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Regional Reviews: Minneapolis/St. Paul The Debutante's Ball Also see Arthur's reviews of The Wonder Boy and The Nature Crown
The story unfolds as three young couples of Filipino descent prepare for the annual Debutante's Ball. Started in 1978, this event has been a way for the community to honor and celebrate its young adults, acknowledge their transition into adulthood, and maintain cohesion among the 15,000 some Filipino's in Minnesota. The Ball is held on Valentine's Day, and includes an elaborate formal dance choreographed by a revered community leader. That person is Tita Belinda (Sherwin Resurreccion), a character modeled after Sumangil's real life godmother who instructed the debutantes and their escorts in dance at the first ball, continuing in that role for nearly 25 years. As is often the case in such stories, the three young debutantes comprise three types. Gina (Kylee Brinkman) is the most recently arrived in the U.S, but appears fully Americanized. She has the slouch speech patterns of a Valley Girl, and is constantly peering at her cell phone. Her well-to-do parents are buying her a car in exchange for her willingness to take part in the ball. Marli (Joelle Fernandez) is also participating at her parents' bidding, but objects to the sex role stereotyping of girls in outlandishly filly dresses being presented to their community, which she likens to livestock being presented at the State Fair. Lastly is hard-working Ana (Stephanie Bertumen), unfamiliar with the Filipino traditions but desperate to learn about and become part of the community. She recites factoids about the Filipino community gleaned off the Internet. It is Ana who becomes the central focus of the story. The three boys chosen as the debutantes' escorts also figure prominently in the play. Jun (Jeric Basilio), a returning escort from the previous year, is the "hot guy" exuding confidence in his dance as well as with the girls. Mondo (Alex Galick) is very intensely focused on learning the dance routine. A.J (Maxwell Thao) is quiet and withdrawn, at first seeming aloof toward the whole enterprise, though as we come to know him, we appreciate his depth and sensitivity. Aside from whether the couples will learn the dance under Tita Belinda's stern tutelage in time for the ball, the drama focuses on Ana's struggle to participate without financial or moral support from her family. The plot points make a good case for the importance of traditional values, and the ways in which community members support one another, without dismissing the reality of second generation youth becoming Americanized. Scenes from a mock Filipino soap opera are interspersed between scenes of the main storyline. In these, a couple (played by Fernandez and Galick) flee the constraints of life in the Philippines for the American horn of plenty, only to encounter hardship and discrimination in their new home. Their story, though presented with a highly comic melodramatic flourish, converges with the plotline of the main story, granting us windows into different perspectives toward the problems faced by these characters. Other skits and musical numbers are also dropped into the play, such as a rap performance and a mock advertisement for a Filipino home moving service. These entertain and underscore points about Filipino culture. Still, their inclusion disrupts the main narrative flow, and gives the appearance of trying to squeeze as much content as possible into this one work. Similarly, some of the dialogue in the main narrative feels intended to serve as a tutorial on Filipino culture. In addition to Ana's factoid, this occurs as the other characters instruct Ana on the cultural heritage that has been denied to her. There is a logic to these exchanges within the context of the play, but they still come across as teachable moments, rather than as naturally flowing dialogue. At other times, however, the dialogue between the young people moving into adulthood beautifully captures the pangs of that transition, and of struggling to establish an identity while in the throes of constant change. Scenes such as the three girls shopping for their debutante gowns, AJ and Jun resolving a conflict, and Ana and AJ haltingly acting on their mutual affection for one another, ring with solid truth. A scene in which AJ solicits the aide of Jun and Mondo to reach out to Ana is sweet, funny, and heartrending all at once. Tita Belinda is also a character with the ring of truth, whether speaking with affection for life back in the Philippines or barking at her pupil with stern rigor. With quick wit and sarcasm she urges her students toward perfection, but also conveys a deep belief in the potential inherent in her people, and pride in their heritage. As portrayed by Sherwin Resurreccion, Tita Belinda truly embodies tough love while also showing us her own softer side. This female character is played by a male actor with no sense of camp or derision, at all times with utmost dignity, making the portrayal all the more impressive. Costume designer Kathy Kohl has added to this performance with rhinestone studded clothing, just on the right side of tasteful, that perfectly suits Tita Belinda's stature in a community still establishing its own stature within the fabric of American life. The six young actors who portray the debutantes and their escorts all give strong performances. In the role of Ana, Stephanie Bertumen has the most complex portrayal to deliver, as her character experiences the greatest struggle and resulting change. Bertumen handles the part well, making us believe both in Ana's strength and her vulnerability. Kylee Brinkman gives Gina the shallowness of a rich girl who doesn't understand the struggle of those less fortunate, yet has enough smarts to quickly learn to speak English as a native, and is loyal to her friends. Joelle Martinez portrays Marli with as a feisty rebel who must decide where the traditional culture fits in her understanding of a changing world. Jeric Basilio as Jun, Alex Galick as Mondo, and Maxwell Thao as AJ all give strong performances. Thao especially offers a very well wrought performance, conveying the angst of an adolescent trying to create a sense of himself, between the pulls of contemporary teen culture and traditional values. Jeric Basilio makes his professional acting debut as Jun, and based on his work here, we certainly should expect to see more of him. Director Randy Reyes keeps all of the action moving swiftly, yet allowing time for the inner feelings to come through. The relationships between the six young people are developed with awareness of the way in which a common goal knits individuals together in spite of wide differences among them. The dance practice scenes are well executed, showing the couples gradually becoming more accomplished, leading up to the final scene where they present their fully realized dance to their assembled families and friends. Though we know from the start that this moment will arrive, it is nonetheless moving by virtue of the grace of performance. Author Sumangil also provides the elegant choreography, abetted by the gorgeous gowns(more kudos to Kathy Kohl), as well as the knowledge of what it represents both to the dancers and their families. Like the rites of passage of other ethnic groups, such as the Jewish Bar and Bat Mitzvah, or the Mexican Quinciñera, these events transmit cultural connections, with the hope that the future builds upon, but does not forsake the past. While The Debutante's Ball is specific to the Filipino community in Minnesota, the tale of cultural transmission blended with transition from youth to adulthood is fairly universal. History Theatre and Mu Performing Arts have created an entertaining and insightful window into that process which has forged our nation's past and will doubtless continue into our future. The Debutante's Ball is co-produced by The History Theatre and Mu Performing Arts. It continues at The History Theatre through April 12, 2015. 30 East 10th Street, Saint Paul, MN, 55102. Tickets from $20.00 - $38.00; students - $15.00; senior discount available. For tickets call 651-292-4323 or go to www.historytheatre.com/. Writer and Choreographer: Eric "Pogi" Sumangil; Director: Randy Reyes; Assistant to the Director: Hope Nordquist; Scenic Designer: Sarah Brandner; Scenic Artist: Dee Skogen; Costume Designer: Kathy Kohl; Lighting Designer: Karin Olson; Sound Designer: C. Andrew Mayer; Properties Designer: Merritt Rodriguez; Stage Manager: Katie Hawkinson; Production Manager/ Stage Manager: Janet L. Hall; Technical Director: Gunther Gullickson. Cast: Jeric Basilio (Jun), Stephanie Bertumen (Ana), Kylee Brinkman (Gina), Joelle Fernandez (Marli, soap opera woman), Alex Galick (Mondo, soap opera man), Sherwin Resurreccion (Tia Belinda), Maxwell Thao (AJ).
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