Belinda Corpuz and Isabel Kanaan from Factory Theatre’s Prairie Nurse
Belinda Corpuz
Belinda is active in Toronto’s professional and independent theatre scene. She has developed new Canadian works with Carlos Bulosan Theatre (CBT), Fu-GEN, Cahoots, Soulpepper Theatre, Pencil Kit Productions, and Expect Theatre (as part of the Beats + Intentions Emerging Artist Program). Selected theatre credits include: Through the Bamboo – Staged Reading (Soulpepper Theatre, as part of the Shen Development Series), Perfect Couples (Pencil Kit Productions, 2017 Toronto and Hamilton Fringe Festivals), Hilot Means Healer – Staged Reading (Cahoots Theatre Projects), ANAK (Carlos Bulosan Theatre), Kaldero (Carlos Bulosan Theatre) In the Shadow of Elephants (Carlos Bulosan Theatre), Shotgun Wedding (Carlos Bulosan Theatre, 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival).
Belinda has also worked with Toronto-based theatre company, Carlos Bulosan Theatre, as former Artistic Associate and member of their Collective Creation Ensemble, as a theatre creator and performer. Most recently, she debuted Carlos Bulosan Theatre’s original play, ANAK, as co-playwright, actor, and sound designer/music composer.
www.belindacorpuz.com
Twitter: @belindarona
Instagram: belindacorpuz
Isabel Kanaan
Isabel is a Second City graduate and Seneca College Acting for Camera and Voice alumna. She has been awarded the NBC Universal Bob Curry Fellowship. She is a member of CBC’s sketch comedy troupe Air Farce, the Canadian Comedy Award winning sketch troupe The Sketchersons, and Second City’s House Ensemble and Educational Company.
Isabel is a Filipino-Canadian film and theatre actor fluent in Tagalog and English. Aside from her successes in comedy, she is also known for her lead role in the series Haunted or Hoax, which won the NYC Web Fest’s Audience Choice Award.
She regularly performs with the Asian Canadian theatre company fu-GEN Theatre and the Filipino Canadian theatre company Carlos Bulosan Theatre. She even co-wrote and performed in CBT’s production Anak.
www.isabelkanaan.com
Twitter: @isabelkanaan
Instagram: isabelkanaan
Prairie Nurse
It’s winter in the prairies, late 1960s. Two young nurses, just off the plane from the Philippines, arrive at a rural hospital in Arborfield, Saskatchewan – population 300. No one can tell the two nurses apart; including the dim-witted lab technician at the hospital who falls in love with one of them but accidentally courts both. Homesickness, unfamiliar customs, and amorous advances complicate the women’s lives.
A culture-clashing comedy of errors with heart, PRAIRIE NURSE was inspired by the playwright’s mother and the legacy she and others with similar experiences have contributed to the fabric of Canada.
PRAIRIENURSE
Written by Marie Beath Badian | Directed by Sue Miner
Featuring Layne Coleman, Belinda Corpuz, Mark Crawford, Catherine Fitch,
Janelle Hanna, Isabel Kanaan, Matt Shaw
Set Design by Jung-Hye Kim | Costume Design by Anna Treusch
Lighting Design by Jareth Li | Sound Design by Lyon Smith
Factory Mainspace
April 21 – May 13, 2018
For More Info and to Connect with Factory:
factorytheatre.ca
Twitter: @FactoryToronto
Facebook: @FactoryTheatreTO
Transcript
Welcome to episode 124 of Stageworthy. I’m your host, Phil Rickaby. Stageworthy is a podcast about people in Canadian theatre featuring conversations with actors, directors, playwrights, and more.
You know, if you haven’t subscribed to the podcast, I would like to remind you that subscribing is the best way to make sure that you never miss an episode of Stageworthy, and there are some great episodes coming up, so trust me when I say that you don’t want to miss them. So make sure that you subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Music, or Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts to get every new episode of Stageworthy delivered right to your device. And if you want to drop me a line, I would love to hear from you.
You can find Stageworthy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at StageworthyPod, and you can find the website at stageworthypodcast.com. And if you want to drop me a line, you can find me on Instagram and Twitter at philrickaby, and my website is philrickaby.com. My guests this week are Belinda Corpuz and Isabel Kanaan from Factory Theatre’s production of Prairie Nurse. Prairie Nurse is on now until May 13th at the Factory Theatre in Toronto. So who wants to tell me about what Prairie Nurse is about? Yeah, Prairie Nurse is about two nurses.
It’s set in the late 60s, and it’s about these two Filipino nurses who immigrate from the Philippines, from separate cities in the Philippines, all the way to Saskatchewan, Arbor Fields, Saskatchewan, to work and provide for their families. And then just all hilarity and confusion. Yeah, it’s a comedy of errors.
And so, oh, you can only imagine what happens. Where does the, like, is it fish out of water? Is it like, where does the comedy come from? The comedy comes from just mistake, the constant mistaking of who’s who. Yeah, mistaken identity.
Yeah, exactly. Mistaken identity, and the fish out of water, and just nobody understanding anyone’s accent. Communication barriers.
All the barriers that would come with being in a new country or meeting people who are just coming from a new place. Because this was also during the boom of when the Filipino nurses would immigrate and care for other people in other countries. And so people weren’t as aware of even the accent or how we look like.
So there were all these conspiracies, even in the beginning of the play, of like, what do you think they look like? How do they sound? And stuff like that. And especially in a place where, I mean, the prairies are more, their immigration was more Ukrainian focused. So that would be a very, very new thing for everybody.
Exactly. Yeah. So in terms of one of the things that I love to talk about on the podcast is about theater and why people started to do it and their origin stories.
