Art Vallarta brings Chicago-based playwright Lani T. Montreal’s
acclaimed solo show, Anak ni Tapia: Leaving Mother, to Puerto Vallarta this December. Following
sold-out performances in Chicago in Summer 2024 and Spring 2025, this marks her fifth and final stop
in her international tour after celebrated runs in Milan, Toronto, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.
Anak ni Tapia: Leaving Mother is a deeply personal and poignant exploration of identity, memory, and
reconciliation. The show centers on the journey of a queer immigrant woman who grew up in the
shadow of her celebrity mother in the Philippines. The title translates to “Child of Tapia,” a reference to
the iconic character “Miss Tapia,” played by Lani’s mother, the late Mely Tagasa, on Philippine
television from the 1970s through the 1980s.
“A life is an entire universe unto itself, and Lani did an incredible job of putting her Universe on
display,” shares Zahra Dhanani, a Toronto lawyer and community activist.
Kollective Hustle contributor Jamey Pandojino writes about how “Lani turns her mother’s [favorite
expression] ‘punjeta’ into poetry” in Anak ni Tapia: Leaving Mother. Kristina Wong, award-winning
performance artist, describes the show as “An intimate show, like getting a treat filled with heart.” The
Guggenheim awardee also praised the video, music, and song elements of the show as “Gorgeous!”
“What I really liked about the work was that she humanized her mother so thoughtfully- with love and
consideration… showcasing that motherhood is complex and not this rigid centerpiece to the familial
system…Such wonderful work,” from Jonny Roberts, Filipino American Development Foundation in
San Francisco.
In the play, Montreal blends traditional Filipino kundimans—folk love songs her mother once sang as a
teenager—with multimedia elements, including vintage photos, video clips, and soundscapes that evoke
the era of old-time radio, where her mother’s career began
Toronto audience member, Poy de Lara, a trauma support specialist and founder of UDrive Group, notes
that “Anak ni Tapia, isn't just a story, it's a journey that Lani allowed her audience to witness and be a
part of. Beautifully done. Heartfelt. Brave…May her show touch a thousand more lives as it did mine.”
For the Art Vallarta performance, Lani will be joined on stage by musicians and
sound/graphic designer Melanya Liwanag Aguila. Don’t miss this intimate and powerful theatrical
experience that resonates with anyone who has ever sought to understand where they come from—and
where they’re going. Directed by Daisy Castro, with video projection design by Giau Truong.
