Resist the urge to categorize Kumu Kahua Theatre's current production, "The Romance of Magno Rubio," as a poor-us tale of immigrants suffering under the unjust heavy-handedness of wealthy and cruel Americans.

That might be easier said than done, though, considering that the play is indeed about immigrants suffering under the unjust heavy-handedness of wealthy and cruel Americans.

Like many tales of injustice, this one is tempered by one man's dream of true love ...

But wait.

Don't go categorizing it as a love story, either, because this story is much more complicated than that.

"The Romance of Magno Rubio," which made its Hawai'i premiere last night, is a one-act play by New York playwright Lonnie Carter that was adapted for the stage from a short story by Filipino-American author Carlos Bulosan. The play, since making its debut at New York City's Ma-Yi Theatre in 2002, has won eight Obie awards and garnered much critical acclaim.

Bulosan's fable of the plight of migrant laborers during the 1920s and 1930s, though fictional and kind of cute in its depiction of innocent love, served as an expose of the often devastating lives that Filipino migrant workers were forced to lead after coming to America in pursuit of the dream.

Framing the story's political friction is the title plot: lead character Magno Rubio's love life. Or what he perceives as such.

Magno, a simple man whose loneliness gets the better of him, falls for Arkansas farm girl Clarabelle, whom he "meets" via a lonely-hearts magazine. He courts the woman with love letters and sends her gifts of money and jewelry, and she sends him promises of happily ever after.

In the hands of local director Kati Kuroda, the script becomes the realization of her own take on the story — which she read as a survival story that examines the meaning of love and endurance.

"People might at first think that this is just a sad story about immigrants. It's not that," Kuroda said. "It's a story about survival. I think it's about a man who, when everything is against him, can still hold on to his dream.

"It doesn't play out like oh, poor us. Not really. It's about a man and his quest. Of course, it mentions the prejudices of the day, but that's only part of it."

Local stage actor and Kumu Kahua Theatre veteran Troy Apostol plays Magno, the man for whom love and suffering come easily.

Apostol was apprehensive about taking the role, fearing that this story was nothing more than a victim's tale of unfortunate circumstances, and as a Filipino-American, he wasn't interested in playing into the cliche.

"When I was first asked to work through the script, it didn't speak to me at all. I thought it was one of those Asian-American stories that is like, oh, poor us, poor us," he said. "But going through the process of rehearsals with the cast, and experiencing the actors' different inspirations — it was a really, really wonderful process that drew me in and made the story solid for me."

Apostol's character is supported by four others — fellow migrant laborers who both admire and ridicule Magno for his unapologetic tendency to hold on to his dreams, even when it becomes obvious that dreams don't always come true.

The play is partially performed in rhyme and uses various traditional Filipino art forms including traditional song and eskrima (a martial art) to tell the story.

Reach Kawehi Haug at khaug@honoluluadvertiser.com.