Sinag-tala Filipino Theater and Performing Arts Association

This is an effort to reach as many alumni as possible, so we’re contacting the entire Sinag-tala network just to make sure we cover as many bases as we can. So if you’re an alumnus/alumna yourself or if there’s one in your family or neighborhood, or if you have contact with alumni we haven’t been able to reach, please help us get the word out.

It’s a given that a 20th anniversary production of the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue must have an alumni component to it onstage. To help us plan that component, we’re requesting alumni to let us know the level of involvement they’d like to have.

There are three possible levels to consider:

1. Level One – This means an onstage appearance in one All-Alumni number. The nature of this appearance will depend on who and how many wish to participate at this level. It could range anywhere from a walk-on or a bow to a full ensemble number. Alumni at this level may be divided into one or more groups, with each group appearing separately from the others. This will require three or fewer rehearsals, sometime during the week of November 22.

2. Level Two – This means appearances in 2-3 numbers, either exclusively with other alumni or with newer company members. Again, the nature of the appearance will be defined by who and how many wish to participate at this level. This could require 6 to 10 rehearsals spread out between the first week of November through the first week of December, depending on the numbers you agree to perform.

3. Level Three – This means appearances in 4 numbers or more (you let us know your upper limit). The same policy about the nature of the assignments as applies to the first two levels also apply here. Rehearsals at this level will be considerably more frequent than what is required at the first two levels, and will begin in late October.

Alumni who do not wish to appear onstage are of course welcome to be either a production volunteer or a monetary contributor or an in-kind contributor.

Alumni are asked to respond by e-mail either to this address or via our Contact page, before October 22 so we can finalize casting assignments. Please help us circulate this announcement. Thanks.

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello, Sinag-tala Family. This is it. We’re coasting and actually picking up speed towards the big show in December. So it’s time to get updated. Here goes:

1. AGAIN – WELCOME! Our circle keeps growing as more people contact us through our website or add their names to our sign-up sheets at various events, or are referred to us by the growing number of Sinag-tala enthusiasts out there. So, to all of you who have just joined our mailing list, thanks so much for your interest and welcome to the Family!

2. SEE YOU AT THE ORIENTATION. Don’t forget that at 7:00PM this Friday, September 4, we’ll be holding our ST2009 Orientation at the Colonial Heights Library at 4799 Stockton Boulevard (corner 21st Avenue), Sacramento, CA 95820. All new and returning ST2009 company members, including parents and guardians, must attend. We’re encouraging all alumni to attend as well so we can renew old ties. This will be an exciting evening because for many of you it will be the very first occasion to meet other participants, families, alumni and supporters. You’ll also get to meet our resident and apprentice artists, Board members and Production Staff. More importantly, you’ll get to know more about what we do, how we do it, rehearsal schedules, training policies, volunteer opportunities, how we’re faring in the economic recession and the key roles everyone will play on and/or offstage. Come armed with questions. And while it’s not required, you may come armed with potluck refreshments as well. See you on September 4!

3. WAX POETIC OVER COFFEE (OR OTHER NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES). Don’t forget the SFTPAA Poetry Kapihan (coffee gathering), either. It’s one of the key events being held this year to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue. We’re so honored to be partners with Sacramento Poet Laureate Bob Stanley and the Sacramento Poetry Center in bringing you an afternoon of captivating works by Bob himself, guest Bob Lozano and Sinag-tala alumni such as Angela-Dee Alforque, Mark Fabionar, Mario Ellis Hill, Conrad Panganiban, Krystle Jong and Bria Marie Darling. In addition, Sinag-tala actors Brian Rivera, Gladys Imperio Acosta and others will read selections by Al Robles, Jose Rizal and other Filipino poets whose works have been theatrically interpreted in past Sinag-tala Revues. The Kapihan will be held at 2:30PM on Saturday, September 12 at the Sacramento Poetry Center located at 25th and R Streets, in Midtown Sacramento. Admission is free. So are the refreshments and the powerful words.

4. A NIGHT OF BENEFIT. There’s no doubt that the Sinag-tala Benefit Night will be packed with entertainment, dancing, moving ceremonial moments, awards, raffle prizes and Sinag-tala luminaries plus a silent auction and no-host bar (all checkbooks and cash welcome). But even less doubtful is the huge boost it will be giving to a 20-year-old called Sinag-tala 2009: A Thearical Revue. The net proceeds from the Benefit Night will help cover production costs at a time not only when arts funding is getting harder to come by but production costs are increasing. The hourly fee for the hiring of school custodians alone has gone up a whopping 48%, yet the number of hours we’ll be working the Luther Burbank High School campus may have to increase because of the additional time it may take to put on an anniversary-worthy show. Add to that the cost of insurance, lighting and sound rentals, studio space rental, props, costumes, transportation, storage, printing, advertising, materials, supplies and other production necessities and the big picture gets clearer. That’s just one of many reasons to come to the Sinag-tala Benefit Night at 7:00PM on Friday, September 25 at the Holiday Villa Restaurant, 7007 South Land Park Drive, South Sacramento. Admission is only $32 per person. But reserve your seats by September 11 or you may miss out entirely. It’s easy! Use our “Donate Now” button to the right to purchase your seats online with a Visa or Mastercharge card. For more information, contact Cristine Lacerna or Karen Sinnung.

5. A HIT AT THE STATE FAIR. You’ve got to give it to them – the Sinag-tala Theater Ensemble is one of the hardest working performing groups around, and they showed it at the State Fair on August 29. You see, training and rehearsing for weeks isn’t all that this business takes. They do much more behind the scenes – fundraising: making lunches; loading, hauling, lifting, moving and unloading gear; prepping costumes; marketing – even when it’s 110 degrees in the shade and bare feet blister on hot stage floors. It was par for the course this year at the Fair but the Sinag-tala Theater Ensemble is an annual fixture there – in terms of promoting our brand, the payback is significant. Watch for them next at the St. Paul’s Church Festival on September 13, followed by the Sinag-tala Benefit Night on September 25, the Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival in Old Sacramento on September 27, the Signatures in Brown exclusive concert at the CSUS Department of Music Recital Hall on October 3 and at the Florin United Methodist Church Festival on October 18.

6. FAMILIES AND ALUMNI OF SINAG-TALA (F.A.S.T.) As a volunteer-driven theater company, the SFTPAA is able to operate only because so many people are generous with their time and personal resources. But given all the work that’s involved in running training programs, putting on complex productions and attending to the everyday operations of a nonprofit organization, the SFTPAA Board – one of the most dedicated and passionate boards we know – needs all the help it can get. Consider joining FAST. This relaxed and informal group will independently set up its own policies and structure. It will give volunteers a vehicle for organizing their efforts and deciding in its own terms the whats, whens and hows of families and alumni doing what excites them to support the SFTPAA. Conceptually, FAST is going to modeled after what was once known as Parents and Supporters of Sinag-tala (now SFTPAA), whose support took many forms, including finding ways to help offset the cost of professional videography services or children’s costumes, coordinating social activities for families, providing meals and refreshments for cast members, helping with set construction, mentoring and tutoring student performers, etc. FAST is going through its startup phase right now – the best time to jump in and help determine its course. Please contact Dick Mazon or Marcy Basila now to get involved.

