Raleigh woman turning 100 to be honored with musical of her life story

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Raleigh woman is days away from celebrating her 100th birthday with an incredible surprise in store.

Mama Chol will officially become a centenarian in March.

"I'm turning 100 on March 25," said Mama Chol.

To mark her milestone birthday, dozens of organizations are coming together to put on a musical celebration in her honor. The event, titled Centennially Yours, Mama Chol: A Musical Celebrating a Filipina Centenarian, will showcase her life story.

Yael Pineda Hall, the artistic director of the production, has spent a year working on the show.

"This is one of the first times that all these Filipino organizations will really come together, and there are more than 20 organizations in it. This show is literally telling the story of Mama Chol's lifetime in the Philippines and then her life in the USA," Pineda Hall said.

Mama Chol was born in the Philippines and lived in Manila until she was 85 years old. She then moved to Raleigh to live with her daughter. She has since become a beloved figure in the local community, especially among Filipino performing arts groups. To honor her birthday, the community is hosting a musical event about her life this weekend in Wake Forest.

Her daughter, Marissa Guevarra, believes her mother's secret to longevity is walking.

"I would say it's walking because, you know, in the Philippines, we have wet markets. Every single day, it's about a 30-minute walk from our house. She would go to the market just walking, no matter what the weather is," Guevarra said. "And then she would buy because we don't buy in bulk in the Philippines, so whatever you eat that day, you have to buy and then cook, and then she goes again the next day. So doing that every day for, I would say, 40 years-I think that's the secret."

Centennially Yours, Mama Chol: A Musical Celebrating a Filipina Centenarian will take the stage on Saturday, March 8, at 3 p.m. at the Heritage High School auditorium 1150 Forestville Rd. Wake Forest, N.C. 27587.

There is a suggested gift ticket per guest, and all proceeds will be donated to three Triangle nonprofits benefiting women in honor of Women's History Month.