i accepted an invitation to present my installation, Singing Plants Reconstruct Memory at the KAPWA-3 Conference on Indigenous Knowledges in the Academe to be held at the University of the Philippines in Baguio City from June 28 to 30, 2012.

KAPWA-3 will convene scholars from diverse Philippine universities and Schools of Living Traditions, cultural workers and artists who are actively involved with preserving Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSP) in their lifeworks.  There will be international discussants from Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, the USA and Canada whose research points to the importance of IKSP in formal education.

i will be journeying with a group of Filipino-Canadian healers, artists, and critical thinkers from Toronto: Aimee Gomez, Jennifer Maramba, Christine Balmes, and Kristen Sison.  we are committed to sharing the learning process with our communities.  so in truth, you will be journeying with us. 

peace/katahimikan
jsa

maraming salamat / many thanks to Kidlat Tahimik, Dr. Katrin de Guia, and the Heritage and Arts Academies of the Philippines (H.A.P.I.) team for their support.

learn more about our kapwa journey

from the CBT Blog:  Six moths ago when the Carlos Bulosan Theatre Play Creation Unit formed with the Director of Play Creation Marjorie Chan, it was established that this year’s Tales from the Flipside would be a celebration of new works in development,.  What a celebration!  Each night we had to add more chairs to the crowds as the Playwrights introduced themselves and their inspirations through out their process.

Darrel Gamotin introduced each cast member with personal stories – one even leading all the way back to high school for Oh Comely.

In her introduction for her new musical Icosagon Dreams, Flerida Peña got a laugh from audiences when referencing Day Time TV’s infamous icosagon aka the big wheel from the Price is Right!

Jo SiMalaya Alcampo delighted audiences with her singing plants and visuals of her Aswang character represented through shadow puppetry for Hillot Means Healer.

And finally, Meesha Albano informed the audience that the excerpts about to be presented and are part of her larger play Transit Diaries to be seen this summer in the Toronto Fringe Festival.

Of course the audience played a large part in this development celebration. Each night the Playwrights asked 3-4 questions pertaining to their play and received feedback from the audience.  The feedback provided is intended to support the Playwrights as they enter their next phase of writing.

_Carlos Bulosan Theatre in Partnership with Kapisanan proudly present

Flipside Festival + Tales from the Flipside
March 8-11, 2012
at KAPISANAN
167 Augusta Ave (Toronto)

For the past six months, members of Carlos Bulosan Theatre’s Play Creation Unit - Meesha Albano, Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Darrel Gamotin, and Flerida Peña - have been led by Director of Play Creation, Marjorie Chan to develop their writing as emerging professional playwrights.

They are proud to share their work at Tales from the Flipside - CBT’s 11th annual showcase of emerging professional Filipino-Canadian playwrights & theatre artists:

March 8th at 8PM
Oh Comely by Darrel Gamotin. Directed by Nina Lee Aquino
All the lovely moments of a family dissolve into the realities of a six year old named Sascha. 
She has seen the ugliness of love.  She thinks it’s lovely.

March 9th at 8PM
Icosagon Dreams by Flerida Peña. Directed by Autumn Smith
Love: From all sides, on all sides.

March 10th at 8PM
Hilot Means Healer by Jo SiMalaya Alcampo. Directed by Marjorie Chan
A Filipino family attempts to heal soul wounds that cut across generations.

March 11th at 2PM
Transit Diaries by Meesha Albano. Directed by Ruth Madoc-Jones
Cross the yellow line, look up, fall in love and don’t forget your transfer.

Theatre tickets are Pay-What-You-Can at the door. There is limited seating so please arrive on time. 
We regret that this is not a wheelchair accessible space.

MORE INFO:  carlosbulosan.wordpress.com

Read two articles in The Philippine Reporter about the recent interactive arts event:  Growing up "Canadian" and Fil-Can Youths not doing as well as parents based on the Filipino Youth Transitions in Canada (FYTiC) research project. 

_Carlos Bulosan Theatre's 2011-2012 Season includes:

Tales from the Flipside (March 2012) featuring presentations by emerging professional playwrights - Meesha Albano, Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Darrel Gamotin, and Flerida Peña - led by Director of Play Creation, Marjorie Chan.

and the workshop production of Sister Mary’s a Dyke?!  (May 2012)
- Catholic School Girls and other things the Vatican never saw coming.

Written by Flerida Peña.  Directed by Nina Lee Aquino. 