7. INVITATION TO BID FOR VIDEOGRAPHY SERVICES. Know a quality, experienced and reliable firm or person who might be interested in being the official videographer(s) for ST2009? If you do, let us know. We will gladly send that firm or person an official Invitation to Bid. It’s of course important to note from the very beginning two obvious things – first, that theater conditions present unusual limitations in lighting, staging and camera placement; and second, that our budget is small. So we’re shamelessly asking for a lot – the best quality at the lowest price. Send us an e-mail if you’re interested in receiving an Invitation to Bid, or if you know someone who would be.

8. ST2009 TICKETS, VIP SPONSORSHIPS AND SOUVENIR PROGRAM ADS. Tickets for Sinag-tala 2009: A Theatrical Revue are now available. All company members will be given blocks of tickets to sell. Ask about the fabulous $300 package which could help you make a profit while supporting the show. For information, please contact Helena Piamonte. We are also enlisting everyone’s help in soliciting VIP Sponsorships and Souvenir Program ads again this year. For information, contact Production Manager Cristine Lacerna.

9. STAKEHOLDER FOCUS GROUP. Those of you who have been kind enough to agree to participate in our Internet Usage Plan project will soon be receiving a reminder about the stakeholder’s focus group which is scheduled for Thursday, September 17 at the offices of 3-Fold Communications. These consultants are helping the SFTPAA develop a multi-year plan for getting the most out of the internet for communications, data management, fundraising, marketing and other purposes. Meanwhile, please accept our thanks for offering your time and your opinions.

10. LOW OR ZERO- COST WAYS OF SUPPORTING THE SFTPAA. Everyone who hasn’t been doing so already is encouraged to sign up for GoodSearch, a free web-browsing service. By going to Goodsearch first before surfing the web, you will be helping SFTPAA earn some money at absolutely no cost to you. Look up Goodsearch.com now to find out how your day-today internet activities can benefit the SFTPAA. Ask us also for a free SaveMart card. When using this card at any SaveMart or Food Max Supermarket, a percentage of your total purchase will be donated to the SFTPAA – again at no cost to you. But don’t stop there. If you’re about to discard an old or nonfunctioning cell phone, laptop computer, computer speakers, portable CD player or similar smaller hardware (no desktops, hard drive towers, scanners or printers please); or if you want to get rid of used printer ink or photocopier cartridges, take them to our studio. We collect smaller e-recyclables, which we will in turn send to a commercial e-recycling firm for a donation. Also, when doing your Autumn cleaning, gather your good quality-but-no-longer needed belongings and donate them for the rummage sale we will be holding sometime in late September or early October. our donation will be tax-deductible. Another great way you can help us is by finding out if your employer has either a workplace giving or donor match program. Programs such as those conducted by the California State Employees Charitable Campaign, Verizon Foundation, Bank of America and Kaiser Permanente enable employees to pledge automatic deductions from their monthly earnings to a tax-exempt charity (like the SFTPAA) or to match either financial contributions or volunteer hours that their employees make with a corporate donation. These are modest but very effective ways by which we can offset the effects of the economic recession. The young people and families – in fact, the entire community – we serve will continue to benefit if we receive the support we badly need. Anyone interested in learning more about the California State Employees Charitable compaign should contact Dick Mazon.

11. ALUMNI PHOTOSHOOTS. Calling all alumni! We will soon be scheduling photoshoots strictly for alumni on dates and at locations soon to be announced. The photos will be used for purposes of a 20th Anniversary exhibit in the ST2009 Theater Lobby as well as the ST2009 Souvenir Program, possibly even onstage or onscreen. We will also use them for future archival purposes. So, alumni, practice flashing those teeth while saying “Sinag-tala” and watch out for announcements.

12. SFTPAA PROFILE ON THE SRCF WEBSITE. A profile of the SFTPAA and some of our photos will soon be featured on the website of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. Although as of today we’re not on the site yet, do visit www.sacregcf.org to get acquainted with the Foundation, which is playing a very important role in the advancement of local arts organizations through philanthropic and other avenues and therefore deserves wide support.

13. WATCH OUT FOR REYNA ARMOUR AND OTHER SINAG-TALA TALENTS. We haven’t had as much time this year as we’ve had in the past to keep track of all the comings and goings of the remarkably talented artists within the Sinag-tala Family. So we hope that all of you who have been dutifully reporting to us the various wonderful productions, events, recitals, engagements, concerts and projects that everyone has been involved in will bear with our failure to share your information on a timely basis. But because it’s the most recent development we’ve been made aware of, do keep an eye open if you’re a San Francisco Forty-Niner fan – a November halftime will feature 12-year-old Reyna Armour. There will be Star Spangled Banner renditions in various stadium and sports arena along the way also, but way too many dates and teams for us to remember. We’ll try better next time

That’s it for now. Remember – if you didn’t notice any typos, you may not have been reading carefully enough Until the next Bulletin – stay excited! Thanks for your continued support!

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello again, Sinag-tala Family. Kindly note the following correction and update to the Bulletin that was sent out yesterday:

a) The next SFTPAA Board and ST2009 Production Meetings will be held on Sunday, AUGUST 23 (not September 23). The times remain unchanged: 5:00PM and 7:00PM, respectively.

b) A larger facility has been found for the mandatory ST2009 Orientation on September 4. Instead of the Sinag-tala Studio, the Orientation will be held in the Colonial Heights Library Community Room, 4799 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento 95820 (corner of 21st Avenue). Also, potluck refreshment donations (light finger food or beverages; good for 4-5 people to share) are welcome but not required.

Thanks for your support.

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello, Sinag-tala Family! Finally, another Bulletin! Our apologies to those who have been expecting to hear news on a more regular basis. The truth is, we’ve simply been very, very busy and just haven’t had the time to publish Bulletins for the past two month.

But now with Sinag-tala 2009: A Theatrical Revue (in its 20th anniversary) coming up in December, Bulletins will be coming out more often. Things are going to be such that you’ll be needing to hear from us often – just to keep up. So let’s get going:

1. THE FAMILY KEEPS GETTING BIGGER! We want to welcome everyone who came to the ST 2009 Auditions in July and August. We’re so pleased by the number of both newcomers and returning alumni who have decided to join the 20th Anniversary production. To the families and new participants who were at the auditions – congratulations – you all did a wonderful job, AND YOU’RE IN! We’re so excited about being able to work with you and look forward to a great experience over the next few months. By the way, although auditions have finally closed, e-mail us ASAP if you know anyone who would still like to join. This year’s show is so important that we’re doing our best not to leave anyone out. We’ll do what we can to work things out for latecomers.

