End of Sunday, Beginning of Another Week

Life is filled with so many coincidences that I refuse to believe that they are all random.

Eat Drink Man Woman

Tonight I had the pleasure of watching Ang Lee's thoughtful film, "Eat Drink Man Woman," and I am definitely impressed. If you haven't seen this film, and you appreciate films that explore human relationships, asks the question "What makes people happy?" or just want to practice your Chinese, then I suggest you watch this film or at least put it on your to-do list. The characters in this film are carefully and realistically drawn and developed. The film's portrayal of food is simply mouthwatering, and the characters' progression throughout the course of the film is heartrending, heartfelt, and heartwarming.

Thank you Ang Lee, for a thoughtful film on human relationships. This is definitely one of those quality films that you'll be thinking about once it's all over. I wish I could find some Ang Lee interviews about this film online. Perhaps if you find any, you could let me know.

First Lecture in High School

Today I gave my first lecture on "The French and Indian War," a really interesting topic outlined by my mentor teacher. The students were really attentive, and treated me really well! I got applause at the end!

:-D

Health Care Article

For me, what I don't understand is how pretty much every other developed country has universal health care, while so many people in America really don't care about their friends and colleagues who don't have access to health care. Why isn't basic universal health care a human right? It's kind of depressing...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/health/13clinic.html?hpw

Michael Jackson and Beijing

I know this post is one of a bajillion that talks about Michael Jackson, but writing from Beijing, it's interesting to note how even here, in China, his death is being mourned/recognized. Riding the cab today, Michael Jackson's songs were being played at almost every station, including the news stations. What really made me think about him, however, was when I went to a famous club in Beijing (because two of my male compadres wanted to go), and Michael Jackson was being played even in their halls, unexpectedly. I couldn't imagine a better memorium for Michael Jackson than having a thriving, dancing, joyous international group of young adults, clubbing to his songs. Even though he stands accused of some questionable acts, I felt a deep sense of sorrow. It really hit me that he won't be able to enjoy the fruits of life anymore, just like so many others that we know and don't know of.

Partially why I felt so much sorrow was because my life has been completely, utterly, unexpectedly wonderful lately. I have never been this fortunate in my life, in terms of financial security; and more importantly, relationships with other people. My skeptical half keeps dreading the moment where all my good fortune runs out. But hopefully, it won't. We'll see.

Settling in Beijing.II

It's almost been a week since I last landed at the Beijing Capital International airport, and made my way, with a friend's help, to WuDaoKou, where I stayed at a youth hostel until I found my room where I'm at now.

Beijing hasn't changed much since ten months ago, which is nice in many ways.  I'm living on the north west side now, rather than the east-center side, so I'm in a new neighborhood.  A good friend who I went clubbing with almost every other night last summer just flew out to America... sadness.  I start teaching on Friday.

Blogspot, twitter, and youtube are all blocked in China, but you can definitely find your way around it if you use your college's VPN network.

Hit me up if you plan on being in Beijing!  Also, if you're interested in visiting Macau, I'm so, totally down.  My chinese cell is 13681279493.

At the Airport

I'm currently at LAX waiting for my flight to Seoul, and then to Beijing!  I'm really excited about this summer, it should be really good, but I don't want to set my expectations too high :-P.  

I can't believe it's the end of another school year.  My third year.  I'm going to be twenty-one soon!  I'm going to graduate soon!  I'm going to have to figure out how to write my research thesis to graduate though, and I'm going to have to figure out what I'm going to do with my life!!  Too bad couch potato isn't a very useful profession.

So long, for now, America!  I'll miss you dearly.  In the meantime, I get to buy things cheaply in China :-).

Come visit!

NYTimes article on Chinese Immigration

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/opinion/10iht-edeng.html?ref=global

HONG KONG — She’s an immigrant of the most traditional, stubborn sort, my mother, who recently turned 86 . Although she arrived in the United States from Hong Kong more than 40 years ago, Lai Wau Chiu Eng still speaks little English. Like my father, she had little interest in learning except for the few pidgin phrases they needed to run their “Chinese hand laundry” in New York.

Yay for AAA Players!

Read the full article here.

I'm so excited for spring break!

Now is Not for Denial

                The idea that there is little room for improvement in theater is troubling.  It carelessly dismisses the idea that we can expand the scope of Harvard theater to include more people and communities than are already involved.  Expanding the theater base at Harvard will lead to a more dynamic theatrical community and more dynamic theater.

