The Joy Luck Club on Stage

THE JOY LUCK CLUB

By Susan Kim, adapted from the novel by Amy Tan
Directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera
Original Music by Nathan Wang

A best-selling novel and also a major motion picture. Family bonds transcend history as four young Chinese American women and their Chinese-born mothers struggle to understand each other. When the children's present lives begin to mirror their parent's past accomplishments and failures, a seemingly uncrossable divide grows into a bridge as generation unite to form THE JOY LUCK CLUB.

LOS ANGELES PREMIERE

Previews Performances November 6 - 9, 2008
$20 all seats, $12 w/ valid student I.D.

Opening Night November 12, 2008
$65 all seats, including pre-show hosted bar & post-show reception with cast and crew

Performance Run November 13 - December 7, 2008
Wednesday - Saturday @ 8 pm, Sunday @ 2:00pm
$45 Orchestra, $40 Balcony

Ladies Night Out Friday, November 14 at 7PM
Light refreshments, wine & champagne & manicures.

Next Generation Community Night Wed, November 19 at 7PM
Free Pizza, Soda & Live Music. $1 Opportunity Drawing Tickets.
Prizes include Mahjong set & autographed The Joy Luck Club items.

Pay-What-You-Can Performance Friday, November 28 at 8PM
Minimum of $1. Tickets go on sale 1 hour prior to performance time.

American Sign Language-interpreted Performance Sunday, November 30, 2008 @ 2PM
$20 Tickets for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Patrons

Location:
David Henry Theatre
The Union Center for the Arts
120 Judge John Aiso St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Intro scene for The Joy Luck Club Movie

"Black White Whatever" by Kelly Tsai

Sick and tired of politicians’ endless claims to fight for the rights of all people? In a dynamic collaboration between spoken word artist Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, director Jazzmen Lee-Johnson, and producer Alli Maxwell, Moving Earth Productions has produced a spoken word video version of Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai’s “Black, White, Whatever…” a witty spoken word poetry call to arms for politicians everywhere to stand up for underrepresented communities, like the Asian Pacific Islander American community and all those who fight to have their voices and lives heard OUT LOUD!

KELLY ZEN-YIE TSAI (Spoken Word Poet, Producer “Black, White, Whatever”) is a Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based Chinese Taiwanese American spoken word artist who has featured at over 300 performances worldwide including 3 seasons of “HBO Def Poetry.” She constantly strives push the boundaries of spoken word poetry and innovate it for the stage, page, and screen. “Black, White, Whatever” is her third spoken word video and the first produced by her production company, Moving Earth Productions. Her previous spoken word videos include “By-Standing: The Beginning of An American Lifetime” (Dir. Karen Lin) which won special recognition at the Media That Matters & VIBE UrbanWorld Film Festivals. Her second spoken word video “Weapons of Mass Creation” (Dir. Kamilah Forbes) was commissioned by San Francisco not-for-profit Youth Noise’s nationwide Youth Summit Tour.

"Black White Whatever" by Kelly Tsai


Artist Statement:
The real genesis for “Black, White, Whatever” came to me one day while listening to Kelly Rowland of Destiny’s Child gushing on the radio about how Destiny’s Child loves ALL people, “black, white, whatever you are!”

Although it was probably the millionth time that I’d heard that phrase, it was the last time I could stomach its flippant, simultaneous embrace and dismissal of the complexities of American diversity today. I filed away my annoyance and hoped for a more fully formed poem to come to me eventually.

Lo and behold, as the presidential campaigns for the 2008 election began, I found myself rapt and rabid in front of the television screen and the radio speaker hoping, praying, begging that somebody, anybody would even mention the word, “Asian,” in ANY of their speeches.

I found myself making touchdown victory-like dances at the rare mention of “Asian” or just muttering, “Damn,” on the more likely occasion of its omission. My standards for politicans were sinking to new lows: “Just SAY Asian pleeeeease!”

In the midst of all the media spin, mud-slinging, and rare dialogue on real policy issues, I wondered shouldn’t we expect and want more from our candidates? Our candidates need to not only acknowledge us, but also take on the charge to advocate for the rights and freedoms of every single one of us.

