AATC presents TELEMONGOL (Jan07)

Celebrating 34 years of connecting people to Asian American culture through theater, San Francisco’s acclaimed Asian American Theater Company (www.asianamericantheater.org) continues its season with TeleMongol -- a 70 minute sketch comedy spectacularly directed by Hollywood television director Henry Chan – and initiates a bold new collaboration with San Jose’s Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene (CATS) ensemble. Performances of TeleMongol will be at San Jose’s Theatre on San Pedro Square.

“TeleMongol is a satirical response to all those Asian American cable television networks out there struggling to survive,” said Sean Lim, AATC Artistic Director calling the TeleMongol team “the up and coming comedians of our day” whose timing and edginess calls to mind the best of Comedy Central and Saturday Night Live during its prime. “We all want to have television that tells the history, traditions and values of our culture -- but what happens when only the trashy TV programs sell?”

Written as a collaborative piece between Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and three of the nation's most renowned Asian American comedy troupes -- Cold Tofu, 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, and OPM -- TeleMongol uses the sketch comedy format to tell the story of AHOLE-TV (Asia Home of Language Entertainment), a fictional cable network with a mission to create programming by and for the Asian Pacific American community. The show takes a satirical look at both the behind-the-scenes politicking at the station and the programs chosen to air. Skewering everything from the issues faced by ethnic media to well-known icons like Genghis Khan and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il, TeleMongol promises to be an irreverent look at contemporary Asian American pop culture.

In addition, TeleMongol presents a tongue-and-cheek preview of the original programming AHOLE-TV will air. Some of the new shows include The Dr. Pho Show, a talk show hosted by local nail salon owner Dr. Pho; reality show The Asian Surreal Life featuring housemates George Takei, Sammo Hung, Bai Ling and Rick Yune; and a special presentation by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il and friends in the tradition of Jay Leno or David Letterman. Veteran TV director Henry Chan will direct. For six years, Chan was the principal director for the UPN sitcom Moesha (starring Brandy) and his other directing credits include episodes of The King of Queens, Scrubs and Lloyd Suh’s play Masha No Home for East West Players.

TeleMongol stars Corinne Chooey, Ewan Chung, Robert Covarrubias, Henry Hayashi, Denise Iketani, Charles Kim, Jully Lee and Greg Watanabe.

TeleMongo iswritten by Robert Covarrubias, Michael Chi Ming Hornbuckle, Charles Kim, Aaron Takahashi, Wanru Tseng and Peter J. Wong. TeleMongol is directed by Henry Chan. TeleMongol is produced by Ewan Chung, Michael Chih Ming Hornbuckle, Wanru Tseng, Greg Watanabe and Peter J. Wong. Writing Supervisor is Philip W. Chung. Stage Manager is Luis Delgado. Set Designers are Alan E. Muraoka and Wanru Tseng. Lighting Designer is Christopher M. Singleton. Sound Design/Music is by Dennis Yen. Costume Designs are by Ivy Y. Chou. The Technical Director is Brian P. Nichols. Choreographers are Denise Iketani and Wanru Tseng. Production photographers are Michael C. Palma and Shane Sato. Graphic Designers are Wanru Tseng and Andy Wang

The Asian American Theater Company season returns to San Francisco for Stop Kissby Diana Son (April 12 – 29) at the Buriel Clay Theater for and Michael Golamco’s Cowboy vs. Samurai ( July 12 – 29) at the Eureka Theatre (215 Jackson Street, San Francisco).

“I'm so glad we are able to collaborate with these sketch comedy groups and Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene (CATS) to bring it down to San Jose,” Lim continues. “For the next six months, we're trying out a partnership between AATC and CATS to create a theater company that serves both cities. We're starting that off with TeleMongol and we couldn't be happier with the choice.”

The mission of the Asian American Theater Company (AATC) is to connect people to Asian American culture through theater. Founded by Chinese American playwright Frank Chin in 1973 to develop and present original works of theater about Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, AATC is widely regarded as the birthplace of the contemporary Asian American theater movement. Today it produces professional theater productions, develops and commissions new playwrights, and reaches into the community through conservatory classes and community-based theater projects.

“AATC is committed to producing groundbreaking, entertaining and innovative art,” said Lim. “We are not only a production company, but also a workshop where Asian Pacific Islander writers, actors and directors can explore ideas, understanding that we won't always know where those ideas will lead. Whether these works end up in video, on film or on stage, they carry with them the Asian American Theater's purpose: to explore who we are as a people and a community, and in so doing, to bring us closer together. Through our productions, training program and young artists' workshops, Asian American Theater Company continues to serve as a focal point for the talents of established and emerging Asian Pacific Islander American playwrights, actors, directors, designers and technicians.”