2. 2009 MANDATORY ORIENTATION. There will be a an Orientation at 7:00PM on Friday, September 4. At the Sinag-tala Studio, 8275 Florin Road, Suite 180, Sacramento Colonial Heights Library Community Room, 4799 Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento 95820 (corner of 21st Avenue). Attendance will be mandatory for the entire company – including all new and returning participants, parents and volunteers. You’ll get to meet our business and production staff, all the cast members, and everyone else who’s going to be involved this year. This orientation will help make sure that everyone is well informed about the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue’s history plus the ins and outs of our training curriculum, policies, scheduling process, production staff, volunteer opportunities, budget, etc. so that this year’s company members can fully appreciate what goes into our production. More importantly, we want you to appreciate what’s in it for you. And this will be your chance to ask the questions you’ve been dying to ask about what we do and how we do it. We’ll also hand out our first round of schedules and training materials. Don’t miss it!

3. WHAT? YOU HAVEN’T MADE YOUR SINAG-TALA BENEFIT NIGHT RESERVATIONS! New to Sinag-tala? Or are you an alumnus? It doesn’t matter – there’s a seat waiting for you at the Sinag-tala Benefit Night on Friday, September 25 at the Holiday Villa Restaurant, 7007 South Land Park Drive, South Sacramento. And that’s not all that’ll be waiting – there’ll be a 7-course Hongkong-style dinner, no-host bar, exciting entertainment from our touring ensemble and celebrity alumni, the BJ Alisago Awards, a silent auction, raffle prizes, roaming serenaders, the TAAL Band, dancing and more! All for only $32 per person. But your seat may be taken if you don’t act now. It’s sooo easy – visit www.sinagtala.org , click the “DONATE NOW” button, and use PayPal to pay for your admission. You may also send a check payable to SFTPAA at 2241 Arliss Way, Sacramento, CA. If you prefer to pay at the door, e-mail Cristine Lacerna or Karen Sinnung at chie1000pix@comcast.net or ksinnung@surewest.net early to ensure your reservation. Proceeds will go towards the production costs for Sinag-tala 2009: A Theatrical Revue – Opus 20. For more information, visit www.sinagtala.org.

4. AND THERE’S MORE TO THE CELEBRATION! You didn’t think we’d celebrate a 20th birthday without making a production out of it did you? Here’s what’s happening the rest of the year, and you’re of course invited to all of them:

Poetry Kapihan – September 12, 2:30PM, Sacramento Poetry Center, 25th and R Streets, Midtown. Jointly sponsored by the Sacramento Poetry Center and the SFTPAA to celebrate the role of poetry in the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue. Featuring tributes to the late Al Robles and Jose Rizal, plus works by Sinag-tala poets Mark Fabionar, Angela-Dee Alforque, Krystle Jong, Conrad Panganiban, Bria Marie Darling and others. Additional readers will include actors Brian Rivera and Gladys Imperio Acosta. Special featured guests will include Bob Lozano and Sacramento’s Poet Laureate, Bob Stanley. Free admission and refreshments.

Tuesday Guitar Club – A quiet weekly gathering of beginner and intermediate guitarists learning tradition Philippine-style strumming in preparation for the Theatrical Revue this year, and a surprise commemorative appearance at the Benefit Night on September 25. The training is free. Every Tuesday at 6:00PM, Sinag-tala Studio.

Sinag-tala Benefit Night - You know all about this.

Signatures in Brown Concert – October 3, 7:30PM, CSUS Music Department Recital Hall, Sacramento. An exclusive 90-minute engagement at the invitation of the CSUS Music Department, showcasing musical, choreographic and literary selections from previous Theatrical Revue productions, and more. Free admission.

Sinag-tala 2009: A Theatrical Revue, Opus 20 – December 4, 5 and 6, 7:30PM and 2:30PM showtimes, Luther Burbank High School Auditorium. The big one. Featuring a pre-show singalong with alumni, a retrospective of 20 years of performances, an alumni photo exhibit, special alumni ensemble performances, revivals by returning resident artists and much more. Production work in progress – everyone is encouraged to volunteer and learn the magical tricks to putting on a full-fledged theater production.

5. WHAT’S THE TOURING ENSEMBLE BEEN UP TO? A lot. We’ve been averaging three bookings a month since Spring. That translates to a week or more of training and rehearsals per booking, seven days a week. And we still have the following remaining engagements to fulfill:

August 29 – 1:00PM, State Fair, CalEXPO Promenade Stage and 6:00PM, State Fair Daily Parade.
September 13 – 11:00AM, St. Paul’s Festival. St. Paul’s Church, Florin Road, Sacramento
September 27 – 3:00PM, Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival, Old Sacramento
October 18 – Florin United Methodist Church, Florin Road, Sacramento

All this even as we gear up for the big show in December. Our touring company – all volunteers – including teaching artists, parents, performers and staff, have been working extraordinarily hard this year. And there hasn’t been one complaint yet from any of them. Have you hugged a touring ensemble performer lately? Make it a point to do so.

6. BOARD AND PRODUCTION STAFF MEETINGS. The SFTPAA Board is an unusual, happy bunch of people to say the least, all of whom work very hard daily to keep things going, meeting every fourth Sunday of each month at the Studio. Board meetings are open to everyone interested in attending. Likewise with the ST2009 Production Meetings, which take place once each month except October, when they are held twice a month and November, when they are held every week. All cast members, alumni, parents and other supporters are strongly encouraged to volunteer for production work. It’s educational, fun, challenging and extremely rewarding. This month’s Board and Production Staff meetings will be held on the same day – Sunday, September August 23 at the Sinag-tala Studio. The Board will meet at 5:00PM and the Production Staff will meet at 7:00PM.

7. YOU’RE A SINAG-TALA ALUMNUS IF … If you’ve been associated with the Theatrical Revue for at least one year anytime between 1990 and 2008, either as a training participant, performer, Resident or Apprentice Artist, donor, family member of a participant, or production worker. All told, there are several hundred of not thousands of you out there who can be proud to be considered an alumnus. If you share that prestigious title with the rest of us, then remember that 2009 is a great homecoming – it’s all about you and how you’ve contributed to the celebration of the arts within and around Sacramento’s Filipino-American community. That means we want to honor you, so please honor us by contacting us immediately and letting us know you’d like to be part of the 20th anniversary celebration. Many have already begun to do so, but there are many more we’re still eagerly waiting to hear from.

