Fresh off the Page returns with simmering drama Paralúman

Alyssa Pua design, John Rata photography

January was a highlight already for PAT with the return of beloved play reading series Fresh off the Page at Basement Theatre. Delivered under the Red alert to an intimate audience, Paralúman by Alyssa Medel spotlights the breadth of story our Asian diaspora carry, and is an exciting example of what Fresh off the Page is all about.

Event images: John Rata photography

How well do you know your ancestors' sacrifice...and the consequences you've inherited?

A risk-taking political family drama, Medel explores the intertwining worlds of family, generational trauma and the ebbs and flows of revolution in her debut play.

Paralúman is an intimate family drama that follows three generations of strong Filipina women - each made to carry the consequences of their predecessor’s actions in a society forging its political identity at a critical point.

Alma is a librarian entangled in a love affair that’s put at risk by her involvement in the resistance. Clara is hailed as the typical “Maria Clara” of her small village but is caught between family obedience and her sense of justice.

And in the present day, Aya is moving back to the Philippines to pursue her postgraduate studies at a local university - much to her Lola’s dismay. But the tragic secret that is being hidden from her is waiting to crumble everything upon her return.

Paralúman reflects the way of working new to all of us in theatres across the world - highly adaptive, and fraught with decision making pertaining to safety of audience and artists, vs the wellbeing of our artists on emotional, career and financial levels. Each decision we make is in tandem with our artists and it is ultimately their final call as to how their work is delivered under rapid changes.

Paralúman was one such event that was postponed multiple times in 2021, and Alyssa made the decision to go ahead with an audience of 25, reflecting that it was nonetheless an exciting, inspiring event that allowed the space and time with the work as it should be explored - live, with others. We are thrilled to have delivered this work, and are excited for its future - and potential future readings with our trademark full house.

Stay tuned for more Fresh off the Page this year!

Read by:

Charisse Uy

Marwin Maui Silerio

Donna Dacuno

Ariadne Baltazar

Mark Luna Querubin

Director: Mia Maramara

Special thanks to Dramaturg Ahi Karunaharan

Hosting by Marianne Infante

Photography by John Rata Photography

Fresh off the Page is proudly supported by Basement Theatre, Foundation North, Playmarket New Zealand, He Waka Eke Noa Charitable Trust and Creative Communities Auckland

Re-Fresh Development kicks off after Covid hiatus

After Covid setbacks, ReFresh Development is hitting the stage!

Re-Fresh Developments is a development initiative focused on readying works for future programming with writers chosen from PAT’s previous Fresh off the Page cohorts. The showcase culminates 3 days of physical workshops and months of writing development and research.

Nathan Joe’s ‘Losing Face’, John Rata’s ‘Sweet, Sour & Salty’ and Natasha Lay’s ‘How To Be A Great White Man’ hit the floor for development this week. Though Red Light restrictions mean we cannot share the works with a wider audience, a showcase at Herald Theatre will ensure the works are seen by industry professionals, programmers and most importantly, that the writers get a chance to flex their works on the floor and test ideas.

Check out the online developments for a taste of the plays here !

Congratulations - Fresh off the Page play by Ji Lian Kwan wins Asian Ink!

Photo: John Rata

Photo: John Rata

Heart-wrenching, clever and funny, family drama How To Throw A Chinese Funeral by Ji Lian (Jill) Kwan has won this year's Asian Ink, Playmarket’s script writing competition, where the winners undergo further workshop development.

Photo: John Rata

Photo: John Rata

Jill acknowledged the two year anniversary of her Grandmother’s passing, and the one year anniversary of the live playreading with PAT in receiving the prestigious award.

“I wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge Renee Liang, Ahi Karunaharan and PAT - Proudly Asian Theatre for their generosity, invaluable advice, and time (including one emergency charger delivery on the due date) - without which I literally would not have been able to do this.” - Ji Lian (Jill) Kwan

Fresh off the Page, the playreading initiative that helped How To Throw A Chinese Funeral develop, was set to re-launch late in 2021 before the Delta variant put Auckland into lockdown. PAT hopes to continue developing new works through this platform and has plans to deliver the rest of the programme if restrictions lift in 2021.

Congratulations Jill, from the team at PAT!


History making short film Mekeni launches in lockdown

Mekeni is a beautiful and touching short that explores a father-daughter relationship in Kapampangan-Filipino and English, launching under level 4 lockdown in Auckland over zoom last night.

Written by and starring Marianne Infante and directed by Alyssa Medel-Khew, PAT trailblazers, Mekeni is unique in its capturing of Kapampangan language.

Made as part of the The Outlook For Someday for Someday Stories, a competitive filmmaking initiative for sustainable stories, this will be Alyssa’s second directing credit for 2021, and Marianne’s first writing credit for screen.

Celebrating the nuances of immigrant parent/child relationships in the aftermath of the death of the family matriarch, Mekeni has caught international attention from the Phillipines as the first of its kind to be made in New Zealand.

WATCH MEKENI HERE!

Image: Jinki Cambronero

Image: Jinki Cambronero

SCOOP says:

“Kapampangan, an Austronesian language and one of the eight major languages in the Philippines, is a language and culture that is facing imminent extinction. This drove writer and producer, Marianne Infante (SHORTLAND STREET, PINAY) to create MEKENI to celebrate and preserve her culture.


“For me true love exists in the way my parents sing karaoke love songs and duets together every Sunday, how they spontaneously dance together in the living room, and how they rely on each other in their day to day routine and rituals as migrant parents in a country that is foreign to them” - Marianne Infante.

Image: Jinki Cambronero

Image: Jinki Cambronero

eight_col_Someday_Stories_5_-_Mekeni_BTS_1.jpg

Credits
Cast: Allan Murrilo, Márianne Infante
Director: Alyssa Medel-Khew
Co-Producer & Writer: Márianne Infante
Producer: Todd Waters
Script Consultant: Lynda Chanwai-Earle
Production Mentor: Shuchi Kothari

Made with the support of NZ On Air, Te Māngai Pāho and the New Zealand Film Commission

Credit: Jinki Cambronero

Credit: Jinki Cambronero









Three Dots launched and live!

Three Dots by Alyssa Medel is LIVE and ready for viewing!

Three Dots + Guests Screening (Low Res) -1.jpg

Set on 9 August 2020 in Auckland, Singapore and Davao in the Philippines, Three Dots touches down into the lives of three women as they go about their day, each impacted in their own way by Covid-19. The Asia New Zealand Foundation, who funded the project through the IN TOUCH commission, spoke to the short film's writer and director Alyssa Medel and producer Chye-Ling about what inspired them to make the film, the film-making process and what they hope audiences will take away from it.

Three Dots + Guests Screening (Low Res) -31.jpg

Three Dots premiered at Monster Valley alongside short films but Asian makers in a celebratory night of Asian excellence, supported by The Asia New Zealand Foundation and the Pan-Asian Screen Collective.

Three Dots + Guests Screening (Low Res) -40.jpg

Check out the film and full interview here!

https://www.asianz.org.nz/arts/three-dots/