UC Berkeley’s ‘PCN 2017: Ako Ay Ako’ on April 9
BERKELEY, California – University of California Berkeley Pilipinx Cultural Night (PCN) is an annual cultural show sponsored by the Pilipinx American Alliance. UC Berkeley’s PCN is the longest running cultural show on campus, and it has brought Pilipinx* culture, music, and dance to the greater community since its first performance in 1976.
The full-length theatrical production which includes a live band, three distinct dance components, a choral ensemble, and a robust acting cast is entirely student-produced and student-run. Since 1989, PCN has been proud to perform in world-renowned Zellerbach Hall.
On Sunday, April 9, the public is invited to the 41st production of PCN, “Ako Ay Ako: I am Me.” Ako Ay Ako is a Tagalog phrase that literally translates into “I am Me” but can be understood as “I am who I am.” The title encapsulates this year’s show which explores the liminal space that millennial Pilipinx-Americans occupy in the United States and in the Philippines. Not seen as truly Pilipinx nor completely American, Pilipinx-Americans often struggle to reconcile their dual identities and find acceptance.
To further deconstruct this struggle, Ako Ay Ako addresses four main sub-themes: the lack of Asian representation in Western media (especially entertainment arenas like Hollywood), colorism and anti-blackness in the Pilipinx community, the gradual loss of language among succeeding generations of Pilipinx-Americans, and finally, the generational gap that divides Pilipinx elders and millennials.
*Pilipinx is a gender-inclusive term representing all peoples who originate or have ancestry in the Philippines.
Show Schedule:
2pm-3pm Doors Open
3pm-5pm Show Starts (15 min intermission)
Purchasing tickets from the all-cast (hard copy tickets will be):
$15 for general admission (will be $20 on April 1st!)
$12 for groups of 10+ people (not available online)
$40 for VIP
*If you purchase on eventbrite, the prices will be slightly higher due to fees.
