SMAK! – 1st Stage Production of Filipino Artist Khavn de la Cruz to Premiere in Berlin
CDA Lillibeth V. Pono, Minister & Consul Gerardo Abiog and Vice-Consul Mina Ganzon, with the Staff of the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, welcome Filipino SMAK! artists Khvan dela Cruz, Rox Lee, Bituin Escalante, Bullet Dumas, Bong Cabrera and King Jon
Filipino artist, filmmaker, musician and performer Khavn dela Cruz, in partnership with the German Federal Cultural Foundation, is set to premiere his first cross-genre stage production, “SMAK! SuperMacho AntiKristo – A Headless 100-Act Opera” at Berlin´s most iconic theater, “Volksbühne”, on 13 April 2022. The show will run until end of April 2022.
According to the German Federal Cultural Foundation, SMAK! is a reflection of the artistic theory and practice of the great theatre avant-gardist of the 19th-century Alfred Jarry, juxtaposed with a literary reanimation of the unfinished novel “Makamisa” by Philippine national hero José Rizal.
The production features a mix of international artists which boasts of Filipino talents from its scriptwriters Khavn, Douglas Candano and Homer Novicio to its cast members which include singer-actor Bituin Escalante, filmmaker-cartoonist Rox Lee, singer-composer Bullet Dumas, theater actors Bong Cabrera and King Jon, and its stage and costume designer, Leeroy New. The script is also co-written by German author and musician Brezel Göring (Stereo Total) and stars the German actress Lilith Stangenberg, with artistic direction by Anna Heesen.
During the welcome dinner hosted by the Philippine Embassy for the production team, Charge d’Affaires,a.i. Lillibeth V. Pono expressed admiration for the recognition accorded in Germany to the Filipino artists, and lauded the strong partnership between the Philippines and Germany in the field of culture and arts. END