If we think about actors as superheroes, what’s your theater origin story? So what is it about theater? Why did you, why did this call to you? Why did you decide to do this? Okay. Well, I started actually in the Philippines. I was actually a dancer first.
And then the studio where I would have the performing arts studio that I was at would have a musical theater program as well. And so right before or after one of my hip hop classes, I was watching the musical theater program and I’m like, this is interesting. But I was like, all right, cool, cool.
Just seeing it out, whatever. And then it was, there was this moment in school where it was just a play and then everyone had to audition. So I was like, all right, cool, whatever.
But I, and it was, and I didn’t know this at the time, but it was Comedia del Arte. And they, they, even they didn’t know what it was. And I just, I fell in love with it because it was so easy for me to do, to drop into someone else’s life almost and be someone else because I would do it at home constantly.
I have three brothers. And so it was just like, yeah. And then my mom was like a big personality.
My dad was a big personality. And not only that, everyone was like running around and this was in the Philippines too. So, so we had helpers as well.
We had nannies and stuff. So it was always a big house. And so I was always surrounded by so many big personalities and for some reason I would copy them because other people would laugh when I do that.
And then, and then, so when that happened in school, they, my teacher started talking to me like, Ooh, would you want to do this and stuff? And I’m like, I don’t know, maybe, I don’t know. And then I, but I was like, yeah, for sure. And that was my first part.
And then ever since then, I just started doing like theater here and there. And then when I moved to Canada, I actually stopped all that because in my head, that’s insane. How am I going to do acting here? Because first of all, it was culture shock, like crazy.
Second, this is North America. To me, this is where Hollywood was, even though I know Hollywood is in the States, but still like to me in the Philippines, you know, so I was just like, I’m not going to do this here. So when I got here, I went into math at York and then I kept switching majors until finally, I think it was, um, maybe four years after I got here already was, um, so I kept switching, kept switching.
And then I met someone from the acting program at Seneca at York, and he was telling me about it. And I was like, yeah, I used to do that. That was fun.
That was fun. And then I was like, well, what’s stopping me now? Because I’ve, um, you know, I’ve come into my own here in Canada. I’ve worked on my accent because I had a really heavy Filipino accent when I first got here.
I worked on just, you know, just the lifestyle. And so I thought, you know what? Let’s do one more switch. And I finally graduated and I’ve been doing acting ever since.
There’s so many things to unpack. First off, as a dancer, um, and then making the move and the first show was, was a Comedie Del Arte show. Yes.
Which I guess is a good in for a dancer since it’s such a physical style. Exactly. And that’s why I liked it.
And this is another thing that people don’t realize about dancing. Um, but dancing, you have, you, you have a persona on stage as well. And so it wasn’t that difficult of a leap.
Yeah. Well, what’s it, what’s interesting is that I’ve met dancers who, um, they get very uncomfortable if they have to use their voice. So that can be a thing that often happens.
Obviously you, you didn’t have that problem because you had like so many big personalities. Exactly. Yeah.
I had to be loud to be heard. When you, how old were you when you came to Canada? I was 16. 16.
Um, and then you stopped acting. Um, I stopped. Did you even dance at all? No, I stopped that too, because when we moved here, I moved to Burlington and there was nothing in Burlington or their dance was like tap dance.
And that’s not what I do. Hip hop was your thing? Yes. It was straight up hip hop and the different styles of hip hop.
And so like popping and locking and crumping and whacking and all that stuff, all those different styles is what I learned in the Philippines. And when I got here, there was nothing. And then eventually when I moved to York, that’s when I realized, Oh, so there is something here because it’s in Toronto.
But by then I had lost the discipline of like, um, copying a dance move and getting it like right there. Um, I still have it a little bit, but it’s not as it’s not up there at all. It’s a muscle that if you don’t do that for ages, you just can’t do it anymore.
Exactly. Um, so what was it like finding that again and going into that at Sheridan? Uh, Seneca. Seneca.
Sorry. I’m going to start with an S. Seneca. I felt so at home.
Like I can’t even imagine like everything just made sense. You know, like all the pieces just fell into place. I felt like, Oh, this is what I was meant to do at that moment of just like, um, being in different, um, classes of voice and movement.
And I was like, yes, yes, yes. I mean, you in going through all these courses and like changing all the time, you were sort of like telling yourself what I think you probably already knew is that none of those things were really for you. Exactly.
Exactly. And that’s, that’s, that’s why when anyway, it’s such a, cause I probably wouldn’t have thought about it again. If I haven’t met these people from Seneca from that program.
So it was all just, well, what were you in at the time that you met them? I was doing a double major in philosophy and, and religious studies. Okay. What did you think you were going to do? I teach for sure, because there was nothing else.
Well, I’m so glad that you found it because I, I just had this suspicion that you just would not have quite been happy otherwise. Yeah. And like, I love teaching too, which is great because now I, I teach at the second city, like intro to improv and stuff.
And so I still would have done what I’m, what, I mean, I’m doing what I would have done anyway, but just a different subject. Nice. Yeah.
Well, Linda, what is your theater origin story? So it’s funny. I think, cause for a long time, I only identified myself as a musician because I had been doing music for as long as I’d been performing. So like when I was young, I used to make up songs just like by the window or something like that.
And my mom was like, okay, she has a great voice. I guess like we might as well just put her in piano lessons and voice lessons and see where that goes. And then there was a production of the wizard of Oz in my elementary school.
I was in the fourth grade and I was like, I don’t know what it was, but just something like a gut instinct was like, okay, I’m just going to sign up for the audition. And this is someone who was like, despite doing all this, I had stage fright. I was very, very shy as a child.