That’s it for now. More – much more – will follow, follow, follow. Thanks to all of you for interest and support.

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello. As you may be aware, Sinag-tala: A Theatrical Revue is in its 20th season this year. Naturally, this milestone is very meaningful to a lot of people, so it’s going to be celebrated in some huge, meaningful way.

But it’s vital that this anniversary celebration belong to its alumni because they created the history we’re going to acknowledge. To us, an alumnus is anyone who has been associated with Sinag-tala: A Theatrical Revue for one year or more. That means you or someone else in your family.

So we’re making this effort to reach as many individuals and families we can whom we consider to be alumni. We know this first e-mail is touching only the tip of the iceberg but we hope it will lead to the countless other alumni with whom we have lost touch over the years. We definitely hope it will encourage all alumni to help us make this 20th anniversary as memorable and meaningful as it truly deserves to be.

Kindly do us a big favor by taking just a very brief moment to answer and return by e-mail the two short surveys linked below. They are designed to update our alumni database and allow alumni to have a say in what the celebration should be like. Now some say that most people don’t like opening e-mail attachments, much less surveys. But we hope you’ll agree that as special as the Theatrical Revue has been to the community, the chance to be involved in its commemoration would simply be too special to pass up.

We hope to hear from you by July 8 so we can get the ball rolling. If you know of other alumni we may have omitted from this distribution, please pass this message along. Most of all we’re excitedly looking forward to hearing from you, period. And not too far down the road, seeing you! We’d love it if you could sneak in a line or two telling us how you’ve been. Thank you so much for your time.

Surveys:
Sinag-tala Alumni Survey Part 1
Sinag-tala Alumni Survey Part 2

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director
Sinag-tala Filipino Theater and Performing Arts Association

Hello, everyone. We’re still undergoing our trial period with the Constant Contact e-mail service, so those of you who are on the mail sampling for that service will have received an “Earth Day” version of this bulletin. If so, you needn’t read further unless you can use a repeat broadcast.

For the remainder of our network, here’s what we have to share this time.

We just want to make special mention of two things. First, make sure to see our article below about our upcoming parking lot/rummage/whatever-you-call-it sale. In the spirit of Earth Day, let’s all go green. Donate all your good but no-longer-needed things for the sale. Recycling helps everyone – including the SFTPAA and you.

Second, as many know, Sinag-tala photoshoots are a big deal. That’s because they’re a sign that new, exciting Sinag-tala images will be popping up in different places soon. And that, in turn, simply means that we’re promoting a number of new, exciting things to come. So be sure to check our website, bulletins, e-mails, galleries and handouts from time to time and notice the great additions and updates to our photos.

To the Sinag-tala performers who lent their fabulous faces and personalities for the memorable 5-hour shoot we held on April 19 in Elk Grove, and to ace photographer Rick Garcia, we give our thanks and salutes. We can’t wait for the new photos to come out. By the way, alumni, you’ll have your own photoshoot later – this time with Vicky Johnson, our other ace photographer, handling the camera. If you’re an alumnus, contact us now – your face deserves to be memorialized, too!

Go Green – Donate Your Un-neededs
Support the SFTPAA!

Yesterday, they said it might rain this weekend. Then this morning they said it probably won’t. Whether it does or not, SFTPAA and Planet Earth really need your help.

Got brand-name clothes that no longer fit you? A snazzy clutch purse you don’t mind parting with? A tool box, microwave oven, gently used linen, kiddie toys, diningware, arts and crafts stuff, computer speakers, a sturdy footstool, bicycle or anything else that’s in good shape but just taking up space? How about donating some useful items to SFTPAA for its parking lot/rummage/whatever-you-call-it sale? It’s scheduled for this Saturday, April 25, from 8:00AM to about 2:30PM in the parking lot outside the Sinag-tala Studio, 8275 Florin Road, Suite 180 (2 blocks east of Power Inn Road). In the unlikely event the weather is bad, we’ll re-schedule and let eveyone know.

Donations may be dropped off at the Studio anytime after 7:00PM on Friday, or after 7:00AM on Saturday. If you prefer that someone pick up your donations earlier in the week, contact us today for arrangements. And remember – the fair market value of your donation is tax-deductible (ask us for a receipt), so helping us really helps your wallet too. And frees up space in your house.
The Touring Ensemble’s Up and Running
The Crowd Pleasers Are Coming!

Officially billed as the Sinag-tala Theater Ensemble, this year’s company of touring performers has begun training and rehearsing. By Fall, the children, teens and adults who make up the Ensemble will have worked tirelessly to share the Sinag-tala sheen with thousands of spectators at festivals, the State Fair, community events, schools, private functions and other venues.

These touring activities are part of the continuing training that is offered to interested participants in the Sinag-tala programs. By studying and performing during the touring season, participants further their knowledge about the demands of preparing different programs for different audiences and promoters, and under widely varying conditions. More importantly, they deepen their and the community’s appreciation for the Filipino musical, dance, cultural and literary artists whose works they interpret.

Through the artist fees offered by some promoters, the Ensemble is also noteworthy for helping the SFTPAA raise funds to cover oeprational expenses. If you know or meet any of the touring performers or staff, don’t forget to thank them for their hard and unselfish work.

Anyone who’s interested in booking the Sinag-ala Theater Ensemble is strongly encouraged to contact Booking Manager Sandi Corpuz at kellys90210email@yahoo.com at least six weeks in advance of the proposed event date. Because we are a theater company, our preparations are a bit complex and require substantial planning. Also, our calendar tends to fill up quickly. So the earlier the notice, the better for everyone.
The SFTPAA envisions a growing Filipino visibility among the arts practitioners and consumers in the Sacramento Region. One step towards that vision is making the broader community aware of the work in which both budding and established Sinag-tala artists are engaged. Whether it’s a recital, school play, chap book, open mic performance, concert, TV appearance, regional theater work, script or CD or book launching, competition, guest lecture or a stint behind a sound mixer somewhere – if you’re a Sinag-tala artist and you’re doing it, we’d like to tell others about it. So send us all the details ahead of time and we’ll mention your work in the Sinag-tala Marquee section of a forthcoming bulletin. You deserve, and everyone benefits from, your artistic glory.

Thanks for your continued interest and support, dear friends. Don’t forget to donate something good for the sale this weekend.

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Greetings!

Just filed your income tax return? Strategizing for the next tax season? Well, don’t forget that the SFTPAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and that monetary donations to the SFTPAA are tax deductible. So as long as you’re planning, plan for a generous donation to the SFTPAA. It will benefit your pocketbook AND the children, teens and adults whose main – if not sole – connection with the works of the best Filipino artists and with the theater and performing arts is Sinag-tala. No one else does for Sacramento’s Filipino and broader communities what we do. Get a jump start! Make out a check and mail it today to the SFTPAA, 2241 Arliss Way, Sacramento, CA 95822. Thanks as always.