Alli Maxwell (Producer) and Jazzmen Lee-Johnson (Director) passionately took on the task of translating this crowd-pleaser to video capitalizing on Jazz’s background in animation and the able talents of still photographers Sona Z, Matt Weiss, and Michelle Woo.

“Black, White, Whatever” was shot over two days in Brooklyn at the DUMBO Arts Center and the Brooklyn Navy Yards to provide a stripped-down authenticity as a backdrop for our beautifully unique and dynamic crew of over 20 extras representing the fluidity and complexity of this generation with clarity and impact.

Flower Drum Song - 50th Anniversary

Flower Drum Song celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The musical opens tomorrow for 2 week. For those in the San Francisco Bay Area, this is one of the rare opportunities to see a full Asian American cast performing a Broadway Musical. Get tickets at SanFranciscoChinatown.com or at the American Musical Theatre.

Flower Drum Song synopsis
Set in the late 1950s, this new adaptation centers on Mei-Li who arrives in San Francisco's Chinatown after fleeing communist China. The naïve young refugee is befriended by Wang, who is struggling to keep the Chinese Opera theatrical tradition alive despite his son's determination to turn the family theatre into a rowdy nightclub. A unique blending of American razz-ma-tazz and stylized Chinese traditions, this beautiful theatrical tapestry is highlighted by its wonderful score, that is both romantic and showbiz-brassy and includes "I Enjoy Being a Girl," "A Hundred Million Miracles," "Sunday" and "Chop Suey."

Flower Drum Song - Movie Clip

Maya Lin : Systematic Landscapes

Recent sculptures, drawings, and installations by the celebrated artist Maya Lin are on view at the de Young Museum October 25, 2008, to January 18, 2009. Lin (b. 1959) came to prominence in 1981 with her design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and has since achieved a high degree of recognition for a body of work that includes monuments, buildings, earthworks, sculpture, and installations. Systematic Landscapes is Lin’s second nationally-traveling exhibition in ten years, with venues in Seattle, St. Louis, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. “This exhibition continues my interest in exploring notions of landscape and geologic phenomena,” says Lin. “The works created, both small- and large-scale installations, reveal new and at times unexpected views of the natural world: from the topology of the ocean floor to the stratified layers of a mountain to a form that sits between water and earth.”



Lin’s extraordinary ability to convey complex and poetic ideas using simple forms and natural materials is fully evident in Systematic Landscapes. Working in a scale that relates to the land, and combining a deep interest in forces and forms of nature with a long-term investigation into the possibilities of sculptural form to embody meaning, this exhibition offers a rich, immersive experience for visitors that brings the sensory understanding of Lin’s outdoor works inside.



Lin has created a trio of large-scale sculptural installations for the exhibition that present different ways to encounter and comprehend the landscape. 2x4 Landscape (2006), a vast hill built of 65,000 boards set on end, presents a land surface rising from the gallery floor. Water Line (2006), a wire-frame three-dimensional drawing in space based on an undersea formation, is installed overhead and dips into the visitor’s sightline. Blue Lake Pass (2006) is a topographic translation of a Colorado mountain range made of layers of stacked particleboard that have been segmented and pulled apart to create landscape strata through which the visitor can see.



Systematic Landscapes also includes a series of sculptures based on the water volumes of various inland seas; plaster reliefs of imagined landscapes that are embedded directly into gallery walls; large drawings of landforms and river sheds; and altered atlases that present alternative topographies.

Concurrent with Systematic Landscapes is the debut of Maya Lin’s public art installation Where the Land Meets the Sea, a tubular wire sculpture commissioned by the San Francisco Arts Commission for the California Academy of Sciences, also in Golden Gate Park. The installation is the first permanent work by Lin in San Francisco. The de Young exhibition will feature small-scale models, maquettes, and renderings of the piece, engaging audiences in Lin’s creative thinking process and studio practice.

