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Ma-Yi Theater Co., the multiawarded ensemble based in New York City
whose previous productions of Lonnie Carter’s “The Romance of
Magno Rubio,” and Ralph Peña’s “FLIPZOIDS” received
critically acclaimed productions at the Cultural Center of the
Philippines, returns to Manila to launch its new ground-breaking
anthology “Savage Stage.”
Edited and compiled by Palanca-winning poet and
playwright Joi Barrios-Leblanc, “Savage Stage” is a compilation
of nine original plays produced and developed by Ma-Yi. Included in
the anthology are essays that locate the texts within the larger
framework of Asian American Theater and the Filipino Diaspora.
As part of the book launch, Ma-Yi theater has
presented a staged reading of four plays recently, three of which
are included in the anthology: Sung Rno and Ralph Peña’s
“Project: Balangiga,” Chris Millado’s “peregriNasyon,” and
Han Ong’s “Middle Finger.”
The fourth play, “Nebraska,” gave Manila
audiences a preview of a working-progress slated for production in
New York in 2009. The staged reading was billed as part of the
Virgin Labfest 4, a festival of new works by Filipino playwrights by
the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Tanghalang Pilipino, and the
Writers’ Bloc.
Ma-Yi Theater’s participation is supposed by
the Asian Cultural Council (New York and Manila), and by the
Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Some of the Philippines’ best actors have been
tapped for the staged reading, including veterans Joel Torre, Nonie
Buencamino, Shamaine Beuncamino and Irma Adlawan-Marasigan. Rounding
out the cast are up-and-coming young actors JM de Guzman, JJ
Ignacio, Nar Cabico, and Red Concepcion. Ma-Yi Theater’s artistic
director Ralph Peña directs.
Founded in 1989, Ma-Yi Theater Company is the
leading professional Asian American Theater and incubator of new
Asian American plays in the United States. Its productions have
received 10 Obie Awards (Off-Broadway’s highest honor), a Drama
Desk nomination for Best Play, and several Hewitt Design awards.
The company is one of only a handful theaters
named to The Drama League’s “Theater of Excellence,” roster.
The Ma-Yi Writers Lab is the largest assembly of professional Asian
American playwrights in the United States. Executive Director Jorge
Ortoll heads Ma-Yi Theater Company.
For more details, please contact Tanghalang
Pilipino at 832-3661, or the CCP Box Office at 832-3704.
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