Remember these names: Renée Albulario, Carol Angeli, Melody Butiu, Nathaniel P. Claridad, Natalie Cortez, Debralee Daco, Joshua Dela Cruz, Jose Llana, Kelvin Moon Loh, Jaygee Macapugay, Jeigh Madjus, Ruthie Ann Miles, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Clint Ramos, Conrad Ricamora, George Salazar, Trevor Salter and Janelle Velasquez. These Fil-Ams are the talented stars and crew of Here Lies Love, the immersive musical event by David Byrne and DJ Fatboy Slim, currently performing at the Joseph Papp Public Theater.
Filipino Mundo-NYC, Filipino American Press Club of New York and Ugly Kitchen are honored to recognize and celebrate the Filipino-American theatre artists whose ensemble commitment has made
Here Lies Love the most acclaimed musical production of the season.
On Saturday, July 20th, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, these Filipino-American musical performers will gather for an afternoon of drinks and conversation at the Ugly Kitchen restobar (located at 103 1st Ave New York, NY 10003).
"This gathering is not a panel discussion. It is a Kapihan, a coffee break," says
Randy Gener, an award-winning editor/writer, curator/organizer of Filipino Mundo-NYC and the only Asian American recipient of
George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism. "This afternoon event takes the form of a long table, using the intimate form of a klatch as a structure for public conversation. Aspiring young actors and musical performers are most especially welcome to come. It is a unique opportunity to meet the show's original cast and to share professional experiences with these amazing Fil-Am performing artists* before
The Public Theater's engagement officially ends on July 28th."
What's on the menu? Marcos history. Theatrical performance. Cultural legacy. Philippine pride. Filipino food house specialities served from Ugly Kitchen restobar. What does it mean to be a Fil-Am musical actor performing in this season's most culturally significant event about Philippine history? What can these Fil-Am talents share with us about what they know, remember or have learned about the past and the Marcos legacy? What is it like to perform nightly in an immersive theatrical musical where audiences stand, dance and move with the actors?
RSVP is a must. Send an email to randygener@hotmail.com. Or RSVP on the website of Filipino Mundo-NYC located at
http://www.meetup.com/FilipinoMundo-NYC/events/128902652/.
*Participants are subject to change. Please come on time. Although free appetizers will be served, be prepared to pay if you decide to eat a full meal.
Filipino Mundo-NYC is a meetup group of young professionals and visual/performing artists socializing and creating art and performances in changing Manhattan venues. The group aims to cultivate a connected Filipino community; to enrich our experiences as global citizens enhancing, defining, and enriching the Filipino voice in harmony with the chorus of its surroundings -- and at the same time to give voice, venue and appreciation to new generations of Filipino and Filipino American artists, musicians and performers whose lives, creativity and work provide a rich contribution to our American present. Visit
www.meetup.com/FilipinoMundo-NYC
Filipino American Press Club of New York is the first organization for Fil-Am journalists in New York. Its members are traditional and online journalists as well as bloggers. It was created in September 2011, and one of its activities is a monthly Kapihan where they facilitate a dialogue between leaders and personalities and members of the community.
Now fully owned by Filipinos, Ugly Kitchen is re-launching this month (July 2013) as permanent bar/restaurant in the East Village. It is the brainchild of Chef and Owner Aris Tuazon who was most recently the chef at Krystal's Cafe 81. Tuazon established the popular Filipino pop-up venue Bar Kada, which had taken up a Sunday residence at Ugly Kitchen. Having now changed its menu, Tuazon serves a fusion of Filipino American food everyday. Visit
theuglykitchen.com
HERE LIES LOVE received the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical; an Obie Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics; Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music, Lighting Design, and Projection Design; and Theatre World Awards for
Ruthie Ann Miles (as Imelda Marcos) and
Conrad Ricamora (as Nonoy Aquino). Within a pulsating dance club atmosphere, composers
David Byrne and
Fatboy Slim deconstruct the astonishing journey of Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos retracing her meteoric rise to power and subsequent descent into infamy and disgrace at the end of the People Power Revolution.
HERE LIES LOVE is neither a period piece nor a biography, neither a play nor a traditional musical but an immersive theatrical event combining songs influenced by four decades of dance music, adrenaline-fueled choreography, and a remarkable 360-degree scenic and video environment to go beyond Imelda's near-mythic obsession with shoes and explore the tragic consequences of the abuse of power.
Here Lies Love has set design by
David Korins, costume design by
Clint Ramos, lighting design by
Justin Townsend, sound design by M. L. Dogg and
Cody Spencer, and projection design by
Peter Nigrini.
Alex Timbers is the director.
Annie-B Parson is the choreographer.
