Ted’s big dream of theater about the manongs came alive at the Ford Theater for six weeks, where over 1,600 saw the play in English, Tagalog and in Spanish.
Until the advent of The Romance of Magno Rubio at the Ford Theater in Hollywood, theater-going English and Tagalog-speaking Filipinos did not come as a group, nor were they identified as lovers of live theater and good performing arts shows. They were dispersed and invisible.
But now, in its full grandeur, a dedication so worthy of the sacrifices that the “manongs” endured in the 1920-40’s, Ted’s efforts in bringing the manongs’ story to the Ford Theater (in memory of his late father Maximiano Ablan Benito), merited a State Resolution of a Formal Apology for institutional and legislation-sponsored discrimination.
His vision (for Magno Rubio) was deeply rooted in his desire “to expose the audience to an experience they have not had before, to stay true to the playwright Lonnie Carter’s intent and director Bernardo Bernardo’s vision and respect for the artistry that the performers are bringing to the table and the audience for supporting something they want to be part of.”
It is that high level of respect for artistry and audience that time again, had artists flocking to sign up with Ted.
I had a one-on-one interview with him one Saturday morning, with him cooking for us. Here are some excerpts from the interview.
The law of affectivity
I asked Ted: Do you select projects or do the projects select you?
“More so, projects select me. When I started this craziness, I had the chance to work with Jennifer Paz and Jon Lawrence Rivera (LA premiere of Songs for A New World in 2003) and it was a “baptism by fire.” I had to learn Equity, had to cast an ensemble, work on the sets, costumes, live music, theater, boom-boom-boom. Funny that 20 years ago, I did not like theater at all. But after playing the role of Mr. Bratt (How to Succeed...) in high school, I got interested in performing arts and was encouraged by my mother, who nurtured the creative seed in me. I got into the business without really trying. I was artistically dormant for 2 decades, until Jennifer Paz asked me to produce Songs for a New World. After that, everything became a law of affectivity—everything begat something else.”
“First, Enrique de la Cruz introduced me to Fritz Friedman to do an Assembly for Justice fundraiser at the Sony Studios. I would not have met Paolo Montalban, Jennifer Paz, Alec Mapa, Tia Carrere, Dean Devlin, or Lou Diamond Phillips had it not been for Fritz Friedman—and I would not have met Fritz, had it not been for Enrique, your husband.”
“Then, after Joel Jacinto came to see Songs for a New World, he asked me: ‘Can you give us something to inaugurate the new space at SIPA?’ In turn, I approached Jon Lawrence Rivera who wanted to do a Filipino version of the Greek tragedy Electra. When Jon and I offered that, both Peter Corpus and Joel looked at me and Jon said,
“We want to do Dogeaters.” Mind you, I had to get 25 actors, track down Jessica Hagedorn (for the rights), deal with limited space, etc.,but Jon Lawrence Rivera and I said yes. Songs for a New World begat Dogeaters and Dogeaters eventually went to the Kirk Douglas Theater.”
“So, with collective vision, and collective minds, the Filipino American Library’s Spirit Awards begat Songs for a New World. Then, from the Library’s yearly awards, I got exposed to ABS-CBN’s Raffy Lopez, who was honored at the Filipino American Library’s fundraiser. One thing led to another.”
“Without the Library Gala events done by Fritz Friedman and the Filipino American Library Board [The Spirit Awards started in October 2001, when the Board Chair was Fritz Friedman and this writer was the Board President], I would not have been asked to do the SIPA dinner and I would not have met Lea Salonga, Lani Misalucha and Paolo Montalban.”
“Without the SIPA dinner, I would not have met Jennifer Paz, and I would not have done Dogeaters. Had Diane Rodriguez [Center Theater Group Coordinator] not watched Dogeaters. Dogeaters would not have been shown and would not have gone to the Kirk Douglas. Actually, on opening night at the Douglas, my mom sat next to Kirk and Anne Douglas and I thought, wow, mom has no idea she’s sitting with Spartacus!,” Ted narrated.
The creative process
I asked him who planted the creative seed in him and how he goes about the creative process.