By the way, we’re still in the midst of our trial period with a commercial e-mail service. That means some of you are getting the following information in duplicate. Under their terms, the e-mail service is willing to utilize less than a fifth of our complete mailing list at this time. So while we’re testing the service with a limited number of people, we’re covering all the bases by sending a second (actually the usual) version of the bulletin to everyone else. Thanks for accommodating us.

1. ST2008 on DVD this Saturday! Special Premier Screening! Thanks to Joeston and Estelle Rabara, who pored over zillions of footage this winter, Sinag-tala 2008: A Theatrical Revue is now available on DVD! See the entire show this Saturday, April 18 at Marcy Basila’s residence at 9506 Village Tree Drive, Elk Grove 95758. While you’re at it, pick up your copy of the DVD too if you’ve already ordered! Food will be served starting at 1:30PM. The showing will follow. Helena Piamonte will be collecting $5 at the door for food and drinks. Those who haven’t fully paid for their DVDs may also do so (see Lenny Nisay when you get there). To RSVP, please contact Cristine Lacerna at chie1000pix@comcast.net or Kathy Kaulupali at KatKaulupali@GMail.com . Don’t miss the fun! See you there!

2. Be A Model This Sunday! It Could Make You Famous! There’s still room for you if you’d like to participate in the Sinag-tala 2009 Photoshoot this Sunday, April 19. We had originally opened up our model list to touring enemble members but now we’re filling slots with anyone in the Sinag-tala Family who’s interested. Children, teens and adults of all ages are welcome. The photos will be used for promotional and marketing purposes. All participants will be required to sign releases.

You must arrive in your own plain black top (any style), black pants, black shoes and black socks. Other costumes, accessories and props will be provided. Girls and women must bring street makeup. The shoot will take place outdoors in the public park adjacent to the Laguna Town Hall at 3020 Renwick Avenue, Elk Grove starting at 7:30AM. We’ll end around noon.

The best place to park would be behind the Town Hall buidling. Look for the small U-Haul or similar moving van that we’ll be using to haul costumes. Please confirm with Sonny Alforque at salforque@aol.com if you’re coming so that we can plan accordingly. A few volunteers will also be needed to help with costumes and props.

3. About the FAST Lane and TAAG Teaming – How you can get involved without “being involved!”
There’s something much better than looking in from the outside. Introducing the two newest, hottest groups: Families and Alumni of Sinag-tala (FAST) and the Twentieth-anniversary Alumni Advisory Group (TAAG). Have no fear, Jonas Brothers. They’re not boy bands – they’re even better. FAST is an autonomous group of Sinag-tala families and alumni who prefer not to attend a lot of SFTPAA meetings but like to have fun-filled social gatherings while doing their own interesting support activities for SFTPAA projects. FAST is not governed by the SFTPAA Board and has its own policies.

TAAG is an ad hoc team of eager and energetic alumni who are developing creative ideas for making this anniversary year memorable and meaningful for everyone. Anyone who has had a past association with the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue is technically an alumnus – including donors, performers, volunteers and artists.

In short, FAST and TAAG are great, enjoyable vehicles for stakeholders to help promote Sinag-tala programs. The odds are, you already fit the profile. There’s a spot just your size waiting for you in one or both groups. If you’re interested in becoming involved, contact board members-elect Cristine Lacerna or Karen Sinnung at chie1000pix@comcast.net or ksinnung@surewest.net respectively. The doors are wide open!

4. The Sinag-tala Marquee – What Sinag-tala Artists Are Up To. This section is devoted to highlights about the many wonderful splashes – big and small – that Sinag-tala Family members are making in the arts community to make the SFTPAA proud.

We got this information a bit late so it was left out of the last bulletin, but we’re still jazzed about it. Jennifer Domingo recently appeared in The Missoula Children Theatrical Production of “Pinocchio” on April 4 at St. Ignatius School in Sacramento. But that’s not the only feather in her cap. Jen will be in Stamford, Connecticut fromMay 6 to11,2009 as the only Filipina among four acting and runway modeling competitors from Sacramento that “The” agency is fielding. Break a leg performing for all those casting agents, Jen!

We’re proud that in-demand vocalist Lorraine De Arco and in-demand hiphop choreographer Jason Magsuci are this year’s Sinag-tala connections to Let’s Go, the annual musical revue created and directed by Pepper Von. The show comes to the Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento on May 22, 23 and 24. Tickets go on sale beginning tomorrow. For showtimes, prices and other information, visit http://letsgomusical.com/Lets_Go_Home.html .
So, Let’s Go with Lorraine and Jason!

Vicky Johnson will be honored on April 18 as one of five Most Outstanding Women selected from candidates from Vallejo to Siskiyou by the Sacramento Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. The award is in recognition of her many accomplishments as a community volunteer, which undoubtedly includes her numerous contributions as a Sinag-tala performer, visual artist, photographer, designer and costumer among other things. The award ceremonies will be held at the Holiday Inn Northeast in Sacramento. Congratulations, Tita Vicky!

Rinabeth Apostol, one of a growing number of professional artists from the Sinag-tala Family, is appearing in the San Jose Repertory stage production of the acclaimed novel Kite Runner, which opened on March 21 and is closing this weekend. The play is being presented at the San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, CA 95113-2603. The Philippine National Day Association is sponsoring a group trip to see the show on April 18. For ticket information regarding that performance, contact Derek Ledda by Friday, April 17, at dledda0323@aol.com. For information about other performances, visit
http://www.sjrep.com/plays/2009/kiterunner/ . Break a leg, Rinabeth!

Thanks again for your interest. It means a lot to local Filipinos and others to whom mainstream arts organizations are not able to effectively deliver arts programs due to cultural, economic and programming obstacles. Our programs bring to children, teens and their famlies art that is culturally relevant and that helps everyone to discover the unknown in the Filipino American experience and the treasures of the Philippine heritage.

Have a great day! Please share this e-mail with others.

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello, everyone. Today, some of you received a Sinag-tala bulletin in a format using the Constant Contact commercial e-mail system. If you received that bulletin, you’ll find that its contents duplicate the news in this one. However, under Constant Contact’s free trial period terms, we were allowed to use only a sampling of our addresses, not the full list. So we’re sending this out to our entire directory to make sure everyone gets the same information others did. I apologize for the duplication of information.

1. DON’T FORGET THE ST2008 VIDEO SHOWING. Our ST2008 cast and crew will finally get a chance to be the audience this coming Saturday, April 18, when we all sit down in Marcy Bails’a sunroom to watch the premier of the ST2008 video. This is a yearly tradition that allows us to shamelessly cheer for ourselves – or tease those who deserve teasing. Those who ordered copies of the DVD may pick up their copies at that time. The showing beings at 1:30PM. Marcy’s address is 9506 Village Tree Drive, Elk Grove 95758. By the way, this is a fundraiser – the paltry sum of $5 per person will be collected at the door for the food and drinks. Please RSVP right away.

