 |
Munam Goodwyn as "Lena"
TCL Photo by Charles Kelly
|
In the TCL production, Munam plays Lena, an older woman, who holds onto her scrubby piece of land even as a war rages on around her. Lena cares for a young man named August who is mute and appears to be profoundly impaired. Claire, a disgraced outcast, is dumped on Lena’s property after having her hair shorn by the women from a neighboring town. With humor and heartbreak, three unreliable narrators reveal secrets as they try to survive in a world under siege.
Edit:
Watching the play during a Sunday matinee, the heft of the subject matter is inescapable. At its fundamental level, SHORN is an allegory for the consequences of never-ending war. When borders shift, loyalties are questioned, and enemies are made. War always leads to loss, and in the decrepit shack on desolate land, three people attempt to survive. We meet Lena and August desperately trying to eke a living out of barren land. We learn of the cruelties endured by both Claire and Lena at the hands of other women, and understand their common suffering. At Claire’s constant prying, August slowly reveals his secrets. One wonders how much he truly understands about desire and longing, particularly among the women in the town.
During a time when a found can of peaches has the power to bring small moments of joy, how do people draw from emotional reserves to express concern for one other? It seems incomprehensible, when war brings out the beasts map in men, causing them to unleash torture, murder and death. Love endures, compassion prevails.
Quick plug about why representation matters: an artist brings their cultural self to the role when there's an opportunity to do so. In the play, Lena sings Dandansoy, an old Ilonggo folk song from the Philippines, Munam's home country. The lullaby was beautifully woven in to the scene; it didn't feel forced or out of place. Munam’s voice filled the room and transported me back to the mother land.
"SHORN" performances are scheduled from August 2-17, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sunday matinees at 2pm at the Mary Miller Theater 300 E. Simpson Street in Lafayette, Colorado. According to Munam, TCL prides itself in showcasing original plays written by both local and out-of-state playwrights. "SHORN" was selected by TCL board for its unforgettable characters; the story's social relevance in the age of increased ideological divisions; and for its profound message of healing and survival.
It's been inspiring to learn about Munam's journey as an actor. Her return to the stage is a shining example of how one can always find the opportunity to immerse fully in creative and meaningful work. Munam moved to Colorado in 2014 after a successful career with the U.S. Senate as a contracts paralegal working in Washington, D.C. In Colorado, Munam decided to reconnect with her first love: theater. Five years hence, on Colorado stages, Munam was seen recently as Kim in "Last Stop." She played the role of "waitress" in Blind Date; Irene (alternate) in Oscar Dove's Letters to Sherlock; and Shiow May in Theatre Esprit Asia/TCL production of "Fermata."
Before embarking on a long-standing legal career, Munam was a stage actress with the University of the Philippines Anak Tibawan and the Babaylan Theater Company. She directed the Philippine Centennial production of the Zarsuela, "Filipinas, Circa 1907" in Washington, D.C. along with smaller productions. Munam played Candida Marasigan in the Filipino classic "Portrait of an Artist as Filipino;" Kikay in "New Yorker in Tondo;" and a prostitute in "May Isang Sundalo" (Once Upon a Soldier). While in D.C., Munam also served as a cable TV host. Currently, she resides in Broomfield, Colorado with her husband and their cat.
 |
| Lena and August, played by Brandon Phelps. TCL Photo by Charles Kelly. |
It's a busy time for Munam! Colors of Influence is grateful for Munam's time in responding to a short Q&A on the eve of the Colorado premiere "Shorn."
In the production of “Shorn,” you play Lena, an older woman who is desperately trying to hold on to her land during a time of conflict and war. For you as an actor, what was the most difficult thing about embodying Lena’s character?
Lena is a complex character. I had to go into her mindset and understand her story, her response to what is going on around her. As Lena, I have been through so much: the tragic loss of the one person that I loved. I was displaced because the boundaries of my hometown shifted and my friends became my "enemies." I was punished for being an enemy of the other side.
As an actor, I had to go into Lena's mind and body to carry all these on my shoulder, on my mental state. I have become easily agitated, I am anguished yet resilient. I am proud but at the same time, I am vulnerable and tender.
I, the actor, had to dig deep into my experiences and my sense of how I will give Lena a life based on physicality and emotion onstage.
The play deals with unresolved traumas and addresses heavy topics of loss and grief. Yet, it also shows how compassion and love can heal wounds. What aspect of the play do you find most joyful?
It is when I interact with my son August and play our "games" that I truly find joy. He makes me shriek with delight, yet, he also can make me feel jealous, insecure, loving, and very protective.
Finally, I find the aspect of reconciliation and nascent love for someone who had been through a similar ordeal very joyful because it shows compassion and hope from someone whose life by a single event in history has experienced irreversible losses in life.
What’s the one key message that you want viewers of “Shorn” to walk away with?
For always, we should never should doubt our ability to adapt, to survive, and to love selflessly.
 |
| Lena with Claire, played by Dianna Quetti. TCL Photo by Charles Kelly. |