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!

99 HISTORIES: Indiegogo

Help Artists at Play bring 99 Histories to Los Angeles! Through our Indiegogo campaign, we have until Friday, July 25 to raise $7,000.

See our progress on the right? Click on the image to go to our Indiegogo page. We invite you to watch our video and check out the perks that we're offering. And through our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas, DONATIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. 

Please consider contributing and/or sharing our project! For a direct link to our Indiegogo page: http://igg.me/at/AAP99H 

To view and share our video via YouTube, click below or right here.

We cannot do this without your support and look forward to sharing 99 Histories with you in September. Thank you in advance!

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.

Artists at Play Readings 2014

Marabella by Boni B. Alvarez

She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen

Continuing our mission to present stories of underrepresented communities, Artists at Play will develop and showcase two new works to the Los Angeles theatre community for our second springtime reading series.

Expanding upon our mainstage fall production, Artists at Play hopes to develop talented writers whose works deserve to be shared with our local audience. Also, in the midst of a national discussion on the lack of diversity in American theatre, we are proud to present plays that feature hugely diverse casts including an eclectic array of female characters.

Playwrights like Boni B. Alvarez and Qui Nguyen provide unique voices that shed light on the complexities of relationships and humanity. This is why we find their plays so dynamic, stories that both intrigue and excite us.

The readings will be presented on Sunday, April 6, at the Women's Club of South Pasadena. Marabella will be presented at 2 p.m., and She Kills Monsters at 5 p.m.

Each play will be followed by a talkback. All readings are complimentary. Pre-sale $15 ticket includes dinner, hosted bar and dessert reception. (Tickets are $20 at the door.)

Get Your Tickets!

The Plays, Playwrights and Directors

As part of our second reading series, Artists at Play will present Marabella by Boni B. Alvarez along with She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen. Learn more about the respective playwrights and directors below, then join us for the readings on Sunday, April 6. Tickets available here.

Marabella
When her baby's father loses his wife, Marabella returns to her beloved Jason and his two sons whom she once nannied... and the attractive new tutor. A contemporary adaptation of Medea that leads a multi-ethnic cast in a thrilling and provocative journey.

Boni B. Alvarez (Playwright) is a Los Angeles-based playwright whose plays include Dallas Non-Stop, Dusty De Los Santos, The Special Education of Miss Lorna Combonga, Poke Back, and Ruby, Tragically Rotund. His plays have been produced/developed by Playwrights’ Arena, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Chalk Rep, Skylight Theatre, The Vagrancy, and Second Generation (2g). He won a 20/20 Development Award from InterAct Theatre and has been a finalist for the PEN Center USA Literary Award, Aurora Theatre’s Global Age Project, and Clubbed Thumb’s Biennial Commission. He attended Sarah Lawrence College (BA), ART/MXAT Institute at Harvard University (MFA), and USC (MFA).

Peter J. Kuo (Director) is a co-founder of Artists at Play, and an L.A. based theatre artist and administrator. His written plays, The Amazing Wedding Race and Three Steps Back, were developed in East West Players' David Henry Hwang Writers Institute. He wrote the book for The Antique Shop with composer Nathan Wang. Commonly known as a director, his directing credits include: Ching Chong Chinaman, Ordinary Days, Songs for a New World and Letters to a Student Revolutionary. As an arts administrator he's worked at South Coast Repertory, East West Players and LA Stage Alliance, among others.

Tiffany Moon (Dramaturg) is a dramaturg and theatre manager devoted to the development and production of new works. She is a member of the reading committee and the general manager of the Ojai Playwrights Conference, and is currently associate-producing Alice Tuan's Hit with Los Angeles Theatre Center. In addition, she leads post-show conversations and guides audience members through lobby engagement activities at the Kirk Douglas Theatre. Tiffany will graduate with her MFA/MBA in Theatre Management from CSULB in May, where she serves as the general manager of California Repertory Company.


She Kills Monsters
After the passing of her younger sister, Agnes finds Tilly's Dungeons & Dragons notebook. What follows is a journey of self-discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly's refuge. An homage to the geek and warrior in all of us.

