Cast Crew Thank You’sto the art by CBT’s Walang Sugat and Images of 1896 exactly eleven years...

Cast & Crew Thank You’s We thank the Toronto Fringe Theatre Festival for welcoming us this year. We are absolutely thrilled with the support that we, as a community and as a

company, have received from you. Our heartfelt thanks go to Carlos Bulosan Theatre and to the Flipside Festival for the seeds that were planted at the play creation workshops; we would not have known to claim our baggage had it

not been for you. Many thanks go to the Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts + Culture for donating the space. This is where it began and we are honoured

that you have allowed us to bring it home. Maraming Salamat!

To the original cast and directors of the company at the Flipside Festival: Byron Abalos, Gene Abella, Jo Simalaya Alcampo, Romeo Candido, Christian Feliciano, Catherine Hernandez, Jason Maghanoy, Anthony Malarky, Cecilia Mandac, Samantha Miranda and Nadine Villasin, who helped us in the devel‐

opment of our production.

To our family and our friends, we thank you for your love, many many times over! A special remerciement to the Ignacio‐Palanca Mom for raising such

wonderful production team staff! For the hard work and commitment to this endeavour, we thank each member of the cast and crew of Baggage. It has

been an absolute pleasure working with all of you!

Finally to you, our audience, we thank you for stopping by the Kapisanan Phil‐ippine Centre for Arts + Culture and for making the walk with our baggage

more meaningful.

www.baggagetheplay.com

Baggage:

On time, no delays, no intermissions, no mobile devices, buckle up. Claim Your Baggage, Act 1 (The Airport Staff) written by Christine Mangosing directed by Karen Ancheta performed by Aura Carcueva as “Lily”, Rose Cortez as “Cherry Pie”, Jessica Leibgott as “Ashley” and Elizabeth Lofranco as “Selena”

Maria written by Aura Carcueva directed by Karen Ancheta performed by Aura Carcueva as “Maria”, Alex Felipe as “Father” and Regina Simon as “Mother”

Touch, Act 1 (The Date) written by Reese Baguio directed by Karen Ancheta performed by Leon Aureus as “Richmond”, Reese Baguio as “Rachel”, Caroline Man‐gosing as “Eden” and Michelle Turingan as “Alex”

Not My Exotic written by Darrel Gamotin directed by Marie Beath Badian performed by Darrel Gamotin as “Jacksey” and Caroline Mangosing as “Belissa”

Touch, Act 2 (The Intervention)

The Edge of Family written by Vincent Galvez directed by Marie Beath Badian performed by Vincent Galvez as “Chester”, Darrel Gamotin as “Manuel”, Andrea Mapili as “Tita Cindy” and Christine Mangosing as “Abigail”

Claim Your Baggage, Act 2 (The Passengers)

Touch, Act 3 (Resuscitation)

Watch Baggage again! Other show times

JULY 2008

Ticket info available at www.fringetoronto.com

What else is up with the PMC

Our partnerships with the Carlos Bulosan Theatre and the Kapisanan Philip‐pine Centre for Arts + Culture have helped us with our craft as writers, as per‐formers and have also allowed us to claim our baggage and carry it with pride.

Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts + Culture is located at 167 Augusta Av. Toronto, ON. To reach the centre, e‐mail [email protected] or call 416 979 0600. Ask for rates for rehearsal/performance/meeting/workshop space bookings and find out about events and how to get involved. Visit the

K’s blog at http://kapisanan.wordpress.com.

For more information about Carlos Bulosan Theatre, visit www.carlosbulosan.com and e‐mail [email protected] to subscribe to the mailing list. CBT is housed at 167 Augusta Av. in Toronto. 416 979 0400.

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ISABELA PALANCA, Associate Producer Isabela Palanca be‐lieves that she is always where she is meant to be. Working with the Pulang Maleta Collective is allowing her to explore the Baggage she has ignored for too long. The courage she has witnessed from the company has inspired her so much that she may finally come out of hiding and begin writing again. Isa thanks the Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts + Culture for introducing her to young Filipino‐Canadians in the arts; she also thanks her Mommy and her Papa for being artists and Celesté, Bea and Martinne for getting her nose out of her books to play with them instead.