Like still I’m shy, like just very awkward. And it was like, but for some reason, when, when the signup sheet came to my desk, I was like, yeah, I’m going to do it. I’m just going to do it.
It was like a total risk. I just signed it. Um, and then I went into the audition and, and they were like, oh, what role do you want? I’m like, I just want to be like a maid or like a munchkin, something like that.
I’m a small person, like, like, like, yeah, it would fit. And then I sang, um, and then they’re like, oh, you know what? Like, let’s put you as Dorothy. And I was like, okay, like, all right.
And I, at that point, I didn’t really know what wizard of Oz was. I didn’t realize that it was the main role. I was just like, oh, Dorothy, like, that’s a cool name.
And then my mom was like, oh, you should watch the movie. And then I watched it and I was like, oh God, what am I, what did I get myself into? And so there was that like panic, but, um, yeah, just being on stage, it felt very natural. Cause because, because again, you’re, you’re taking on these different people and you’re breathing life into them and you’re just, you know, it felt good to just be in my body, but leave my body enough to be in another person’s reality.
Um, so that was really cool to discover. And then I’d just been performing cause my elementary school, even though, you know, it was like low income Scarborough, um, we had amazing teachers who, who would bring in like musical theater and who came from theater backgrounds and wanted to teach that to the younger generation, um, that they were teaching. And then I went into, uh, art school here in Toronto.
I went to Cardinal Carter Academy for the arts, shout out. Um, but not for theater. I went in for vocal music and I, but I still did theater throughout high school through like youth theaters, like Randolph and like Toronto youth theater and stuff like that at lower Ossington theater, um, with a lot of my friends.
So when it came to university, um, there was a choice of, okay, do I go to theater school or do I go to music school? So I chose music school because at the time I was very interested in like creating, like creating music, creating ensembles, collaborating in that aspect. Um, and I just didn’t know if I could do that in theater, like if I could write my own play or something like things like that, like it just wasn’t really in my reality at the time. So I did four years of music school and kind of took a break from acting then.
Um, I did a few, a few things with, uh, a theater company we both met at actually called Carlos Wilson theater. Like I did some friend shows and independent productions with them throughout that time. And then after I graduated from my music program, which was still a performance program, I was like, you know what? Like I still want to act like there’s still that, that same gut feeling that I felt when I was in the fourth grade, like wanting to sign up for this musical.
And I was like, you know what? Like I miss it. Let’s just, let’s just go into a class. So I did a lot of like studio work in Toronto with, um, my current teacher, Cindy Tannis.
And, um, and then, yeah, just, uh, I realized I could create in theater. I could create, you know, my own work if I wanted to. And it was nice to have both sides, like creating musically and then creating theatrically and then also like being another character.
Cause even when you’re performing as a musician, you still have that persona as well. You know, you’re, you are yourself, but not entirely. So yeah, that’s, that’s how, that’s the short version.
It’s interesting that, that you were like, I don’t know if I can create my own thing, which is a thing that we don’t, it’s not talked about, especially like it wasn’t talked about at all when I was in theater school. And when I was in theater school, they were like, you know, if you’re not doing well, I guess you could do a solo play or, or, you know, or something. The idea that, that that was a gateway to a career was not something anybody discussed.
Now it’s like, no, can I do this? The answer is if you want to, that’s part of it. I’m interested about you like being a shy kid. Like when you, like when you realized that you were in the, going to be the lead in The Wizard of Oz and you’re somebody who was shy, like, how did you react to that? And was that frightening for you? It was funny.
Cause yeah, at first it was like, you know, you get that bolt of like fear, but then after that, you’re like, you know what? I can do this. Like, there was just that other side of it being like, no, no, I can do this. Like I want to do this.
And I think it’s just the wanting to do it over came any shyness that was also there. Like there’s that weird duality of like, and for a long time, even like performing musically, I had a lot of stage fright where I’d like cry after singing a song and my mom would be like, oh my God, what are we doing to her? Why are we doing this to her? But, but then every time I’d be like, no, no, no, I still want to do it. Like there was always that other part of me that pushed me.
And the thing is like, I’m so thankful for doing theater, especially in high school, because it really got me out of my shell. Like, and really like focused what I wanted to do in the future, which was performing, whether it was theater or music or like musical theater or whatever. Like I knew like I wanted to perform like I always, and that’s what my life would be.
Yeah. Well, I mean, the thing that’s interesting for me, like shy is not necessarily introverted. Do you feel like you’re more of an introvert or an extrovert? It depends on the situation.
I feel like it’s both. Like, it’s like, what would you think? What would I think you are? I don’t know. We’ve known each other for a long time.
But like, I sometimes feel like, yeah, it depends. Like, I think now I’m more extroverted, but definitely the introverted, introvert is still there. But, which is good because I feel like the introvert is now focused into like, okay, now it’s just time to work or do this.
And it’s like focus. An extrovert is more like, okay, now we’re going to put energy into that focus. Do you find that like in a crowd, you are like walking around and like saying hello to people or do you? Not instinctually.
No, I would say that. But I think like, again, it depends on the situation. I think now I’m more like forthcoming.
But even a year ago, I’d probably be like, I don’t know. Like, yeah. It’s interesting because the number of people that I’ve spoken to who identify as introverts and who are in theater and the public’s perception of people who are actors and in theater is that everybody’s an extrovert because you’ve got to be an extrovert to get up on that stage, which is not necessarily the truth.
You get up on that stage and you are what you need to be an offstage. Exactly. Yeah.
Yeah. How about you, Izzy? Would you say that because you’re striking me as more of an extrovert. This situation doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
Okay. Here’s my version of things. I’m an extrovert of like, because I’ve just recently learned what it actually means to be an introvert and extrovert, which is actually how you unwind.
