05.30.07
‘Magno Rubio’ romances the New York stage
“The Romance of Magno Rubio,” Lonnie Carter’s Obie-winning one-act about migrant Filipino American farm workers in the ’20s and ’30s, has opened at The Culture Project in New York, with Ma-Yi Theater Company producing.
The play, which originally ran in 2003, is based on a short story by Filipino American novelist Carlos Bulosan (1913-1956). In it, the 4-foot-6 title character lives in poverty with other farm laborers, but dares to reach for happiness when he answers a personal ad from an Arkansas farm girl.
“Magno Rubio” tells a story of deflated American dreams, but also features distinctly Filipino elements like the Balagtasan poetic form and an escrima-stick rhythm section.
The play runs through June 17. Read Variety magazine’s stellar review here, and get your tickets here.
Haseed Reflux said,
May 31, 2007 at 11:06 pm
One notable interview was with this White boxing historian’s recollection of driving down Hollywood Blvd in the 1920s. Stuck in traffic he noticed in the Limo next to him was a very recognizable MAE WEST heavily making out with a gentleman he couldn’t quite make out. When she got off of her lover, the driver recognized it was Filipino, American Flyweight Champion Francisco Guilledo, worldy known as Pancho Villa (http://www.ibhof.com/villa.htm).
Note: I believe this dude was only 5′ tall too!