Latest news with #LearningHowtoReadbyMoonlight
Boston Globe
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘How to Read by Moonlight' has a lot of light to go with the darkness
The immersion into the themes the show explores starts outside in the hallway, where a snack stand sells ube-filled crackers, and materials from organizations such as Audience members can also share their reactions to the show on moon-shaped yellow sticky notes, read more about The story (in English and Tagalog) is rife with serious themes augmented by a montage of news segments with headlines about ICE and the president projected onto boxes onstage. However, Eddie's joy and the fun he has with his imaginary friend (Jude Torres)—decked out in a bright outfit by designer Mikayla Reid that looks like a fun mash-up between the popular Rainbow Brite doll of the 80s and a unicorn—overshadows the seriousness of what his family is up against. Advertisement It's easy to get caught up in the elements the play offers, which also stars Alfredo Reyes (Tatay) and Nicholas Papayoanou (Missus Josie, the landlord, Jason and others). There's lots of music, under the direction of Jeffrey Song, who also did the arrangements, and an imaginative set from the show's director and scenic designer, Natsu Onoda Power. The set cleverly evokes its various locations, with skyline-painted boxes where the windows light up, a wood pallet for Eddie's bed, and small seating areas on a second level where Tatay calls from the Philippines from one side of the stage and Asunción narrates from the other. The props designer, Kelly Smith, and puppet designer Amanda Gibson do great working bringing the story to life. There's also clever depictions of turtles and snowflakes from Smith and Gibson's navy blue and silver flying dragon puppet is lovely. The whole creative team, including the lighting (Ashley Ting Yung), sound (Anna Drummond) and projection (Grace Kroeger) designers have packed the show with awe-inspiring moments. Sometimes, though, the emotion gets lost in the wonder. 'Learning How to Read by Moonlight' is one of several recent productions highlighting the experiences of underrepresented communities and questions of assimilation. ' Advertisement Tatay and Nanay have conflicting ideas. While Eddie's parents hope that their child's life is better in the U.S., when Eddie seems to speedily assimilate in America thanks to his mastery of English, it seems bittersweet for them. In the program, Trinidad explains that 'learning to speak multiple languages is to cradle within yourself multiple souls, each immersed in histories and cultures,' in an interview with dramaturg Michelle M. Aguillon. As Eddie and his mom figure out how to thrive in America, this audience member can't help but hope that these characters, and those of others in the same situation, hold on to all the languages, histories, and cultures dear to them. LEARNING HOW TO READ BY MOONLIGHT Play by Gaven Trinidad, directed by Natsu Onoda Power, dramaturg and tour direction, Michelle M. Aguillon, music direction, Jeffrey Song. Presented by CHUANG Stage and Company One, at the
Boston Globe
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘How to Read by Moonlight' tells an immigrant story through the precocious eyes of a child
'Theater allows us to move in and out of dream and reality,' says Trinidad, 34. 'Creating this play has been an act of joy, letting myself remember moments of my childhood and my Filipino culture, but also using theatrical elements that have a visceral effect on the audience and are recognizable no matter where you come from.' During a technical rehearsal at the Boston Center for the Arts' Plaza Theater – the first stop on 'Learning How to Read by Moonlight''s three-venue tour – music and magic are woven into the story of a young boy struggling to learn English and adapt to a new country. Advertisement While the action all takes place in Eddie and his mom's tiny apartment, his world expands to encompass shadow puppets, mythical dragons and turtles, original music — performed on ukuleles, a mandolin, a guitar, and a cajon box drum — news clips and other, more abstract video projections, as well as subtitled translations of the occasional Tagalog dialogue. All of these theatrical elements connect Eddie's vivid imaginary world with the reality of his precarious immigrant situation. Advertisement 'Making this production feels like the essence of theater,' says Alison Yueming Qu, co-founder and artistic director of CHUANG Stage. 'It's an ensemble-based piece that blends music and magic, and because we are a fringe theater, we are all contributing our talents in multiple ways, helping each other and our community.' Inside the Plaza Theater, the story of a lonely young boy and his overworked and underpaid mom play out in an open downstage area, while separate upstage spaces delineate the narrator's reading nook and the room where Eddie's father calls from the Philippines. 'Learning How to Read by Moonlight' plays with conventional expectations, says Qu. 'We started CHUANG Stage because we see our communities are thirsty for this work, stories that reflect our lived experiences as immigrants, and the emerging themes and aesthetic of the Asian American experience.' Qu says she read the script for 'Learning How to Read by Moonlight' in her role as a member of Company One's season selection committee. 'When I read it, I immediately said, 'We have to do this together,'' she says. The partnership allowed both companies to explore launching a tour of the production in the Boston Center for the Arts, where Company One has produced since their founding nearly three decades ago and where CHUANG is starting their second year as a resident company. After performances in the South End, the production will move to PAO Arts Center in Chinatown and then to the Umbrella Stage in Concord. The set is designed to be deconstructed and packed into a truck, with pieces that can easily adapt to different stage sizes. Advertisement 'Boston's Asian American audiences' lives revolve around their neighborhoods,' says Qu, 'so by bringing the show to them, there are no barriers to participation.' Participation is also important to Trinidad, who composed original songs for the play. 'Music has always been a part of my life,' says Trinidad, who grew up in New York and was a member of the professional children's chorus of the New York City Opera, 'and singing is a part of the Filipino culture. It's really about finding joy.' The play includes a bit of call-and-response singing with the audience, and there is also the mention of a 'harana,' a longtime tradition in the provinces of the Philippines, where one person professes their love to another through song, with the emotions bridging the distance — literal or figurative — between them. 'One out of 10 kids in the Philippines has a parent working abroad that they may not have seen for a decade,' Trinidad says. 'So many people depend on remittances sent home, while others sacrifice so much to be able to send money home. I hope this story offers an opportunity to sit in community and feel that love.' 'CHUANG Stage,' says Qu, 'is working to break down stereotypes of Asian Americans with vibrant stories that celebrate our shared history and humanity, while also nurturing artists who are doing this work. There is so much joy in curating this work.' 'The theaters that will survive are the ones supported by their local community, the ones that help create a sense of home,' says Trinidad. 'I wrote this play in 2024, and I was hoping it wouldn't be relevant, but gathering together is an act of love and care, and a reminder of the need for compassion.' Advertisement Front Porch Arts Collective announces new artistic director Front Porch's new season will include 'The Mountaintop,' by Katori Hall (Sept. 19-Oct. 12) at the Modern Theatre, directed by Parent and 'In Old Age,' by Mfoniso Udofia, which will be the eighth installment of the Ufot Family Cycle (March 19-April 4), and be staged at the Paramount Center, with direction by Simmons. In addition to those two productions, Front Porch will also present readings of 'Cubamor' (Nov. 14-16), a musical reimagining of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' blending Afro-Cuban Orisha traditions, dance, and hip-hop, as a co-production with Teatro Chelsea at Chelsea Theatre Works; 'The Wash,' by Kelundra Smith, which dramatizes the struggle of Atlanta's laundry workers in the 1930s (venue TBA); and the company's annual Holiday Feast 2025 (Dec. 13), where some of Boston's best actors read scripts from holiday episodes of Black sitcoms. LEARNING HOW TO READ BY MOONLIGHT Play by Gaven Trinidad, directed by Natsu Onoda Power, dramaturg and tour direction, Michelle M. Aguillon, music direction, Michael Song. Presented by CHUANG Stage and Company One, at the Advertisement