If you unwind better alone, then you’re considered an introvert. But if you unwind talking to people, you’re more of an extrovert. I unwind talking to people because I grew up with a big family.
And so I just love being surrounded by people. But here’s the thing. When I’m surrounded by people that I don’t know, I will not go up to them.
So in a party, in a room full of people that I don’t know, I will just stick to my friends unless someone introduces me to someone else. But I will not introduce myself to someone. I can’t do that.
I’m so scared of that. I’m with you on that one. Yeah.
My biggest thing, like whenever I’m invited to like a theater opening and they always have a party after, I’m like, I’m out. Don’t talk to me while I’m on my way out. Don’t notice that I’m not going to the party.
It’s funny because I sometimes I’m like, you know, I want to introduce myself to this person. So it switches. It switches on the situation.
You guys have the advantage coming into this because every time you start working on a new show, it’s the formation of a new family that’s going to be together for a little while. And you guys had the advantage that you knew each other coming in. Oh yeah.
You’re walking into a room full of people that you don’t necessarily know. So what was that like on like the first day of rehearsal? It was actually fun. It was great.
Yeah. Everyone is so chill. Everyone’s so chill and awesome.
Like it’s such a great room to be in. Like it didn’t really feel uncomfortable at all. Yeah.
Like meeting the cast. Yeah. No one’s a diva.
No. It’s truly it felt like, oh, we’re an ensemble. Yeah.
That’s how I feel. Like it’s very much like, oh yes, it’s just we’re just we’re just going to make this happen. Nice.
Yeah. And it was, it was just already like a room full of love. I felt.
Exactly. Yeah. Everyone’s rooting for the story.
Well, that’s kind of what you want on your first day. You don’t want any, any kind of personality clashes or somebody who’s a diva or anything like that. Everyone’s amazing.
Yeah. It’s so inspiring to watch. I’m always like, wow.
Are you finding that you get caught up in watching other people’s scenes? Yeah. Like I’ll be going through my lines. I’ll be like, oh, I just have to watch this.
Yeah. Yeah. It’s like super awesome.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
It’s a great, a great position to be in actually to really enjoy watching the thing. Yeah. Yeah.
Um, so I mean, are you guys, were you guys involved with this before it came to factory or is this, uh, like you, you auditioned, this is your first, your first time involved with the show. Yeah. Audition.
Yeah. Same. It was cool that you guys got to like, you guys know each other and you get to be in it together.
Oh yeah. You know, what’s funny in the audition. Um, because, um, because we were called in to play both parts at first.
Right. Yeah. So, and then I went up to Belinda and I was like, I thought of you when pulling, when I was reading it and I was like, I thought Penny.
Yeah. Because we were like, cause we’ve already worked together and, and I was like, this would be perfect. And then we, we read together and then we went out and I was like, that felt natural and just amazing.
I only read with you. I didn’t read with anyone else. And I only met, I only read with, um, with Matt who ended up being Will.
So it was interesting. And it’s funny cause I didn’t audition like, cause there are two, I guess two rounds, but the first round I didn’t know cause I had to go to Winnipeg, so I didn’t know anyone else who was auditioning, but I was hoping you were auditioning too. Cause I was like, well, I don’t know anyone.
Cause I was just being seen that day. Right. You came in when they were seeing other people, other roles.
Yeah. They were auditioning. I don’t even know.
What were you doing? What were you doing in Winnipeg? Oh, I was just, I was just visiting my boyfriend. Oh, okay. Okay.
Maybe there was like a show or something. I wish. No, no.
Cause Winnipeg is actually a really, uh, uh, interesting theater town. Yes. I’ve been there for Fringe.
It’s amazing. It’s my favorite Fringe. Have you been to Edmonton? I have, but Winnipeg, I, no, I like, I like the, I like the love in Winnipeg.
When I’m thinking, like, I was thinking about touring a show and I was like, okay, I definitely want to do Winnipeg. And somebody was like, what about Edmonton? I was like, Edmonton still scares me. Like I’ve done Edmonton, but it still scares me.
It’s a different vibe. It’s it’s, I don’t know if it’s more competitive or something, but Winnipeg is just more like, yeah, let’s chill. Let’s watch theater shows.
Edmonton is like, oh, you’re coming to see my show. All right. I’ma bring it.
I think something about Edmonton, I mean, Edmonton Fringe is like, it’s, it’s the big game in Toronto. Kind of think that it’s the big game, but Edmonton is the big game. So it’s, it’s not as warm a fringe.
Yeah. Winnipeg has the warmth of the, of, of Montreal, which is a very warm fringe, smaller, but warm, but still in a like, in a bigger scale, huge scale. Yeah.
Yeah. So it’s a really exciting city to be, to, to be in. Yeah.
I mean, you guys, you mentioned that you guys have done, done some fringe before. What, what, what shows have you done for fringe? And were there things that you created or just acted in? So for me, purely just acted in actually. So the first one was with Carlos Blossom Theater, a local Philippine Canadian theater.
And that was like right out of, was it? Yeah. Out of high school going into university. And I did Shotgun Wedding, which was written by Lancer Vantes.
He’s a spoken word artist and now works in various places. I don’t really know where he works. He worked at CBC for a while.
And then I did that. That was like a nineties musical. And then, and then this past summer, I did Perfect Couples at the Toronto and Hamilton fringe.
Yeah. So very, two very different shows. And like, there was obviously a gap between doing the fringes.
So fringe was very different, both very different experiences. It’s always very different. Yeah.
Every year is different. Yeah. Yeah.
And then my first one was with Hey 90s Kids, You’re Old. Yeah. Sorry.
