COME TO PAPA Has Nationwide Reach
PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) is pleased to announce “Come to PAPA,” a massive virtual performance festival taking place this June 10th-20th. With 34 events, 105 artists, and 21 cities, COME TO PAPA solidifies Philadelphia as a growing hub for Pan-Asian performance.
The festival’s programming features not only performances from PAPA’s long standing Mini Residency and Playwrights’ Project cohorts, but workshops, community meals, guided meditations, dance parties, and evensignature cocktails all aimed at celebrating the ingenuity and necessity of Philadelphia’s Pan-Asian performing artscommunity.
“Being an artist is so much more than the finished product you see on stage,” says Creative Director Cat Ramriez (they/she), “We wanted to create a festival that not only highlights those amazing performances, but offersopportunities for artists to develop their skills and audiences to learn more about our community.”
This won’t be PAPA’s first foray into such a multi-faceted happening. As a membership-based community and arts organization, Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists has spent the past 7 years creating work by and for artists of Pan-Asian descent. During the pandemic, PAPA shifted this work entirely online, welcoming a new cohort of writers into the Playwright’s Project, hosting monthly community events like pumpkin carving and craft nights, and presenting works-in-progress showcases.
“I’m looking forward to hearing the work of my fellow playwriting cohort be read aloud by local working actors!” says Associate Producer and Playwright’s Project member Crys Clemente (they/them), “All the pieces are so different and unique to each playwright and I feel like the directors and actors that were brought in are going to make some awesome stuff out of it.”
For the 10-day run of “Come to PAPA,” Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists is working with a variety of local and national arts organizations to make this festival a reality. Collaborators on one or more “Come to PAPA” events include Asian Arts Initiative, InterAct Theatre Company, Asian American Theatre Artists of Boston, Asian Pasifika Arts Collective, and Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival.
“In some ways, I feel like this is our thesis statement,” says Ramirez, “We want to create a world where local artists of Pan-Asian descent are thriving. This festival is one of the ways we’re getting there.”
WHAT: COME TO PAPA
WHERE: Zoom
WHEN: June 10th-June 20th
TICKETS: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35072
All tickets are Pay-What-You-Can. For our Community Meal series, we offer $20 Grubhub Vouchers to up to14 participants for each event.
ABOUT PAPA: Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) is a member-based community and arts organizationthat provides holistic artist care for 100+ Asian and Asian American artists in the Philadelphia area. Through social events, residency and professional development programs, grassroots organizing, and performance opportunities, we hope to empower our members and reflect the greater diversity of this city and its stories. phillyasianartists.com
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