Alamat (Legends) Remount

Written by Rody Vera

Directed by Louie Pascasio

Synopsis

Pat, short for Patungao, an American-born Filipino of Kalinga ancestry is going to the Philippines for the first time to bury his father, Gadiaman, a Kalinga warrior who came to the US in 1946 after serving USAFFE in WWII. Unknown to him from the time of his birth, Pat is about to meet his 85-year old grandfather Ochas, a Kalinga Chieftain, who as a little boy, came to America in 1904 for the St. Louis World Exposition. Not being able to say goodbye to a father he’s not seen for years, he is stricken by memories of youthful rebellion and childlike awe of the man who he now missed terribly.

In the Philippines, he meets his grandfather and the village where his father came from. He gets caught in the political struggle for survival of a war-torn tribe threatened by a dam project by the government. Through him, his grandfather regains his spiritual strength as he welcomes the fulfillment of a myth that would reclaim the lost dignity of his tribe.

The play carves out a life montage for these three men and juxtaposed with it are myths and legends that speak of truths, parallels and folk insights that in postmodern times maybe considered archaic or an item of novelty but whose wisdom is more enduring than time itself. Alamat attempts to create a mosaic of dramatic storytelling fusing traditional forms and stylized improvisations both in terms of music and choreography.

Performances

• WIDC Theater, Preston Bradley Center, Chicago
  Oct 9 – Nov 2, 2003