Fil-Am show spotlights aswangs and Filipino family dynamics in Seattle
The “Bloodletting” cast: Leelee (Anna Mulia), Farrah (Jen-Ai Clinton), Bosley (Matt Dela Cruz), Jenry (Sam Prudente)
Growing up in a Filipino household, stories of aswangs, kapres, and a bunch of superstitions never cease to exist. Since we’re gearing up for Halloween, the horror play “Bloodletting” arrives just in time to give Seattle residents goosebumps.
Written by Boni B. Alvarez, directed by Zenaida R. Smith, and produced by Pork Filled Productions, this thrilling play is about to haunt you—in the most entertaining way.
The show kicks off on Oct. 19 and will run through Nov. 4 at Theatre Off Jackson at 409 7th Ave. S. in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.
“Bloodletting” revolves around Bosley and Farrah, siblings who are going home to the Philippines, to spread their dead father’s ashes. The story takes a chilling turn when, due to a storm, they take shelter inside a local cafe.
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The family affair takes more unexpected twists when they uncover old family wounds and Farrah awakening to an ancient and horrifying power. If that’s not enough, they also cross paths with an aswang (a Filipino vampire in this case).
Actor Matt Dela Cruz, who plays Bosley, adds a personal touch to this creepy narrative. “Going into this project, I was somewhat familiar with these aspects of Philippine culture,” he shared in an interview.
“My mom would always tell me that ‘aswangs are evil and do exist.’ I don’t want to generalize, but from my upbringing as a Filipino American, a lot of superstitious things were spoken about in our household, which tends to be a similar thing in a lot of Filipino-American households.”
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About Pork Filled Productions
As the oldest Asian American theater company in the Pacific Northwest, PFP have been fostering creativity through their shows for more than 25 years. They are a theater platform for Asian American artists that feature a diverse range of productions.
PFP executive director Roger Tang first saw “Bloodletting” during its Southern California premiere and realized that this thrilling celebration of Filipino culture needs to be seen by more people.
“Filipinos are the second largest Asian group in Washington, yet you can count the number of Philippines-centered shows in the last 30 years on one hand,” shared Tang in a press release.
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But “Bloodletting” also explores various important narratives. “When we saw it was a Filipino story that dealt with a lot of other issues (homophobia, self-hate, feminist self-acceptance, etc.), we thought it was a great vehicle for us,” says Tang.
For Dela Cruz, his own cultural experiences helped prepare him in portraying his character.
“Honestly, Bosley parallels many of my own life experiences because I, too, am a Filipino-American gay man. With these experiences in mind, I applied what I’ve gone through in order to build up the character of Bosley.”
Meet the “Bloodletting” cast
Alongside Dela Cruz, Jen-Ai Clinton plays his sister Farrah. Anna Mulia portrays Leelee, and Sam Prudente as Henry.
Although the show boasts talented artists, it isn’t for the faint of heart. The uniquely spooky story is rated PG-13 for its homophobic slurs, coarse language, and domestic/emotional abuse.
If you want a front row seat to “Bloodletting,” contact PFP at [email protected] or call them at (206) 486-0375. You can also head over to their website for tickets.
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