                In an op-ed published March 9^th, “The New Era is Now[1],” Benjamin Glaser ’09 argues against the need for progressively reforming Harvard’s theater scene.  While I agree that Harvard theater is relatively egalitarian and open for all students, history and experience show that being egalitarian and open is not enough.  I believe that with some serious consideration and a few minor reforms, the theatrical experience at Harvard can be brought to new levels of innovation and artistic creativity, while at the same time increasing its relevance and relationship with new audiences and communities.

                Glaser alleges that socially conscious theater stifles “artistic dialogue to the censorship of political correctness.”  In my opinion, socially conscious theater and theater are one and the same.  What else do plays do but speak to the human and social conditions of the people that write, perform, and watch these shows?  To deny the relationship of most plays and social conditions is to deny the essence of what makes theater, and art in general, such a powerful force in analyzing, interpreting, and shaping society.

                A misunderstanding arises from the belief that I am espousing the idea of casting actors by their race through my reference to “fresh faces” in theater.  That is false.  While I believe in including more people in Harvard theater, there are ways to encourage theatrical diversity at Harvard without resorting to a form of social engineering.  In the op-ed[2] Glaser was responding to, I wrote that “I do not wish for a theatrical bent of affirmative action.”  Simple things such as developing more community theater groups and organizations at Harvard can significantly and economically increase the diversity of Harvard theater. 

                I am critical of Harvard theater in its current form because I believe it can be improved.  A substantive discussion, rather than casual dismissal, may explicate a few solutions. One of the major problems of Harvard theater is that there is too much demand for too few spaces.  In the play that I directed last semester, The Laramie Project, a hundred people auditioned for only fifteen slots.  When I took an acting class sophomore year at Harvard, nearly sixty people auditioned for twenty slots—for a beginning acting course!  With so many people expressing interest in being involved in theater, it is tragic that we allow so many to fall through the cracks when we have the ability—nay, the responsibility—to do something about it.   

                It would be a huge step forward if we could organize a community group at Harvard that allows anyone interested in theater to explore theater.  This group would not be hindered by physical limitations of existing performance spaces, and would also not be stopped by the economic limitations of hiring more faculty.  By virtue of offering this opportunity for all students to remain or become involved with theater, you will increase the diversity of theater at Harvard and the talent pool from which these shows can reach into to cast their shows. 

                Simply denying the need for anything more than an egalitarian method of casting, is unacceptable.  As the Report of the Task Force of the Arts at Harvard stipulates[3], “the arts—as they are both experienced and practiced—are irreplaceable instruments of knowledge.”  We have a duty to ensure that everyone at Harvard who desires has access to the theater and we also have a duty to keep pushing the boundaries of our art.

                There is almost always room for improvement.  I am asking people like Glaser to not be satisfied by the current state of affairs.  In the process, we may come up with something that improves the theatrical community at Harvard without compromising our artistic standards and expectations.

---

[1] http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=527017

[2] http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=526420

[3] http://www.news.harvard.edu/press/pressdoc/supplements/081210_ArtsTaskForceReport.pdf

Theater for a New Era

Published in The Crimson.

By making theater more diverse and multicultural, we can make it more imaginative and compelling for a larger group of people. Last week, common casting at Harvard offered a perfect time to reflect in what direction we want our theatrical productions to take and to keep in mind how we can make theater more inclusive and relevant in future seasons. 

Theater is not created in a vacuum but rather speaks to both our individual and social conditions. Kenneth Tynan, the influential English theater critic, wrote: “No theater could sanely flourish until there was an umbilical connection between what was happening on the stage and what was happening in the world.” For that reason, the goals of producing a show should be much larger than merely to create what happens onstage. 

We should communicate social messages. Moreover, our theater productions must provide an educational experience—not only for the cast and crew of that particular production—but also for the audience and community that the production encompasses. Sam Linden ’10, during a question-and-answer session for the recent production of “The Laramie Project,” quoted a friend who commendably stated: “Theater is education disguised as entertainment.”
 
But we continue to forget what the essence of theater can be. In order to stage a show that “looks good” and “looks right,” we confine ourselves to precedent rather than liberate our ability to enable change. We tend to emulate the productions that have been seen in the past. In this way, we pass up an opportunity to theatrically create something entirely different and unique. 

The quality of theater at Harvard is superb, but there is room for improvement. It should better reflect the community that it serves. The philosophy behind common casting, that anyone should have an equal opportunity for a role, is perfect in theory but relatively unsubstantiated in practice. Many lead roles are continually played by actors of the same stripe and who have always played those roles. 