2. DONATE YOUR GOOD STUFF. The SFTPAA is holding a parking lot rummage/spring cleaning sale on Saturday, April 25 outside the Sinag-tala Studio at 8275 Florin Road beginning at 8:20AM. Please help us out by donating useable items that you think will sell. Items that tend to be best sellers include small appliances, kitchenware, tools, toys and linen. Items we discourage include exercise equipment, large furniture, Christmas items, tires, analog TVs and damaged clothing. Donations may be dropped off at the Studio on Friday, April 24, after 7:00PM or on Saturday, April 25 anytime before noon. Please remember that items will be priced to sell. Also, volunteers are needed to help sort, tag, organize before the sale and to box and haul items afterward. Please let us know ASAP if you’d like to donate some items and/or volunteer.

3. PHOTOSHOOT THIS SUNDAY. All touring ensemble members are requested to report for SFTPAA promo photoshoot that will take place this coming Sunday, April 19, from 7:30AM to noon at the park adjacent to the Laguna Town Hall, 3020 Renwick Avenue, Elk Grove. The shoot will take place in the morning to take advantage of the outdoor natural lighting. Approximately 8 children and 20 teen/adult men and women are needed. Those who are interested must confirm their availability via e-mail by Wednesday, April 15. Everyone should provide his/her own black top (any style), black pants, black dress shoes (no sandals or sneakers) and black socks. Additional costumes and accessories will be provided. Girls and women must bring street makeup. Non-members of the Touring Ensemble who would like to participate in the shoot will be notified if slots are available, but they must also confirm in advance.

4. LET’S TALK. Dynamic organizations have dynamic discussions. Please note the following meetings that will take place on Sunday, April 19.

4:00PM – SFTPAA Board Meeting
5:45PM – ST2009 Production Meeting
6:15PM – Joint SFTPAA Board, Production Staff/TAAG Meeting.

All of these meetings will take place at the Sinag-tala Studio, 8275 Florin Road, Suite 180, Sacramento.

Everyone in strongly encouraged to participate in the Production Staff; all alumni are encouraged to join the Twentieth-anniversary Alumni Advisory Group (TAAG). These two groups are very vital to the production of the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue, particularly the commemoration of its 20th anniversary. We’re in very critical need of volunteers in all aspects of this year’s work and would therefore greatly appreciate your letting us know how much time and/or resources you can spare. If you can help or need more information, please don’t hesitate to contact CEO/ARtistic Director Sonny Alforque at salforque@aol.com or ST2009 Production Manager Cristine Lacerna at chie1000pix@comcast.net . We guarantee that while the work is hard and humbling, it’s deeply, deeply rewarding. Don’t wait until Fall to volunteer – we need you now.
Time constraints (i.e. babysitting duties) prevent us from writing about other important news right now. But we’ll be getting back to everyone soon with more interesting highlights about who’s doing what and what’s happening all around in the Sinag-tala community. Thanks as always to everyone for the continuing and robust support that the SFTPAA has been getting. Enjoy the nice weather!

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello, everyone. In a nutshell, things are happening. We’re merrily coasting. And before too long, we’ll be picking up even more speed. For now, hang on to your hats – here’s the latest.

1. LAST AUDITION REMINDER. Don’t get left out! If you’ve never experienced touring with the Sinag-tala Theater Ensemble – or if you have but don’t want to miss out on another exciting season of entertaining audiences at the Pacific Rim Street Fest, California State Fair, Filipino Fiesta and many other venues – then don’t miss the upcoming touring ensemble audition. It’s going to be at 1:30PM tomorrow, Saturday, April 4 at the Sinag-tala Studio, 8275 Florin Road, Suite 180. No prior experience or training required – we’ll teach you! Members of last year’s ensemble need not audition but must drop by and register. If you’re interested, be prepared to sing any song of your choice. You may sing with or without accompaniment. We’ll provide a CD player. The first touring ensemble bookings are on May 3 (Order of the Eastern Star, Elk Grove); May 17 (Pacific Rim Street Fest, Old Sacramento); and May 22 (Maria Fabionar Retirement, location to be announced). Training and rehearsals begin the week of April 20. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. And spread the word!

2. IT’S HERE! THE ST2008 DVD! The much-awaited DVD of last year’s Theatrical Revue is now available! As is the SFTPAA tradition, we’re giving last year’s performing company and crew that first-ever chance to be their own audience for once! And for the rest of us, it’s be another great reunion after the last cast party. The ST2008 Premier Showing will begin at 1:30PM this coming Saturday, April 18 at Marcy Basila’s residence, 9506 Village Tree Drive, Elk Grove 95758. To help raise funds for SFTPAA, and make it possible to concentrate on having fun by not needing to prepare a potluck dish, there will be a $5 charge for the viewing, food and drinks. And, of course, those who have already ordered and paid for copies of the DVD may see Lenny Kaulupali to get their copies at that time. If you need directions, please contact Marcy Basila at 916-821-8819.

3. AN AFFORDABLE FORMAL DRESS, ANYONE? What a cool tongue-twister for singers and actors to practice with. But more than that, it’s a stress-reducing invitation to a super bargain opportunity for the ladies and girls out there who may be getting ready to doll up (do they still say that?) for that prom night or that wedding or formal anything. Formal wear retailer Aida Brewington is liquidating her inventory because she has moved her business to Southern California. So she’s selling racks and racks of beautiful, otherwise pricey gowns at unheard-of prices, starting at $40! And – get this – generous and longtime Sinag-tala supporter Aida will be donating a portion of the proceeds to SFTPAA and the Filipino Community of Sacramento and Vicinity, Inc. The gowns will be displayed at a fashion show at 11:00AM tomorrow, April 4 at the Kapitbahay Center at Seafood City on Mack Road, Sacramento. Dresses may be purchased before or after the fashion show. Then on Sunday, April 5, the dresses will also be available for viewing, try-ons and purchase from 10:00AM to 2:00PM during the FCSV Annual Brunch at the Jose P. Rizal Community Center, 7320 Florin Mall Drive, Sacramento. The brunch costs $15 for adults and $8 for children (proceeds to go towards the Community Building Fund) but admiring, touching and wearing the dresses is free! Look good for good causes!