I love fringe titles. Do you see why it worked really well in Winnipeg? And yeah, so we did that in Toronto, but then we like toured it around. We even went to like the Frigid Festival in New York for that one.
We went to Chicago Fringe, Winnipeg, Edmonton. And yeah, we just like toured it around. And then I did Women in Toronto Fringe.
That was so fun. Comedy. It’s like little women meets HBO’s Girls.
Okay. So hilarious. This is sounding very familiar to me.
I don’t know if I saw it, but you should have. And just last summer I did Nourishment. And this was like, it’s a very like feminism piece.
And it was right before the whole Me Too movement. So yeah, it was all like, all very good times of when these plays were put up. Have you created your own show since you’ve been acting? Yeah, we co-created something together.
What’s that? It’s called Anak, which means child in Tagalog. Yeah. Let’s finish each other.
Yeah. What was it about? Oh, yeah, it was with Carlos Bolosan Theatre. Yes.
And it was about basically, it’s a family divided into, and we played mother and daughter. Yeah, she played my mom. Oh, wow.
Okay. That’s the magic of theatre right there. Yeah, exactly.
And then, and so these two sisters, it’s just about like sister rivalry. And then like the younger generations in the family, they have their own secrets that they’re keeping from their parents. And so it’s just, yeah.
It’s clash of the generations. And it’s clash of what’s called immigrant story versus first generation story. And then story of resentments and secrets, you know, it’s like a good family dynamic, drama type of situation.
Yeah. Interesting. Because you, I mean, you mentioned that you grew up in Scarborough, and you grew up in the Philippines.
Yeah. Did that sort of help inform this play as you were creating it? Like your different experiences? Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah.
Yeah. And then like, for myself, like, with my character, because we focused a lot on our, the characters that we were writing, and then just putting it together plot wise, and like, my character very much is influenced by the neighborhood, like, because our, we set it in Scarborough, at least where our family is from. And that was influenced.
So that definitely influenced my character. And just, you know, what you observe, like Filipinos in Scarborough, not that it’s different everywhere, but there’s a certain culture that comes out in these little pockets of diaspora in Toronto. And yeah, I mean, she was basically my mom, in her own way.
Does your mom know that? Yes, she very much does. She saw the show, and she was like, Oh, I see. My brother was like, Oh, my God, Belinda totally wrote you.
Yeah. But she was like, proud in her own way. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. And with me, it’s interesting, because I felt like my character would be more Belinda, like, because she was, she came here as a baby still.
Whereas me, like Izzy, informed more of the older characters that are from the Philippines. So I helped in that way. Because also, who played Belinda’s sister, because she’s very, like, you know, like, city, city, Manila kind of thing, where is exactly where I’m from.
Yeah. Yeah. Which is really cool, that exchange of energy.
Exactly. Did you guys just do that in Toronto? Or did you get to tour that one too? We did that in Scarborough. We brought it to the Filipino people.
Yeah. How did the Filipino people like it? I think they really liked it. And we tackled a lot of things that you don’t, like, theater is not very popular in Filipino culture, at least in Toronto too.
So just like even bringing theater itself to the community, that was already like a big deal. And then they loved it, I think. Yeah, they kept coming up to us after and being like, oh, you remind me of my mom.
Oh, you remind me of my sister and stuff like that. And we were just like, good. Yeah, there were times where we’d be backstage and we would see like one of the one of the uncles be like, to his wife, be like, oh, that’s you.
But then, and then like a little bit later in the play, oh, that’s you. So that was really cool. Oh, and, and the, the uncles in the audience that would cry, but then they’d like pretend to just like wipe their, their glasses or something.
That was so fun to watch. We were watching them as much as they were watching us. And we tackled a lot of like issues that you wouldn’t necessarily talk about, like homosexuality and like unplanned pregnancy, you know, things that everyone like those universal themes, but then now in the container of the Filipino community.
And they, they received it really well. And they were very curious about what happens next. And it’s like, well, we can’t give you everything, but that’s cool that you’re curious and you’re asking those questions.
Yeah. Yeah. You, you mentioned that there’s not a lot of theater in the Filipino community here.
Do you know, do you know why that is? Do you know what it is about theater? Well, I personally think it’s because like, even when I told my parents that I wanted to be an actor, it’s always like, okay, like as a hobby, I’m like, no, no, no, no, no, no. So it’s that whole thing. Right.
They think that you can’t really make a career out of it. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. It’s like that thing, you know, a lot of that’s it’s funny. Like my parents would push talking about personal would push me into these arts programs, but then when it came to being like, okay, I want to like take music or theater in university, it’s like, yeah.
What’s going to pay the bills? Like, we did, we come here for you to struggle because we came here for we’re struggling so then you can succeed. So there’s also that whole side of it. Sure.
Inheriting that. Yeah. So sometimes in their eyes, they think, oh no, like, did I waste coming here for you to be a fuck up? But yeah, it’s definitely that.
But I know my parents calmed down when I basically started making money, you know? Yeah. Yeah. My mom now is like, okay, oh, oh, you can’t, there’s a box office here.
Okay, cool. Although whenever I get a gig, to this very day, my mom’s like, so is it paid? Was it difficult for you to convince your parents to quote unquote, let you pursue this? Did you were there? Were there fights? Did you? Oh, yeah. Were they supportive? It’s, it’s a, it was an uphill battle.
It’s like, it’s a back and forth thing. Because sometimes it’s like, like, I would think about, I just had a phone call with my mom, like a few weeks ago, or like the other day, not a few weeks ago, the other day. I’m like, what’s time? And she was just like, well, you know, you’re not getting any older, any younger, like that.
Like, you know, you got to check off the boxes, certain things like that. Like, if you have kids, you can marry me. And it’s like, yeah, you know, but this is what I chose.
