EIGHTEEN ROSES

Jensen Olaya masterfully pronounces Filipino words while narrating cynical 17-year-old Lucia's search for community. Lucia dutifully attends her wealthy cousin's traditional Filipino debut but staunchly objects to her mother's expectation that she have one, too. A fancy debut is not her thing. Besides, she doesn't have enough friends to invite. Lucia joins her school's comedy club and prepares for her beloved grandmother's arrival from the Philippines. Her mother's pleas for cooperation range from soothing to exasperating, and Lucia softens as her empathy for her mom deepens, particularly amid financial woes. Secondary characters, including new supportive friends and a curmudgeonly business proprietor, round out this heartwarming production. L.M. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]