REGINA SIMON, “Mother” Regina is ecstatic to get back to her theatre roots. She was first introduced to the art by CBT’s Walang Sugat and Images of 1896 exactly eleven years ago. Since then, Regina has appeared in DiwataWorks (Fort Santiago), Knightflight (“Decide”), The Alexander Players and Singers (“Fiddler on the Roof”, “Pirates of Pen‐zance”) and City Centre Musical Productions (“Miss Saigon”) to name a few. She is the only singer of

Filipino origin to win a slot in a 16‐member‐choir to represent Toronto in Vision TV’s “Gospel Challenge” in 2006. Regina produces and co‐hosts “Todo Banda”, which airs every Thursday night on CHHA 1610 AM Boses Pinas and is also a finalist in Filipino Eh’s Mobistar Singing Contest in August 2008.

MICHELLE TURINGAN, “Alex” Michelle is thrilled to be repris‐ing the role of Alex in the groundbreaking and controversial play Touch for this year’s Fringe Festival. Although a newcomer to theatre, Michelle is no stranger to the limelight. As a former guitarist and vocalist for a local Toronto band, Violet Static, she has performed music in venues all over Ontario and has shared the stage with the likes of Tegan and Sara, Emm Gryner, Melissa Ferrick, Danny Michel, and many others. Michelle would like to thank everyone at the Kapisanan Philippine Cen‐tre, Carlos Bulosan Theatre and Pulang Maleta Collective for welcoming her into the fold with open arms and for inspiring her to re‐ignite her own creative passion. Currently composing electronic music under the moniker “KidKulit”, Michelle’s solo musings can be heard at www.myspace.com/kidkulit.

Baggage: A Synopsis Baggage is a collection of five short plays interwoven together as an exploration of shame. The individual pieces named “Claim Your Bag‐gage”, “Maria”, “Not My Exotic”, “The Edge of Family” and “Touch” were all developed as part of a collective of first‐time playwrights yearning to share the unique experience of what it means to be Fili‐pino‐Canadian. The group was made possible through the Play Crea‐tion Unit at the Carlos Bulosan Theatre (CBT).

“Claim Your Baggage” by Christine Mangosing is a humorous look at cultural shame and a reminder that if you don’t look back at where you came from, you’ll never get to where you’re going.

“Maria” by Aura Carcueva is about the struggle of a daughter’s filial obligation, independence, and the desire for a new life through a mail order bride arrangement.

“Not My Exotic” by Darrel Gamotin A woman and man’s rendezvous unravels into something more.

“The Edge of Family” by Vincent Galvez Over the course of a dinner, a beautiful young girl must choose between her crime figure boyfriend and his DJ best friend, with no help from her envious mother.

“Touch” by Reese Baguio is about a young woman hindered by her conservative up‐bringing who struggles to navigate the world as a new lesbian. With the help of her mis‐guided mentor, a flamboyantly Filipino drag queen, she tries to find love and more im‐portantly, learns how to… breathe.


Pulang Maleta Collective: Company Profile

The Pulang Maleta* Collective (PMC) is Reese Baguio, Aura Carcueva, Vincent Galvez, Darrel Gamotin and Christine Mangosing. Formed in Spring 2008, PMC recently completed the Play Creation Program for emerging Filipino‐Canadian playwrights at the Carlos Bulosan Theatre. After successful workshop runs during the sold‐out “Tales from the Flipside: Claim Your Baggage” and staged readings at this year's Crosscurrents Festival (Factory Theatre), they are mak‐ing their first foray as producer‐writers at the 20th Annual Toronto Fringe Festival. They are thankful for the continued support of the Kapianan Philip‐pine Centre for Arts + Culture (KPC) and Carlos Bulosan Theatre (CBT), without whom they would not have made it this far.

*Pulang Maleta means “red luggage” in Filipino and references the bright red suitcases which are the common element of the pieces as a constant re‐minder of the universal theme of shame.