Qui Nguyen (Playwright) Originally from Arkansas, Qui Nguyen is a Brooklyn-based writer, fight choreographer, and co-artistic director of the OBIE award-winning Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company. His scripts include Krunk Fu Battle Battle (East West Players); Bike Wreck (produced at Youngblood and Metropolitan Playhouse); Trial By Water (produced at Ma-Yi Theater/Queens Theatre in the Park); Aliens Vs. Cheerleaders (Keen Teens); and the critically acclaimed Vampire Cowboys productions of The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G, Alice in Slasherland, Fight Girl Battle World, Men of Steel, Living Dead in Denmark, Stained Glass Ugly, A Beginner's Guide to Deicide, Vampire Cowboy Trilogy, and Soul Samurai. Additionally, he is a resident playwright of New Dramatists, a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, co-director of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, an alumnus of Youngblood, and an advanced actor/combatant with the Society of American Fight Directors. He has an MFA in Playwriting from Ohio University.

Andy Lowe (Director) Finalist of the California Young Playwrights (1994), Founding Artistic Director of the Asian American Repertory Theatre ('95-'05), Andy Lowe has been a producer of events and writer, director and/or producer of over 50 theatrical productions throughout San Diego. Receiving two mayoral commendations, he was recognized as one of 2001's "Top 30 Most Influential Asian Americans Under the Age of 30" by Political Circus Magazine. From 2007–12, Andy served as “Theatre-in-Residence Program Coordinator” for the La Jolla Playhouse, while developing projects as producer/director of ChinesePirateProductions.com including a nationally recognized stage adaptation of Joss Whedon’s “Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog” (2011).  Andy is an advisor for Gam3rCon San Diego and current Production Manager for East West Players.


Come enjoy the readings on Sunday, April 6 and stay for dinner, drinks and dessert! Get your tickets now: http://bit.ly/AAPReadings14

Artists at Play Holiday Party: Making Spirits Bright

Artists at Play invites you to our first ever HOLIDAY PARTY!

In our third year, Artists at Play introduced a new reading series in the spring and in the fall presented another Los Angeles premiere, Cowboy Versus Samurai. So come one, come all as we celebrate the end of the season with the music, dancing and spirits. And by spirits, we mean both the boozy AND holiday kind! The evening will include a cash bar, plus festive drinks and snacks. We'll have yuletide-inspired shots, cocktails and photo ops as we spend the night MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT. So come jingle (and mingle) all the way into the wee hours. For those who came to see our last show, we'll be back at Inner-City Arts partying it up in our own little winter wonderland!

Saturday, December 14
8:00 pm – 12:00 am
$20 AT THE DOOR

Inner-City Arts 
720 Kohler St
Los Angeles, CA
www.inner-cityarts.org

RSVP and share this event. Invite your friends. Bring them to the party. Make new friends!

EDITH nominated for Ovation Award

2013 Ovation Awards Nominees — South by Southeast

Artists at Play is proud to announce that the cast of our 2012 production Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them has been nominated for an Ovation Award in the category of Acting Ensemble in a Play!

Since 1989, the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards have recognized "excellence in theatrical performance, production and design in the Greater Los Angeles area." Judged by Ovation Voters, our peers in the theatre community, our Edith was Ovation Recommended near the end of its run last year. In addition to our GLAAD nomination for Outstanding Los Angeles Theater, we are thrilled by this new honor.

We extend our gratitude and congratulations to the entire Edith team, especially our actors Amielynn Abellera ("Edith"), Brian Hostenske ("Benji"), Rodney To ("Kenny") and director Jennifer Chang.  Without them and our supporters, we would not have been able to bring Edith to life.

Currently gearing up for tech rehearsals, we cannot wait to share our latest production with you... the Los Angeles premiere of Cowboy Versus Samurai, which opens September 28. Stay in touch with Artists at Play through this blog, Facebook, or Twitter, and we'll see you at the theatre!

COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI: Call for Volunteers

Need a few helping hands as we gear up for the opening of Cowboy Versus Samurai. Please review the following, and let us know if you can spare some time to help bring this show to life. Contact us at ArtistsAtPlayLA@gmail.com for questions and confirmations. THANK YOU!

