THE DRAGON CYCLE
WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY SARA PORKALOB The Dragon Cycle is a trilogy of matrilineal musicals about Sara’s Filipino American gangster family; one for each generation built around a central female protagonist and her specific hero’s journey. PART 1:
Dragon Lady Dragon Lady is a two act cabaret musical with a three-person band centering the story of Maria Porkalob Sr., the matriarch of the clan. On the eve of her 60th birthday, faced with her crumbling legacy and apathetic children, Grandma Maria decides to share the dark secrets of her fantastical life with one lucky grandchild and discovers that it is never to late to atone for the pain we inflict on the ones we love most and to forgive ourselves for past regrets. Intergenerational trauma an healing, lots of karaoke, and a couple of murders: this is Dragon Lady. Dragon Lady premiered at Intiman Theatre in 2017 and also played American Repertory Theatre in 2019. It will continue on to Pittsburgh Public Theater in 2024.
PART 2:
Dragon Mama Dragon Mama is a two act solo-show with music bout Maria Porkalob Jr,. the eldest of the second generation. Born to an immigrant mother with lost dreams, an absent father, and a society that fails immigrant families, Maria Porkalob Jr. is forced to grow up too soon, acting as surrogate mother to her 4 siblings while trying to balance her intersectional identity--poor, queer, brown, an immigrant. She yearns for a gayer, more POC-filled life than Bremerton, WA can offer her. When the opportunity to earn a lot of money in a short time presents itself, Maria must make an important decision. Leave her debt-ridden mother, four young siblings, and 10
