Showing posts with label Asian American. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Asian American. Show all posts

2014: Year in Review

As we now plan for our fifth season, Artists at Play will continue to present shows created by Asian American artists, stories of those underrepresented in Los Angeles theatre. Won't you make an online tax-deductible donation to join us in our mission? 

At the start of the new year, Artists at Play will host a January kick-off event and announce our next mainstage production. Along with the spring readings and summer fundraiser, our 2015 season will include a partnership with Center Theatre Group, plus some other events in the works. And as a new board member of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists, we will be working on a national level to improve diversity and inclusion in American theatre.

We hope you will help Artists at Play in 2015 with a tax-deductible donation, making you our partner in curating quality theatre in Los Angeles.



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In 2014, Artists at Play was able to contribute to Los Angeles theatre with various readings and our fourth L.A. premiere production. Here’s a recap of the year…



In the spring, we shared with you two new plays as part of the Artists at Play Readings: She Kills Monsters: Adventurer's Edition by Qui Nguyen, a fun new version of an already published/produced work, along with the still-in-development Marabella by local playwright Boni B. Alvarez.



In the summer, we had a special benefit reading of The Parisian Woman by Beau Willimon (creator/executive producer of House of Cards). Hosted by Randy and Mari Tamura, the event featured Francois Chau, Amy Hill, Tamlyn Tomita and Trieu Tran. Attendees loved the diverse casting of a mainstream play, and those who saw the production at South Coast Repertory remarked how they preferred our cast!



In the fall, we produced the Los Angeles premiere of 99 Histories by the writer Julia Cho (not to be confused with founding member Julia Cho, who starred in the production). We were honored to present the "homecoming" for this play, which is set in Los Angeles and written 10 years ago.
 


This year, Artists at Play attended the Theatre Communications Group (TCG) national conference in San Diego as well as the 4th National Asian American Theater Festival & Conference in Philadelphia. Expanding on our local theatre presence, we are proud of our recent appointment to the board of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists and excited to help organize the next gathering of Asian American theatre professionals in 2016!

Artists at Play will continue to build upon the artistic quality and diversity of our past shows: Ching Chong Chinaman by Lauren Yee, Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them by A. Rey Pamatmat, Cowboy Versus Samurai by Michael Golamco, and our most recent production, 99 Histories. You can offer your support here or here.

Thank you for another great season, and here's to 2015!

"Spare some change? Help make Artists at Play's next show happen!"


5 Reasons to Support 99 Histories,
 Artists at Play’s 2014 Production


1.     Great work from local artists.
Artistic work is not volunteer work! Artists are writers, directors, designers, builders, actors, etc. and we value the work they do for our productions. Your support for [99 Histories] translates to support for local artists. If you prefer to shop at the farmers’ market and eating locally, then how about donating to this production and consuming some local entertainment?

2.     Expanding/increasing diversity in L.A. theatre.
We believe in sharing stories and narratives of contemporary Asian Americans in a medium that isn’t as diverse as we’d hope it to be. Alongside other companies, we’re working beyond colorblind casting and tokenism. Cultural representation and breakdown of stereotypes are values that are important to us and the work we do.

3.     Videos that are fun/funny/weird for you to enjoy. 
HOW CAN YOU RESIST OUR CHARM?

4.     This production has TWO Julia Cho’s.
Are you a fan of one, but don’t know the other? Did you know there were two Julia Cho’s in our entertainment industry? One is a writer, and one is an actor/producer; and we have them both! 99 Histories was created by the writer Julia Cho, and is being produced by and will star the actor Julia Cho. See? Not complicated at all.

5.     We can only do this work because of YOU. (Yes, you!)
We are a humble organization with a modest budget for a stage production, and while we have raised some money through our yard sale and other events, there is still a $7,000 gap in our income. Since we launched our Indiegogo campaign last Thursday, we have raised [31%]* of our goal, and there are only [8]* days left to raise the money. If [56]* people donated the dollar equivalent to a tank of gas, we’d pretty much be at our goal!

Thank you for your support! 

Marie-Reine Velez 


* THANK YOU FOR HELPING US REACH OUR GOAL! $10 early-bird special available now for 99 Histories. Purchase tickets here.

Meet the Director of 99 HISTORIES

Artists at Play is thrilled to announce that the director for our production of 99 Histories will be Leslie Ishii. 

Leslie Ishii, director
A stage director, actor, teaching artist, and writer, Leslie is a faculty member in the East West Players Asian AmericanTheatre Conservatory (EWP) bringing her commitment to develop liberation and alliance building curriculums in combination with acting and Fitzmaurice Voicework® to EWP as well as Center Theatre Group’s (CTG) education programs. She is in her fifth season as part of Project Faculty for CTG’s Young Audiences Program, where she creates and executes curriculum, teacher-conferences and in-school visits throughout greater Los Angeles. Leslie recently directed a student production of Kimber Lee’s different words for the same thing. In conjunction with the world premiere of the play at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, the project was for CTG’s pilot program Front And Center in a community partnership with Culver City High School’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. 

Leslie has performed on Broadway, in regional theatre, was seen recurring on Lost, and on Desperate Housewives, HawthoRNe, The New Generation FAME and more. She has worked in every genre including film, television, commercials, print and continues to perform her solo piece, Watashi Niwa Jishinga Aru: I Have a Spine. On their main stage, Leslie directed EWP’s critically acclaimed Crimes of The Heart and their educational-tour shows, Taking Flight: The Story of Katherine Cheung and Dawn’s Light: The Gordon Hirabayashi Story. She has also assistant directed under Christopher Liam Moore for two seasons at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) as a FAIR participant and will return to produce/direct a new initiative around the development of Asian Pacific Islander new work later in 2014. 