VOLUNTEERS/WORKERS REQUESTS:

Sun., 9/15 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. at ELAR, 1-2 People, Painting

Mon., 9/16 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at COA, 1-2 People, Build

Tues., 9/17 10 a.m. - 11 p.m. at ICA 1-2 People; Light Hang

Tues., 9/17 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Rosebrand to ELAR, 1 Person, Cyc, Platform Load-in

Tues., 9/17 5 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. at COA to ICA; Load-in & Set Build

Weds., 9/18 2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at ICA; Set Installations

Weds., 9/18 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. at ICA: Light Focus (Stand-in)

Thurs., 9/19 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at ICA: Cue Writing (Stand-in)

COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI: Actor's Perspective

Artists at Play's Julia Cho is pulling double duty for the Los Angeles premiere of Cowboy Versus Samurai. Find out what drew her to this play not only as a producer, but as an actor.

Julia Cho and West Liang in rehearsal

Why were you interested in Cowboy Versus Samurai? 

Little known fact: My first attempt at directing was in college as part of this women's theatre fest. I proposed and was allowed to present, as interstitials throughout the program, select scenes between the two female characters from Achievers, a play by... Michael Golamco. A few years prior, I had seen a production and lo and behold, there were young, modern Asian American characters portrayed by Asian American performers onstage. Then I discovered Cowboy Versus Samurai and was struck by the same impression. Fast forward years later and here I am, one of the proud founding members of this theatre collective Artists at Play. CvsS had been on our group's radar since our inception and we are thrilled to be presenting the Los Angeles premiere this fall with yours truly tackling the role of Veronica Lee. 

What do you find interesting / intriguing / challenging about the character that you are playing? 

As candid and uninhibited as she is, Veronica only lets you dig so far beneath the surface. As Del describes his first impression of her, she has this "big city get-the-hell-outta-my-way thing going on." And yet, this is the same woman who will engage total strangers in conversation, immediately draw you into sharing your secrets, and then go home to nurse her adopted tail-less cat. You see this person who seems like she has it all together, and yet certain choices, certain behaviors still hint at perhaps not all is as it seems. 

What do you hope audiences will take away from the play after watching it? 

With any great play or work of art, the hope is that after seeing Cowboy Versus Samurai, thoughts will be sparked, issues will be raised, and conversations will be initiated. Whenever you deal with race, emotions are bound to be stirred. And throw love into the mix, and you're just asking for trouble. But with any new relationship, you need to stumble upon and discover the not so pretty parts and hopefully learn, grow, and move on to something that could potentially be truly life-changing.


Get your tickets to Cowboy Versus Samurai, beginning September 26 and running through October 20. For tickets: http://bit.ly/AAPCVsS

COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI: Set & Lights

A Set Designer's Perspective 
by Arturo Betanzos

Set design inspiration

When I get a script, I read it for the fun of the story. I sketch on the margins and start to develop my ideas as I go. Then I read and re-read the script, highlighting props, set pieces and locations. As a set designer, I want audiences to feel like they are transported to a specific atmosphere of time and place. I hope they can see the actors' transformation and how they adapt to their surroundings (the set).

For Cowboy Versus Samurai, I love the idea of high contrast black silhouettes against a sunset sky. I want the samurai or cowboy shadows to turn into the characters. I want the Wyoming landscape to stretch behind them and disappear as the lights come up, but there will have be a lot of help with lighting to get this to work.

A Lighting Designer's Perspective 

by Christopher Singleton

A lighting designer’s job is to help show the director’s vision by helping to create the appropriate mood, tone, environment, and focus with lighting. As with all facets in this collaborative art, it is imperative that the goal of the lighting designer is to serve the production and not make lighting stand out.

Lighting colors from design presentations

If lighting for a show is done correctly, no one should notice the lighting on its own. Instead, assuming that all of the departments work together seamlessly, the audience should come away with how great the production was as a whole. That is what I hope the audience comes away with.

