Against the backdrop of the 1899 Philippine-American War, the lives and fate of an idealistic revolutionary, a dauntless school teacher, and an American deserter are intertwined as they fight for freedom, love, and redemption.

My grandparents, like most in their generation, were profoundly affected by American “Golden Age” musicals. And I, in turn, also grew up in awe of these musicals and their sweeping orchestra gestures, romantic melodies, and epic scope. These musicals are increasingly scrutinized for the way that they fixate on the experiences and ideologies of white America (examples of quasi-progressive leanings notwithstanding). Efforts to update them with new orchestrations, post-modern staging, and inclusive casting have been interesting… But I get this recurring question in my mind: What would it have been like if writers of color had truly been at the table during that “Golden Age” period—a period that had such an indelible influence on American (and global) popular culture? What would they have written about? Could they have adapted mid-twentieth century craftsmanship to the telling of stories that were entirely divested of colonialism and white supremacy? And in the same way that so many “Golden Age” musicals ultimately did, what could these self-determined musicals have to say about American society?

Similarly, what if a contemporary writer used the guise of a “Golden Age” historical musical to explore present-day themes?

In 1898, the United States was at war with Spain.  The Philippines, a Spanish colony since 1521, was also in the midst of an anti-colonial revolution led by a foreign-educated Filipino middle class. The United States quickly affiliated itself with the struggle for Philippine independence and united with the movement to repel Spain.  

Yet in a treaty that ends the war a few months later, the United States secretly purchases the Philippines for twenty million dollars and assumes control of the islands.  Filipino revolutionary forces attempting to enter Manila are blocked by American troops.  This is the beginning of the Philippine-American War—a conflict that would kill over 4,200 American soldiers, 20,000 Filipino combatants, and as many as 200,000 Filipino civilians (through violence, famine, and disease).

Meanwhile in the United States, black infantry regiments are deployed to the islands from the Presidio of San Francisco.  The involvement of black soldiers in the Philippine conflict was a polarizing issue in the black community.  While many black leaders asserted that a good military showing by black troops would enhance their cause for equality and integration, others supported the idea of Filipino independence and solidarity with their fight for self-determination.

The Promised Land is inspired by the stories of black soldiers who chose not to support the American occupation of the Philippines—many of whom ultimately chose to switch their allegiance and fight against the United States in a battle for independence, equality, and democracy.

The Promised Land was developed, in part, at the The 5th Avenue Theatre through the The 5th Avenue Theatre Writers Group. A workshop reading was presented in 2018 at The 5th’s NextFest: A Festival of New Musicals, directed by Valerie Curtis-Newton.