Leslie co-organized the first and co-directed the 2nd Freedom and Focus International Fitzmaurice Voicework® Conference in Barcelona and Vancouver, respectively. She continues to be a part of their international organizing team. Leslie was a co-organizer of a Los Angeles diversity/inclusion task force that presented the breakout session "Allies Eliminating Racism in Theatre" at the Theatre Communication Group’s (TCG) National Conference at Boston in June 2012, which led her to co-facilitating the first ever TCG Fall Forum on Diversity and Inclusion in November 2012, and OSF’s diversity/inclusion training sessions under the guidance of Carmen Morgan, the Director of Leadership Development for Interethnic Relations in November-December 2012. She will be presenting another breakout session, "Establishing Asian Pacific Islander Visibility In American Theatre," at the TCG National Conference in San Diego this month (June 2014). Leslie has been a keynote and featured presenter at voice and qualitative research conferences in Vancouver, BC; Mexico City, Mexico; Barcelona, Spain; and Vienna, Austria. 

99 Histories will have its run in September 2014. With Leslie on board at the helm, Artists at Play is even more excited to be staging this play. Stay in touch through our blog, Facebook, or Twitter as we continue to work towards opening! 

$10 early-bird special available now for 99 Histories! Purchase tickets here.

Co-Presenting FARAH GOES BANG


Artists at Play is proud to be a Community Partner at this year's Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Check out Farah Goes Bang by USC School of Cinematic Arts alumna Meera Menon, screening on Sunday, May 4 at 7 p.m.


About Farah Goes Bang: 
Enlisted for political canvassing in support of the John Kerry 2004 presidential campaign, Farah, K.J. and Roopa jump at the opportunity. On the cusp of full-fledged adulthood and first true freedom, they are determined to make their experience memorable. Farah has set upon a mission, as deeply committed as her view on social change, of finally losing her virginity. We are invited along for her often bumpy, but never boring and always hilarious ride towards carnal knowledge.
Save 15% on tickets when you use discount code AAP!
For more info and to purchase tickets, click here.

What Audiences Are Saying About COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI

Cowboy Versus Samurai has officially premiered in Los Angeles with only two more weekends left! Below are reviews and audience responses, including video from opening night with the playwright, director, and cast. Get your tickets now and join us this Friday/Saturday at 8pm or Sunday at 2pm! http://bit.ly/AAPCvsS 


"... charming and unexpectedly moving comedy... bolstered by a deft cast (Feodor Chin, Julia Cho, Daniel Vincent Gordh, and West Liang) and thoughtful direction by Peter J. Kuo, whose sound design elements (credited to Felix Lau) add layers to the text and make it uniquely theatrical." (full blog post)
- Prince Gomovillas, Bamboo Nation

"Don't miss your chance to see Artists at Play's marvelous production of Michael Golamco's Cowboy Versus Samurai... the play is a clever and poignant re-telling of Cyrano de Bergerac with an Asian American twist." (full blog post)
- Angry Asian Man

"... many comic moments, some poignant moments and some seriously introspective scenes... A wonderfully crafted study of the universal need for acceptance, understanding and love." (full review)
- Jose Ruiz, ReviewPlays.com

"The play was REALLY funny, and really well done; the monologues blended well with the story and it really made you think about your own 'preferences,' and how you see yourself in the world." (full blog post)
- Starchaserxoxo, Tumblr

"Just saw 's production of Cowboy Versus Samurai. LOVED IT. " (original tweet)
- @AngryAsianMan, Twitter
  
"COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI : Heartfelt, Hilarous, Hella Entertaining. Kudos to Artists at Play."
- Trieu T., Facebook

"Awesome opening night for 's COWBOY VS SAMURAI: Superb cast, lots of laughs and surprises! People, if you're in LA, check it out!" (original tweet) 
- @MichaelGolamco, Twitter

"I loved the show.  It was both funny and moving."
- Greg W., Facebook

"Congrats ! This is definitely a winner. " (original tweet)
- @jullylee, Twitter

"Love this play and you guys did a GREAT job with it!"
- Ken N., Facebook


Daniel Vincent Gordh and West Liang
in Cowboy Versus Samurai


"As an Asian American woman who married a Caucasian man, I can empathize w Veronica Lee. was great last night. " (original tweet) 
- @MarvelGee, Twitter



"A dream cast that seemed to perform together seamlessly."
- Rodney K., Facebook

"140 characters cannot properly convey how much I loved 's production of Cowboy Vs Samurai. Hilarious and poignant. " (original tweet)
- @bubblegirljulz, Twitter

"COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI was excellent. Refreshing, funny, compelling, and relevant..."
- Charles K., Facebook

" was wonderful. The script is funny, and , , , & were awesome. You should go see it!" (original tweet)
- @Ardentadmirer, Twitter

- @TimothyTau, Twitter

"Loved #AACvsS !! Super well written and touching story!!! Thank you for the amazing night @AAPlay :)" (original tweet)
- @MAO0525, Twitter

"I really enjoyed tonight's preview. Congratulations and have a great opening!"
- Rona M., Facebook

 
Julia Cho and Feodor Chin in Cowboy Versus Samurai