Nuyorican Poets Cafe Presents TAGALOGUE, VOLUME 2, 10/12 & 13

On October 12th and 13th, a band of performers and writers will share the stage in "Tagalogue, Volume 2," a theatrical evening of original creative works and poetic voices of Filipino Americans within the United States.

In celebration of Filipino American History Month, these original works document and write history as these are stories that question being Filipino, American, Filipino American, and more. Their stories create a snapshot of what it is like to be Filipino American in New York City in 2012. The performers relive experiences, share ideas, and pose meaningful questions while they celebrate their heritage.

"Tagalogue" is created and produced by Leslie Espinosa. It is also produced by Precious Sipin and Kilusan Bautista. The evening, directed by Grant Thomas, will be performed on Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13, 2012.

Doors open 6:30pm. The show begins at 7pm at the Nuyorican Poets Café (236 East 3rd Street, New York, NY). For more info go to www.tagalogue.com or email tagaloguenyc@gmail.com.

Performers/Writers for "Tagalogue" are Jessica Abejar, Joelle Abejar, Anton Briones, Alfretz Costelo, Andre Dimapilis, Leslie Espinosa, Philippe Garcesto, Randy Gener, Maria Gregorio, Erika Pineda, Julian Pormentilla, Precious Sipin, Lorely Trinidad and Robert Wolf.

Jessica Abejar is a youth coordinator, freelance creative and performance Artist.

Joelle Abejar is a high school student at Holy Trinity High School in Long Island and is currently involved with the school's dance company.

Anton Briones, an actor, has been, over the past 4 years, he has been developing two arts organizations in Upstate New York where he founded the Adirondack Lakes Summer Theatre Festival, a 6 production professional theatre festival that travels to 20 towns adding up to over 50 performances every summer.

Alfretz Costelo is a professional hipster who, born in the Philippines and raised in Guam , moved to NYC 10 years ago to study acting.

Andre Dimapilis is a performing artist and a theatre teaching-artist for the Creative Arts Team, Brooklyn Performing Arts Intensive, Dream up! and the Story Pirates.

Leslie Espinosa, an artist and producer of "Tagalogue," will perform actual letters from her dad while he was in the US Navy. She is a mentor with Soulciety’s Bridge Program, which connects Filipinos in the United States to Filipinos in the Philippines by teaching and inspiring music, dance, and other art workshops in rural areas in the Philippines.

Philippe Garcesto, an actor/mixed media performance artist, was most recently seen in Lena’s Way a story of first love in Philippines during the Marcos era this past summer.

Randy Gener, a playwright, director, visual artist and a recipient of 2012 Outstanding Artist Award from Filipino American National Historical Society's Metro NY chapter, will perform a monologue from his new play in progress. He is the author of the plays "Love Seats for Virginia Woolf," "Wait for Me at the Bottom of the Pool," "Mametogram," and other theatre works.

Maria Gregorio, a poet and writer, has been published in a chapbook anthology "Voices of Brooklyn" (Face to Face Press, 2000).

Erika Pineda, a medical student, social entrepreneur and writer, cofounded the Philippine non-profit JeepneED Inc. which brings magic school buses to public schools in rural areas of the country to make science fun again.

Julian Pormentilla, a sales manager at OneWire, lives in Downtown Jersey City, NJ and was born in San Pablo City, Philippines.

Precious Sipin, an actor and artist, performs her own piece, “Dalaga,” which is dedicated to the women, both in the past and present, whose strength and light will not and cannot be hidden.

Lorely Trinidad, a writer, has submitted excerpts from "Where the Hot Dogs Are Red and the Spaghetti is Sweet: 7 Visits to the Philippines."

Robert Wolf is born and raised in New York, graduated from Fordham University in 2010 and studied Communications and Media Studies with a concentration in journalism.

Grant Thomas, director of "Tagalogue," is an artist, social entrepreneur and a professional actor who is currently performing in "A Chorus Line" at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey.

The "Tagalogue" project brings to the stage a line from Jose Rizal’s novel "El Filibusterismo": “While a people preserves its language; it preserves the marks of liberty…” "Tagalogue" is a play on words suggesting a collection of monologues and dialogues speaking of the Filipino identity, which, if spoken in their native tongue, would be spoken in Tagalog. Add the “ue” to the end of their language (turning Tagalog into Tagalogue), and you have a colorfully expressive theater piece that tells the stories of recent generations as their culture and identity merges with American culture. They are defining who they are and rediscovering The Commonalities of who we are all striving to become.

"Tagalogue" is a platform to unify and strengthen the community through performance art and education. The first edition of "Tagalogue" was performed this past summer also at Nuyorican Poets Cafe.

TAGALOGUE, Volume 2 will play Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13, 2012. Doors open 6:30pm. Show begins at 7pm at the Nuyorican Poets Café, 236 East 3rd Street, New York, NY. Tickets are $15. Find tickets online at www.nuyorican.org and also available at the door.

Pictured: Jessica Abejar, Joelle Abejar, Anton Briones, Alfretz Costelo, Andre Dimapilis, Leslie Espinosa, Philippe Garcesto, Maria Gregorio, Julian Pormentilla, Precious Sipin and Robert Wolf

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