Maya Lin Systematic Landscapes Documentary

The Bonesetter's Daughter Opera

Adapted from the best-selling novel by beloved Bay Area author Amy Tan, this world premiere tells a resonant story of belated intergenerational understanding that leads to emotional healing. A troubled Chinese-American woman learns the horrible secrets of her immigrant mother’s past in this touching and terrifying tale, set in both modern-day San Francisco and the Chinese countryside during the tumultuous events surrounding World War II.

Composer Stewart Wallace (Harvey Milk) incorporates the timbres and textures of Chinese music into his highly expressive and lyrical score—an American opera with roots in China. Mezzo-soprano Zheng Cao, the splendid Suzuki in San Francisco Opera’s recent Madama Butterfly, heads the cast of this deeply personal work. Star of the Lincoln Center Festival’s historic production of The Peony Pavilion, Kunju singer Qian Yi has been acclaimed by the The New York Times Magazine as “China’s reigning opera princess.”

Get tickets to the opera or Buy The Bonesetter's Daughter book

The Bonesetter's Daughter Opera

At Home with Architect David Ling

Architect David Ling lives in a Manhattan loft equipped with a waterfall, a bridge, and a bed cantilevered 10 feet over a moat. This is no home for the faint of heart. We didn't know there were places this big in New York City. Find out more about Architect David Ling.

At Home with Architect David Ling

So You Think You Can Dance - Bollywood Edition

Earlier this week, So You Think You Can Dance had the show's first Bollywood routine. Katee Shean and Joshua Allen got the dance selection after picking it from a hat. Although there were many skeptical people, the pair walked away with the best performance of the night. They danced to "Dhoom Taana" from the "Om Shanti Om" with choreography by Nakul Dev Mahajan. (Bollywood dance routines are very difficult.) This routine will go down as one of the season's most memorable and will definitely end up on the tour. BTW - Nigel Lythgoe has tried to get a Bollywood routine on the show for 3 years.

Watch Katee Shean and Joshua Allen doing a Bollywood number on So You Think You Can Dance.

Victoria Jacoby on America's Got Talent

11-year-old Victoria Jacoby was adopted from China at about 6 months old. Her adopted family is amazed by her talents. This brave little kid has got some major skills as a contortionist. The audience and judges are impressed by her amazing flexibility. The last trick is like a magic trick. She drinks from a glass held by her feet while bending over backward. The judges send her on to Las Vegas.

Watch Victoria Jacoby on America's Got Talent

Here's another high quality version. Do not try this act at home!

Dennis Hwang the Google Doodler

Dennis Hwang, aka Hwang Jeong-mok, is probably the most famous unknown artist in the world. He started as an intern at Google in the summer of 2000. At the time, he was a Stanford undergrad majoring in art and computer science. When founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin found out he was an art major, they tapped him to do his first doodle. (Bastille Day, July 14, 2000 - see above). He's been making whimsical logos for Google's homepage ever since.

While the doodles are only a small part of his actual job, Hwang's favorite doodles are the birthday series honoring Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh and other famous artists. You can see list of past logos here. BTW, next time try clicking on the Google Doodle, the doodled logos link to Google search results about that topic.

Here's Dennis Hwang showing you how a Google Doodle is made


Here's some example of Google Doodles over the years


Earlier this year K-12 students were invited to Doodle 4 Google. The winner was Grace Moon with a doodle entitle "Up in the Clouds".

China's Ming Dynasty at Asian Art Museum

For centuries, Ming porcelain vases have been regarded as the epitome of priceless beauty. The Asian Art Museum’s special exhibition, Power & Glory: Court Arts of China’s Ming Dynasty demonstrates why not just vases but Ming art of many types has earned such acclaim. On view from June 27–September 21, 2008, this major groundbreaking exhibition explores the grandeur and opulence of one of the most important dynasties in Chinese history. The exhibition is divided into seven themes related to different aspects of Ming court life: government and ranks; entertainment and hobbies; daily life; architecture and court environments; technology and innovation; religion and beliefs; and education and tradition.

