Vancouver, Canada
it is for when you meet me
In Development Presentation
it is for when you meet me is an interactive theatre piece that explores and draws upon cultural gift-giving and the human nature of acceptance. Intermingling autobiographical material, verbatim texts and personal family histories, it is for when you meet me will guide the audience through a process of asking: what does it mean to gift-give as a way of connecting with loved ones who we are separated or distanced from? it is for when you meet me will engage with the Filipino cultural phenomenon of gift-giving, in which travelers bring or send a ‘Pasalubong’ home from their travels. The English translation of Pasalubong is: “A gift for when you welcome me.” It is customary for the one traveling to bring thoughtful gifts back home, often packed in big cardboard boxes, called “Balikbayan boxes”. Overseas Filipino Workers have modernly adapted this custom in situations where they can’t go back home right away, stuffing large boxes with Tim Hortons ground coffee; Centrum vitamin pills; SPAM; name brand clothes and much more to express love and the sentiment: “I am coming soon.”
Audience Role
it is for when you meet me will engage with the Filipino cultural phenomenon of gift-giving, in which travelers bring or send a ‘Pasalubong’ home from their travels.
Ages: All ages
Content Advisories
Interaction Advisories
Mobility Advisories
Tags
4
Events
2
Years on EI
About HOLD ON LET GO
This year at HOLD ON LET GO, we’re excited to be presenting 7 deviceful, experimental performances, by artists whose practices bound outside of convention — asking our audiences to take new looks at long-time subjects and conversations. The forms are startling and call attention to these narratives in intimate and revealing ways: saying difficult things we can’t speak directly through a sweet and delicious gift; unfolding layers of loss brought on by the pressures of constant progress; the power of transforming legacy in present day action; and talking with teens about three things we’re not supposed to talk about with our kids: sex, drugs and crime. This year’s program also shares family ritual, cultural customs and secrets. Works include Secret Ingredients by Keely O’Brien, Loss Machine by Kyle Loven, Raven Mother by Dancers of Damelahamid, Sex Drugs and Criminality by Mammalian Diving Reflex and a unique presentation of Zuppa’s web-based game, Archive of Missing Things. We also have two in development presentations of brand new works: it is for when you meet me by Anjela Magpantay and MY HOUSE by FakeKnot. As always, we’ll be hosting festival gatherings including artist talks, panel discussions and social mixers, while welcoming an international delegation from exciting festivals and venues around the world. This year’s program also features two culminating activities from TR’s Accelerator Lab International Fellowship program. HOLD ON LET GO’s Emerging Artist Series is curated again this year by artist Amanda Sum. Like most arts organizations, TR and 605 have been super intentional about what projects and programs we’re working on right now. We need to be, as we navigate the present moment. Our ideas have been all about building ecosystems, to help generate and sustain for our companies, but also for the artists we collaborate with and do our best to uplift. With HOLD ON LET GO, you’re looking at an art ecosystem in action, bringing experimental works that often (and increasingly so) get pushed to the edges, and placing them right in the centre. HOLD ON LET GO sees the intersection of many of our programs and activities that feed into each other, forming systems of support around important artistic work. Through continually building these structures, we see what’s possible — we gain a clearer understanding of what we can achieve — moving forward. Thank you for joining us at HOLD ON LET GO 2025. Maiko, Josh & Lisa