The Cast & Crew KARYL A. AGANA, Stage Manager A recent gradu‐ate of Lakeshore Collegiate, Karyl is no stranger to the theatre. Karyl recently completed SM duties for “Fish Eyes”, “The Corner”, and the Paprika Fes‐tival and is happy to continue supporting the burgeoning Filipino‐Canadian theatre community.

KAREN ANCHETA, Co‐Director Karen is honoured by the invitation to take part in the Collective’s exuberant first outings! Karen has most recently been inspired by the completion of her mentorship as assistant director for the world premiere of the CBT Collective’s production of People Power in Theatre Passe Muraille’s 40th sea‐son. Karen’s directing credits include: Round and White at L’esprit de L’escalier (Step 5) and with CBT’s Tales From The Flipside 2007 and 2008. Karen has been a professional actor since 1995. Karen’s selected acting credits include: Rachel in Claim Your Baggage’s Touch, Lady Capulet/Apothecary in Romeo and Juliet (Forward Theatre); Maria in Singkil (fu‐GEN Theatre); Parkette in Parkette (Rhubarb); Pericles



CHRISTINE MANGOSING, Producer/Playwright/“Abigail” A graphic/web designer by profession, a West Coast transplant and a former spoken word performer, Christine Mangosing’s foray into the world of theatre began upon joining the ranks of the CBT Collective (Carlos Bulosan Theatre) as a play‐wright/performer in 2006. Since then, she has co‐written and performed in both the Summerworks workshop produc‐tion and full production of People Power at Theatre Passe Muraille and performed in CBT’s Tales from the Flipside 2007 and 2008. When not masquerading as an actor, Chris‐

tine runs her own print/web design company, c*mango design, and serves as a board member at the Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts + Culture.

ANDREA MAPILI, “Tita Cindy” Andrea is a Toronto‐based actor who made her theatre debut as Lina in Jason Maghanoy’s The Corner (JSquared), which played at the Fac‐tory Theatre as a part of the inaugural Next Stage Theatre Festival. She then appeared as Tita Cindy in Tales From the Flipside (Carlos Bulosan Theatre) and Denise in Flipside Keeps Current (Carlos Bulosan Theatre) during the The National 2008 CrossCurrents Festival. Andrea has been dancing since she was two years old and is delighted to be making her Fringe debut with the Pulang Maleta Collective. Andrea also has a BSc in Biology from the University of Western Ontario and recently returned to Toronto after a two year stint living in South Africa.

BEA PALANCA, Publicist Summed up into words, Bea is a writer and a performer. Bea knows there is always more to learn about the theatre, having dabbled in directing and stage managing and having worked as a Co‐op Intern at Theatre Passe Muraille in 2007. A four‐time participant in the Sears Ontario Drama Festival, Bea has received several awards for her writing and performance and is a recipient of the SODF Ken and Ann Watts Scholarship and the Dramatic Arts Foun‐ders’ Award from Notre Dame High School. She has just fin‐ished her first year as a Linguistics and French Specialist at the University of Toronto, where she wrote her own column “Frosh Diary” in The Bulletin. Working with soothemysisters

Productions, Bea was seen as Magda in both LuminaTO 2007 and in the 2007 Toronto SummerWorks Festival in Hooke’s Law, as Jalili in the 2005 SummerWorks season in Enter My Goddess, and as Peetwaniquot in the 2004 International Drama Educators Association Conference in Old Turtle. She is excited to be on board as Pulang Maleta Collective’s publicist, and is resigning from writing bios as they are strange to write.

JESSICA LEIBGOTT, “Ashley” Jessica is thrilled to be playing the role of Ashley in Claim Your Baggage, hav‐ing originated the role for this year’s Tales from the Flipside. A native of Montreal, Jessica has completed Dawson College’s Professional Theatre Program and The Randolph Academy’s Triple Threat program in Toronto. Most recently Jessica has performed with Solar Stage Children’s Theatre Company and spent the majority of last year on the North American tour of Clifford Live! Jessica would like to thank everyone involved with Baggage for making her feel so welcome; it has been a treat to work with a group of such talented, passionate and motivated people.