4. THE “LOVE ‘EM OR HATE ‘EM” ON MEETINGS. Often, you can tell how robust and dynamic an organization is by how much humming is going on within its inner workings. Yes, we’re talking about Board, production, FAST, TAAG and other meetings. There’s definitely a lot going on, so like it or not, there’s going to be a bit of sit-down talking that needs to take place as well. And sometimes, to streamline things, we combine meetings. That’s what’s happening this month. On Sunday, April 19, a combo of Board, production and TAAG (Twentieth-anniversary Alumni Advisory Group) meetings will become a SUMMIT! This will make up for the difficulty of balancing Spring Break with doing business. The schedule that day will be as follows:

4:00PM – SFTPAA Board Meeting
5:45PM – ST2009 Production Meeting
6:15PM – Joint Board/Production/TAAG Meeting

All of the above will be held at the Sinag-tala Studio. Please confirm your availability for any or all of these meetings via e-mail ASAP.

5. GRACE MADARANG DOES IT AGAIN. Sinag-tala alumna Grace Madarang is excited to let everyone know that after a 3-year hiatus from stagework, she’s back doing some choreography – for the CSUS Pilipino Culture Nite “Nawawala” (Lost) production. The show will have one performance on Friday, April 24 and two on Saturday, April 25 at the 24th Street Theater, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento 95818. The evening shows will be at 8:00PM and the Saturday matinee will be at 12:00 Noon (so have an early lunch). Tickets are $15. Call Grace at 916-337-5564 for information or tickets. By the way, alumnus Dennis Perez is also assisting with the show. Break a leg, Grace and Dennis!

6. LET’S GO WITH LORRAINE DE ARCO. Nothing can be better sounding than the news that Sinag-tala artists are busy out there, making a presence where Filipinos are still not seen often enough. So goes it for Lorraine De Arco, who will be featured in the Pepper Von production, Let’s Go! All genres of music and dance, with Pepper Von choreography of course, will be offered, including country, rock, R&B, gospel, hip-hop, jazz, latin, tap and lyrical. The production has four shows coming to the Crest Theatre on K and 11th Streets in downtown Sacramento on May 22, 23 and 24. The evening shows are at 8:00PM and the matinees on Saturday and Sunday are at 2:00PM. Ticket prices have not yet been announced but if you contact Lorraine at rained@hotmail.com, she can get back to you.

7. ATTENTION SPRING CLEANING AND GREEN -PHILES! SFTPAA is going to do its part to help you. The date has yet to be set, but the SFTPAA will hold a parking lot sale soon, probably in May. If there’s anything cluttering your garage that you’d rather someone else recycle so it won’t clutter the environment – and if it will sell – let us know ASAP. Please keep in mind that this will be a fundraiser – one of several that SFTPAA will be holding so that we can pay our many bills. So all donated items should be easily “sellable” and of reasonably good quality. Unfortunately, some of the things we cannot accept are exercise equipment, large appliances, large furniture, and Christmas items. Unsold items are generally donated to charitable agencies such as Goodwill, but even they have policies about what to accept or reject, and generally the said items tend to be among them. Clothing and household linen must be clean and in good condition. We will announce a date for drop-offs at the Studio as well. In the meantime, please keep us in mind before you haul anything off. Oh, and another tip: check the “Free Items” listings in Craigslist from time to time. You might find someone in your neighborhood who has something good to give away. By the way, we also need volunteers to help receive, sort, sell and take away. Don’t be shy – let us know immediately.

8. HELP US HELP YOU TO SIMULATE THE ECONOMY. If there’s anyone who knows about the importance of spending, it’s the SFTPAA. We’re keenly aware of what supporting retailers, food establishments, grocers, suppliers, print shops, rental businesses, warehouses, hardware stores, insurance companies, utility companies, bookstores, moving companies, clothing businesses and other establishments mean to the country’s economic stability. Because that’s precisely what SFTPAA does. That’s because SFTPAA spends money – not without good judgment but wisely and carefully. No executive bonuses, not even executive pay. In short, for TWENTY YEARS now, we’ve provided services for free to help a lot of young people learn about the arts, but that costs money. Our budget is comparatively small but the outcome – the inner growth and self esteem that children, teens and young adults experience as they learn to sing, dance, act and express their pride under our unique programs – are lifetime gifts that, as the saying goes, are priceless. So give these participants, who might otherwise not get much exposure to their heritage and Filipino art, some thought and support. Why not help us by donating generously? And if you’re already a donor, how about raising the level of your support? As long as you need to spend a little in order to boost the sagging economy, let us help you do it. Don’t wait for our show in December – the economy and the Sinag-tala kids need help now. Make checks payable to SFTPAA and mail them to 2241 Arliss Way, Sacramento, CA 95822. Since the SFTPAA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organizations, you contribution will be tax-deductible. Thanks.

And that’s not the last of it. There’s of course so much more to come. So stick around! Take care and thanks for your continued interest and support.

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director

Hello once again, everyone. We hope everyone’s doing well this 20th anniversary season – in the spirit of which we’re doing exactly what’s called for when daylight saving time comes around: springing forward! To those who are receiving this bulletin for the first time because they recently knocked on the Sinag-tala door asking for more information about the SFTPAA, welcome! Please continue to invite everyone to visit – as many of you have – our website at www.sinagtala.org , because it’s a great way to connect with the Sinag-tala Family, and there’s nothing we love more than adding seats to the family table. So here goes:

1. BIG THINGS COMING UP THIS SUNDAY. Is it a volunteer outreach gathering, a production meeting, a brainstorming session, a homecoming? How about all of the above? Many of you already know that everyone’s encouraged to join us this coming Sunday, March 15, at the Belle Cooledge Community Library, 5600 South Land Park Drive (corner Fruitridge Road), Sacramento for what our intrepid planners Cristine Lacerna and Karen Sinnung promise will be a fun gathering even as we tackle some forward-looking stuff. Of course, everything will revolve around planning the celebration of the Sinag-tala Theatrical Revue’s 20th anniversary, and because all of you are stakeholders in one way or another, it’s only fitting that we turn to you for your input and participation. For those who find acronyms intriguing, some items you’re going to learn about are FAST, AART AND TAAG (Families and Alumni of Sinag-tala, Adopt A Returning Talent, and the Twentieth-anniversary Alumni Advisory Group). You’ll also get a glimpse of the exciting ways production volunteers get their kicks (many us aren’t nerds), and the alumni get to put on advisor hats. And there will be refreshments! Remember – March 15, 1;30 PM registration, Belle Cooledge Library, Fruitridge and South Lan park Drive, Sacramento. See you there!

2. CSUS/SMAC ARTS RESOURCE FAIRE. Speaking of seats at tables, we’ll have a few available at ours from 8:00AM to 4:00PM on Saturday, March 21, when CSUS and the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission will be jointly holding an Arts Resource Faire at the CSUS University Union. The event is held each year for arts educators and teaching artists seeking information about the educational and student enrichment opportunities that various arts organizations offer. We need volunteers to take shifts of any length at our information table, as well as to set up in the morning and pack up later. Please let me know if you’re available and would like to help, or if you have ideas as to how we can effectively share wour work with the attendees.

