A hereandnow retrospective

The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) presents [intro] retrospective in celebration of the 10th anniversary of LA's own hereandnow theatre company. Through a series of visually stunning vignettes that incorporate improvisation, music, comedy, dance and drama, hereandnow produces a comedic and touching theater of cultural identity. This one night only performance is on Saturday, June 2 at 8 pm. Tickets are: Reserved Seating $16; JACCC Members and Groups $12. For ticket purchase call the Japan America Theatre Box Office, 213-680-3700, Monday-Saturday, 12 noon -5 pm or Sunday after 12 noon on show days.

Hot off their successful LA run of Boba Stories: Tales from the hereandnow kitchen, hereandnow returns to the Japan America Theatre with their first retrospective show. For this special performance, the nineteen-member cast will perform a collection of new interdisciplinary theatrical works and classic pieces from the group&Mac226;s extensive repertoire that extends over the last decade. The company's moving, humorous and farcical skits explore identity issues and themes of racism, prejudice, pride, family and cultural customs to uncover what it means to be Asian in America. The well-crafted vignettes range from personal family stories to Korean and Chinese American folk tales, to a spoken word/poetry piece about a slain Filipino postal worker gunned down in the San Fernando Valley, to a musical about Speed Racer as the first Asian animated hero. [intro] retrospective will offer a kaleidoscopic "look at Angeleno Asian American life through intricate choreography with striking visual tableaux." (LA Weekly)

[intro] retrospective is the company's first major public presentation in their home base of Little Tokyo, L.A. Los Angeles has long been the hub and home of Asian American performance, from theatre, music, dance, to performance art. In [intro] retrospective, the company explores their artistic evolution and creative growth over a 10-year journey. Similar to acclaimed Chicano/Latino performance trio Culture Clash's recent 15-year Anthology, hereandnow revives pieces from past shows such as: The Eracism Tour, a serious and satirical examination of subtle prejudice and the dynamics of growing and surviving as an Asian American in the U.S. and East of America, an exploration of inter-racial conflict and the contemporary retelling of a traditional Korean folktale.

hereandnow is one of the nation's premiere and longest-running Asian American touring ensembles, having toured exponentially longer and to a wider audience than the Chicago-based 2 Tongues, San Francisco-based 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, or L.A.'s Club O' Noodles. Founded in 1990 as a response to the lack of roles available for young, Asian American artists, hereandnow prides itself on bringing their experiences as Asian Americans in L.A. to audiences across the country, and bringing the experiences of Asian Americans throughout the U.S. back home to L.A. audiences.

hereandnow has toured their theatrical productions for the past ten years, performing over 500 shows in over 100 cities throughout the U.S. and at colleges including Notre Dame, Penn State and Kansas University, at festivals, and conferences. For the past three years company members have been Artists-in-Residence at East Los Angeles College, in which time they produced the widely-acclaimed Romeo & Juliet Pinoy/Pinay Style and fentor. hereandnow's visual lyricism has been noted by the LA Weekly's Martin Hernandez who praised their Romeo and Juliet Pinoy/Pinay Style as "visually stunning."

Also featured as part of [intro] retrospective are guest performers Teatro Nueva Alma, a Chicano/Latino theatre company founded by hereandnow two years ago during their residency at East Los Angeles College. The Teatro was founded very much upon the same principles that hereandnow was ten years ago, and is now starting to tour colleges and universities throughout Southern California.

hereandnow's [intro] retrospective is presented as part of the JACCC's J-Town Beat series which is supported through local businesses. The Rafu Shimpo is the official media sponsor and AsianAvenue.com is the official internet sponsor for the J-Town Beat series. Pacific Bridge Companies is the corporate sponsor. Founding sponsors include Fukui Mortuary, Funakoshi-Ito-Aihara Insurance Services, Inc., Tokio Marine and Fire Insurance, Ltd., and Kirin Brewery.

For further information or to purchase tickets call the Japan America Theatre Box Office at 213-680-3700, Monday - Saturday open from 12 noon to 5 pm and Sundays on performance days from 12 noon.

For press information, please contact Rochelle Fabb at Loud Mouth Productions, (310) 823-6389.