Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre presents its inaugural Master Class production: The Theory of Everything
by Prince Gomolvilas
Roundhouse Performance Centre: Jan 10 - 11, 8pm & Jan 12, 2pm & 8pm
Pay-What-You-Can Preview: Jan 9, 8pm
Tickets $15 adult/$10 student & senior in advance from www.vact.ca or at door for $20
Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre tackles aliens and identity crisis and Las Vegas, with its Master Class production of The Theory of Everything, an award-winning play by Thai-American playwright Prince Gomolvilas at the Roundhouse, Jan 9-12, 2013.
The VACT Master Class production of this intelligent and emotional comedy brings together some of Vancouver¹s most exciting up-and-coming Asian-Canadian theatre artists Director Alfred Lui, and performers Alvin Tran, Aurora Chan and Quynh Mi, along with seasoned professional performers BC Lee (Red Letters, Flower Drum Song), Isaac Kwok (Red Letters, Flower Drum Song), Linda Leong Sum (The Forbidden Phoenix, Red Letters), and actor/filmmaker Yvette Lu (Food for the Gods). The Master Class, which has been running since September and culminates with this performance run, is mentored by veteran director, producer, writer, and actor Rick Tae (Leo Award winner for Godiva¹s, Director of VACT's Flower Drum Song).
The Theory of Everything is a delightfully witty, touching and ultimately uplifting comedy that looks at Asian-American identity across three generations. The play paints a comical tableaux of seven Asian-Americans (Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese) who gather atop a Las Vegas wedding chapel every week in search of UFOs. While scanning the skies, they gaze into each other's souls, and discover a unique personal bond as they search for a deeper meaning to their otherwise empty Vegas lives.
"This ensemble cast play is filled with moving and brilliantly written monologues for each character that make it the perfect production to allow the talents of Vancouver¹s next generation of Asian-Canadian performers to shine through," says Joyce Lam, Artistic Director of Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre.
Vancouver artist/Master Class mentor Rick Tae has been nominated for several Jessie Awards for his directing and producing. Believing there are not enough professional development opportunities for Asian-Canadian performers, he collaborated with VACT to create the inaugural Master Class workshop. In line with VACT¹s mandate, the Master Class aims to build an Asian community of next generation theatre professionals to better reflect Vancouver audiences. All ticket sales will go directly to funding next year's Master Class program.
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT: Prince Gomolvilas, whose writing combines intellectual Kevin Smith style pop-culture musings with the coruscating wit of Diablo Cody, is one of the foremost Asian-American playwrights and has won three major awards for this comedy the International Herald Tribune/SRT Playwriting Competition, the Julie Harris Playwright Award, and the PEN Center USA West Literary Award for Drama. His other plays include Big Hunk o' Burnin' Love, and the stage adaptation of the Scott Heim novel, Mysterious Skin.
³Gomolvilas's writing is tight, intelligent and funny . . . likeable characters and sharply written dialogue . . . a play worth seeing for its humor and humanity." - The Business Times, Singapore
"An uplifting look into the Asian-American identity. Gomolvilas does a stellar job of weaving witty, observational humor into serious subjects." - Northwest Asian Weekly
