Step aside Hamilton, Fil-Am labor leader is hero of new musical

“Larry the Musical: An American Journey” is based on the book “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong” by Dawn Mabalon and Gayle Romasanta. Photo from Billy Bustamante

SAN FRANCISCO — Step aside “Hamilton,” “Evita,” “Six” (featuring the six wives of King Henry VIII) and other musicals about figures from history. This time around, Filipino American labor leader and civil rights icon Larry Itliong is the man of the hour in the new musical, “Larry the Musical: An American Journey.”

The musical is based on the children’s picture book, “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong,” by Dawn Mabalon and Gayle Romasanta.

The musical is running at the Brava Theater in the Mission District until April 14 with tickets available here. It is directed and choreographed by Billy Bustamante, who was recently the assistant director of Broadway’s “Here Lies Love,” musician David Byrne’s disco musical about Imelda Marcos.

READ about how the musical “Here Lies Love” triggered outrage online

Eymard Meneses Cabling and Joshua Carandang star as Itliong in two different stages of his life. Cabling has played Lun Tha in productions of “The King and I” and the engineer in “Miss Saigon.” Carandang originated the role of Joxer in “Xena: Warrior Musical” and has played Andrew Jackson in “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.”

Who was Itliong?

The musical takes audiences on the journey of Itliong’s early days in the US to his posthumous recognition by the State of California in 2015 by enacting a “Larry Itliong Day.”

Filipino American labor leader and civil rights icon Larry Itliong led the 1965 Grape Strike in Delano, California. CONTRIBUTED

The musical was drawn from a book written by Dawn Mabalon and Gayle Romasanta, with script by Romasanta and comedian Kevin Camia, music by Bryan Pangilinan and  Sean Kana, folk music consultation by Herna Cruz-Louie, and production and costume design by Ciriaco Sayoc.

READ about the ‘Journey for Justice’ book launch

Itliong immigrated to the US in 1929, became a union leader, and together with other Filipino organizers like Philip Vera Cruz, led the 1965 Grape Strike in Delano, California.

Itliong was instrumental in convincing the Mexican laborers, the most known of whom include the likes of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, not to replace and fill the vacated jobs of the striking Filipino workers but to join the strike instead. The strike lasted for five years and led to a breakthrough in labor rights in the US.

“We’re finally telling a story that needs to be told of a man who is absolutely paramount to Filipinos past, present and future,” music director Sean Kana said.

“There are so many special aspects that drew me to this piece,” said director and choreographer Bustamante. “I knew [this was] a special team and I knew that they were onto something incredibly necessary and valuable in terms of the types of stories the world needs to hear in this moment.”

Bustamante is also cofounder of Broadway Barkada, a support group for Filipino American actors and artists.

READ about Broadway Barkada’s virtual serenade for Jollibee

According to the production, “Filipino Americans are currently the largest Asian American group in 10 of the 13 western states and one of the most rapidly growing Asian American populations in the nation.

“There are few mentions and accurate representations of Fil-Am contributions to US history.

“The San Francisco Bay Area is the second most populous region for Filipinos in the United States, with Filipinos making up to 4.6 percent of San Francisco’s population. It is only fitting the launch of this production takes place where Filipinos are a prominent part of California’s history.” 

Also included in the cast are Jocelyn Thompson-Jordan, Marah Sotelo, Bebe Browning and Daniel Lloyd Pias.

The musical’s producers include Francis Novero; Rosario Pangilinan; Mona Lisa Yuchengco, community activist, publisher, filmmaker and founder of Positively Filipino; Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, San Francisco State University professor of Ethnic Studies, Filipina/x/o American Literature and Art, and founder of Pin@y Educational Partnerships; and Kevin Nadal, John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor, author, psychologist, activist and president of the Filipino American National Historical Society.

Walter Ang is the author of Barangay to Broadway: Filipino American Theater, available at Amazon, Bookshop and other online booksellers.