Date: Tue, 30 Aug 94 03:18:54 -0400 From: Bryan Wu To: TANAKA Tomoyuki Subject: Here and Now (fwd) Tomoyuki, would you be interested in storing stuff like this on your www page? - Bryan ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 28 Aug 1994 00:55:15 -0700 (PDT) From:JLAI@POMONA.CLAREMONT.EDU To: apsu-post@uclink.berkeley.edu Subject: Here and Now From: BAMBI::DTAYLOR "DOUG 'DHUG' TAYLOR: 3-TOED SLOTHS ARE COOL." 23-AU G-1994 15:51:24.12 To: @HAN CC: @COOLPEOPLE Subj: Here and Now!!! Hi there, I'm asking you to do me a big favor. Please forward this message to friends who you think may be interested in having "Here & Now" perform at their school... or any friends who you think might have other friends who would be intersted. Get the picture? Basically, please circulate this around the Internet as much as possible and I will be most grateful to you for it. Thanx, Dhug ***** If interested, please either contact us yourself or encourage your school's Asian American organization(s) to do so... or both! Thanx! =3D) To contact "Here & Now"..... By phone: Please contact John Miyasaki at (310) 441-9615 By mail: John Miyasaki "Here and Now" 2043 Stratford Avenue South Pasadena, CA 91030 By e-mail: dtaylor@pomona.claremont.edu ***** "Here & Now" is a touring Asian-American theatre troupe that performs at colleges nationwide. The cast of about 20 is comprised almost entirely of Asian-Americans. Instead of presenting you with how "Here & Now" perceives itself, we prefer to let a few of the articles and letters that have been written regarding the group speak for us. To get in touch with Here and Now for more information regarding the show, please see the end of this message. The first article is from the June 1994 edition of "Transpacific" magazine: ***** _HERE AND NOW_ by Todd Leong Combining a broad mix of satire and introspective drama, an Asian American theatrical troupe is entertaining and informing a growing college audience across the U.S. It's early Sunday evening, and a troupe of tralveling players has gathered for dinner in a classroom at Occidental College in Eagle Rock, a suburb of Los Angeles. Surrounded by book bags, props, costumes and scripts, they crouch over boxes of the Colonel's fried chicken. I imagine them roaming the countryside in a converted school bus stopping in villages just long enough to put on their show underneath a recycled circus tent before taking off again on the backroads of the American landscape. Through the window I can see that just beyond the trees, the sky is changing from red and violet to purple and indigo. By the time night has fallen they have prepared for a night of play. In reality, there is no tour bus and they do not have the luxury of time to freely wander the countryside. Many have to fit the shows into their busy schedules as students, jetting out of state for long weekends and hustling back to LA to cram for their next midterm or to put the finishing touches on that hastily prepared term paper. The troupe is called "Here and Now," an Asian American theater ensemble that is making a name for itself on college campuses around the country. I recently spent some time with them at Occidental College, where they rehearse two nights a week led by former East-West player John Miyazaki. The group counts 15 people among its membership. They range in age from l9 to 30. Nine ot them attend various colleges in Southern California. Some drive for two hours from their homes in San Diego and Santa Barbara to attend the rehearsals. Many of the members are not training to become professionals and are involved in some other academic pursuit. It is the need to create and pertorm that brings this group together. With its growing popularity, Here and Now has expanded its schedule from just three shows a year to nearly one or two a month, and they have begun to perform for much larger audiences. "My first pertormance with the group was in a Roman Catholic church in Riverside and there were like 10 people in the audience, " says Nancy Yao, laughing. "It was embarrassing." This year, however, has taken them on a string of college appearances across the country. They performed in front of audiences of 300 to 400 at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, the University of Indiana in Bloomington, as well as the University of Houston and the University of Texas, Austin. When I paid them a visit, they had just finished a show at USC, where they were the featured act on the fourth night of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival. Within the next month they would travel to Penn State and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, where they would be appearring for the second time at the Midwest Asian American Students Union (MAASU) Conference. The response from college students around the country has been overwhelming, according to several members. I witnessed the most recent show at USC. It was met with thunderous applause