“Indigo Child” tells a story about the generational trauma of martial law through the lens of a Filipino mother and her son as they navigate breaking cycles of violence and ignorance.
The play, which originated from the Philippines, was written by Filipino playwright Rody de Vera. It was inspired by the story of Adora Faye de Vera, a 1970s activist who was tortured during martial law in the Philippines.
“Martial law is not the golden age of the Philippines," said director Emmanuele Mante.
The play comes as this year marks 40 years since the People Power Revolution ousted former President Ferdinand Marcos from office in the Philippines.
In 1972, Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines, claiming it was a last defense against rising disorder caused by violent student demonstrations, threats of communist uprising, and the Muslim separatist movement.
There’s a Hawaiʻi tie to this history. Marcos and his family fled to Honolulu, where he lived in exile and died in 1989. This came after the revolution in the Philippines that consisted of a four-day, non-violent uprising, ending Marcos’ 20-year rule.
Translating the play into English
Mante saw the play in the Philippines in 2018 when he was studying at the University of the Philippines.
He was drawn to the relevance of the play’s history of martial law and how it affects families.
“I’m not an activist, but I know that I have the talent to storytell,” he said. “I wanted to bring that education and that fight on stage.”
The 45-minute play is a take on a story about a mother and son through a historical context of the effects of martial law in the Philippines and people who lived through that period.
Mante translated the play from Tagalog to English. He said he wanted to make the play accessible to everyone who might relate to the story.
Mante emphasized the power of storytelling through art.
“History is a method of understanding life,” he said.
Exploring trauma
Hawaiʻi-based actress Lorelei Harrel plays Felisa, a mother shaped by unspeakable loss, while actor Mokihana Garcia plays her son, Jerome, who must confront his role as the “indigo child.”
Harrel and Garcia said it was challenging to play their roles. The hard part for them was portraying their characters experiencing trauma, as they said they’ve never endured something like that.
Harrel said she tried to inform Felisa’s mannerisms on how she carries herself throughout the play. There were moments during rehearsal where Felisa is physically experiencing trauma by having flashbacks to the past. Harrel added that Felisa is juggling between being physically present and reliving past memories.
“I tried my best to portray that physically so you can tell when she’s present versus when she’s not and she’s reliving that trauma,” Harrel said.
Harrel said she had to immediately jump into character when rehearsing, but would go on walks to “shake it off.”
“It’s so heavy already,” she said. “I can’t imagine having gone through that.”
Garcia said everybody reacts differently to the same trauma. He said he has to make sure he doesn’t ignore his real emotions while acting or rehearsing.
To prepare, he practices his lines by himself about two hours before each rehearsal.
“The script is not for the faint of heart,” he said.
The actors hope that the audience can understand where the characters are coming from: Felisa can’t be fully blamed for her trauma that her son inherits, and no matter what, Jerome will still love his mother unconditionally.
It’s widely known that discussing mental health is often taboo within many Asian households. But Harrel hopes that this play will help people talk about it.
“I hope that they can see that the cycle of trauma and generational trauma doesn’t have to be inherited,” she said. "It is something that you do not necessarily pick up, but it is something that can be forced upon you without you realizing sometimes."
Performances are scheduled for The Brad Powell Theatre at Dole Cannery in Honolulu on March 10, 11, 17 and 18. Tickets here.
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