Power & Glory also marks the Asian Art Museum’s first ollaboration with three of China’s most prestigious institutions — The Palace Museum (Forbidden City) in Beijing, the Nanjing Municipal Museum, and the Shanghai Museum. Some of the most precious artworks from the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) from these museums, along with some of the finest items from this period owned by the Asian Art Museum, make up Power & Glory, the first exhibition in the U. S. to focus on the full range of Ming court arts. Many of the more than 240 artworks — porcelain, paintings, textiles, lacquer, jade, jewelry, architectural elements, and more — will be on public view for the first time. The exhibition provides a rare opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of Ming achievement, through an unequaled collection of works from the Chinese dynasty most renowned for its refined aesthetic and standards of perfection. The exhibition will travel to the Indianapolis Museum of Art (October 26–January 11, 2009) and the St. Louis Museum of Art (February 22–May 17, 2009).

The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Ming – which means “bright” in Chinese – was an appropriate name for a dynasty whose 276 years of rule were marked by stability, economic strength, and a dramatic flourishing of the arts. The first capital of the Ming dynasty was in Nanjing. The third Ming emperor (the Yongle emperor, reigned 1403-24)) transferred the capital to Beijing, and under the Ming dynasty the Forbidden City in Beijing became an international landmark. By the end of the dynasty, Beijing supported a population of more than one million people. The Forbidden City along with the outlying region that supported it made Beijing “a service and supply center that was undoubtedly the largest of its kind in the world at that time” according to the late Chinese historian Ray Huang.

The Great Wall was built during the Ming Dynasty. That's Power & Glory

Bhutan:Land of the Thunder Dragon

Smithsonian Folklife Festival Presents Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon
June 25-June 29 and July 2-6, 2008
Location: outdoors on the National Mall of the United States in Washington, D.C., by the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

This summer, visitors to the 42nd annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival will have the rare opportunity to learn about the rich culture of the virtually unknown Kingdom of Bhutan. “Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon” will examine the fascinating culture, customs and history of this isolated mountain kingdom whose king initiated a unique government policy of “Gross National Happiness.” The country is situated in the eastern Himalayas and is bordered by China and India. In a mere few hundred miles, its geography changes from low-lying, steamy jungles to some of the world’s highest peaks.

Through live demonstrations, dance and musical performances, narrative sessions and a variety of hands-on activities, the program will explore Bhutan’s rich culture, which has been preserved, in part, through its relative isolation from outside influences. The program, which will feature approximately 140 Bhutanese artists, dancers, cooks, craftspeople, carpenters, farmers and representatives of monastic life, is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of Bhutanese life and culture ever presented outside of the kingdom. The Bhutanese delegation will be led by His Royal Highness Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck.

The Festival will be held Wednesday, June 25 through Sunday, June 29 and Wednesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 6 outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. Admission is free. Festival hours are from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day, with such special evening events as concerts and dance parties beginning at 6 p.m.

Watch the trailer for Bhutan:Land of the Thunder Dragon

FREE YOUR STORY Contest

THE CHALLENGE
Beyond event coverage and filmmaker interviews, the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) Channel provides a platform for emerging artists everywhere to connect with a worldwide audience interested in works by or about Asian Americans. Their latest digital initiative challenges you to tell your story without the constraints of space or time. Ten applicants will be chosen, six will compete, and one finalist will win a brand new HD camera and one year Supporter level membership to CAAM.

THE DETAILS
CAAM and Toyota Matrix are looking for 6 emerging storytellers to explore ideas of activity and movement in this exciting digital age. In a 5-7 minute piece in any film/video genre, allow your vision to take flight across time and space, from real to virtual, from inertia to motion. To drive your story, imagine you have a powerful Toyota Matrix device that moves your narrative forward - and keeping with the theme, this object is as open to interpretation as your story. Whether you use the actual vehicle or a Matrix-shaped portal, free yourself to delve into any subject matter - from immigration stories to voter voices to global issues. We challenge you to make the most interesting and insightful works and prove that creativity knows no boundaries.

Deadline is Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8PM PST.

WHAT YOU WIN
Grand Prize Winner* receives a HD video camera.

*Restrictions apply. See Contest Rules and Regulations for more details.

