The 19th annual Pilipino Cultural Night is coming back to Cal Poly after playing in Arroyo Grande last year – and it’s coming back in live action.
The event, more frequently referred to as PCN, is a production celebrating Pilipino culture through the dancing, singing and writing talents of the members of the Pilipino Cultural Exchange club (PCE). The show is highly anticipated, drawing college students of all types to witness the beautiful Pilipino art forms on stage.
This year’s PCN, titled “Hear All About It,” is a live-action cartoon about an 11-year-old barrio newsboy, Harold, played by Daniel Verango. After Maurice (Randy Estoesta), the crazy inventor, goes missing, Daniel and his two friends Rosey (Anjelica Concepcion) and Gus (Ray Balolong) leave the barrio to find him. They encounter a “mystical creature” named Ewie (Dwayne Agiao) as well as the “barrio bully” Baboy (Richard Ruiz). As their search continues, they become involved in blocking The Colonel (Nate Harvey) from leading a Philippine uprising with The Ringmaster (Alisa Orozco) and their minions.
PCE members – including coordinators Kristine Atienza, Simone Bundang, Raniel Camacho, Stephen Heraldo and Janina Umali – have been planning this year’s PCN since last May.
“It’s really fun,” Heraldo said. “There’s a lot of comedy.”
The show is always impressive, with creative storylines, breathtaking costumes, elegant dancing and beautiful voices. The scenery is elaborate, the labor put into it obvious. Pilipino culture is skillfully interjected throughout the production, which is oftentimes humorous and always entertaining.
Pilipino art forms featured in PCN include performances from Ating Himig (a four-part choir), Kasayahan (traditional folk dancing) and modern (hip-hop) dancing, as well as accompaniment from a live band. All the parts are intertwined into the approximate two-and-a-half-hour show, reduced from last year’s four-hour length.
An astounding total of 80 to 85 people perform in PCE, with some playing a variety of roles and others specializing in certain parts. Some performers are not necessarily active members but still participate in the popular production.
Joclar Dala, a political science sophomore who performs in PCN, said the different parts of the show mean a lot to the performers.
“Students put a lot of hard work into it, but it’s worth all the hard work because there are a lot of different aspects of the show, which unifies the club and our culture and how we excel as students, though we are still performers at the same time,” she said.
PCN will show at 6 p.m. April 18 and 19 in Spanos Theater, an improvement in convenience from last year’s PCN host. The Clark Center for the Performing Arts, where PCN was held last year, is 17.5 miles from Cal Poly in Arroyo Grande.
The on-campus location is also more convenient, considering PCN will show during Open House weekend.
“We’re competing with the rodeo,” Umali said with a laugh.
PCE hopes the busy weekend will mean even more attendees than in past years to the show it’s calling “the show you need to see at Open House.”
Heraldo stressed, “You don’t have to be Pilipino to come and watch!”
Tickets are $12 for students and children, $15 for adults, and can be purchased at the Performing Arts Ticket Office online at pacslo.com or by calling 756-2787.
To learn more about PCN, visit pceslo.com/2008pcn.