Sequel of Fil-Canadian play ‘Prairie Nurse’ waltzes its way into Winnipeg
‘Prairie Nurse’ sequel, ‘The Waltz,’ by Fil-Canadian Marie Beath Badian picks up the narrative 20 years after the events of its predecessor | Photo by Dahlia Katz from prairietheatrex/Instagram
After the successful run of “Prairie Nurse,” Filipino-Canadian playwright Marie Beath Badian is set to captivate audiences once more with the debut of her latest play, “The Waltz,” at the Prairie Theatre Exchange in November.
Building on the success of her previous work, the writer invites theatergoers to immerse themselves in a romantic comedy that explores the unexpected intertwining of love and fate.
Badian’s storytelling journey began with “Prairie Nurse,” a comedy inspired by the real-life experiences of her mother, who, like the characters in the play, found herself constantly mistaken for another Filipino nurse in Saskatchewan.
“One of the things about ‘Prairie Nurse’ that I was feeling really strongly about is that folks were calling it an immigration story, and there was a part of me that thought I don’t think that this is an immigration story,” Badian shares with CBC Manitoba.
“I think that an immigration story is something told over a number of years, and I knew at that time that I would have a continuation of the story.”
Directed by Nina Lee Aquino, “The Waltz” picks up the narrative 20 years after the events of “Prairie Nurse,” introducing audiences to characters RJ and Bea (played by Anthony Perpuse and Ericka Leobrera), two Fil-Canadians navigating the intricate dance of love on the Prairies.
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Unbeknown to them, their paths are interwoven by a shared history, adding layers of intrigue and emotion to the unfolding romantic tale brimming with ’90s nostalgia.
“Around 2019, I was really craving two brown people falling in love on stage,” the playwright reflects on the evolving theme of her works and how she decided to follow-up the first story.
“I think overwhelmingly what I was seeing is that we were telling one aspect of our stories. We were telling stories about tragedy and trauma, and it’s not that they don’t exist, I just think that there’s room for more stories.”
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As the sequel draws the curtain, Badian’s desire to showcase a broader spectrum of Fil-Canadian experiences is palpable. The play promises not only to entertain but also to carve out space for narratives of joy, love, and connection.
“I just hope that they leave with a big old smile on their face,” says Perpuse who stars as RJ, adding that together with Leobrera (Bea), they hope the audience remembers the sense of falling in love with somebody and feels that “kilig.”
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“The Waltz” doesn’t end with its run on Nov. 14 to 29, as Badian teases that this will be a trilogy, and the story titled “The Cottage Guest,” set in 2017, is already in development.