ELIZABETH LOFRANCO, “Selena” Born and raised in Montreal, Elizabeth Lofranco joined the Toronto theatre scene in 2006, when she performed in her first Tales from the Flipside with CBT. She has since both written and performed in two other Flipsides. She is known for her voice work in the National Film Board of Canada’s animated short, “The Girl Who Hated Books”, playing the title role. Elizabeth is also a TV, commercial, and independent film actor, and in her spare time she works for LA‐Toronto based film production company 2Bad4U Produc‐tions. She was last seen as Dee in the latest workshop reading of Catherine Hernandez’s new play Kilt Pins. Elizabeth is excited

to take part in her first Toronto Fringe Festival with her favourite Flips… and Jessica!

CAROLINE MANGOSING, “Belissa”/”Eden” Caroline Man‐gosing is a multi‐disciplinary artist. A filmmaker and actor, Caroline has produced nationally broadcast projects as well as an international co‐production under her company The Digital Sweatshop Inc. She also starred in several of her productions. Caroline’s other acting credits include several theatre shows in Toronto. With a BFA in Photography from Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Caroline is also a published fashion photographer, with her work featured in Vancouver, Toronto and Manila. Caroline also has a di‐ploma in fashion design, and on occasion, designs costume for theatre productions in Toronto. She is one of the co‐founders and currently the executive director of Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts & Culture. The purpose of her life work is for the "good and mutual arising" of Filipino talent.


Taming of the Shrew and Loves Labours Lost (Stratford Festival); Choon‐yi in Ghost Train (Young Peoples Theatre); Sadako in One Thousand Cranes (national and regional tours); Appearing Brazil Nut, Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish (Carousel Players); Molyka in The Malaysia Hotel (Rhubarb); Grusha in Caucasian Chalk Circle and Helena/Cobweb in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ryerson Theatre). Film credits include: There’s Some‐thing About Morris Silverberg (CDN Film Centre), One Little Finger (Flok Productions) Karen is a graduate of Ryerson Theatre School and a recipient of the Robert Christie Award.

LEON AUREUS, “Richmond” Leon Aureus is an actor and playwright. Select acting credits include: F.O.B. (Gum San Theatre); Novena (CBC Radio); Remember Lolo (MyBuhay); Singkil (fu‐GEN Theatre Company – for which he received a Dora nomination for Best Performance: Male); and Yogya‐karta (Absit Omen/Bell Tower Theatre Company); a nank‐ing winter (Nightwood Theatre); and People Power (which he also co‐wrote for CBT,). His play, Banana Boys has en‐joyed successful runs in Toronto (Factory Theatre), Ottawa (Magnetic North Festival ‐ Arts Court) and Vancouver (Firehall Arts Centre) and will be next produced at the new

Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts in the autumn of 2008. Leon is also an aspiring filmmaker whose short film Friends Like These was nominated for Best Cana‐dian Short at the ReelWorld Film Festival and he was the founding Artistic Director of the fu‐GEN Asian‐Canadian Theatre Company.

MARIE BEATH BADIAN, Co‐Director Marie Beath is thrilled to be returning to the To‐ronto Fringe Festival, after spending five seasons at the Blyth Festival. Her last Fringe show, Novena, from the 2002 Toronto Fringe, went on to be produced as a full‐length radio drama for CBC Radio and toured to Victoria as part of Intrepid Theatre’s Uno Fest. Marie Beath is a playwright, performer, director and dramaturge. Directing and dramaturgy credits include Reverend Jonah [Blyth Festival], and Stroke [fu‐Gen Thea‐tre Potluck Festival]. Performance credits include Tiffany/Annette in Conservatives in Love [Next Stage Festival, Toronto and New Stages, Peterborough], Effa/Evie in Schoolhouse [Blyth Festival], The Whole Town in Down the Main Drag [ Harbourfront Centre/ HATCH], and Mimi in The Affairs of Anatol [Glastonbury West]. Marie Beath has spent two fun‐filled seasons as the Director of Play Creation for the CBT, where the 5 plays of Baggage were created. She is also the Program Direc‐tor for Nightwood Theatre’s Busting Out! program for 12‐14 year old girls.