And I’m, I’m gonna be passionate about it and try to succeed as much as possible. I’m not gonna give up. And I think when they see that, like, just see the tenacity and the passion that you have for what you’re doing.
Like, okay, like, I will have my concerns. But as long as you know where you’re going, that’s fine. Like, I did this panel last year at a high school.
And it was about careers. And so they had, like, the artists, like, auto shop, nursing, teaching, and even in the, like, broader community. Yeah, you hear artists, and they’re like, what are they doing? Like weekend warriors? Like, do they like sing? Like, what do they do? And I was just talking about, like, take those arts programs in high school, see where it goes, open a line of communication with your parents.
I think that’s the biggest thing for young Filipinos now. It’s like, I’m going off on a tangent. But for young Filipinos who are interested in the arts, but don’t think they can succeed, just try it.
You know, there’s a reason why you want to do it. Yeah. And then as long as your action speaks louder than words, if you’re showing your parents, like, yeah, I’m going to go for these auditions.
Yeah, I’m going to create this work, because now it’s possible. We’re in this, like, beautiful time where, you know, creating your own work is being embraced. If you show them that, you know, you can get gigs.
That’s the one thing. When I did music school, we were, I would look at all these people studying, like, in the libraries, and I’m like, oh, I’m just going off to my gig. That’s my discipline.
I’m getting paid. And then I’m gonna go home and cry, because I do have to study for my exam. But you know, just like things like that.
You can make money. Yeah. And it’s just like any other thing, any other job, really, that you get into, there are different paths, there are different ways of whatever, you know, like, it’s, let’s say you do math, you can do accounting, you can do financing, you can do consulting, all these different avenues.
And when people think of acting, they just think of like, Hollywood films, blah, blah, blah. That is not the case at all. Exactly.
Yeah. That’s often our gateway into it is, is seeing, because we know what we see. And so a lot of people, they see actor, and they only think of, oh, the famous, the glitzy, the what? Yeah.
All this stuff. And they don’t see, you know, a lot of people don’t even go to the theater. So they don’t know what that life is.
Exactly. Yeah. And that’s the thing, like, I feel like, in the Filipino community, specifically, there’s still that, like, stigma that theater is unaccessible, or inaccessible.
Like, yeah, it’s like, oh, the tickets are too expensive, or it’s too far. I don’t even think that just exists in the Filipino community. That is something that we all combat.
Because what people think of is, wait, how much are tickets to Hamilton? I have to drive to New York? They’re not thinking about the more affordable theaters. There’s a lot of interesting work going on. Yeah.
And honestly, I like independent theater, because that work that I seek is being created in independent theater. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.
There’s so much interesting stuff going on. Yes. And I mean, a lot of the indie stuff finds its way up to the mainstream.
If you look at somebody like Kat Sandler, for example, started indie. Yeah, absolutely. You know, she had Bang Bang here, and she’s right, you know, her stuff is being picked up at theaters all over.
Exactly. It’s kind of like Fairy Nurse, too, in its own way, had its own independent past. And now it’s here.
Yeah, absolutely. That’s great. Yeah.
Did your parents struggle with the idea of you going into theater, Izzy? Oh, okay. I think it was more in me. Okay, here’s the thing.
I remember when I told them that I was going to switch one more time. I wrote this long ass email to my dad being like, if you don’t love me anymore, it’s fine. Being so dramatic.
In my head, they were just going to disown me. So I like beat them to it. Because at the end of the day, in my head, like, I’m going to do this no matter what, you know.
And so, so stupid. Anyway. And then they more got mad at the fact that I thought they were going to disown me than me going into theater.
That’s so funny. From a certain point of view, that was the perfect way to get them to accept me. Yeah, it’s true.
Good tactic. Exactly. Like, well, okay, you know, it’s okay about this theater thing, but how dare you? That’s so funny.
Yeah, but my, I remember, it was still like such a struggle of like, what are you gonna do? What are you gonna do? What are you gonna do? Even if I was already in the program and doing everything, they’re like, well, what are you gonna do after? What are you gonna do? And when I first said it, they were even like, why don’t you finish doing this first and then going into that later? And I was like, no, no, I want to do this now. Because I knew if I was going to wait, it’s not going to happen. You know? Yeah.
Like this is also the, I mean, if you finish the thing and then they’re like, well, you know, now you’ve got this thing, you should go to teacher’s college. And you’re going to go to teacher’s college. And now you’ve spent all this time.
You’re going to be a teacher. You’re not going to like put the effort into going back to theater school. Exactly.
It was like, it was like a breakup with, with just that life, you know, that expectation of being a teacher. And I just, just a little thing about me. Once I want to break up with someone, like I will.
No, but it’s true. Like, I will break up with you the moment I’m like, okay, you know what, I want to do this. No matter what the situation is happening, you know, like, I will just be like, hey, I’m done.
And that’s how I felt with this situation as well. You know what? I think like coming from the Philippines and coming here, that kind of, um, uh, molded that in me of just like being able to easily just drop things from my past and move on to exactly. You made a huge change at a time when you in like a formative time in your life, which means that you’re, you may be more comfortable with like giving up a thing than somebody who didn’t have to give up a thing at the age of 16.
Exactly. And I, and a part of me too, was like, I think that was also a reason why my parents were like, are you sure this time, you know? Cause like, I just kept switching, but the fact that I finished it and then that’s my job right now, like it really says like, no, it wasn’t just a, you know, a fluke or whatever. Sometimes you’ve got to go through all these like different turns to really find what you want.
Yeah. It’s interesting that your parents, that nobody noticed that like, Oh, since she gave up the theater thing, she’s like, hasn’t been able to, to like finish or commit to a thing. Did anybody ever mention that? That like, you used to be really passionate about this thing.