HOW TO ENTER
1. Create a one (1) minute video introduction, telling us who you are and why you should be chosen to compete for the grand prize. Be original, creative, and resourceful. Use anything to capture that video: web cam, camera phone, digital camera, etc. Videos need to be one minute or less. One introduction video per contestant.

2. Email michella[at]asianamericanmedia[dot]org the following information:
- Your Name
- Age
- Address
- Phone number
- A brief written bio
- 3 - 5 URLS for samples of works (all sample works must be online, youtube, google, myspace, personal sites, etc.)
- A short treatment (no more than 300 words) for the video you would make if you were chosen to compete in the Toyota Matrix FREE YOUR STORY Video Challenge

You have to be eighteen (18) years of age or older and a legal resident of the fifty (50) United States. To be able to participate, all entrants will be registered as CAAM Fans. CAAM Fan is a free membership to the Center for Asian American Media. For more information and benefits of CAAM Fan, click here.

3. Upload your video introduction here. YOUR NAME MUST BE IN THE TITLE OF YOUR UPLOADED WORK.
(Accepted video file formats are: .WMA, .MP3, .MPEG, .DV, .MPG, .MOV, .GCELP, .WAV, .WMV, .QT, .MP4, .AVI, .AMR-NB, .MOD, .3G2, .ASF, .3GP, .FLV, .MOVIECLIP. The maximum video length is 1 minute. Maximum file size is 100MB.)
If you have trouble uploading contact michella[at]asianamericanmedia.org.

4. Deadline is Monday, June 23, 2008 at 8PM PST
No entries or videos will be accepted after the deadline. Please make sure to allow enough time to upload your video.

JUDGING
1. The Top 10 Most Resourceful, Creative and Energetic applicants, selected from all the submissions by the FREE YOUR STORY CAAM Judges, will be posted on www.asianamericanmedia.org on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 5PM PST. Public Internet Voting will then determine the six finalists that advance to the video challenge round.

2. Voting Officially Ends Monday, July 21, 2008 at 5PM PST.

3. The six finalists of the FREE YOUR STORY Contest, chosen by Public Internet Voting, will be announced on the www.asianamericanmedia.org on Wednesday July 22, 2008.

4. The six finalists will then have three weeks to each make a 5-7 minute video about activity and movement using the Toyota Matrix object. Their final video deadline is August 12, 2008 at 5PM PST. The six videos will be posted on www.asianamericanmedia.org on August 13, 2008.

5. The FREE YOUR STORY jury will determine the winner by August 22, 2008. The winner will be featured on www.asianamericanmedia.org by August 25, 2008 and screened at a TBA outdoor screening in early Fall 2008.

Here's a short video from the assistant director of the San Francisco Asian American Film festival put on by CAAM.

The Mikado Project Goes From Stage To Film

"The Mikado Project," a feature film directed by Chil Kong is currently in production and shooting in Los Angeles. (Over the weekend, the opening night of the show was shot.) The musical comedy (based on the stage performance written by Ken Narasaki and Doris Baizley and adapted for film by Chil Kong), tells the story of a struggling Asian American theater company that in a desperate publicity stunt to save their company decides to produce a modern reconstruction of Gilbert and Sullivan's, "The Mikado."

"The Mikado," one of the most beloved comedy operas by legendary collaborators, Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert, first opened on stage in 1885 in London. The story was set in Japan (considered an exotic land to the British during that era) which allowed Gilbert & Sullivan to satirize British politics. However, by doing so, Asians around the world and Asian Americans today have found this opera hard to embrace—making the notion of Asian American actors performing "The Mikado" controversial and palatable only through a comedic reconstruction.

The story begins with the news that The Angry Buddha Theater Ensemble, has lost its leading male actor, Jace (David McInnis, "Never Forever"), to a primetime gig on TV. Without Jace's star power the company faces imminent demise. Lead by Lance (Allen Liu, "Flower Drum Song"), a scrappy artistic director secretly living out of the back office of the theater, the members of the group fight over the idea of putting on "The Mikado," which to some in the company is the equivalent of reviving "Charlie Chan" or "Kung Fu".