“Mom came from a family who valued creative arts, performing arts, all sisters played pianos, were all teachers and loved the arts to teach to others. Mom was also part of the first social worker class from the University of the Philippines (UP) in 1952. When I was growing up, she exposed me to music and sports - piano, dance, tennis, swimming, hockey, and every single performing/athletic sports discipline there is. When I was taking dance lessons (tap) at 6 years old, my dance teacher said that Music Center sent out notices for ‘oriental’ kids to audition for a new musical and I had to memorize a song and dance. Mom bought me the vinyl record; I learned the song and I went to the audition. Cocky and confident, I sang the loudest, but off – key. I was not chosen, but I got tickets to see the post-Broadway run of The King and I with Yul Brynner. When I got there, I remember feeling this is cool, what is this? I saw costumes, music, heard applauses at the end, and I felt I wanted to be a part of this, but I did not know what,” he recalled.
“When I was at UCLA, I was involved in Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN). I worked with scripts that dealt with identity, the manongs, gangs, family relationship. I did a script that dealt with four Lolos and the relationship that one of them has with his grandson. I co-wrote the script with August Espiritu. In that script, the lolo played by August died and the entire audience cried. I first found out the power and effect of a live audience watching theater. It was funny, after that particular UCLA PCN, all the other schools’ PCN had a death scene. That is when I realized there is power in affecting someone’s being and thinking.”
“My creative process is doing things I believe in. People who have asked me to do things for them include: The Filipino American Library, SIPA, A3M, ABS-CBN, apl.d.ap, Gina Alexander, Grossman Burn Foundation, other non-profit organizations. I think this came from mom; she was a social worker for over thirty years and worked for Catholic Charities. She taught me how to give back, as she gave back to Catholic Charities for 3 decades, to help the less fortunate,” he continued.
“But dad taught me how to be a Filipino. Dad used to tell me how he woke up at 3am to prepare meals for the 6,000 merchant marines aboard a US Navy frigate in the Pacific. He would crack over six dozen crates of eggs to scramble them for these soldiers. Then, he found work as a house servant and chauffeur for Hollywood’s motion picture families, like Judge Farrow, and he served coffee to Myrna Loy (of King Kong fame). He and his friends used to go to the Paramount studio to see Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong. He met Carlos Bulosan on a train in California’s Central Valley, while riding together to a job site,” he concluded.
Magno Rubio: a fusion of sorts
I asked: “Magno Rubio appears to be the fusion of your parents’ story: promoting arts and artistry, rooting to be able to use Filipino talent and to give to the less fortunate. What vehicle do you use to draw in the talents you work with?”
“I first started as TDRZ Productions, Inc. Then, I coaxed Rex Sampaga to form a business and we fused our talents of managing artists, publishing and music to now PAE Live. We believe in the power of transforming artists in genres of concerts, recording, theater, CDs and movies. We want new talent, especially Filipino-American talent, to be showcased as world-class artists. I grew up watching variety shows on tv and I know these artists were presented onstage in the very best possible way,” he responded.
“But, at times, we in the community have presented artists in venues or at events that are less than what they deserve. I watched a concert at the Shrine Auditorium, sponsored by many businesses and restaurants and behind these artists—onstage, hung from the rafters, etc. were all of the sponsors banners. Mind you, the Shrine is where the Emmys and Oscars were held until the Kodak Theater was built, and at that time, I felt that these banners were defiling this world class venue. It frazzled me to see this. It looked like Carmen Miranda’s headpiece had exploded onstage. I was appalled. The video screen was 1/16 of the size of the curtain, it was too small; and there was so much haze from the smoke machine, it looked like the stage was consumed by a fog bank. And I thought to myself, is this even appropriate for the world-class talent they are presenting? Do we even respect our artists enough to give them better? I could not believe how our artists were being presented by the producers. I kept going to the Filipino concerts and I told myself, there has to be something better than starting half hour late, with 30 opening acts, and where the audience’s investment in time and money is respected. Who pays $100 to have a show start an hour late? To travel from far away and invest time? Non-Filipino concerts generally start on time; why can’t our shows? There has got to be a better approach!,” he reasoned.
I asked him about the genesis of his vision for the artists, aside from what he has seen done by other producers.