You know what’s funny? My dad mentioned one day just in passing. He was like, you know what? I think you missed your chance with this whole acting thing. It was so random.
It wasn’t even a thing. Um, yeah, I didn’t even know what we were, I was eating. I don’t know, but he just said it and I’m like, Oh, Oh well.
But I, even I was like, okay, whatever. And then I circled back. Um, I don’t know if he even remembers that conversation.
Oh, this was, um, I was, it was probably maybe my, my second switch. Yeah. But, but it wasn’t like, I just switched and he brought this up.
No, no, I don’t know. It was pretty random. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Where’d that come from? Okay. Yeah, exactly. I, I’ve never brought it up to him.
I’m like, Hey, do you remember this? So I don’t even know if he remembers, but yeah. So Prairie Nurse opens, uh, like this week, next week. So I mean, you guys are, are you working in the, in the theater or the rehearsal? Oh, we’re still in the rehearsal hall right now, but I think we’re moving in.
We’re going to be moving in at some point next week. Yeah. If not the end of this week, I feel like it’s coming.
Well, that’s always like a, like a big step, right? Move out of the rehearsal hall into the theater. Um, are you nervous? Are you excited? I can’t wait. Yeah.
I’m everything right now, but that’s just driving me. I’m just, I, I, sometimes I go home from rehearsal and I’m like, I just want to be in rehearsal again. Like I, you know, it’s just like that, that ritual of shedding it all.
But then you wake up in the morning, you’re like, okay, I’m going back rehearsing. So I very much like look forward to rehearsal. And like, I love the rituals before, like going on stage, just like putting on the makeup, the costume, like, I love all that.
I live for that. It’s funny because there’s, there are people who, some people, they live for the performance and other people are like, no, I could just stay in the rehearsal hall for ages. Just like exploring.
Cause you know, the exploration stops at a certain point. Um, so it’s good that you’re like, yeah, you love the rehearsal. Yeah.
I don’t know if I agree with that. I think the exploration still evolves into something different when you’re on stage. Like it’s more like present.
It’s a different kind of exploration. Cause you can’t deviate during the rehearsal in a way that you like in rehearsal, you’d be like, I’m just doing a different thing. And you can’t just be like, I’m going to do something different in performance.
Yeah. Yeah. I think it’s, it’s more like just welcoming what happens.
Exactly. Cause something that never hit you before can hit you in like the fifth run and you’re just like, yeah. And you can’t predict it.
That’s the, that’s the nice thing. It’s like, oh, it just hits you and you’re like, oh, okay, we’re here now. Yeah.
And, and that almost like, uh, is more fun for me because it’s like, now I have to deal with this in the moment we did rehearse for this. Oh, well let’s do it. But it’s the moment that like had to happen that you’re like reaching for sometimes in rehearsal and you’re like, oh, that’s what it was.
And it’s like the 10th show. And you’re like, cool. Okay.
I mean, a lot of times rehearsal is a rush. Yeah. Like you’ve got to go from nothing to a show sometimes in two weeks.
Yeah. Yeah. Um, which is like our situation.
Yeah. Yeah. And so you’ve got to get, you know, sometimes you write the, some of the exploration happens after the show opens.
Yeah. But I love that. Yeah.
Cause it keeps it interesting. It doesn’t become a routine. Yeah.
And that’s what makes the like rituals of everything that comes before worth it is like what happens on stage after. Yeah. I don’t think I’m like a either rehearsal or performance person.
I’m like, I just love the whole process. I really do. It’s good to be like a person who just loves the theater.
Yeah. Like all the whole experience. Yeah.
Yeah. Cause I agree. Like, I love the performance of course.
What I love about the rehearsal is like, uh, when I go home, I’m still in that mode and I just, I love having a purpose. What? Yeah. It’s like you do what you wake up and you’re like, okay, now I’m gonna do this again.
Yeah. It doesn’t feel robotic. Yeah.
How do you decompress after a day of rehearsal? What’s your, what do you do to shed things? Um, I guess maybe not necessarily shed, but I just like to, like, even if it’s just like, okay, I’m just gonna like wiggle my body or something like, like listen to music a lot. Cause you know, transport like transport transit. Um, so trying to like, I’m very much a playlist person.
So like coming to rehearsal, I’ll listen to the playlist I made for the show. And then when I go back home, it’s like, okay, now it’s just time to listen to music that I, that’s totally different just so I can at least come back home. Like I I’m when I’m home, I’m Belinda.
And then when I’m working, I’m yeah, I’m putting, but I know it’s like, okay. It’s just actor hat. Like it’s different than if I’m in the rehearsal hall and I’m like, I’m putting good.
Right. So it’s, and, and then also just like watching a lot of Netflix and napping. Yeah.
It’s just like basic need things. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. With me. Uh, cause I take the as well.
I read a lot of comic books and I get so passionate about it. So by the time I’m at home, I’m calling people up of who’s read the comic book. And I’m like, Oh my gosh, I just got to the part where he isn’t superior.
Spider-Man is not Doc anymore. And I’m like, so I get into that and just to like shed whatever’s going on in here. Are you currently reading the Spider-Man? Um, I’m yes.
Right now it’s, um, the amazing Spider-Man with miles Morales and, and spider Gwen. Oh, because the spider versus happening. Exactly.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
That whole situation. Uh, the wicked and the divine, it’s not a DC or Marvel. Oh no, no, no, no.
One more time. Okay. Okay.
I’m interested in your, your playlist. How long does it, do you usually create a playlist for a character? Yes, I do. Yeah.
