| PR 2 |
NEGATIVE GOODS INSPIRES SOMETHING POSITIVE
The 1st Annual Independent Asian Pacific Islander Performing Artists and Writers Festival
Pacific Asian American Women Writers West (PAAWWW) and Mavericks of Asian Pacific Islander Descent (MAPID) and Ken Choy present
BREAKING THE BOW: The 1st Annual Independent Asian Pacific Islander Performing Artists and Writers Festival October 22-25, 2009 at the
Miles Memorial Playhouse at 1130 Lincoln Blvd; Santa Monica, CA 90403.
In a time when Asian Pacific Islanders are coping with Hollywood movies that whitewash (or as Choy says, “yellow-out”) the API themes and
characters that inspired them or present hate crimes against APIs as humor, writer and actor Ken Choy brings his groundbreaking week-
long festival to Santa Monica.
The festival promotes positive, strong, empowering images of APIs through a variety of artistic expressions including film writing, acting,
performance art, music, dance, comedy, and playwriting. Bringing together the Hollywood, theater, and YouTube communities is just one of
the unique facets of the festival. Generational barriers as well as cultural barriers will also be broken down by the wide range of performers
slated to appear. The festival also promotes those who haven’t had the opportunity to break into either Hollywood or the theaters’ core
artists groups. It reaches out to up-and-coming artists as well as those who have chosen to be on the fringe.
“It’s all about instilling a sense of community. There’s something larger than just one village. ‘It takes many villages,’” says Choy. “And
within the festival, even at its earliest inception, I had artists whose work I idolize jumping in and offering their assistance. They’re saying, ‘I
just want to help out. I’ll do tech, I’ll find you sponsors, I’ll pass out flyers on the street if you want me.’ For me the festival is already a
success.”
That’s not to say Choy wants empty seats in Santa Monica. He has assembled prominent APIs to perform including pioneering theater
artist Jude Narita, actor/honorary mayor of Little Tokyo Rodney Kageyama, and performance artist Kristina Wong. According to the festival’s
website, www.Mapid.us, a multiple award-winning director, an API film icon, a nationally recognized entrepreneur/artist, and a leading API
playwright are some of the judges for Battle of the Pitches, a screenplay pitch competition and the Ten Minute API play contest.
Besides creating a web site page for each artist, staff, and even volunteer, Choy will offer space for the participants to promote themselves
at the venue.
“I know how it is. I’ve been an actor, playwright, professional shopper/Coupon King. I’m now a novelist, always an activist. I know how hard
it is to break in. But I know what our community is capable of. That’s what picture jumps into my mind when I say the festival’s title: a ship’s
bow cutting through the water. But also I think of the cessation of a bow, a form of respect, until we are shown respect. Then there’s the
story of Rama who broke Shiva’s bow, a sign of strength.”
However way the title is pronounced or interpreted, Breaking the Bow’s effects certainly will be evident, that of positivity.
Sponsored by Fox Diversity and East West Magazine.
The 1st Annual Independent Asian Pacific Islander Performing Artists and Writers Festival
Pacific Asian American Women Writers West (PAAWWW) and Mavericks of Asian Pacific Islander Descent (MAPID) and Ken Choy present
BREAKING THE BOW: The 1st Annual Independent Asian Pacific Islander Performing Artists and Writers Festival October 22-25, 2009 at the
Miles Memorial Playhouse at 1130 Lincoln Blvd; Santa Monica, CA 90403.
In a time when Asian Pacific Islanders are coping with Hollywood movies that whitewash (or as Choy says, “yellow-out”) the API themes and
characters that inspired them or present hate crimes against APIs as humor, writer and actor Ken Choy brings his groundbreaking week-
long festival to Santa Monica.
The festival promotes positive, strong, empowering images of APIs through a variety of artistic expressions including film writing, acting,
performance art, music, dance, comedy, and playwriting. Bringing together the Hollywood, theater, and YouTube communities is just one of
the unique facets of the festival. Generational barriers as well as cultural barriers will also be broken down by the wide range of performers
slated to appear. The festival also promotes those who haven’t had the opportunity to break into either Hollywood or the theaters’ core
artists groups. It reaches out to up-and-coming artists as well as those who have chosen to be on the fringe.
“It’s all about instilling a sense of community. There’s something larger than just one village. ‘It takes many villages,’” says Choy. “And
within the festival, even at its earliest inception, I had artists whose work I idolize jumping in and offering their assistance. They’re saying, ‘I
just want to help out. I’ll do tech, I’ll find you sponsors, I’ll pass out flyers on the street if you want me.’ For me the festival is already a
success.”
That’s not to say Choy wants empty seats in Santa Monica. He has assembled prominent APIs to perform including pioneering theater
artist Jude Narita, actor/honorary mayor of Little Tokyo Rodney Kageyama, and performance artist Kristina Wong. According to the festival’s
website, www.Mapid.us, a multiple award-winning director, an API film icon, a nationally recognized entrepreneur/artist, and a leading API
playwright are some of the judges for Battle of the Pitches, a screenplay pitch competition and the Ten Minute API play contest.
Besides creating a web site page for each artist, staff, and even volunteer, Choy will offer space for the participants to promote themselves
at the venue.
“I know how it is. I’ve been an actor, playwright, professional shopper/Coupon King. I’m now a novelist, always an activist. I know how hard
it is to break in. But I know what our community is capable of. That’s what picture jumps into my mind when I say the festival’s title: a ship’s
bow cutting through the water. But also I think of the cessation of a bow, a form of respect, until we are shown respect. Then there’s the
story of Rama who broke Shiva’s bow, a sign of strength.”
However way the title is pronounced or interpreted, Breaking the Bow’s effects certainly will be evident, that of positivity.
Sponsored by Fox Diversity and East West Magazine.
| Friends of the Fest |
Thai Community
Arts and Cultural
Center
Arts and Cultural
Center
| Asian Pacific Health Care Venture |
| TeAda Productions' El Verde |
| Asian Arts Initiative |
Thursday October 22 8PM Ten
Minute API Play Contest
Performances with special guest star
Kristina Wong performance
Minute API Play Contest
Performances with special guest star
Kristina Wong performance
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