TeleMongol will run February 9 – 18 San Jose’s Theatre on San Pedro Square (29 North San Pedro Street). Showtimes are Fridays & Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm; Sundays at 2pm. Ticket prices are $10 general, $7.50 student/senior/groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets call 1 800-838-3006 or go online to www.brownpapertickets.com. To learn more about the Asian American Theater Company go online to www.asianamericantheater.org

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	AATC presents TeleMongol Celebrating 34 years of connecting people to Asian American culture through theater, San Francisco’s acclaimed Asian American Theater Company (www.asianamericantheater.org) continues its season with TeleMongol -- a 70 minute sketch comedy spectacularly directed by Hollywood television director Henry Chan – and initiates a bold new collaboration with San Jose’s Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene (CATS) ensemble. Performances of TeleMongol will be at San Jose’s Theatre on San Pedro Square. “TeleMongol is a satirical response to all those Asian American cable television networks out there struggling to survive,” said Sean Lim, AATC Artistic Director calling the TeleMongol team “the up and coming comedians of our day” whose timing and edginess calls to mind the best of Comedy Central and Saturday Night Live during its prime. “We all want to have television that tells the history, traditions and values of our culture -- but what happens when only the trashy TV programs sell?” Written as a collaborative piece between Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and three of the nation's most renowned Asian American comedy troupes -- Cold Tofu, 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, and OPM -- TeleMongol uses the sketch comedy format to tell the story of AHOLE-TV (Asia Home of Language Entertainment), a fictional cable network with a mission to create programming by and for the Asian Pacific American community. The show takes a satirical look at both the behind-the-scenes politicking at the station and the programs chosen to air. Skewering everything from the issues faced by ethnic media to well-known icons like Genghis Khan and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il, TeleMongol promises to be an irreverent look at contemporary Asian American pop culture. In addition, TeleMongol presents a tongue-and-cheek preview of the original programming AHOLE-TV will air. Some of the new shows include The Dr. Pho Show, a talk show hosted by local nail salon owner Dr. Pho; reality show The Asian Surreal Life featuring housemates George Takei, Sammo Hung, Bai Ling and Rick Yune; and a special presentation by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il and friends in the tradition of Jay Leno or David Letterman. Veteran TV director Henry Chan will direct. For six years, Chan was the principal director for the UPN sitcom Moesha (starring Brandy) and his other directing credits include episodes of The King of Queens, Scrubs and Lloyd Suh’s play Masha No Home for East West Players. TeleMongol stars Corinne Chooey, Ewan Chung, Robert Covarrubias, Henry Hayashi, Denise Iketani, Charles Kim, Jully Lee and Greg Watanabe. TeleMongo iswritten by Robert Covarrubias, Michael Chi Ming Hornbuckle, Charles Kim, Aaron Takahashi, Wanru Tseng and Peter J. Wong. TeleMongol is directed by Henry Chan. TeleMongol is produced by Ewan Chung, Michael Chih Ming Hornbuckle, Wanru Tseng, Greg Watanabe and Peter J. Wong. Writing Supervisor is Philip W. Chung. Stage Manager is Luis Delgado. Set Designers are Alan E. Muraoka and Wanru Tseng. Lighting Designer is Christopher M. Singleton. Sound Design/Music is by Dennis Yen. Costume Designs are by Ivy Y. Chou. The Technical Director is Brian P. Nichols. Choreographers are Denise Iketani and Wanru Tseng. Production photographers are Michael C. Palma and Shane Sato. Graphic Designers are Wanru Tseng and Andy Wang The Asian American Theater Company season returns to San Francisco for *Stop Kissby Diana Son (April 12 – 29)* at the Buriel Clay Theater for and Michael Golamco’s Cowboy vs. Samurai ( July 12 – 29) at the Eureka Theatre (215 Jackson Street, San Francisco). “I'm so glad we are able to collaborate with these sketch comedy groups and Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene (CATS) to bring it down to San Jose,” Lim continues. “For the next six months, we're trying out a partnership between AATC and CATS to create a theater company that serves both cities. We're starting that off with TeleMongol and we couldn't be happier with the choice.” The mission of the Asian American Theater Company (AATC) is to connect people to Asian American culture through theater. Founded by Chinese American playwright Frank Chin in 1973 to develop and present original works of theater about Americans of Asian and Pacific Islander descent, AATC is widely regarded as the birthplace of the contemporary Asian American theater movement. Today it produces professional theater productions, develops and commissions new playwrights, and reaches into the community through conservatory classes and community-based theater projects. “AATC is committed to producing groundbreaking, entertaining and innovative art,” said Lim. “We are not only a production company, but also a workshop where Asian Pacific Islander writers, actors and directors can explore ideas, understanding that we won't always know where those ideas will lead. Whether these works end up in video, on film or on stage, they carry with them the Asian American Theater's purpose: to explore who we are as a people and a community, and in so doing, to bring us closer together. Through our productions, training program and young artists' workshops, Asian American Theater Company continues to serve as a focal point for the talents of established and emerging Asian Pacific Islander American playwrights, actors, directors, designers and technicians.” TeleMongol will run February 9 – 18 San Jose’s Theatre on San Pedro Square (29 North San Pedro Street). Showtimes are Fridays & Saturdays at 7pm & 10pm; Sundays at 2pm. Ticket prices are $10 general, $7.50 student/senior/groups of 10 or more. To purchase tickets call 1 800-838-3006 or go online to www.brownpapertickets.com. To learn more about the Asian American Theater Company go online to www.asianamericantheater.org Home \| News \| Calendar \| Directory \| Library \| Plays Copyright 2007, Roger W. Tang Questions? Email