REESE BAGUIO, Executive Producer/Playwright/“Rachel” Reese Baguio is a woman who likes to wear lots of hats. A Ryerson University Film graduate, Reese is a business ana‐lyst by day, and a writer/photographer/arts enabler by night. In her spare time, Reese also volunteers as Board Treasurer for the KPC. She is extremely excited to be able to premiere Touch at this year’s Fringe Festival alongside the talented artists of the PMC. Much love goes to the KPC and the CBT for their continued encouragement. Dedicated to and inspired by the gay and gay‐supportive people in her life, Reese hopes to touch everyone with this, her first play.

A U R A C A R C U E V A , P r o d u c e r /Playwright/“Maria”/“Lily” Aura completed a BFA at Simon Fraser University in Theatre and Dance, and has also trained at the Second City. Aura is best known to Toronto audiences for her performance as Ash in The Place Between (Native Earth) and her portrayal of Rosario in Tiger of Malaya (Factory Theatre/NAC). Aura’s

most inspirational credit was Vanishing Currents (Caravan Stage Touring Com‐pany), performed on a Tall Ship in New Orleans and throughout Europe. This experience motivated Aura to continue creating, eventually leading her to CBT’s Tales from the Flipside and to this year’s Fringe Festival! Thrilled to be part of another creative collective, Aura is thankful for everyone’s support in helping her explore her vision.

ROSE CORTEZ, “Cherry Pie” Rose Cortez was last seen as Pilar, Flor, Streetkid, Mama and eleven more Filipino characters in the play People Power at Thea‐tre Passe Muraille this past April. Last year, she was also nominated for a Dora Award for her performance in the role of Norma in Singkil at the Factory Studio Theatre. This is the third Filipino show in which Rose is playing a Filipino charac‐ter, and as a young performer she is proud to be a part of it. Rose is also a graduate of York University with her past credits including: Julia and Mrs. Boreman for Three Birds Alighting on a Field, Moth for Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Lotte and Barky for Not Wanted on the Voyage. She dedicates her work to her late Lola Juanita.


ALEX FELIPE, “Father” Alex has just returned from three months in the Philippines where he worked with local and international NGOs photographing human rights issues. Alex has a strong knowledge of Philippine history and the issues surrounding the diaspora and has been tapped to provide edu‐cational workshops and has spoken at a variety of events for the Filipino community and the commu‐

nity at large. Other than photography he has been the outreach coordinator for the KPC since Spring 2008. He never really thought he’d ever be acting in theatre. He’s acted his way out of trouble during his adventures as a docu‐mentary photographer, and he prays these experiences will serve him well onstage! Huge thanks go out to the KPC for this opportunity to continue chal‐lenging himself!

VINCENT GALVEZ, Producer/Playwright/“Chester” Raised in the suburbs of Mississauga, Vincent is a writer, performer, producer and editor. A graduate of the Van‐couver Film School Film Foundation program, he cur‐rently has a feature film “Babe with a Sword” which he is writing and producing for a Spring 2009 release with Robanzo Pictures. He also acts as producer and editor with the production company Harmonik Communica‐tions. Vincent is grateful for the opportunity to showcase his work at the Fringe Festival and gives thanks to MB, Nadine, Karen, Romeo, Len, Caroline, PMC, CBT and KPC for helping him real‐ize his vision as a storyteller and discover his roots as a Filipino. He gives very special thanks to his friends and family for the support and strength that he has always gained from them. Vincent loves and appreciates them very much.

D A R R E L G A M O T I N , P r o d u c e r /Playwright/“Jacksey”/“Manuel” Darrel is very ex‐cited to be working and playing at the Fringe. Special thanks to MB, Karen, Nadine, Anthony, Reese, and the Collective for making his small dreams come true in a big way. You can catch him next in the No‐vember production of BANANA BOYS. (fu‐gen.org)


Cast Crew Thank You’sto the art by CBT’s Walang Sugat and Images of 1896 exactly eleven years...

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