In the face of a Trump administration where the arts are under attack and ICE raids make viral news, where do we go for joy, community, and socially engaged stories?
In Boston—a city that has been in the news for Mayor Wu’s testimony on sanctuary cities and heavily targeted ICE raids—Company One Theatre and CHUANG Stage have come together to co-produce and tour the world premiere of Learning How to Read by Moonlight by Gaven D. Trinidad, a playwright (and a fellow alumnus of TCG’s Rising Leaders of Color).
Told through the eyes of 6-year-old Eddie, with the help of other players and a community narrator, Learning How to Read by Moonlight explores and strives to reshape audiences’ understanding of the need for community, and of how U.S. immigration policies deeply affect our neighbors, friends, and loved ones. The play follows Eddie and his Nanay’s journey as they immigrate and settle in Queens, New York, where we see them adjusting to living in America over the course of two years. Inspired by close friends in the communities they grew up with in New York City, as well as by their experience as a public-school teacher, Trinidad originally wrote the play in November 2019, in response to both Trump’s first presidency and the war on drugs waged by Duterte’s regime in the Philippines. Six years later, Moonlight has continued to be resonant, as the current Trump administration ramps up its efforts to detain and deport immigrants without due process.

In this collaboration between CHUANG Stage and Company One Theatre—two companies known for deep, place-based community engagement global majority-centered storytelling—Moonlight is a dynamic story that invites audiences and artists alike to engage in a hyper-local conversation as it tours across South Boston, Boston Chinatown, and the Greater Boston area. Behind the scenes, Company One and CHUANG Stage staff collaborated on creating an experience that amplified not only the multilingual experience of the play but also community partners and organizations that support immigration and refugee justice. Paired with pre- and post-show programming with community partners, organizations, and other production-aligned groups, the production asks and answers a vital question: What does it mean to tour hyper-locally, and to have the same conversation in different parts of the city (and beyond)?
When asked about what it means to put on this show, CHUANG marketing associate Jenine Florence Jacinto (and understudy actor) shared that, for them, seeing the Tagalog language and Filipino culture represented onstage, and bringing it to the community, is deeply significant. As a Filipino American artist themself, Jacinto reflected, “Growing up, I didn’t learn Tagalog because my parents wanted to make sure that I was a ‘passing’ American. So I didn’t get to learn it. I didn’t get to see it in mainstream media until I was probably in my teens. Now, being able to do a show that shows my language and my culture and our weird little quirks onstage in a nice way, in a beautiful way—it’s so exciting.”
With a truck full of props and joy along for the ride, Moonlight is more than a play. Directed by Natsu Onoda Power, it is an activation that aims to vibrantly transform traditional theatre venues and neighborhood centers into colorful, celebratory spaces. It also raises the question: In the face of the growing immigration crisis, what does it mean to create safe spaces for joy? What does community care look like?
Said Michelle M. Agullion, the production dramaturg and tour director, “In a world where people are increasingly getting accosted, disappeared, and harassed, this production has been a safe, joyful space for my mind and heart. I am not comfortable joining a rally or march, but if I can contribute in some other way, through art, that makes our voices heard about what’s happening, this is the way. We are creating joy, raising awareness/questions, providing a safe space for our community.”
A play like Learning How to Read by Moonlight is part of an ongoing conversation about what it would mean for theatres to take risks in telling stories in the face of growing dangers. How can we continue to tell stories that expand our connection, empathy, and love for our neighbors, while fostering radical joy in our neighborhoods?
In touring this play, Jacinto shared their hope that “audiences take with them childlike wonder and being able to feel like, yes, the world is scary, yes, everything hurts—but there is a community that we can turn to. And there is still that young version of you on the inside that knows that there is hope of what comes next. I think that’s my biggest thing. Like, let’s not forget about our imaginary friend that helped us get through the scariest of times, even if they leave.”
Learning How to Read by Moonlight plays at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theatre through May 25, then at Pao Arts Center May 29-June 1, and the Umbrella Arts Center June 5-8. More information here.
afrikah selah (they/hir) is a Boston-based multihyphenate cultural worker specializing in producorial dramaturgy, new-play development, and arts journalism.
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