Thanks to the support of the CAATA community (you!), CAATA (the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists) have been able to shine a light on the vibrant, growing and changing field of Asian American theater for 12+ years. Join CAATA’s Indiegogo campaign to put on the 6th National Asian American Theatre Conference / Festival this August in Chicago! Donations are tax-deductible and come with rewards at every level. You can help us reach our goal of $8,000 before May 11 by sharing this article or our Indiegogo page with your friends and colleagues far and wide.
The Revue is now a CAATA board member, but CAATA has always been important to us as an advocate for #AsianAmerican theater and as an artist.
The Asian American Theatre Revue, had always been a resource for spreading news about Asian American theatre; the archives go back to the early 90s. But it wasn’t until 2007. when CAATA sponsored the first conference, the Next Big Bang, that I was actually able to meet, in person, all the artists I’ve written about, and see some of the stage magic I’d only heard about. Being in the room where it happens was mesmerizing and empowering, allowing me to advocate even more fiercely on the need for Asian American theate.
CAATA is important for cross pollinating theatre artists across the nation to incubate new ideas and new art. How else could LA and Seattle artists work with a New York writer under a Minneapolis director to develop a new piece that garnered wild critical praise wherever it’s been produced? And how else could my group, Pork Filled Productions, spread its mission of bringing larger than life heroes in unexplored genres to new stages and new audiences? Asian American steampunk cowboys are kinda cool, no?
And future plans?! A database of members so theatres from Arkansas to Montana to Montreal to Massachusetts can hire Asian American talent? Collaborations between Asian American theatres across the country? And (dare we dream it) rolling world premieres?
Get in on the excitement! Make it happen in Chicago and across the continent. Give to CAATA’s campaign for this year’s Con/Fest! $10 is cool. $100 is cool. It’s ALL cool.
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