“People have settled for what is presented to them. They don’t know any different. I wanted to change that perception. I wanted to start on time. I wanted to have ace musicians. I wanted to know that the artists were respected for their time and their talent.”
“I thought of a different perspective, on how to present talent, it is not better, it is not worst, it is just different. We should be proud of promoters and producers of all strata in television, film, theater, concert, CDs, music, they are vehicles by which artists can show their talent. Producers are crucial to the business of entertainment.”
“Just let me share what Fritz Friedman of Sony Studios mentored me, which stuck to me, to this day: ‘Be true to yourself and your purpose; Think big; Don’t be afraid. Take the risk – there is no payoff good or bad; Be able to stand for the path you have; Be honest, your currency is trust, truth and to provide opportunity for talent. Not just to fund the show,’” Ted said, further adding: “So, for me, my goal is to see Filipinos as members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, to see the Filipinos represented in the governing board of the Grammy’s, there are hardly any Filipinos out there nominated for Ovation Awards, Tony Awards and I am quite happy to see some Filipinos nominated for the Emmy’s and happy for our first Oscar-awardee, Stephen Dypiangco.”
All praises for Ted
“For me, Ted Benito has always been the “go to” guy for production ideas and execution. He’s smart, professional as well as a good and loyal colleague who always tells me his unvarnished opinions. Thanks to his production savvy, he has helped our community raise thousands of dollars as well as good will across many constituencies. I am very proud to call him my friend.” - Fritz Friedman
“He is the man! He impressed me with the way he managed the egos in Samahang Pilipino, when he did their Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) and what he achieved as the stage and production manager. With all the amateurs, their egos and what not, he brought order and made the program work and it was short.” - Enrique Delacruz
“I was fortunate enough to have Ted Benito as an Executive Producer for my last theatrical adventure [Magno Rubio]. Ted’s reputation as a consummate professional preceded him, but it was actually moving to see the grace and evenness with which he handled extreme circumstances.” - Elizabeth Rainey
“Ted is one of the best examples of a Filipino supporting and giving value to Filipino talent in an industry that sometimes does not even see us. As an artist, I value his dedication, sincerity and being a man of his word. One of the main reasons I accepted the role of Prudencio in The Romance of Magno Rubio was because Ted Benito asked. I am proud to call him my kapatid and my kaibigan! - Antoine Reynaldo Diel
“Ted Benito makes my life as a journalist easier. When I cover Ted’s various events, I am in good hands. He makes sure every facet of an event is professionally done—from the publicity materials, interviews to the show or play itself. A true impresario in every sense of the word, Ted is a rare breed. He raised the bar for organizing Filipino-American events. Slipshod effort is not in his vocabulary. He’s also a joy to talk to—smart, perceptive and blessed with a great sense of humor. Best of all, we discovered to our huge surprise that we may be related —we are both from the Parajas clan of Pangasinan! We’ve taken to calling each other “pinsan” (cousin). Ted Benito, possibly my blood relative? I am very flattered and honored that such a dedicated, intelligent man is my “pinsan!” - Ruben Nepales
“Ted Benito is a man of his word. He is honest. He also has a big heart.” - Cora Oriel
“I’ve known Ted since our college days and was one of the first people I looked up to during the UCLA Samahang Pilipino times. Since then, we’ve helped and counseled each other in the manyyears of friendship, especially working on the various concerts, shows and productions. I have a lot of respect and admiration for him, not only for his passion for our community and presenting the many artists, singers, actors, comedians, entertainers, he has worked with over the years, but for taking the leap of faith as a producer in this crazy entertainment business, which I realized as we’re now partners in our current endeavor at PAE Live! This is just the continuation of [yet] many great things to come!” - Rex Sampaga
And last but not least, his mom Fe Israel Benito acknowledged that he was at his personal best during the opening night of The Romance of Magno Rubio.
With all that’s been said by his family and friends, I have no doubt in my mind that Ted Benito is one of the best producers in the Fil-Am community. He is a man of his word, a man with impeccable cultural sensibilities and organizational skills, at the same time one who has a good heart.
Watch out for his next Jazzmopolitan concert in August of 2012 at the Ford Amphitheater. It will definitely be another great achievement.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek Dec. 7-9, 2011 MDWK pg.2)
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