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Tandaan XIV: Rise Above

Typhoon Haiyan tore its way into the Reyes family's lives, changing them forever. Forced to deal with the devastation and destruction the superstorm left in its path, they thought the worst had already come to pass. They thought all that was left to do was pick up the pieces. 

They thought the storm was over.

They were wrong.

This year's Tandaan will explore the issue of human trafficking in the Philippines, in the context of Typhoon Haiyan. In the superstorm's wake, disorder and chaos have led the masses to resort to any means necessary to survive. What better time is there for the corrupt and powerful to take advantage of weary and vulnerable citizens? 

Following the Reyes family as they deal with the aftermath of the typhoon, Tandaan XIV: Rise Above is a story of the importance of family, and the resilience of the Filipino spirit. The play will give a perspective on how the storm has affected the Philippines, and insight into the lives of typhoon survivors, while shedding light on the crime of human trafficking.

Typically, Asian college cultural shows are fluffy and showcase little cultural nuances through a love story, or something comedic and light hearted. Or, the show takes a "showcase" format, with several performances, and maybe a five minute skit illustrating folklore in a light hearted way. 

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this format, the Philippine Cultural Society of GW breaks the mode there - it has  since my freshman year. We have focused on prevalent Filipino and/or Filipino American issues, aiming to both educate and entertain our audiences. 

This year, Tandaan XIV: Rise Above focuses on the issue of human trafficking in the context of Typhoon Haiyan. As mentioned in a previous post, where I summarized past culture show themes and topics, we found this issue to be very timely - especially considering the fact that human trafficking rates tend to spike about 6 months after a natural disaster in countries like the Philippines.

The play will follow a family of survivors and how they deal with the aftermath and one of the worst consequences of this natural disaster. It is ultimately a story about family and the resilience of the Filipino spirit, no matter how dark the times get. We hope to make the audience laugh, cry, and have a better understanding of the issues we have decided to tackle. 

This Tandaan will follow the format of the previous years - cultural dances interweaved through the play's story line, each dance saying something about the previous scene - whether it embodies the emotion, or juxtaposes it in an eerie way.