How to Defend Yourself" will run this month in Louisville, Kentucky at Actors Theatre of Louisville's 2019 Humana Festival of New American Plays. The production is a co-world premiere with Chicago's Victory Gardens Theater, which will stage the play in 2020.

Previous Fil-Am winners of the Yale Drama Series Prize include Clarence Coo in 2012 for his "Beautiful Province."

Ren Dara Santiago

Ren Dara Santiago is the inaugural winner of New York-based Rising Phoenix Repertory Theater's Cornelia Street American Playwriting Award, presented to an emerging playwright of exceptional work ethic, character and talent.

Santiago's win was announced late last year; she was awarded at a reception this February. The award, named after Cornelia Street in the city's West Village, includes $3,500 and publication of one the winner's works in Rising Phoenix Rep's magazine Caffe Cino.

Other plays by Santiago, a native New Yorker whose mother is Filipino and father is Puerto Rican, include "The Siblings Play" and "Something in the Balete Tree."

Rising Phoenix Rep artistic director Daniel Talbott said in a statement, "Ren personifies the spirit of this award. She is an extraordinary talent, an explosive, infinitely original voice, and a heart-led collaborator. We couldn't be more honored to have her grace Rising Phoenix Rep's first award."

Rehana Lew Mirza

Rehana Lew Mirza won a 2019 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater-Studio Production for "Bhangin' It" which she co-wrote with her spouse Mike Lew and composer/lyricist Sam Willmott.

Given out by the New York-based American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Richard Rodgers Awards nurture talented composers and playwrights by enabling their musicals to be produced in New York City.

"Bhangin' It" is about Mary, who is half-Indian, who gets kicked off her bhangra team (Indian folk dance) for not being "Indian enough." She goes on to form her own rag-tag multicultural team.

Mirza studied dramatic writing at New York University and took up a master's in playwriting at Columbia University. Credits include "Soldier X" and "Barriers."

Mirza, a New Jersey native whose mother is Filipino and father is Pakistani, is cofounder of production company Desipina & Co. and was previously co-director of Ma-Yi Writers Lab, an Asian American playwrights group developed by Ma-Yi Theater (a group founded by Filipino American theater makers.)

Her play "Hatef**k" has its world premiere this month in New York. Staged by Women's Project Theater and Colt Coeur, the play is about intense literature professor Layla as she accuses brashly iconoclastic novelist Imran of trading in anti-Muslim stereotypes and the growing attraction between them.

"Hatef**k" runs until March 31 at Women's Project Theater, 2162 Broadway and 76th St., New York. Visit Wptheater.org.

"How to Defend Yourself" runs March 13-April 7 at Bingham Theatre, 316 W. Main St., Louisville, Kentucky. Visit Actorstheatre.org.

Eloisa Cardona takes pride in Seattle's Filipino American theater makers

By WALTER ANG
March 6, 2019
Inquirer.net
https://usa.inquirer.net/23444/actress-proudly-takes-stock-of-fil-ams-place-in-seattles-thriving-theater-scene

SEATTLE — Filipino American theater actress Eloisa Cardona in the 1980s predicted that "in the future of the ethnic theater community of Seattle, there would be enough of us to create a `tipping point.' When we'd be seen, heard and thriving in our contributions to the theatrical landscape of this city."

Eloisa Cardona is proud of Seattle's thriving
Filipino American theater makers. 

As Cardona concludes her run in Centerstage Theatre's staging of "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940," she takes stock of her own-and of other Filipino American theater artists'-progress in the Seattle theater industry over the decades.

Born in Manila, Cardona moved to the U.S. with her family at nine months old. Her paternal grandfather had immigrated ahead of the family. "He was part of the early wave of the 'manong generation' who came to America pre-WWII," she said.

"By the time my family and I arrived, my grandmother had already joined him. They'd been living in the house he bought on 19th Ave. in the Central District where we'd also come to live."

Drama

Cardona's interest in the performing arts was sparked when her mother took her to see the Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company.

"They came to perform during the 1962 World's Fair. it made quite an impression on the three-year-old me!" She went on to take dance lessons with Dorothy Cordova and Dolly Castillo.

Her parents were not happy when Cardona wanted to major in drama. "I truly need to give my father credit and gratitude for continuing to finance my education and allowing me to reach for my dream, in spite of his disapproval and disappointment."

