Bindlestiff Studio cultivates artists who reflect and celebrate the diverse values, traditions, and histories of Pilipino and Filipino American cultures through bold artistic expression and community engagement.
Bindlestiff Studio commits to the PACBI
Bindlestiff Studio commits to the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI). We will not participate in the normalization of genocide, occupation, and apartheid by Israel.
We stand with the artists of Palestine as well as our colleagues and friends who have already joined this movement, who are putting their names on solidarity statements, and who are taking a risk by speaking up. We urge all organizations, arts or otherwise, to take action now.
This boycott is a principled refusal to participate in artwashing. It is not a boycott of artists or individuals based on their nationality, ethnicity, or religion. It is a refusal to engage in projects that rely on the support of the state of Israel (academic and cultural manifestations in state-funded festivals, art exhibitions, fairs, conferences, and so on.) It is a call for the safety, autonomy, peace, and dignity of Palestinians.
We urge all arts organizations, writers, cultural workers, and artists to take action now. If you too are considering endorsing PACBI or have questions about how to get organized, please reach out.
If you are considering endorsing PACBI or have questions about how to get organized learn more:
On July 17, 2023, the Bindlestiff Family lost one of our brightest stars. Joyce Juan-Manalo will forever be remembered as one of the linchpins of our community. She - along with her husband, Allan Samson Manalo - took over the reigns of Bindlestiff in 1998, transforming it into an epicenter of Pilipin@ performing arts. In the process, she helped link Bay Area artists with the rich performing arts traditions of the ground-breaking theater of the people - PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association), the influential Teatro ng Tanan (Theater for Everyone), and legendary theater troupe tongue in A mood, whose members laid part of the foundation for Bindlestiff’s current ethos and culture.
A talented costume designer, Joyce lent a playful yet refined flair always rooted in her strong Pilipina identity to numerous productions, most notably Lorna Chui Velasco’s adaptation, “A Pinoy Midsummer.” Her careful attention to detail brought each character to life; by sourcing cultural garments, hand making costumes, and utilizing fresh produce for accessories (sitaw for string bean bracelets).
Her proudest achievement was Tagalog Fest, co-created with Lorna, which features works written and performed entirely in Tagalog (with one performed in Cebuano), selected from the Virgin Lab Fest, curated by Rodi Vera of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Thanks to Lorna and Joyce’s taste and vision, Tagalog Fest regularly brings to our shores some of the best plays in modern day Philippine theater. For Aureen Almario, artistic director of Bindlestiff, “Tagalog Fest was special for those of us behind the scenes because for the first time we were able to do theater in our mother tongue. As immigrants who had to grapple with assimilation, it provided solace and a deep sense of pride.”
Throughout her life, Joyce shunned the spotlight, choosing instead to empower others to shine. Through her decades of work in the SOMA Pilipinas Cultural District, including at FADF (the Filipino-American Development Foundation), Kearny Street Workshop (where she co-created the body-positive fashion show, Celebrate Your Body), and Bindlestiff, Joyce always championed her community - to fight for our place here, to tell our own compelling stories, and to do it well. Her influence will be felt for generations to come through those she has nurtured, encouraged, and uplifted.
Joyce is survived by Allan, her husband of 28 years, along with her brother Boni and his wife Elnora, her brother Gerry and his wife Malu, her niece Abigail, her nephew Mikey, her brother Roberto and his wife Wena, her niece Janice, her brother-in-law, Manuel Fermin and her niece Ayenne and nephew Jose aka “Boogs”.
The family is raising funds to cover memorial costs, which includes bringing her ashes back to the Philippines, where she was born. Please click here to donate. https://www.joycejuanmanalo.com/