and laughter by a boisterous, predominantly Asian American crowd of about 150 students. Audiences =D1 not only Asian American audiences =D1 have been waiting for something like Here and Now to come along, says Miyazaki. Of the audience at the University of Indiana, which was about half Caucasian, Miyazaki says, "They were surprised to find things that the y could relate to. They thought it just might be very ethnic. They were pleasantly surprised to find that it was very innovative and spoke to a lot of different people. Beyond its objectives of entertaining and informing audiences around the country, Here and Now provides a forum for its members to explore their identity without the constraints of the larger society. "There is just nothing like this around," says Miyazaki. He founded the troupe with a group of friends in l989 after bccoming frustrated with the scarcity of roles for young Asian American actors. When we first started doing the show, the hardest people to sell it to were other Asians," he says. They doubted that Asians were interested in theater or were even capable of theater." An actress begins reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Others join in singing "America" and "America the Beautiful" and they become a chorus of patriotic utterances. As they continue to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance and the songs their voices grow increasingly louder until they fill the auditorium with their shouting. They are silenced when they hear, from offstage a woman singing what sounds like a lullaby in a foreign tongue. They leave the stage in silence and the woman mysteriously drifts into full view as if she and her soothing song have arisen from the unconscious to the conscious. And so the show begins. It consists of vignettes thot reflect on a variety of Asian American expericnces. The broad ethnic diversity of the group, which includes people from Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Okinawan and Amerasian backgrounds, presents an image of unity on stage. The diversity is also expressed in some of their work =D1 a Vietnamese folk tale and a clever adaptation of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" with a Chinese Communist general who ordered the Tiananmen Square massacre as Scrooge and tennis star Michael Chang as the ghost of Christmas present. A mock talk show on "Asians Who Can't Do Math" hosted by the singing Pilipino Op(h)elia a spoof on the stereotypical Filipino auntie who greets all her guests with the question "Did you eat? We have adobo. You come with us later and eat." There is also a piece about a sister revealing her homosexuality to her brother. The piece serves double duty as it examines ues of race and sexuality by addressing the larger issue of a gay Asian community marginalized by its own people. "But you're Asian." says the brother as if race and sexuality were somehow genetically linked. Some of their most effective material is their comedy. Take for instance the piece known as "Asian Man," which brought the house down at USC. In his Supermanesque suit of yellow emblazoned with a big red "A," Asian Man breaks through glass ceilings with a single blow and teaches his sidekick, Twinkie Boy, to succeed in the world by learning about the powers of assimilation. Asian Man: You will grow up to have 2.3 children, live behind a white picket fence and drive two domestic cars that get bad gas mileage." Twinkie Boy: " Yes. I will." One of the reasons for the group's success with college crowds is its ablitiy to relate shared experiences, especially the ones usually repressed by Asian-Americans. This became very clear to me when I sat in on what seemed like an emotional jam session. Accompanied by a guitarist playing in the hackground to create a contemplative atmosphere, the members would stand and share stories ahout subjects that John Miyazaki would call out. "Prejudice" and "family" and then "theater." As I sat there listening to stories ahout relationships with parents and violent encounters with prejudice, I realized how much of a therapeutic process drama is for them. "If it weren't for Here and Now rehearsals, I'd probably slash my wrists," says one member facetiously. We have all gone throuth frightening experiences of racial abuse and have had problems communicating with our parents. We all have stories to tell. So theater provides these actors with a place to call their own, a kind of home, where they tell their stories and find release. By creating a forum for this kind of dialogue, they hope that they can do the same for their audiences. "I get to work with people who identify with me and write for audiences that understand," says Derek Nguyen, a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "And the fact that we don't charge admission is very important. This is theater reaching out to people, not people reaching out to us." Clearly they are having an effect as they usually