 In working with Peter Kuo’s vision for Cowboys Versus Samurai, I want to use lighting to help illustrate the vastness of Breakneck, Wyoming and how alone these characters must feel living there, while still keeping this an intimate theatrical experience. The lighting must also be bright, to keep with the often comedic tone of the piece.

GET TICKETS TO COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI

Escaping to Small Town Midwest

by Artists at Play Producer and Cowboy Versus Samurai Director Peter J. Kuo

The Pacific Railroad

Currently, I’m staying the night in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The state’s most populated city containing about 60,000 residents. Later, I will be heading to Pine Bluffs, a small Wyoming town with a population of roughly 1,000 people. It lies along the first transcontinental railroad built by the Chinese. These are the traits of the fictional city of Breakneck, Wyoming, which is where Cowboy Versus Samurai playwright Michael Golamco has set his play. Two of the characters are native of the area, while the other two have moved in from the most populated cities in the U.S.; New York and Los Angeles.

When speaking to the playwright about why he selected Wyoming, he mentioned a couple of logistical reasons. One, he liked the idea of Veronica and Travis meeting in the middle of the U.S. from their respective cities of New York and Los Angeles. Second, the separation from a bigger population forces the issues of race which is addressed in hilarious and heart-felt ways for the play’s romantic triangle. Yet, I always felt there was something else about the setting that gave the play its special charm. I was trying to put my finger on the motivation the characters had that made them want to live in such an isolating situation. My personal road trip unexpectedly brought me to my answers.

A Photo of Wyoming from Peter's Travels

During the last six days, a large chunk of my time has been spent driving on the road past countless farms, forests and mountains. Upon crossing the state line from Utah to Wyoming I saw a fast change in the landscape. What started out as beautifully layered cliffs changed to vast open fields. Traveling from west to east of the state it became alarmingly clear that its towns and cities were few and far between. At first the thoughts rushing through my head were of concern. Concerns of breaking down and being stranded in the middle of nowhere, or being quickly faced by racism or other forms of bigotry. (Thankfully, upon pulling into a gas station, a van of older Asians arrived. They seemed like tourists but at least I felt I was not alone.) After the initial fear, I became flooded with a much more relieving feeling. The vast emptiness let me escape from my concerns. As I traveled father and farther from Los Angeles; personal, familial and professional issues seemed to be less pressing.

Suddenly, Travis and Veronica’s motivations to move to Breakneck became clear. For them, moving to Middle America--where they are the only Asians and don’t know anyone--is like hitting a reset button. You drop all your troubles, pick up your bags and just disappear. But as I was reminded of my many obligations (writing this blog being one of them) the characters of Cowboy Versus Samurai are unable to leave behind the issues of their past relationships. While the feeling of escaping life’s issues feels fantastic, it is fleeting. This play serves as a reminder that one shouldn’t simply escape their personal troubles by running away to a small town. It is in the challenge of facing our issues that grow us to be more complex and interesting people.

Join us for Artists at Play's third production, Cowboy Versus Samurai, beginning September 26 and running through October 20. For tickets: http://bit.ly/AAPCVsS

$10 Tickets for COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI

Special early-bird tickets are available for the Los Angeles premiere of Cowboy Versus Samurai opening September 28! 

Ten (10) seats per performance are available for $10 each. So act fast because they won't last long! The early-bird special ends on August 29 or when they sell out, whichever comes first.

Remember the early bird gets the worm (or the tickets)! Click here to buy yours now: bit.ly/AAPCvsS

COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI: Indiegogo

To help fund the upcoming fall production of Cowboy Versus Samurai, Artists at Play has launched an Indiegogo campaign! We have roughly TWO WEEKS TO REACH OUR GOAL of $6,500. We've raised our budget in order to accommodate our venue and elevated production elements. Not only that, but we've also challenged ourselves with a tighter schedule! Deadline is Friday, July 26.

See our progress on the right? Click on the image to go to our Indiegogo page. We invite you to watch our video and check out the rewards that we're offering. Something else that's new: Through our fiscal sponsor Fractured Atlas, DONATIONS ARE NOW TAX-DEDUCTIBLE. Please consider donating and/or sharing our project! 

