The FAYTS - The Filipino American Young Turks, my full length play inspired by Bob Santo's political campaign for State Senate in the early '70s is set for publication in a few weeks.  The play will be published by CreateSpace and is in final edits.  The following is a synopsis of the play.   I recently placed 8th in the 82nd National Play Script Competition held by Writers Digest.

The FAYTs (Filipino American Young Turks)

by

Robert Francis Flor

                                                                  PLAY SYNOPSIS 

The FAYTS traces the ambitions of a group of young, Seattle-area Filipinos during the

early seventies who seek to empower and raise the stature of Filipinos through the

political process.  When a State Senate seat opens in their progressive district, Ben

Adama, the protagonist, declares his interest.

A community activist, Ben has surrounded himself with a group of loyal friends, known

as the Filipino American Young Turks (The FAYTS).   His skeptical, reluctant, but

otherwise supportive wife, Ava,  agrees to take manage the family while he pursues his

political dream.

Ben and his friends lack the financial capability for a campaign.  Sensing an opportunity,

Sitan Helel, a powerful conservative Senator, sends forth Aswang Iblis, another Senator

and friend to  the FAYTs to recruit Ben.  Through Aswang, Helel offers Ben and

substantial financial support and consultants. Mara Hukluban, a beautiful, intelligent,

young woman and daughter of Sitan is assigned as consultant.  But, she and others are not

as they appear.

The FAYTs was inspired by an actual political campaign.  It explores questions of good

and evil, loyalty and the price of ambition though the use of mythology and folklore,

primarily Filipino in genesis.  Characters morph between real and mythic worlds in this

play that pits personal ambition and power against ideals and family.