receive more questions than they have time for during the Q&A session that they hold after the show. "After the Illinois show, a lot of people came up to me and they started telling me their whole life stories." says Nancy Yao. "Some had never seen an Asian American on stage before." Although their primary intention seems to be to entertain, as a group dealing with political issues Here and Now is certain to raise questions of ethnic representation. Group members readily admit that they do not have all the answers, but they hope to create theater that will at least ask what it means to be an Asian American. Now, if they only had that bus. ***** The next article is from "The Asian American", Spring 1991 edition. ***** Here & Now Asians pursue creativity and expression throught drama by Aidin Vaziri The main purpose of Here and Now is to entertain, but the show does have a message, emphasized John Miyasaki, the founder of the Asian American theater touring group. It's a show designed to promote Asian awareness through the arts. Some of the purposes of the show are to break different stereotypes and to spread consciousness and issues that affect Asian Americans. But the real basic reason is to prove that Asians can act. Comprised of a series of vignettes, Here and Now presents an Asian American multimedia show dealing with the history and experience of Asian Americans. The 11-member cast alternately perform in a series of segments that address the state of Asians in today's world. Against simple props and plain costumes, the actors' talents take the spotlight in a show which is both informative and amusing. Here and Now's performance is a journey full of stories, songs and experiences relating to the Asian Pacific heritage. The show brings out many emotions in the audence such as joy, bemusement, and above all, it instigates thought. Some segments include the marriage of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and China's Tiananmen Square massacre, a Connie Chung satire, a scene of high school love between an Asian couple that is unaware of the other's ethnicity (which has been disguised with sunglasses), set in the Twilight Zone, a bus station scenario on misunderstandings. Although the concepts for the skits are often abstract, the group's performance brings the ideas to life, and makes them comprehensible for the audience. Miyasaki, 22, started Here and Now roughly three years ago, as a one-man skit. He was inspired to do so while working at the Music Center in Los Angeles, when one of his co-workers remarked that there weren't enough Asian fok tales. That [comment] was shocking to me, Miyasaki recalled. It was just ignorance, but I realized that it wasn't this person's fault or the general public's fault. So I felt the need to express that we do have stories. Miyasaki took inspiration from the situation and set a goal for himself, however, reaching that goal was no easy task. Getting the mainstream interested in Asian American theater took some time because it was a fairly new concept, even through there is a long history of Asian theater, he explained. The biggest obstacle was the feeling amongst the Asian Americans themselves that there just wasn't any Asian American theater, that it couldn't be done. They felt that we had to start from zero. There was always the question of whether it was a valid art form, and that was the real problem. Eventually I found some really good people that wanted to do the same thing, and I personally found it exciting to work with other people. With the base laid out for Here and Now, Miyasaki soon realized that support for the group, which toured throughout Southern California colleges and universities, increased with every performance. People were usually very positive and very encouraging, he said. Once in a while we would get people who were really interested and wondered how we got started and they could get involved. Ever since, Miyasaki has added to the cast which currently numbers at 11, of four different Asian ethnicities-three Japanese, three Chinese, four Koreans, and one Pilipino. The group is mostly comprised of college students, but the messages presented throughout the group's performances are universal, regardless of age or ethnicity. There's something very special about this group, said Ceci Hyoun, 18, one of the cast members. Not only do I enjoy the people that perform in it, but also the material that we perform. There are a lot of Asians in Southern California, especially third and fourth generation. I think some are discouraged by performing, because they think all that is out there are American stories. So there is a whole cultural outlet there that has been untapped. People have so far been indifferent to what's available. However, Miyasaki and his group are out on a mission to change this indifference, aiming to get more people involved. Our purpose is to communicate with Asians, especially at the college level, stressed