Joyce Lao’s SUNGOD (DESTINY) Set for Evolution Festival at The Center at West Park

Joyce Lao (Laoagan) will present SUNGOD (Destiny), a film and multimedia performance piece, as part of The Evolution Festival, produced by The Center at West Park, on June 28 at 7:00 PM at St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church, 263 W. 86th St., New York, NY 10024.

The work will also be performed at the American Alliance for Theatre and Education Conference on July 30 and on August 9 in recognition of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, with venue to be announced. Tickets are available now.

SUNGOD (Destiny) is a hybrid live production blending film, dance, and music to trace one woman's journey toward healing, self-discovery, and ancestral reconnection. Sungod means “Destiny” in the Ibaloi language, and the work reflects Joyce Lao's love letter to the Igorot people and to her father, who taught her to honor her Ibaloi and Igorot heritage.

The film component is set between NYC and Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines, and was directed by Drake Maranes and Joyce Laoagan, with an NYC scene by Jin Huang. The production features an international creative team including Femy Lamsis (assistant director), Drake Maranes and Jin Huang (directors of photography), Romnick Bayeng (aerial videography), Galdong, Sarah Barozzo, and Bryan Cadaweng (production team), and Danielle Mendoza (make-up and hair). Cast members include Jeryck Sigmaton, Joyce Lao, Lydia Gaston, Chris Balantic, Odani Giade Lee Penchon Cardino, and Richie Wallace.

For the Evolution Festival presentation, Cordillera Cultural Ensemble (CCE) and Summer (Xiaoxia) Huang will join as guest performers and choreographic collaborators, adding depth to the live event's Indigenous and diasporic performance landscape. CCE will also be part of the August 9 performance honoring the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, with the venue to be announced.

The story follows a woman who, in search of healing and her destiny, reconnects with her indigenous roots and discovers the strength and resilience within herself. As she revisits her past, she uncovers forgotten memories, faces challenges, and finds a sense of belonging and purpose. The piece explores themes of self-discovery, healing, and the power of ancestral connection through a poetic and visually layered narrative.

The multimedia performance version, directed by Veronica Dang with stage management and production by Sabrina Morabito, expands the work into a sensory live experience. Drawing from Igorot dance, improv, butoh, kali stick work, modern dance, and Latin dance training, Lao creates a performance that reflects the layered cultural influences shaping her artistic practice and personal history. Audience members may also have the opportunity to join an Igorot dance moment onstage during the performance.

About the Work

“SUNGOD” is presented in English, Tagalog, Ilocano, and Ibaloi, and is described as an experimental film that weaves together documentary, fiction, and autobiography to showcase significant cultural aspects of the Igorot people of Benguet, Philippines.

About The Evolution Festival

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