Recently, there has been much work to make theater here more diverse and more inclusive. BlackCAST, for instance, made a point of staging a gender-neutral and color-blind production this past fall. Hopefully, with the arrival of a new dramatic arts concentration and graduate school, and with more theater courses offered, formal training for more people will be more available and accessible. 

However, this alone will not be able to resolve our problem of underrepresentation. More calculated risk-taking is needed, and better support in place to maximize the chance that cutting-edge productions can—and will—succeed. Simply, we should try to cast some actors who do not typically populate our major shows. For many outsiders, the world of Harvard theater is exclusive and relatively confined. It’s time to shake things up. 

I do not wish for a theatrical bent of affirmative action. Rather, I propose that directors and producers reevaluate what qualities they seek when they cast their actors and actresses. They should take a chance on recruiting fresh new faces. Students of multicultural backgrounds, who are traditionally underrepresented in theater, should not be discouraged by prior experiences. Instead, they should be able to keep training and auditioning for theater shows if the medium is truly something that they love. 

Cultural groups, if there is an interest, should host their own theatrical productions as a way to train talent and provide more theatrical experience for more actors. In staging their own shows, these groups may find that theater is a meaningful way to explore cultural identity as well as display to others their cultural contribution of art and artists. Cultural groups can provide support, as well as provide consistency, for diverse Harvard theatrical productions. 

During “The Laramie Project” pre-show panel, a show that I was fortunate to direct, Reverend Stephen Johnson noted that “The Laramie Project” is a play performed around the world. The reason why “The Laramie Project” was so popularly produced, he stated, was that people have found that the powerful message behind this one show is not just confined to one group of people in particular, but to all who face stereotypes and prejudice. The show is more popular and meaningful because of the diverse groups that perform it. 

One can find similar universality in almost any theatrical production. In choosing to make theater a more inclusive place, another dimension is added to the message behind the play and the production. Those involved in the theatrical productions at Harvard can connect with a greater number of the audience and make the theatrical experience more meaningful and significant. 


Jason J. Wong ’10 is a social studies concentrator in Quincy House.

Ready for a new op-ed :-)

Thoughts?  

We can make theater more imaginative, more compelling and more sympathetic to a larger group of people by making it more diverse and multicultural.

                Theater isn’t created in a vacuum.  Theater speaks to both our individual and social conditions.  Kenneth Tynan, an influential English theater critic, wrote “No theater could sanely flourish until there was an umbilical connection between what was happening on the stage and what was happening in the world.”  For that reason, the goals of producing a show should be much larger than to just shape what happens onstage.  When we produce a show, we should also communicate social messages, as well as provide an educational experience not only for the cast and crew of that particular production, but also for the audience and community that the production is a part of. 

                Sam Linden ’10, during a question and answer session for The Laramie Project, quoted a friend who stated that “theater is education disguised as entertainment.”  I wholeheartedly agree.

                Sometimes, however, we can get so caught up in details that we forget what the essence of theater is.  In order to stage a show that “looks good,” and “looks right” we may confine ourselves to precedent rather than liberate our ability to make change.  We get so caught up on emulating the shows that we’ve seen in the past that we pass up opportunities to create something entirely different and unique.

                The quality of theater at Harvard is superb, but still has room for improvement and can better reflect the community that it serves.  The philosophy behind common casting, that anyone should have an equal opportunity for a role, is almost perfect in theory but relatively unsubstantiated in practice.  How many lead roles are continually played by actors of the same stripe that have always played those roles?

                There has already been much work to make theater here more diverse and more inclusive.  BlackCAST, for instance, made a point of staging a gender-neutral and color-blind production this past fall.  Hopefully, with the arrival of a new Dramatic Arts concentration and graduate school, and with more theater courses offered, formal training for more people will be more available and accessible. 

                However, this alone will not be able to resolve our problem of under-representation.  What is needed is more calculated risk-taking, and better support in place to maximize the chance that cutting-edge decisions will succeed.  Quite simply, we should try to cast some actors who don’t typically populate our major shows.  For many outsiders, the world of Harvard theater is exclusive and relatively confined.  It’s time to shake things up.

                I do not wish for affirmative action of the theatrical bent.  Rather, I am asking that directors and producers to re-evaluate what qualities they look for when they cast their shows and take a chance on recruiting fresh new faces.  Students of multicultural backgrounds traditionally under-represented in theater should not be discouraged by prior experiences and keep training and trying out for theater shows if theater is truly something that they love. 

