Workshop Recap

More than 50 people came out on May 20th to PAL Theatre to take part as an audience for this first look at “Red Letters”, a work in progress by Alan Bau and Kathy Leung. After the stage reading, attendees enjoyed Lulu Island Winery samplings and Ganache Patisserie petit fours while discussing their impressions and providing feedback to the writers and cast.

Direction for the stage reading was provided by Rick Tae and featured Josette Jorge, Alan Wong, Donna Soares, Raugi Yu, BC Lee, Jimmy Yi and Andrew Cohen.  Piano accompaniment by Charmaine Liu.  Musical Direction provided by Yawen Wang.  Many thanks to Elwin Xie, Technician. 

What now? Further development of “Red Letters” is in the works in preparation for the play’s opening November 26th at The Roundhouse and December 30th at The Gateway Theatre. Tickets go on sale November 1st, 2010.

Click to view Facebook photo gallery.

18 Mighty Mountain Warriors HOOT Camp
11TH Annual Asian Comedy Night
Saturday, June 5th 2010 at 8pm
Sunday, June 6th 2010 at 7pm

Back by popular demand from 2009 for their very own show are: The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors (18mmw) from Los Angeles! This group has garnered three awards including the 2007 Emmy Award “Mighty Warriors of Comedy”, the 2006 International Sketch Comedy Championships, and the 2005 Bay Area’s Best Comedy Troupe award. They continue to rock the San Francisco Bay Area and San Jose with their unique blend of Asian and political themed sketches.

18mmw have been a sketch comedy group since 1994 and have performed in New York City, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix, among other cities. Inspired by groups such as Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Culture Clash, SNL, and Kids in the Hall, their irreverent style of sketch comedy ranges from slapstick to political and takes no prisoners.

Check them out on their website at http://www.18mmw.com/

Hosted by Elliot Chan

Buy your tickets early – sells out yearly!

Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 at door
Tickets at the Roundhouse or by phone at 604.713.1800.
Group Rates, please call 778.885.1973

Stage Reading – Thursday, May 20, 2010 @ 7:30pm
PAL Theatre
581 Cardero Street, Vancouver

Red Letters is an original play written by Alan Bau and Kathy Leung with music composed by Alan Bau about a Chinese immigrant, Liang, who comes to Canada to seek his fortune and leaves his wife, Mei, in China with the hopes of bringing her over once he establishes himself.  However, due to the Canadian laws in the 1920s, a head tax of $500 Canadian was required to bring any immigrant of Chinese descent to Canada.  As this was a huge sum of money to pay, Liang was unable to save enough before the Exclusion Act of 1923 made it impossible for him to bring his wife over.  Desperate to see Mei again, Liang borrows money and leaves for China to bring her home to Canada.

Future Performances scheduled for:

• Vancouver – 10 shows

November 26 – December 4, 2010
at the Roundhouse Performance Centre

• Richmond – 10 shows

December 30 – January 8, 2011
at Gateway Theatre, Studio B

Tickets available on November 1, 2010

Red Letters was funded by the Community Recognition Program
with Citizenship and Immigration Canada,
Roundhouse Performance Centre and Gateway Theatre.