For a direct link to our Indiegogo page, click here. (And make use their handy share tools!) To view & share our video via YouTube, click below or right here.

We simply cannot do this without your support. Thank you in advance!

The Cast of COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI

After countless submissions and dozens of auditions, Artists at Play proudly presents the cast for the Los Angeles premiere of Cowboy Versus Samurai!

FEODOR CHIN is Chester, Travis’ Asian Brother-with-a-Capital-B who is desperate to escape his small town. Theatrically, Feodor has appeared in All My Sons (Matrix Theatre Company), Three Sisters (Chalk Repertory) and A Winter People (The Theatre @ Boston Court).

JULIA CHO is Veronica, the new girl in town who holds the affection of Travis ... but has a history of only dating white men. Julia is a founding member of Artists at Play and played Desdemona Wong in our inaugural production Ching Chong Chinaman.

DANIEL VINCENT GORDH is Del, Travis’ handsome but dim All-American cowboy friend. Daniel is best known for playing the role of "William Darcy" in the popular web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (which also featured Julia Cho as "Charlotte Lu"). 

WEST LIANG is Travis, a high school English teacher and the only Korean American in Breakneck, Wyoming. West is an accomplished writer and actor who was nominated for the LA Weekly Awards for his performance in Their Eyes Saw Rain, which he also wrote.

 
Also featuring: Michael Barnum (Chester u/s), Macleish Day (Del u/s), Elaine Loh(Veronica u/s) and Julian Yuen (Travis u/s).
 
Before we finalized this stellar cast of actors, we had an unexpected visit (and impromptu audition!) at the end of our casting weekend — check out this video and see who came to surprise us!

Auditions for COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI

Artists at Play will hold auditions for the roles listed below as part of their upcoming production, Cowboy Versus Samurai by Michael Golamco (Los Angeles premiere). Please send headshots/resumes to AAP.casting@gmail.com by Friday, July 5.  

Cowboy Versus Samurai
Producers: Julia Cho, Peter J. Kuo, Stefanie Wong Lau, Marie-Reine Velez 
Associate Producer: Nicholas Pilapil
Author: Michael Golamco
Director: Peter J. Kuo 

Contract: 99-Seat Theatre Equity Waiver 
Rehearsals: August - September 2013 
Previews: September 26 - 27, 2013 
Performances: September 28 - October 20, 2013
(w/ possible extension to October 27, 2013) 

Auditions: Saturday, July 13, 2013
Callbacks: Sunday, July 14, 2013

Auditions and callbacks will be held in Alhambra. Rehearsals will tentatively be held in Downtown L.A. Performances will take place at The Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts.

Union and non-union actors eligible to submit.  To be considered for this project, email your headshot/ resume to AAP.casting@gmail.com. Submission deadline is Friday, July 5. Script is available at Samuel French.


SEEKING PRINCIPALS/ UNDERSTUDIES FOR FOLLOWING ROLES:

TRAVIS  –  Korean American, mid 20s-early 30s. English teacher, earnest, closeted romantic.

CHESTER  –  "Asian [American] of Unknown Origin," mid 20s-early 30s. Passionate, militant.

DEL  –  Caucasian, mid 20s-early 30s. P.E. teacher, dim, handsome. Wyoming dialect a plus. 

VERONICA (UNDERSTUDY ONLY)  –  Korean American, mid 20s-early 30s. Sexy, nerdy, whip-smart.

Falling for Iggy Woo

A Conversation Between  
Director Rena Heinrich & Dramaturg Marie-Reine Velez

MARIE: Rena, thank you so much for being a part of this process for Alice Tuan’s Iggy Woo as the director for this reading. Before we started rehearsals for the Iggy Woo reading, what were you most looking forward to exploring in this process?

RENA: I was really looking forward to working with Alice. I knew of Alice's work but had never formally met her nor worked with her before. Then I read the play and loved it. Iggy Woo has a specific rhythm and tone, and I was looking forward to exploring this in a rehearsal process, to seeing and hearing it filtered through live bodies and seeing what that looked like. 