3. SEEING IS BELIEVING. Like proud parents but without intending to over-romanticize, we jump at every chance to say, “There – see – that’s one of ours!” That’s what you would have felt like saying if you had seen Alaia Lacerna, Edith Montemayor and Alexia Baltazar at their respective schools’ dance company concerts last month. Alaia, who performs with Sheldon High School’s Universal Rhythms dance company and Edith and Alexia, who are in Franklin High’s Fusion dance group, pulled out the stops and showed us not only their talent in various dance disciplines but the very impressive training that some school dance programs are delivering these days. In our seats we mentally recall that these young people have ties to Sinag-tala then later during the drive back home we brag about how, in some small way, Sinag-tala might have touched their lives. It should also be mentioned that both concerts featured guest companies, among whose choreographers, master teachers and founders were such Sinag-tala alumni as Richard Pasalo, Simon Magsuci, Joe Larot and Kim Altamero. Note also that in the Fusion concert, Janet Montemayor, Monica Montemayor and Amir Mabalay danced with one of the guest dance groups, which Edith Montemayor herself founded and taught: the Franklin High Tinikling Club! Congratulations to all of these heart-warmers!

4. HEARING, SEEING AND BELIEVING. The Kick-off Fundraiser for the Filipino American Fiesta of Sacramento that was held on March 6 at the Rizal Community Center, like more and more local Filipino community entertainment events, could have almost been mistaken to be a Sinag-tala show. At least half of the performers on the line-up, not to mention the members of the production staff, were – yes – Sinag-tala people These included Those Kids (Daric, Ciara and Caite Carvajal), Kenny Kaulupali, Isabel Kaulupali- Nisay, Marikar Sinnung, Katleyn and Jim Torres, Ed Educayen, Beat Statics (founded and choreographed by Niko Lacerna), Apollross Reyes, Reyna Armour and Press PLAY (including Simon Magsuci, Richard Pasalo and Leah Robillos). Dick Mazon, Marcy Basila, Jennifer Bambao, Maxi Villones, Kathy Pflaum, Lee Pflaum, Margie Pasalo, Remar Pasalo, Cheryl Hutchins and Fred Aquino were among the Family who staffed the event. Congratulations to us for contributing to the community and to the Filipino Fiesta for an entertaining evening!

5. GRATITUDE IN THE MIDST OF THE ECONOMIC SHORTFALL. With many nonprofit arts organizations suffering the effects of the recession, the SFTPAA is very lucky to be in good health. It’s the support that we continue to receive from different sources that we owe this to. Lately, we’ve been able to participate in grant programs that have not only been generous in offering funding opportunities to us but have been working hard to preserve certain levels of government and private philanthropic support for the arts. The City and County of Sacramento have approved funding for Cultural Arts Awards and Planning grants to SFTPAA, and the Sacramento Region Community Foundation is currently considering our application for an Experiential Arts grant. We plan to submit a Marketing Grant proposal to SMAC in the coming weeks. Both of these regional organizations work tirelessly to sustain the local arts community by harnessing resources from, and doing advocacy work with, the philanthropic community and the government. We extend our sincerest thanks to Rhyena Halpern of SMAC and Priscilla Enriquez of SRCF, and their respective staffs, for all that they do.

6. TOURING ENSEMBLE AUDITIONS. Booking invitations have been coming at us at a furious pace and believe it or not, we’ve had to regretfully turn down some already because our touring ensemble performers themselves have had difficult personal schedules. But we do have to gear up, so please spread the word that we will be holding touring ensemble auditions on Saturday, April 4, beginning at 1:30PM at the Sinag-tala Studio. Those who have performed with the 2008 ensemble or in Sinag-tala 2008 need not audition but must show up an register. Anyone wishing to perform with the ensemble for the first time must register and audition. The audition will consist of singing a song of the applicant’s choice, either without accompaniment or with CD accompaniment. We may hold dance auditions later but all applicants (dancers included) must go through the April 4 singing auditions first. Appointments are highly encouraged but not necessary. If you’re interested, kindly e-mail us ASAP. Resident artists who would like to be on the audition panel should let me know by March 20. The panel will be limited to 4 members.

7. GOT MATERIAL? We are constantly on the look-out for interesting artistic material for use in our training curriculum and/or building our performing repertoire. Songs, compositions, poems, essays, short stories, scripts, dance concepts and anything else “performable” created by Filipino artists is welcome. When it comes to songs, we strongly prefer topical material, in any Philippine language or English, that lends itself to theatrical staging as opposed to merely being sung concert-style or karaoke-style. Original material by Sinag-tala alumni or any local Filipino artist would be great. CDs, scores, manuscripts, DVDs and all other media are welcome. We are in special need of imaginative Filipino hiphop music and children’s material. Our mailing address is 2241 Arliss Way, Sacramento, CA 95822. We will also accept items by e-mail, except videos.

8. GOT COSTUMES? Because they aren’t that easy to construct or acquire, we also welcome donations of native Philippine costumes. Whether you or a family member already has one in the family wardrobe, or if you’re planning a trip to the Philippines and have access to a donor, here are some things we’d be very pleased to acquire: balintawak dresses, Maria Clara blouses and skirts, ternos, camisa chino (long-sleeved peasant style), tribal garments from indigenous tribes such as the Cordilleran peoples, T’boli, Manobos, Tausog, Badjao, and others. We also welcome headdresses, jewelry, accessories and musical instruments. Sounds like we’re asking for a museum – but why not? Let us know, please.

9. GOT SUPPLIES? Here’s another wish list, but specifically for items that we need for the Studio and related activities: paper towels, toilet paper, copier paper (letter and legal size), blank business letter envelopes, fine- and wide-tipped permanent markers, wide-tipped dry erase markers, blank CDs, CD sleeves or jewel cases, staplers, anti-bacterial hand detergent, sanitary wipes, first-aid supplies, fabric freshener spray, dust pans, window squeegee, paper plates, drinking cups, aluminum foil and plastic sandwich bags. To be continued. We realize that we ask a lot, but we also give a lot and need a lot to do that. And in tough times, we ask. If you’d like to drop anything off at the studio, let us know and we’ll make arrangements. Better yet – bring your donation to the volunteer outreach event/production meeting/alumni homecoming on March 15 (see item #1 above).

There’s always more to tell you about, but we’ll save some of it for next time. Stay tuned. If you need a good mantra for the rest of the year, try this: Let it shine in 2009! Shine … Sinag … get it? If not, you have all the more reason to stick with us. Take care and thanks as always for being there for us!

Sonny Alforque
CEO & Artistic Director
Sinag-tala Filipino Theater and Performing Arts Association