Cal Poly’s Pilipino Cultural Exchange (PCE) is hosting their annual Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) on Friday from 7-10 p.m.

More than 100 Cal Poly students will participate in the play, which is titled “Maglalago,” meaning “to grow” in Tagalog. The show follows the storyline of a college student navigating their Filipino and American identities. The script, dance numbers and music are all created by students.

PCN performers have been working on this play since the beginning of Winter Quarter. 

“We have quite literally put blood, sweat and tears into this production,” Angelo Lozano, PCN performer and choregrapher said. “However, no matter how tired we all are, we find comfort in the collective struggle to make this show the best it can be.”

Pilipino Cultural Exchange is a student organization on campus with a motto of “your home away from home.” PCE welcomes individuals of all backgrounds. According to PCE’s website, “Since 1974, our organization has brought together a diverse, full spectrum of personalities that celebrates Filipino culture while promoting cultural exchange!”

Pilipino Cultural Night is not only a Cal Poly event. It is a tradition for Philipinx organizations all across California to host Pilipino Cultural Night. 

“It’s an opportunity to showcase the diverse talents of their members through choral performance, traditional and modern dance, acting, and stage production,” according to Clark Center for the Performing Arts.  

The play follows Zen, a college junior, and her parents Kristina and Raf. Kristina works as a nurse and immigrated to America from the Philippines. Kristina refrained from teaching Zen about their Filipino culture, due to her negative experiences of being an immigrant after World War II. Zen’s father, Raf, stayed in the Philippines to continue working at the family-owned fruit stand, to provide for the grandparents of the family. The play follows Zen’s travels to the Philippines to live with Raf for a few months. This experience teaches both Zen and Kristina the importance of accepting both their Filipino and American identities. 

Psychology sophomore Angelo Lozano plays the character Raf and also choreographed two dance sets for the performance. 

Lozano said PCN is “a collective push to understand our identity as Pilipinos and Pilipino-Americans while paying homage to the people who fought for this space.” 

The performance also includes dance numbers created by Kasayahan and Modern. The songs in the play were created by Ating Himing. These three groups are performance groups within PCE. 

“I hope the message we portray sticks with the audience as we laugh, cry and cheer together as one community,” Lozano said.

Tickets to PCN’s “Maglalago” are free and can be reserved here.