Miyasaki. Ideally, we hope that more groups will follow our example, but ultimately I think it inspires people to get involved. Maybe they don't always form a group, but they realize that they can do what we do. I think there's a lot of interest in theater within the Asian community, and it's not always people who want to devote their whole lives to it. There is, however, always an exception such as cast member Jason Kakimoto, who expressed a noncommittal nod towards pursuing acting as a career, even though he may be going against his parents' more traditional Asian vision of success and earning a living. My mother has always been supportive of what I do, so the thought [my involvement with Here and Now was great, Kakimoto explained. My father was surprised. At first, I didn't tell him I was doing anything like this. Once I did, he didn't openly disapprove, it was more like So, what are you doing? I'm going to graduate in June, and he's always pushing me to pursue business, he continued. That's what I thought I wanted to do when I enterd college, but then I got involved in this, and all of the sudden acting has been something that I've given some serious thought to. It's something diffficult, to make a living as an actor. It's so difficult that you've practically got to be willing to starve. For the near future, I can work and do this at the same time. But if I get serious about it, it's going to take up most of my time, going to auditions and interviews and getting rejected, mostly. Getting rejected is hard. That's why I enjoy this, it is ongoing, but it doesn't take up all my time. So, hopefully when I graduate I can find a job and continue doing this. It can be trying on an artist, and I think all the people that are involved with it are more involved with it than just a show, Miyasaki added. It's a real ensemble show, its not predominantly one person. There's a lot more at stake than personal gain. That makes it more rewarding. I never ask myself what qualifies me for this position, if I did, I probably wouldn't be doing it, he concluded. I think there are a lot of people that are more qualified, but I enjoy it, so it's not really a concern. A lot of my education on topics comes from student feedback, and a lot of it by trial and error. I feel it's important to have commmunication with our audiences, because they're the ones that validate what we do. ***** The following article is from UC San Diego - ***** Here and Now: The Contemporary and Progressive Style of a New Breed of Asian Americans by Jen Le I remember the first performance of Here and Now that I attended. I was a junior at UC San Diego when the name first reached my ears. It sparked an interest in me, as well as dozens of other UC San Diego students, because of its all Asian cast and its reputation as an outstanding acting troupe. Friends and associates that were familiar with the acting troupe and its performance had been raving about the show for weeks. Calendars were marked evenings we re set aside by some hundred or so UC San Diego students. The audience was composed of about a hundred students, with a sprinkle of staff and faculty. Although the majority of the audience was Asian American, racial and ethnic diversity was visible throughout the small theatre in which Here and Now was to perform. We came in anticipation and expectation of seeing ourselves mirrored on stage by an acting troupe that came specifically to share and present stories common to many Asian Americans, amidst a sea of mainstream drama. Needless to day, the performance was truly incredible in its ability to move and sway the audience. I left that performance feeling whole and connected, just as I had at last year's show, which was titled "Pride of the People. " I exited the theatre feeling exactly that; proud to be American, proud to be Asian, proud to be an Asian American, proud to be me. There are few words that can completely express the inner joy and peace found through the communication between audience and actors. Regardless of the fact that you may be Asian American, audiences of all races leave the theatre feeling touched and enlightened by the unique experience of sharing in the stories that a culture has to tell. This year, Here and Now, once again performed at UC San Diego. This time, 250 people filled a small lounge to watch the show, "The Road Together." 250 people sat side by side, stood against walls, and blocked doorways to watch Here & Now's series of vignettes. 