                Cultural groups, if there is an interest, should host their own theatrical productions as a way to train talent and provide more theatrical experience for more actors.  In staging their own shows, cultural groups may find that theater is a meaningful way to explore cultural identity as well as expose others to their cultural art and artists. Cultural groups can provide support, as well as provide consistency, for diverse Harvard theatrical productions.

                During The Laramie Project pre-show panel, Rev. Stephen Johnson noted that The Laramie Project is a play performed around the world in Africa, India, and a multitude of other countries.  The reason why The Laramie Project is so popularly produced, he stated, was because people have found that the powerful message behind this one show is not just confined to one group of people in particular, but to all who face stereotypes and prejudice.  The show is more popular, and meaningful, because of the diverse groups that perform it.   

                You can find similar universality in almost any theatrical production.  When you choose to make theater a more inclusive place, then you add another dimension to the message behind the play and the production.  You can connect with a greater number of the audience and make the theatrical experience more meaningful. And in the process, you can invigorate old themes with new significance.  

Post Found, Finally.

Finally found a copy of  The Crimson's review online.  I've been looking for this forever.  Thanks Matt for emailing me the link.

I'm appreciative of their positive response.  Nothing bad was said about the production!  And it seems that all our important messages were received.  :-)  My only complaint is that I wish it were longer :-P.  

So Happy

I have not been so happy in so long.  During tonight's performance of The Laramie Project, I laughed and cried, and being with the audience and soaking in the audience's reaction just made my emotional reactions just that much more pronounced.  It really means a lot to me that we could move people to tears and laughter and inspiration with just one play.  It means so much to me that our cast and crew would put so much effort in order to perform a play that is both powerful in meaning and emotion.  It means so much to me that tonight's performance would be utterly perfect, and I appreciate my cast raising me on their shoulders.  I really appreciate my friends, and blockmates and family for coming to see this show and share this experience with me.  It fills me with emotion, that beautiful light snowflakes would be falling to the ground on this wonderful, perfect evening.

Early Reviews

Stephen Johnson, who is featured in the play:

Congratulations on an outstanding opening night performace!  The afternoon panel was a great success, too.  We are grateful for the opportunity to come up and be a part of this project.  Kudos to you, your cast, crew and sponsors.  

From the director of the Harvard College Women's Center:

Huge congrats! the panel discussion and play were both so wonderful last night. I wanted to congratulate you for all of your hard work and for the amazing experience both were for me.

Congrats again and best to you and the cast for a great run this week! You should be VERY proud of what you've made possible here at Harvard.

From an Assistant Dean at Harvard College:

Allow me to add my congratulations as well.  The panel and production were very good and I was very impressed by the cast. 

Tim McCarthy, Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Adjunct Lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government:

Absolutely fabulous!  Bravo.

The Laramie Project

Don't miss it! 

The Office for the Arts at Harvard presents the Harvard premiere of:

The Laramie Project

by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project

A student independent production 
Directed by Jason Wong

Assistant Direction by Jacqueline Palumbo

Produced by Truc Doan and Karla Reyes

www.harvardlaramieproject.com

January 8 to 10, 2009 7:30 p.m.

January 10 and 11, 2009 2 p.m.

at The Agassiz Theater

$10 General Admission | $7 Students

Tickets available at The Harvard Box Office

The Laramie Project is a powerful docudrama derived from a compilation of interviews conducted by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project. The story centers on the entire community of Laramie, Wyoming and their reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard, the victim of a gay hate crime. Both retrospective and dynamic, heartbreaking and inspiring, The Laramie Project is an experience that you won't want to miss, and one that you won't forget! For more information on our production, including news and special events, please visit our website at www.harvardlaramieproject.com  

With a Special Harvard Laramie Project Panel Presentation

January 8, 2009 4:30 p.m.

at The Agassiz Theater

Free Admission!  RSVP at http://harvardlaramieproject.com/panel.html

We are very excited to announce that, in conjunction with the Nicholas Papadopoulos Fund, we will be hosting a special presentation with Romaine Patterson, Rev. Stephen Johnson and his wife, Rev. Penelope Toms.  All three lived in Laramie when the event occurred ten years ago, and are thrilled to be able to offer their perspective on what happened and be available to answer questions from the audience.  Romaine Patterson and Rev. Johnson are featured prominently in the play.  The panel will be moderated by Dr. Timothy McCarthy, and will be held prior to the opening night performance.  Please visit our website for more details!  http://harvardlaramieproject.com/panelists.html