Even if it’s just for reading, like I’ll be like, this is for Mary, like things like that. Yeah. How long does it take you to create your playlist or how long did it take you to create your, your playlist for this show? For this show was pretty, um, and they change like even in like, even now it changes.
Like sometimes I’ll take out songs or like sometimes I’ll be lazy and I’ll just add a whole album and then like, start, um, like taking things out from there. So for this one, it was kind of easy because there’s the time there’s the era. So it was very much like, okay, late sixties then past, of course, cause you know, someone’s not just born in the sixties.
So it’s like, of course they have their influences before that. So it’s like Beatles, a lot of like, um, Belita Corrales, who is a Filipina singer, um, very popular at time, Nora, Nora, like a lot of, a lot of like another Filipina singer at that time was popular, a lot of things from that era. So that’s what I was using.
And there’s a lot of she and him actually too. Cause there’s also, I have to get into it as well as Belinda. And I do love that.
Like I’m an old soul. Like I love that type of music, but again, I didn’t necessarily grow up with that music. Um, I found it, but, uh, like later on in my life, but so like, I, you know, she and him things like bands that maybe have that aesthetic.
So I try to build from there, but then sometimes I have songs that are not from that era. And it’s more just like the mindset or the state of being of the character and like how to get into certain situations where it’s like, okay, I have to be super romantic with Wolf. What’s the most romantic song I know.
And, and like, and that will trigger certain things in my body to do that. Like, I don’t know, I guess it’s the musician in me. Like I get very to access it through that time or that way.
I think that music is an interesting thing that, um, can put us in a time and place faster than words. Oh, absolutely. Yeah.
Um, like if I listen to a song that I listened to the first time when I was like 16 years old, I’ll be like, in a second, I’m like in that spot where that song hit for me or whatever, and it can transport you to different places in a way that just words on their own. Yeah. It like opens up the senses into like, just whether it’s an actual memory or like a made memory for the character, like it opens it up.
Yeah. I love doing that. Do you, do you do anything with music before, like before rehearsal or are you just, no, not with music for me.
I have to, I’m a big stretcher physical because I came from a dancing background, so I just like stretch it all out and be as neutral as I can be. And then once the character, I embody that character. So it starts with their walk and then, um, yeah.
And just like their little habits. So I’m doing, I’m doing it right now. It’s like, Oh, just these things.
And then, um, yeah. And then the voice comes and all that stuff. Yeah.
Yeah. It’s very like physical for me. My access is through the music and then that, yeah.
Cause it’s, I don’t know. One of the fascinating things is that, is that for me is over, you know, I’ve been doing this podcast for like two years and there’s no, there is no one way. And you have to be accepting of everybody else’s process.
And I’ve worked with people who were like, no, this is how, how it works. And I’m like, well, you can’t, it doesn’t work for me. Yeah.
Yeah. You know? And it’s like, I think that you guys are like embodying two different ways of working, but you’re working together and it’s really interesting. I say, um, oh my gosh, I think Kean Peel, one of them, one of them had an amazing quote.
It’s about comedy. It’s something about how, um, um, comedians, they have to learn how to play an instrument that is that only they know how to play. Um, and I think it’s the same for acting.
Yeah. It’s like, this is my instrument and that’s why, oh man, uh, I remember in school, um, the teachers would say never direct another actor. And we had like one classmate that would, and I’d always be like, what are you doing? This is not, no, don’t, what? Yeah.
Like don’t mess with my process. There’s, there’s, there is actually nothing worse than like somebody who is your like acting with you to be like, why don’t you try? Yeah. It’s like, let me ask first.
If I trust you, I may ask, but don’t offer it. Yeah. Yeah.
Yes. Yes. Yes, exactly.
That’s what I love about this ensemble. We’re all just like so respectful to each other’s process. Yeah, for sure.
And like moments of silence aren’t awkward. It’s just like, yeah, we’re just sitting beside each other. It’s cool.
That’s interesting. Cause I think that we, we tend to be a society that is not comfortable with silence, but there’s something really beautiful about being able to be with somebody, but not need to speak. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
And that’s how, you know, this cast is awesome. Yeah. It’s like, we won’t say anything, but it’s just like, Oh, we’re just eating together.
Yeah. And it’s nice. It feels nice.
I look forward to seeing everyone every day. Like, yeah, it’s nice. Like I, I’m even like, I think ahead, I have a tendency to think ahead a lot.
I’m like, what am I going to do after Gananoque? Yeah. I won’t be seeing people or even like after this run and then having that, those like few months break being like, okay, how long is the break between, between this and, and three months. I know we will see each other.
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Three months away from everybody.
Yeah. It’s going to like, but the good thing is that you can look forward to like, when you get to see them. Exactly.
Yeah. And, and it’s, it’s nice cause it’ll be different. Yeah.
Things will land like differently. Yeah. I look forward to that.
And it’s going to be summer. So summer’s great. Although this does inform the characters, the situation, because it’s very cold in Saskatchewan in November.
Yeah. Are you guys on social media, on the internet at all? Do you have websites, social media? Yeah. Yeah.
Oh, okay. Yes. I have a website.
It’s triple W dot. I used to watch Zoom and they always say triple W dot. So I was like, I really want to use that.
Yeah. So triple W dot Belinda Corpuz. That’s with a Z at the end, not an S dot com.
And then I have like Facebook as well, but you can find all those links on my website. Nice. Yeah.
My website is triple W dot Belinda Corpuz. Isabelcanon.com. It’s just my name. And all my ads at Twitter thing is also that Isabel Canon.
And my Instagram is also that. Although my Facebook is Izzy Canon. I have to switch it up.
Yeah. Thank you so much. You guys, this has been great.
Thank you. This has been a Homebody Productions production.