MARIE: Have there been any discoveries during rehearsal that have surprised you so far?

RENA: Alice leaves no stone unturned. Everything in the narrative is literally or metaphorically connected to something else. It's beautiful, gorgeous writing. She's written three movements (or acts)  inspired by No Doubt songs. At one point, I realized that there are No Doubt references sprinkled in the dialogue, and I had to smile. The play is like Alice. Playful and wickedly intelligent.

MARIE: I fully agree. There’s a specificity in the characters’ speech patterns and word choice that affects how the story moves forward--it constantly amazes me when those moments are revealed in rehearsal. What makes Iggy Woo stand out to you?

RENA: Iggy Woo is a bit Beckett meets Ionesco meets No Doubt. It has an absurdist, otherworldly quality that's grounded in a very real, modern day Los Angeles. It's about cravings and creativity amidst consumerism. But, at the end of the day, it's also a sweet love story about simply looking for that one person who gets you. Marie, I'm curious as to what drew you to the play? 

MARIE: As you mentioned, the play has a specific rhythm and tone--and I immediately fell in love with the language of the play, the exploration of the smoke break, the endless possibilities of the smoke break conversation and the bonds that form because of the five or ten minutes that smoke breakers give themselves throughout the day. Those five-to-ten minutes can be casual, intimate, cathartic, what have you; Alice really goes there. And that was my reaction to just the first movement! Her writing has a way of taking you on a journey of so many feels, laughs, surprises and revelations.

RENA: How did Artists at Play decide to pick Iggy for this event?

MARIE: We’re all very interested in Alice’s work, her voice is so strong and the play has a great sense of humor--witty, sarcastic and a little offbeat. We find ourselves more drawn to Asian American theatrical narratives that go beyond the identity crises on just an ethnic/cultural level, but who we are as humans living in today’s world. Factors like consumerism, pop culture, sexuality and social awkwardness are just as apparent as cultural identity is in our lives. What I find so funny is that some of the first notes Alice got when this play was shopped around was that it wasn’t “Asian American” enough, and I have three reactions to that: 

1. yeah, sort of
2. no, not really
3. that’s BS 

I mean, what does that matter? Who's to say what's "Asian American"? Like other theatres and organizations, all of us with Artists at Play want to support new plays, and Iggy is a great fit with our sensibilities while also pushing the envelope on what theatre can explore. I can keep going, but we can continue this conversation at the readings on Sunday, either at the Q&A session after Iggy Woo, or at dinner before the reading of Three Steps Back by Peter J. Kuo!

Iggy Woo by Alice Tuan will be presented as part of Artists at Play’s reading series on Sunday, March 24th. Get your meal tickets now for dinner and hosted bar!

Photos: (1) Alice Tuan and Rena Heinrich in rehearsal; (2) Carla Vega, Justin Huen and Brittany Lau in rehearsal. Photos by Marie-Reine Velez.

Taking a Step Forward with Three Steps Back

A Conversation Between 

Director Skyler Gray & Dramaturg Kimberly Colburn

KIMBERLY: It's great to be working with you, Skyler. We've had a lot of conversations about THREE STEPS BACK with Peter already, but it's great to have a chance to hear your thoughts. I'm curious, what were your first impressions when you read the play? What drew you in?  

SKYLER: It really is great to get to work with you and Peter on THREE STEPS BACK. When I first read Peter's play I was struck by his use of perspective. You might have heard that the most exciting parts of some plays happen offstage.  

KIMBERLY: Like in ancient Greek plays. 

SKYLER: Right! I love how Peter has turned that idea upside down and shown this story from three different angles. I found myself entranced with finding clues from one act that came to fruition in the following acts. I was also struck by Peter's ability to create revelations that surprised both me and the characters within his play through exciting plot twists.  It really is a play that keeps you guessing what will happen next. 

KIMBERLY: I agree, the structure of this play is unexpected--it's three acts, but the action isn't continuous. Each act covers the same period of time, but in a different location. I love the puzzle of putting the pieces together, and I think audiences will really respond to the challenge of figuring out how the characters relate to one another. It will be a challenge for you, as a director, to help communicate some complicated twists and turns with only a short rehearsal period and with actors confined to music stands. Peter is also a director--what's it like to work with a playwright who's also got a directing background?  

