Larry The Musical follows the story of Larry Itliong and the Filipino American farmworkers who started the 1965 Great Delano Grape Strike, one of the most significant social justice movements in history that led to the merging of the predominantly Filipino union, Agriculture Workers Organizing Committee, with the Mexican Association, National Farm Workers Association, to create the United Farm Workers in 1966. The musical is based on the book "Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong" written by the late and great Dr. Dawn Mabalon and Gayle Romasanta who serves as the musical's Writer and Executive Producer.

Larry The Musical's mission is to normalize and amplify the Filipino American experience in the arts and in the United States history. While we endeavor to showcase Filipino artistic excellence, we also strive to create a historical portrayal of Filipinos from the 1920s-1970s, centering on labor leader Larry Itliong. Our goal is to premiere the musical at Brava Theater, San Francisco in March 2024 then take the show throughout the United States to teach, uplift, and humanize the Filipino American experience. Our ultimate goal is to create a new kind of theatrical experience that allows audiences to access content digitally as well as in person. We plan to present the musical in locales where Filipino American populations are high, such as throughout California, Washington, Texas, Michigan, Alaska, Virginia, and ultimately, in New York City. While the mainstream has neglected the Filipino American story, we are setting out a plan to prove to ourselves, our community, and to the world that our story matters, and we are telling it for US, and by US.

FOLLOW THE ANCESTORS.
LISTEN TO THEIR STORIES.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT.

Larry Itliong was born on October 25, 1913. He was a Filipino American labor leader who organized farm workers, cannery workers and helped built the Filipino American community starting in the 1930s. By the 1960s his reputation as a fierce political union strategist becamse well-known. He is most known for leading the Delano Grape Strike and teaming with Mexican community leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to demand farm workers' rights. The five-year strike won better pay and benefits for agricultural workers and led to the formation of the United Farm Workers.

He organized and connected with farm laborers, cannery workers, the international labor community and with well known US political figures.

Towards the end of his life, he made great efforts to connect with the next generation of Filipino American youth, college students, who would later become leaders in their respective communities.