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Ivan grew up in Santa Rosa, California to a working class, immigrant family. Though both his parents were well educated in the Philippines, in the US, the only jobs they could manage to acquire were cleaning houses, and working as caregivers at nursing homes. Growing up, Ivan was a trouble maker. He was never motivated to want to do well in school, and he never felt like he had a purpose. In high school, he began dating a very sweet, kind girl, who was very opposite to him. It surprised him why she wanted to spend as much time with him as she did, but regardless it made him very happy. They were together for several months, until one day, Ivan called her on a Saturday morning (a phone call that had become a routine), to find out what their agenda was for that day. He was met with a stern voice belonging to his girlfriend's sister, telling him that he was not allowed to see her any more. A bolt of lightning struck Ivan's nerves, and he immediately fell to the floor sobbing. He didn't need any more explanation. All he needed to hear was that one crushing sentence. He knew, when he was with her two weeks prior, that he shouldn't have spent the night at their mutual friend's house. He knew that he should've kissed her goodnight, got on his skateboard and gone home. He knew he shouldn't have broken the very rules her parents told him not to. And because of this, now he has lost her.
Several weeks after the break up, still in love, still full of hope, Ivan caught wind that his ex-girlfriend was auditioning for the school musical, West Side Story. He had never heard of this play, nor had he any experience in theatre. The only thing he knew, was that he wanted to be close to her, so he auditioned as well. Ivan got cast as a Shark, and she got cast as a Jet. Eventually they grew apart, emotionally, but remained as friends. Ivan realized he had found what he really enjoyed, and what he wanted to do in life. For the first time he felt he had a purpose, and a sense of direction. His love for theatre eventually led him to moving to New York, with two duffle bags and $200 in his pocket. He attended the Atlantic Theater Company's acting school, and trained in Practical Aesthetics. The last theatre company he belonged to was the Flea Theater, where he did two plays, one as the lead.
Ivan wants to create work that has depth, that has a message to change the world, and most importantly, with love. Ivan believes in the process of creativity. He values the fact that making mistakes is one of the most important things that can happen in the process. An opportunity to be able to correct an error, then dedicate and demand perfection from that point, is a privilege and opportunity seldom taken seriously by most creators. He believes that all work produced should have the world in mind; the environment, the land, the people. Every chance to work, to make something, is a chance to change the world. Complacency is the biggest threat to society, and Ivan believes that every person has value, has power, and that they shouldn't let all of that waste away and atrophy for the sake of blending in, or being reticent. Legendary rapper Tupac Shakur once said, "I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world."
Several weeks after the break up, still in love, still full of hope, Ivan caught wind that his ex-girlfriend was auditioning for the school musical, West Side Story. He had never heard of this play, nor had he any experience in theatre. The only thing he knew, was that he wanted to be close to her, so he auditioned as well. Ivan got cast as a Shark, and she got cast as a Jet. Eventually they grew apart, emotionally, but remained as friends. Ivan realized he had found what he really enjoyed, and what he wanted to do in life. For the first time he felt he had a purpose, and a sense of direction. His love for theatre eventually led him to moving to New York, with two duffle bags and $200 in his pocket. He attended the Atlantic Theater Company's acting school, and trained in Practical Aesthetics. The last theatre company he belonged to was the Flea Theater, where he did two plays, one as the lead.
Ivan wants to create work that has depth, that has a message to change the world, and most importantly, with love. Ivan believes in the process of creativity. He values the fact that making mistakes is one of the most important things that can happen in the process. An opportunity to be able to correct an error, then dedicate and demand perfection from that point, is a privilege and opportunity seldom taken seriously by most creators. He believes that all work produced should have the world in mind; the environment, the land, the people. Every chance to work, to make something, is a chance to change the world. Complacency is the biggest threat to society, and Ivan believes that every person has value, has power, and that they shouldn't let all of that waste away and atrophy for the sake of blending in, or being reticent. Legendary rapper Tupac Shakur once said, "I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world."
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