More info: carlosbulosan.wordpress.com

Thanks to char loro of Lovehard
for performing in and posting photos of our collectively written play...

Tempting Remo
Written by Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Myk Miranda, Arlene Paculan, Flerida Pena

Produced by Carlos Bulosan Theatre

Starring (in alphabetical order):
Cole Alvis, Ben Brilliante, char loro, Christine Mangosing, and Regina Simon.

Presented at the Theatre Centre (Toronto)
for Tales from the Flipside 2011
more photos here

i am proud to be on the production team for this play by janet romero-leiva, please support independent theatre and experience storytelling from the heart.  cariños - jsa

spanish on her tongue (en dos lenguas) is a one-womyn show by queer feminist latina visual artist and writer janet romero-leiva.

this coming of age story begins in 1983 chile during the military dictatorship and centers around the migration of a little girl and her family to the working class neighbourhood of chalkfarm - in north york. we follow her through her excitement of learning a new language, while also re-living the shame of losing the language she was taught to love in. 

as she struggles with her role of translator to her family, lacking words in spanish to authentically interpret situations too mature for her age, her english vocabulary expands, placing her in between two worlds she cannot fully embrace.

during her adolescence she stumbles upon her queerness, allowing us to be with her during her first crush, first love and first heart break. throughout her stories we catch glimpses of her indigenous roots, and as we are invited to delve deeper into her life we witness the impact of colonialism, and understand - through her questions, confusion, and pain - the complexities of indigenous identity.

JUNE 1 - JUNE 5, 2011
Kapisanan Centre, 167 augusta avenue
we regret this venue is not wheelchair accessible
 $12 - $17 sliding scale
advance tickets at the toronto women's bookstore, 73 harbord street
 
wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday @ 7:30pm
saturday , *sunday ($16) @ 2pm (*this performance has a fixed price of $16, which includes once, the traditional chilean tea time consisting of canela tea and home-made treats)
 
website: spanishonhertongue.weebly.com

Reasons to Flip @ the Flipside Festival 2011
1. Melissa Clemente is leading a FREE Jewelery Design Workshop on Saturday May 14th from 1:00 - 2:30 PM at Kapisanan.

2. Michaela Cruz and Lyndel Aguilar, emerging visual artists from Kapisanan's Clutch Vol. #3 showcase their work from the 6-month arts-based program.

3. Performance from Casey Mecija of Ohbijou who is hosting a FREE Care Package Art Installation Workshop on Sat May 14th from 3-5 PM at Kapisanan.

4. Performance from hunters x gatherers: An expressive collaboration between inter-disciplinary artist Jen Maramba and prolific musician/producer Alex Punzalan with the creative influence of Kawayan Punzalan. Based on "Maharlika" and the healers they met during their 2011 Philippine sabattical, this mix of adventure and mentorship has proven to be a turning point in their respective lives.

5.  Dinner generously provided by Mayette's Fine Foods (masarap!)

6. The 10th Annual Tales from the Flipside Festival featuring two new collective creations from Play Creation Unit Alumni "Collective Consciousness"

Fundraiser:  Thursday May 12th, 7 pm
Opening Night Fundraiser at The Theatre Centre featuring readings from the playwrights' individual repertoire, evocative installations from Kapisanan's CLUTCH Vol.3 and others, exclusive musical peformances, and Mayette's Fine Foods.
Tickets:  $35 in advance, $45 at the door

Plays:  Friday May 13 - Sunday May 15th
Tales from the Flipside: "Collective Consciousness" at The Theatre Centre

Tempting Remo written by:    
Jo SiMalaya Alcampo
Arlene Paculan
Flerida Peña
Myk Miranda
Presented on Friday May 13th, 8 pm + Sunday May 15th, 2 pm

Outside written by:    
Lucas Costello
Rina Espiritu
Vincent Galvez
Regina Simon
Presented on Saturday May 14th,  8pm + Sunday May 15th, 4pm

Tickets:  $15 available in person at The Theatre Centre Box Office, 1087 Queen St West (located in the café) from 1 hour before show time.  Box Office 416-538-0988  theatrecentre.org
MORE INFO: carlosbulosan.com

Carlos Bulosan Theatre is committed to creating innovative work that reflects a vibrant, new generation of Filipino-Canadian artists. CBT seeks to encourage and develop Filipino-Canadian performers, playwrights, poets, visual artists and other artists within the community.