Filipina playwright Molly Olis Krost's "Nanay" brings a manananggal to a Seattle stage

"Nanay," a world-premiere play by Filipina playwright Molly Olis Krost about twin sisters and a manananggal, is running at Theatre Off Jackson in Seattle's Chinatown-International District through November 14, presented by Pork Filled Productions.

"Nanay," a world-premiere play by Filipina playwright Molly Olis Krost, is showing at Theatre Off Jackson in Seattle's Chinatown-International District through November 14, Northwest Asian Weekly reported. The production is presented by Pork Filled Productions, which describes itself as an Asian American theatre company, and is directed by Alyza DelPan-Monley.

Twins and a manananggal

The play follows twin sisters Angela and Eve. Angela arrives to congratulate Eve, only to find her "cohabitating" with a manananggal, a Filipino demon. Theatre Off Jackson says the play incorporates Filipino mythology and tradition to explore "our pre-colonial relationship with sisterhood, loss, and mothering."

Matt Dela Cruz, the production's assistant director and a lead producer, told Northwest Asian Weekly the manananggal reminded him of "cheesy Filipino horror films" his mother had him watch as a child, but that the play is really about complex family dynamics.

"The manananggal isn't just there to scare people, but also helps explore the expectations surrounding motherhood and how we process grief." — Matt Dela Cruz, to Northwest Asian Weekly

Cast and crew

Northwest Asian Weekly said Alanah Pascual, who plays Eve and is also a lead producer, helped lead the effort to bring the play to Pork Filled Productions and organised a devising workshop for Krost to develop it. Pork Filled Productions lists the cast as Ays Garcia, Alanah Pascual, Mario Orallo, Naleisha Pedro-Rabena, Angeline Nguyen and Mayari Layson Roy.

Seeing the show

Theatre Off Jackson is at 409 7th Avenue South in Seattle. The theatre's listing shows remaining performances on November 5 to 9 and November 11 to 14, with a 2:00 pm and a 7:30 pm show on the closing Saturday, November 14. The theatre says the show is for ages 13+, and Pork Filled Productions rates it PG-13 for mild profanity, issues of grief and loss, and monsters.

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