The Synopsis

In the spring of 1939 in Stockton, CA, the Santarina sisters, Reina and Mila, receive word that their father Alberto tragically died in an accident in the Philippines. Reina and Mila’s presence has been requested to settle the family estate in the Tandang Sora district of Quezon City, Philippines, where the ancestral family home is located.  While in the Philippines, the sisters find out they have inherited not only the house, but also its secrets. Reina and Mila learn that while it’s important to know everything you can about who you are and where you came from, some things are just better left in the dark.

Character List
Reina Elena Santarina
Reina Elena Santarina is a 26-year-old female from Stockton, CA. She is the daughter of Alberto Santarina y Cojuangco and Tala Santarina and older sister of Milagros (or “Mila”), who is 10 years younger than her. Neither she nor her younger sister knew their grandparents, Lolo Anton and Lola Belen.  Reina is an intelligent young woman: strong, curious, and very independent. She would love to be a nurse someday, but for now, she helps take care of everyone in the bunkhouses. She loves to sing, dance, and act, much like her mother did. Reina is also fascinated by paranormal, unexplained events and loves stories of ancient Filipino mythology.

Milagros (“Mila”) Joy Santarina
Milagros Joy Santarina, or “Mila,” is a 16-year-old female from Stockton, CA.  Like her older sister, Mila stands at a towering 5’2” and 100 lbs. with a light tanned complexion, flowing dark brown hair, hazel green eyes, and a slim, fragile build.  Mila is a very intelligent young woman:  although still in high school, she reads books at a college level.  Mila tries to help out as much as she can with the chores before she goes to school in the morning, but because of her frail health, she misses a lot of school and ends up staying home, doing minimal physical work. Mila has a difficult time with interacting with others, being usually shy, timid, and cautious, keeping to herself most of the time.  At birth, Mila’s mother Tala passed on, thus Mila never got the opportunity to know her mother, so she looks to her older sister Reina as a maternal figure.  Mila is also fairly achluophobic (scared of the dark).

Clara Roxas
Clara Roxas, the old caretaker of the Santarina estate in the Tandang Sora district of Quezon City, is a very peculiar character.  A woman of few words, Clara is quiet and reserved, and shows no emotion.  As a teenager, Clara stood at 5’6” but now, she stands at a mere 4’11”. Clara has moderately pale brown skin; she keeps her hair in tight bun and adorns her jet-black hair with a headband.  She has a strange mannerism:  she squeaks or sighs at odd moments. Her biggest fear is of being alone. She was only a few years older than the youngest of the Santarina children, Alberto, and found herself taken in by Alberto’s charm and good looks.  She became secretly in love with Alberto to the point of obsession; even though Alberto was only being friendly, she took his behaviors as romantic intentions, and fantasized about marrying him someday.  One day, however, Alberto starting turning his attentions towards Clara, and it looked like her dreams were coming true --- until Alberto was sent away to study in America.  When Alberto came back from America with his new wife, Clara was so devastated that she committed suicide.

Alberto Santarina y Cojuangco
As a teenager, Alberto Santarina was quite the looker:  he stood at 5’9,” 170 lbs. with an average body build.  Alberto had slightly tanned skin, slick-backed dark brown hair and had dark brown eyes.  Born on October 10, 1884, Alberto is the only living son to Antonio and Maria Belen Santarina; he also has three older sisters.  He had an older brother, Antonio Jr., who passed away from malaria when Alberto was only an infant.  As the youngest child of the family and only son, Alberto was somewhat spoiled when he was growing up.  He was an obedient child, but still always got his own way and tended to follow his heart rather than his head, often acting before thinking, especially when it came to matters of the heart.  He was a hopeless romantic and often a shameless flirt; many of the girls in Tandang Soro found him very attractive, and he would sometimes court more than one girl at a time, which would often get him in trouble.  But because he was a member of the prominent Santarina family, he would always get away with things.