250 people were enchanted and hypnotized by a small acting troupe brought to their school by their APSA (Asian and Pacific Islander Student Alliance). Next year, Here and Now will be asked to perform once again at UC San Diego, as they have been invited back year after year, even season after season, to many college campuses across California. Here and Now was conceived four years ago in Los Angeles by a group of Asian American actors. They wanted to address the need, in traditional contemporary American theatre, for stories to tell and for role models that appealed to Asian Americans. The original cast started out with pieces that dealt with such subjects as the communication exchanges between different Asian American races. Although the show first started out slowly, due to the public's minimal reception of an all Asian acting troupe, the persistance of the group and the superb quality of the performance eventually provided the grounds with which Here and Now could proceed. Now, four years later, Here and Now tours high schools, colleges, and multi-ethnic/multi-cultural conferences with its show across California, as well as a few other states. Many people have called it an "advocacy" show because it deals with prevalent and current social issues. The show is meant to entertain audiences while simultaneously sending forth a message. The cast includes Japanese Americans, Korean Americans, Chinese Americans, Vietnamese Americans, a Thai American, and Philipino Americans amongst others. Each show, every year, is comprised of a series of vignettes that address relevant issues and topics that can be racial, ethnic, social, sexual, or cultural. One truly powerful characteristic of Here and Now's vignettes is its use of the many mediums of theatre. From a diverse range of mediums such as poetry and musicals to dramas and dance, they are bound to touch the personal entertainment particular of everyone in the audience. In addition, each show is ended with a short discussion between audience and cast in order to cross the line between stage and audience and foster the familiarity and commonality of actors and audiences. During this time, questions on vignettes are discussed as well as particular curiosities that the audience may have about the cast and their work. It is this discussion segment that singularizes Here and Now from any other peformance troupe. It is this continual emphasis on entertainment and touching people, this need to link the audience to the show, that is the beauty of Here and Now. Thus, Here and Now has proven to be one of the most sensitive and brilliant shows seen in college campuses across California. It has the true ability with its diverse and talented cast and its wide vantage of theatrical mediums and subject matter, its theatrical style of communication to understanding shared lives with the soul of each and every one of its audience members. It is with this extraordinary power that Here and Now has touched the lives of 250 students at UCSD and thousands state wide. ***** Here and Now also receives many letters of appreciation after the shows it performs. Below are two letters, one from the director of the USC Asian Pacific American Student Services, and the second from a member of the audience at recent show who also participated in a workshop that "Here & Now" held. ***** Mr. John Miyasaki "Here and Now" 2043 Stratford Avenue South Pasadena, CA 91030 May 1, l990 Dear John: Thank you very much for bringing "Here and Now" onto the USC campus last month. The performance was very powerful and creative and provided a good forum for advocating racial and ethnic awareness through a multitude of mediums. The audience's response as well as comments after the performance validate the effectiveness of your performance. There is very few resources that do what you do in a manner that is attractive to college-age populations. I sincerely appreciate the efforts that "Here and Now" are making in the areas of both theater arts and racial and ethnic awareness. Once again, thank you. We look forward to working with you in the years to come. Furthermore, if there is anything that we can do for you, don't hesitate to give me a call. Sincerely, Jeff Murakami Director USC APASS ***** To all the cast of here & now: 1:30pm 3/27/94 (after brunch...) I had a letter planned out, but then I decided that free thought would be better. Mostly I wanted to say thanks to everyone for overwhelming me with emotion and exposing me to the issues in a way that can be truly felt. I think I'll be telling my friends who missed the great opportunity of seeing youall perform how "you had to be there." I'll remember the feelings because I wrote them down. I don't claim a good memory of feelings, and this is something I couldn't bear to forget. It seems you all find so much joy in your work and sharing of yourselves. I'm so happy to have been a part of it all - from workshop to the show... It made me focus on joy and learning and forget everything else for awhile. THANK YOU!! for the flow of tears and laughter. Love, Tina Class of 1995 ***** Interested in Here & Now? Contact us yourself or encourage your school's Asian American organization(s) to contact us (or do both!!!) Thanx! =3D) By phone: Please contact John Miyasaki at (310) 441-9615 By mail: Mr. John Miyasaki "Here and Now" 2043 Stratford Avenue South Pasadena, CA 91030 By e-mail: dtaylor@pomona.claremont.edu