Filipino meets Mennonite in this new primetime Manitoba-based sitcom
Photo from mariaandthemennos/Instagram
Canada can get a tad colder during the winter but this Manitoba-based sitcom is bringing warmth of family and heaps of laughter. Let the hilarious antics dominate your screens as it showcases a blending of Filipino and Mennonite culture.
A funny concoction of Mennonite charm and Filipino zest, “Maria and the Mennos” has graced the TV screens and landed the primetime spot. With 13 episodes of comedic rivalry, representation has never looked this fun and good.
In the cold plains of Winkler, Manitoba in Canada, a saga unfolds unleashing a clash of two opposing cultures between the fashion-forward, extrovert and outgoing Filipino Canadian and her conservative Mennonite in-laws.
Spoiler alert: karaoke singing on a birthday celebration (big yes on a Pinoy party) and borscht cook-offs are just the tips of this comedic iceberg.
“Maria and the Mennos” lead casts are the newlywed couples — Maria, played by Filipino Canadian Victoria Esconde, and Nate in the flesh of Steinbach radio host Kenton Dyck.
“I’m from Steinbach. That’s a very Steinbach story, too. We’ve had a lot of recent immigration from the Philippines, so it’s definitely something that we can connect with here,” shared Deck in an interview with CTV News.
Moving in with the in-laws, the two embark on their challenging but hilarious journey of living with a family with a different culture. Chuck Fefchak, playing as Nate’s dad, Hank Friesen, revealed that “It’s a very, very hyper Manitoban.”
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Behind the laughter of this hilarious sitcom
Filmed in Winnipeg and Winkler by producer and writer Paul Plett, this hilarious sitcom has a secret recipe – authenticity. “We wanted to make something that is hopeful and is about family and it’s about love,” shared Plett.
A filmmaker with goals of sharing his experiences onscreen, Plett said that he had collaborated with several Filipino Canadians in Winnipeg. “They also felt that their experience hasn’t been represented,” shared Plett.
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Meet Fil-Canadian Victoria Exconde
Victoria Exconde, a Filipino Canadian teacher with expertise in competitive level dance and performing arts brings Maria to life in this comedy sitcom.
Acting for the first time on TV, she quips, “I am excited and also nervous to play a character that is so similar to me and to be working with such a talented cast and crew. It is going to be fun!”
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Newbie in acting? Perhaps. But Exconde is not just an actor. She is also an educator, who is molding young minds, as well as a veteran in performing arts. Trained in ballet, theater jazz, modern and hip hop, Exconde is a graduate from The School of Contemporary Dancers.
Grooving her way through the dance of life, she has performed with BOSS Dance team, Nafro Dance Productions, Winnipeg Blue Bomber Cheer and Dance Team, to name a few.
Meanwhile, if you missed this hilarious sitcom’s first episode last January 3, there are 12 more episodes on the way.
You can stream it on www.yestv.com/streaming.
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