Author: Aldrian Baruc & Onna Rhea Quizo
Year: 2021
Genre: Short Advocacy Play
Synopsis:
After witnessing the discrimination of her peers in school towards her mother on the basis of her cultural identity as an indigenous person, Martha decides to take matters into her own hands to protect her family. She will assert that having naturally dark complexion and curly hair is beautiful, and she will prove this by competing and determinedly winning the school’s Inagta Festival Queen. Martha is confident she can win especially with the help of her best friend, Bea, who has been competing in pageants since they were eight years old. Bea knew of Martha’s desire and initially assured Martha of her support. But at the last minute, a family crisis compels Bea to join the competition for the sake of its financial rewards. The scene opens in a classroom turned dressing room where Martha regales of her plans for the beauty contest to Bea. A pageant trainer unexpectedly turns up and inadvertently reveals Bea’s similar plans for the pageant, throwing off Martha who had no idea of Bea’s intentions. Tension immediately ensues between the two friends, and both argue on why they are better justified to compete on the basis of gravity of their respective situations. Bea leaves the room exasperated and declares she will just give up the competition. Martha is triumphant, but a schism between her and Bea weighed heavy. Her mother, Linda, enters and immediately senses her daughter’s unease. Martha confronts her mother about the bullying that she has experienced, and her frustration about her mother’s passivity. What Linda shares would lead Martha to rethink her own decision.