this is my name
a new musical
by Dominique La Victoria and Melisa Camba
1869
The Spanish-occupied Philippines
A woman shows up at a ball wearing ribbons in her hair saying VIVA LA LIBERTAD! She is Señora Maria del Rosario Gil y Montes de Sanchiz: a poet, mistress, and feminist. Erased by the friars and forgotten by history, she takes the stage and tells the story of the Filipino woman—responding to the violence of exclusion through poetry, songs, and ribbons.
MUSIC
This Is My Name
music and lyrics by Dominique La Victoria, Melisa Camba, and Meeko Camba
Would You Like To Be Free
music and lyrics by Dominique La Victoria, Melisa Camba
arrangement by Airra Punzalan
The creative team
MELISA CAMBA
DOMINIQUE LA VICTORIA
Melisa is an actor, singer, and theatre-maker. Her one-woman show Boses was part of the Maiden Speech Theatre Festival in 2019 at the Tristan Bates Theatre.
Recent credits: Little Women - The Broadway Musical (Dugdale Arts Centre), Legends of Arahma (St. Paul’s Church)
Website: melisacamba.carrd.co
Dominique is an award-winning playwright, dramaturg, and theatre educator. She has worked in productions in the UK, US, Japan, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Website and portfolio: bit.ly/dominiquelavictoria
Synopsis
‘This Is My Name’ takes us back to 1869 Spanish colonial Philippines. Señora Maria del Rosario Gil y Montes de Sanchiz, a poet, mistress, and activist, dares to attend a ball wearing ribbons in her hair saying VIVA LA LIBERTAD! Erased by the friars and forgotten by history, she takes the stage and sings a melody of freedom, telling her story and the story of the Filipino woman. This musical interrogates the place of the Filipino woman at home and abroad, seeing her beyond what she can offer (her voice, her service, her labour), through to who she truly is.
SYNOPSIS (contd.)
The Señora’s reflections have deeper echoes to contemporary Britain: WE GIVE THE WORLD OUR BEST is the new tourism slogan of the Philippines, already appearing on the iconic double-decker buses prowling the streets of London, as if these women and migrant workers are postcolonial trinkets of export quality, complete with pliant unaccented English. Through the Señora, these voices are amplified and heard, ensuring that a woman’s name will never be forgotten again.
OUR JOURNEY SO FAR
This idea blossomed in 2021 and we imagined it as a play with music to be filmed on a stage. We started ideation work with a director, dramaturg, production designer, and filming partner. We also planned on having a preview in London in early 2022. However, due to pandemic constraints, we had to put the project on the back shelf.
Poster by Zoe de Ocampo
Poster design by Zo
A musical writing development program by Burnt Lemon Theatre and The ReCreate Agency
In August 2023, our show was selected for the inaugural OVERTURE program, an artistic development scheme that nurtures the skills and practice of 6 underrepresented creative teams as we develop a new musical. Over the course of the programme, we have been guided by incredible creatives like Lucy Moss (Six), Chris Poon (Bonnie and Clyde), Rob Hastie (Operation Mincemeat) and the six partner venues that have supported the scheme. We have also started working with dramaturg Andrei Pamintuan.
The complete cast of the Overture 2023 showcase
The writing team with dramaturg Andrei Pamintuan
Photography by Steve Gregson | Performance by Melisa Camba | Venue: The Other Palace Main Stage
OUR FUTURE
We are seeking opportunities to develop the show through R&D, workshops, and sharing sessions. Our goal is to have a preview in Autumn 2024 and a premiere at a UK festival or venue in 2025.
We are looking for partners and collaborators who are
interested in working with a dynamic team of creatives from the Global South. We recognize the intersectional nature of allyship, and we welcome collaborators from all backgrounds.
WORK WITH US!
DOMINIQUE LA VICTORIA
MELISA CAMBA
melisacambaofficial@gmail.com
@melisacamba
@melisacamba
dominiqueblv@gmail.com
@dominiqueblv
@helloodominique