Tala Santarina
Tala Santarina stands at 5’4,” 120 lbs. with tanned skin, dark brown hair and hazel green eyes.  Tala received some education up until the 8th grade, right before she came to America where she was a part of the Philippine Exhibition at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.  Tala comes from a lower-middle class, where she spent most of her time dancing when she finished doing her chores.

Tala, for the most part, is generally happy and easy going; she’s quick on her feet.  Although she’s moderately quiet, Tala knows when to stand up for herself.  Tala wanted to raise a family free of drama, but when she met Alberto’s parents, they disapproved of her relationship with their son;  thus, her dream to raise a family without problems became her drive to be there for her children as much as possible.  Unfortunately, Tala’s dream was cut short:  while in labor with Mila, she died due to complications with the birth.

Antonio “Lolo Anton” Santarina y Laurel
Antonio Santarina y Laurel, also known as Lolo Anton, stood at 6’0”, had light brown eyes, dark brown eyes, and black wavy hair. Lolo Anton was born in Quezon City in 1844 to Don Santiago Santarina and Doña Teodora Santarina y Laurel. Lolo Anton was sent to a boarding school with the rest of his siblings in Europe and when he completed his education, he came back to Philippines to manage his family’s business at the sugar cane plantation.  Because Lolo Anton was the only living son of Don Santiago and Doña Teodora, he inherited the business and from there, built an empire for his family to grow from.
Lolo Anton was a very independent, hardworking, kind-hearted, charitable, smart and successful entrepreneur in his time.  He was also one of the most powerful and respected men in all of Quezon City. Lolo Anton’s motto in life was that in order to prosper, you must work hard at your craft and from there, continue raising your standards until you have reached your goal.  And that mentality made Lolo Anton successful in life.
He had three daughters and two sons; the older of his two sons, his namesake, Antonio Jr., died from malaria as a young boy.  He doted on all of his children, and did his best to instill his values and work ethic in all of them, but his wife, Lola Belen, always had the last word when it came to raising them.

Maria Belen “Lola Belen” Santarina y Cojuangco
Maria Belen Santarina y Cojuangco, or Lola Belen, was the prime example of a beautiful Chinese mestiza Filipina.  Standing at 5’5”, with flowing black hair, flawless clear skin like a porcelain doll, and hypnotizing brown eyes, Lola Belen was the most desirable woman in town.  Belen was born in San Jose del Monte in Bulacan in 1856 to Don Manuel Cojuangco and Doña Isabel Cojuangco y Mabini, then moved to Quezon City when she was 2 years old. Lola Belen and Lolo Anton’s marriage was actually arranged when their parents met at one of the town fiestas.
Because her family was very wealthy, Lola Belen grew up in a very social environment, used to a very extravagant, high maintenance and materialistic lifestyle.  Not having worked a single day in her life, Lola Belen was the epitome of a rich, tsismosa Filipina who liked to be the center of attention.  Despite her superficial ways, Lola Belen was also a hardcore, strict Roman Catholic who fasted every Friday and never missed a Sunday or Holy Day. 
Lola Belen was also very traditional and demanding when it came to family, and ran her household with an iron fist.  Everyone in her family, including her husband, did what she told them to do and catered to her every whim.  She did, however, love her son Alberto the most because of his striking resemblance to her husband Antonio, and was the most devastated when he married Tala because she felt Tala was nowhere good enough for her only son and most favored child.

Supporting Roles
Junior & Isabell:  Cousins of Reina & Mila, Junior and Isabell are complete opposites of each other.  While Junior is the “joke-ster” or foolish cousin that is into folklore and Philippine mythology,  Isabell is the very conservative one who gives off a snobbish vibe.

Delia:  Delia has been the very trusted and easy going maid of the Santarina estate,  a very quiet and reserved person she might be, you’ll notice that she will be a key person in the play.

Albularyo:  The Albularyo is the Filipino version of a witch doctor, known for practicing kulam, or old magic.  With his help, Reina and Mila will be able to get the answers that they are looking for.