SKYLER:  It is a short rehearsal period isn't it?  I bet the Broadway production of Noises Off had a bit more time to fine tune all the entrances and exits.  Game on!  Peter is indeed a man of many talents.  I am finding that Peter's keen eye as a director only strengthens his work as a playwright.  Throughout the piece Peter has dropped clues about the way the staging works in his mind.  As a director, this is very helpful as I am able to piece together the playwright's intent and fill in the blanks along the way. The playwright is setting pen to paper and it is my job to bring that to life. 

KIMBERLY: Plus, this cast looks pretty great.  

SKYLER: They really do.  I hear they are pretty talented too. 

KIMBERLY: It's exciting to have so many talented people gathering together. I'm glad to get a chance to play with Artists at Play. This is a great play to help kick off their new reading series (along with Alice Tuan's IGGY WOO)--smart and funny but complicated. There's a lot of interesting themes Peter's grappling with: a dysfunctional family, a teenage girl exploring religion, parents navigating the balance of their own needs versus the needs of their offspring.  

SKYLER:  This play really does pack quite the punch. I am excited that we get to not only work on this play with Artists at Play, but we get a chance to work together again. This play also takes me back home as it is set in Fresno, which is where I was born and raised. 

KIMBERLY: That's right! You've got the Fresno connection! And just like you, many of these characters are trying to find their way OUT of Fresno.  

SKYLER: I mean, once you leave Fresno, the only thing left to do is direct a play about Fresno. But in all seriousness, I can't wait to jump into rehearsals and work with Peter to make this play come to life.    

KIMBERLY: Me too. Only one more week until we've got an audience. 

SKYLER: In that case, people should stop reading this enthralling interview and buy their tickets now!


Three Steps Back by Peter J. Kuo will be presented as part of Artists at Play's reading series day on Sunday, March 24th.  Get your meal tickets now!

Enter the World of Alice Tuan’s Iggy Woo and the New Wave of Asian American Plays

by Alice Tuan

When I wrote Iggy Woo back in 2002, I was pretty sick of the usual Asian-American themes—alienation, immigration, cultural misunderstanding, historical injustice, cute foods, perpetual becoming—yes of course, that’s part of the experience, but what about the Asiatics who have been in the U.S., shop in malls, smoke cigarettes, are addicted to sugar and fall in love with people who don’t love them back?  It’s better now with the 4th wave of Asian-American playwrights—Lauren Yee, A. Rey Pamatmat, Michael Lew, Mia Chung, Michael Golamco and bunches of others—but back then, in the early naughts, I wanted to write just regular folks who happen to be of Asian descent.

Iggy Woo is described as “a play about unrequited love, quitting smoking and creating amidst consumption.” How did you see these coming together, and what were your inspirations?
 
Yeah, I was trying to quit smoking.  And quit a guy.  And yeah, I grew up in the Valley.  Where the true cathedral is the mall.  And yeah am obsessed with gift wrapping.  And ate pho, like, every day.

Jimmy Choo designs shoes.  Iggy Pop is punky cool.   What if there were two mall workers who snuck cigarettes and created new designs on their break?

I gave myself the challenge of writing 8 pages a day for 9 days.  Would not get out of bed until I knew what the first 2 pages were.  Day 7 was killer—just so tired and bleary but wanted to get through. That’s when I went and sat in Macy’s gift wrap to inspire the last 3 scenes, and what a shot of metaphor for American consumption it was, down to beautiful, empty boxes and 15 second samples of Christmas favorites, the tease of sentimentality.

When my agent first sent the play around, someone said it wasn’t ‘Asian’ enough.  Ugh.  Are Asiatics forever gonna be unfun melodrama?  I say let’s have some mad joy and tear up all the pretty boxes to find that one cig during a furious nic fit.


Iggy Woo by Alice Tuan will be presented as part of Artists at Play's reading series day on Sunday, March 24th.  Get your meal tickets now!