"We are using the story of this Asian American theater company in the same way Gilbert & Sullivan used a Japanese story to comment on their society," says producer Quan Phung. "Hopefully, we can laugh at ourselves while shedding light on the challenges facing Asian American actors or any actor of color in Hollywood today."

We see the conflict most vividly through the eyes of three women in the troupe: Viola (Tamlyn Tomita, "The Eye"), a veteran finding her way in a young actor's world; Cheryl (Erin Quill, "Avenue Q") a half-Irish, half-Chinese, feisty actress whose indignation masks her insecurities about being a lead; and Yuri (Yuri Tag, Kaba Modern on MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew") who is young, naïve, and oblivious to any negative connotations from art or life. These three women guide the story through their experiences as Asian American women in Hollywood and along the way we are given a window into the lives of the other members of the theater company and provided a glimpse into what binds them to the company. Through it all, they learn that what it all means is that they are not just a group of misfits, but a family.

"This story came out of my very own personal experience in the Asian American artist," says director Chil Kong. "I am the artistic director of an Asian American theater company called Lodestone, based in LA, and we went through 10 years of introspection about the landscape of Asian Americans in arts and cinema. The one thing I know for sure is that history is evolving and my goal is to create a really good and entertaining story. For me, a musical comedy was the best way to go to address anything we had to say about being Asian Americans or 'The Mikado.'"

The most notable component of the film that audiences won't be able to see but will certainly hear, are the new hip-hopera versions of the Gilbert & Sullivan's musical compositions—outstanding beat box and rap mixes. The dance numbers are choreographed by members of the dance troupes, Kaba Modern and Jabbawockeez, from Randy Jackson's hit show on MTV, "America's Best Dance Crew," giving the movie a whole new identity to an old operetta.

Cast (in Alphabetical order as of 6/1/2008)

RAYMOND J. LEE - Teddy ("Mama Mia" on Broadway)
ALLEN LIU - Lance ("Flower Drum Song" Broadway revival)
RIZWAN MANJI - Sam ("Charlie Wilson's War")
DAVID McINNIS - Jace ("Never Forever")
GERALD McCULLOUCH - Dennis ("CSI", "Law and Order", "NCIS")
ERIN QUILL - Cheryl ("Avenue Q")
FREDA FOH SHEN - Mrs. O'Malley ("Primal Doubt", "Red Doors")
YURI TAG - Yuri ("Kaba Modern of MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew")
TAMLYN TOMITA - Viola ("Tekken", "The Eye")
RYAN YU - Ben (Kissing Cousins)


Watch a clip from the stage version of the The Mikado Project

Volume Control 2

VOLUME CONTROL 2 is JUNE 15!
VOLUME CONTROL 2 - A Fundraiser for the 2009 Summit in the Bay Area
featuring performances from:
Proletariat Bronze
Aimee Suzara
Broken Halos
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Malaya Arevelo
Nate Krooks
Rodrael Guadalupe
and Youth Slam Champions Bryant Phan & Christsna Sot
with DJ shredONE
and hosts Adriel & Ruby from iLL-Literacy

6pm Doors, 7pm Show
$10-$20 sliding scale donation
All proceeds go to the 2009 APIA Spoken Word & Poetry Summit

for more information, contact volumecntrl@gmail.com

Watch Adriel from iLL-Literacy @ Volume Control 1 with $$$$$$

Grace Moon wins Doodle 4 Google

Grace Moon, 6th grader from Canyon Middle School, beat out 16,000 kids to win the Doodle 4 Google competition. The Google competition for K-12 students challenges kids to reinvent Google's homepage logo. Grace's doodle is entitled "Up in the Clouds".


Here's a quote from Grace about her doodle.

My doodle, "Up in the Clouds," expresses a world in the sky. This new world is clean and fresh, and people are social and enlightened. Every person here is treated as family no matter who they are. The bright sun heats this ideal place with warmth, love, and brightens everyone's day.

Watch Grace Moon on the Today Show talking about her doodle: