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WINNER OF 8 OBIE AWARDS
An adaptation by award winning playwright Lonnie Carter with
Loy Arcenas
The Romance of Magno Rubio
tells the hard luck tale of Magno,
a simple farm laborer who won’t let hardship or heartbreak
mar his hopeful spirit.
Magno Rubio is a Filipino migrant worker who labours in the
farms of California during the 1930s, and dares to dream of
a future with a white American woman, Clarabelle. When Magno
“meets” Clarabelle through a “lonely hearts” ad his fellow
workers try to warn him against this risky and irrational
love affair. Undeterred by legal and social prohibitions,
the diminutive Magno Rubio naively pursues his long-distance
courtship.
Unable to read or write, Magno pays one of his friends to
pen long, heartfelt love letters to Clarabelle. After
sending letter after letter, and larger and larger gifts,
Magno finally proposes, and Clarabelle accepts – if he’ll
wire her a large sum of cash for her long trip from
Arkansas!
Through clever word play, rhymes, hip hop rhythms, movement
and song, Lonnie Carter’s adaptation of
The Romance of Magno
Rubio
reveals the lives of migrant workers, their struggles
and dreams, and their longings for home and a better life.
The Romance of Magno Rubio, the play, is based on a short
story of the same title written by Carlos Bulosan, one of
the earliest and best known Filipino writers in English. The
play was first produced by Ma-Yi Theatre Company in New York
garnering 8 Obie Awards.
CBT’s production of
The Romance of Magno Rubio marks the
play’s Canadian premier. It introduces an exciting young
ensemble of Filipino-Canadian actors and artists. Award
winning film and television director, Romeo Candido leads
the creative team as the director and sound/media designer.
David Duclos is production manager, with stage management by
Melissa Clemente, set design by Emma Polimac, lighting
design by Heidi Lingren, costume design by Caroline
Mangosing. It is produced by CBT’s artistic director, Nadine
Villasin (Miss Orient(ed)) and Carlo Proto (Bhopal,
Ali &
Ali and the Axis of Evil).
CBT’s young and multi-talented talented cast are: Byron
Abalos (Festival of Classics, The Comedy of Errors,
A Clockwork Orange (Hart House), Big Love), Nicco
Lorenzo Garcia (Iron Road, Ice Beyond Cool and
Fire Where
There’s Smoke), Jon de Leon (Festival of Classics,
The Comedy
of Errors, Waiting for Godot, Romeo & Juliet), Leonard Cervantes
(Tales from the Flipside) and Dean Raphael Vargas (Tales from the
Flipside, Remember Lolo). |
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