PRESS STATEMENT FROM PETA:
"The term diva has been used to refer to glass-breaking female singers or extremely demanding and fussy celebrities. However, independent and wildly talented gay men (a.k.a. transvestites) can be divas too.
"Defined as sassy, glittery and extravagant, male divas wear falsies and big hair on any given day. They sport airtight clothes that show every bit of curve, matched with fierce pumps and airbrushed legs. Most male divas are great/powerful singers with a lot of female qualities. They may think they were born with the wrong body or they may act totally clueless about their genuine biological make-up.
"So imagine a bunch of these strong, confident male divas, a horde of flashy clothes and inch thick make-up living in one of the most conservative and rather historically religious countries, Israel.
"In the Philippine Educational Theater Association's (PETA) latest musical comedy-drama titled Care Divas, five transvestite overseas workers traveled to Israel in the time of the Intifada (Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation).
"Bringing with them the unique brand of warm Pinoy nurturing, they leave their Filipino families to care for elderly Jews. Every day, they wash, feed and entertain their employers as loving caregivers.
"Come nighttime, the five meet with their mujer's, make-up and sky-high heels to perform as glamorous drag queens in a Tel Aviv club. The day after, they go back to playing the role of caregiver, once again tending to the aged Jews who depend on them for food, human connection and survival.
"At the core of the story is Chelsea (Melvin Lee), who seems to have it all--blessed with a kind employer who teaches him Hebrew and a potential lover who accepts him for what he is. Shai (Vincent De Jesus) the leader of the group, is always haunted by the image of his mother who rejected him for his sexuality.
"The two are joined by Kayla (Jerald Napoles), Thalia (Dudz Teraña, Jason Barcial) and Jonee (Phil Noble, Buddy Caramat) who also release their creativity through performing.
"The five strive to adapt to the different Israeli culture. Their Filipino tongues struggle to learn Hebrew while silently battling the orthodox view on gays. They are always alert, constantly fearing deportation and war.
"Armed by their aspirations (and their pointed stilettos), their true spirits and creativity shine through their performances. They dream of going big time divas and encounter a few problems along the way. But it is through their journey of being a small-time group of singers that they are able to share valuable experiences and friendships that bind strangers in a strange land.
"The creative team behind Care Divas are acclaimed writer Liza Magtoto, multi-awarded composer Vincent De Jesus, prolific director Maribel Legarda, costume designer John Abul, events and theater lighting designer Jon Jon Villareal, visual artist and award-winning set designer Leo Abaya and contemporary dancer and choreographer Carlon Matobato.
"The cast includes some of the biggest and brightest theater and television actors today: Melvin Lee, Vincent De Jesus, Ricci Chan, Jerald Napoles, Phil Noble, Buddy Caramat, Dudz Teraña, Jason Barcial, Cecilia Garrucho, Paul Holme, Myke Solomon, Angeli Bayani, Eric Dela Cruz and Dom Miclat-Jansen.
"Care Divas is showing at the PETA Theater Center every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. from February 4 - March 13, 2011. For inquiries and ticket reservations, contact PETA Marketing and Public Relations Office at Tel. No. 725-6244, 410-0821 or 0917-564.4233, petatheater@gmail.com"
Ed's Note: When content falls under "Press Statement," this means that
the material is fully and directly from the company itself. The use of
open-and-close quotation marks to envelope the entire text shows as
much. This also means that PEP is not the author of the statement
being read. PEP is simply providing the information for readers who
may be interested.