Monstress

In these two tales of contemporary Filipino-American life in California, adapted from the acclaimed collection of short stories by San Francisco author Lysley Tenorio, a vibrant array of characters strive for personal transformations that are seemingly impossible, wonderfully moving, and distinctly theatrical. The infamous headline-making eviction of Filipino residents from San Francisco’s International Hotel in the 1970s sets the background for Philip Kan Gotanda’s stirring Save the I-Hotel, which illuminates the dangers of love that crosses forbidden territories. Sean San José’s retelling of the title story “Monstress” moves us from the streets of Manila to the Bay Area, where a B-movie director has been seduced by the opportunity to work with a shady American filmmaker. An evening of song and story about love and family, hope and indifference, triumph and failure, Monstress explores the resilience of a community struggling to find a home in the ever-shifting sands of the American dream.