Pioneer

"The University of Washington Drama department in the early '80s was predictably white and patriarchal. [Nevertheless] I was a very hopeful young pioneer in uncharted waters and it was exciting!"

Cardona in "Six Degrees of Separation."

Despite the few actors of color in the TV and theater industries at the time-and the even fewer opportunities available to them-Cardona maintained a positive outlook. "Just because they did not play leads didn't mean they would not do so in the future.

"We needed to be persistent and tenacious. I strongly felt that we needed to be seen by young students of color so they could see relatable performers and characters; and maybe follow in our footsteps if it was also their heart's desire, whether here in Seattle, New York or LA.

"We needed to use our voices to tell our stories and insist they be told by actors who looked like us and who came from our same ethnic backgrounds."

Professional

Prescience notwithstanding, her first professional production allowed her to play a Filipino character. "My part was a Filipina student named Aurora Santos in the play `Newcomer.' Seattle Repertory Theatre toured it for two years to schools all over Washington."

She went on to work with companies such as the Group Theater, Seattle Children's Theatre, Northwest Shakespeare Ensemble.

She also worked with Northwest Asian American Theater (NWAAT), a group that had been cofounded by Filipino Americans including Stan Asis and Maria Batayola.

"During the entire run of NWAAT's existence, I was cast in many Asian roles that were not Filipino. In my time, to my recollection, they only produced two plays by Filipino American playwrights- Jeannie Barroga's 'Eye of the Coconut' and Ralph Pena's 'Flipzoids.' Because of scheduling conflicts, I could not be part of the casts."

More

"Through the 1990s and 2000s, I saw the development and expansion of more actors of all ethnic backgrounds come into the theater community. More plays on Asian American, African American, Latinx, Middle Eastern experiences were included in various theater groups' seasons. Multicultural casting became more accepted-even the norm in some cases."

Cardona (second from left) with fellow Seattle-based
Filipino American theater makers
(from left) Jojo Abaoag, Linda Cardona-Rigor, Justin Huertas, Sara Porkalob,
Annelih Hamilton, Don Darryl Rivera, Christi Cruz and Mikko Juan.
Photo by John Cornicello

Now in the 2010s, Cardona proudly inventories the achievements of her Filipino American colleagues. "The Fil-Am artistic community has been steadily growing and garnering awards and honors along the way." 

"The prestigious Gregory Award for theatrical excellence in various categories has been previously awarded to Sara Porkalob (2018), Don Darryl Rivera (2017), Ray Tagavilla (2016, 2014), Justin Huertas (2015)," she says.

Cardona herself was a nominee in the 2018 BroadwayWorld Seattle Awards for Best Leading Performer (Play) for her work in Dukesbay Productions' staging of "Calligraphy."

Jojo Abaoag won the 2018 Gypsy Rose Lee Award for Excellence in Performance of a Play-Supporting Actor-Smaller Theater Category for his work in "An Octoroon" for ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery.

Coming up

She's also happy to announce the productions, recent and upcoming, that her fellow Fil-Ams are working on.

Her own recent credits include "Night Parade" (Rebate Theatre), The Good Woman of Szechuan (ACT Lab), "Calligraphy" (Dukesbay Theatre), "Last Days of Judas Iscariot" (Sound Theatre Company) and "Paper Angels" (SIS Productions).

"Since 2019 started, Annelih Hamilton and Justin Huertas were in Strawberry Theatre Workshop's 'Everybody.' Chrysanthemum Binayug was in Live Girls! Theater's 'Raisins in A Glass of Milk.' Matt De La Cruz wrote and performed a one-person show about his mother titled 'Tita Ester.' Sara Porkalob was in 5th Avenue Theatre's 'Rock Of Ages.'"

Mara Palma is in Café Nordo's "Jitterbug Perfume" until March 30. Upcoming performances include Huertas in Intiman Theatre's "Caught" (March) and Mikko Juan in 5th Avenue Theatre-A Contemporary Theatre's co-production of 'Urinetown' (April).

"Rheanna Atendido co-adapted the children's story 'Sonya's Chickens' for 5th Avenue Theatre," she says. "The show will be toured to elementary and middle schools throughout the Northwest."

"The future I dreamed of in my hopeful years has gloriously materialized," says Cardona. "My hope is that this current trajectory of Filipino American artists' contributions of excellence in all aspects of theater continues to grow stronger and more prolific in the years ahead."