On March 31, 2010 my beloved mother
Momo passed away in Los Angeles. She was 84. Momo was at home,
as she would have wished, and surrounded by my three sisters.
I'm grateful for that small blessing. I was in Philadelphia
at the time and returned home the next morning...
Just confirmed, Dan is super-excited to return to UMass Amherst this coming Fall to perform as a guest of the Asian Arts and Culture Program under the leadership of Ranjanaa Devi. Ranjanaa brought Dan and Peng back in 2006 for their duet "Sleeping With Strangers", and now Dan will be performing the re-worked version of IG2BA! Stay tuned for more details...
ONCE WE WANTED
New trailer with short clips from the show. Dan & Iu-Hui are continuing to develop their recent interdisciplinary multimedia piece about relationships, connection & alienation in our Facebook/Twitter/Skype society. (see below for more info about the work-in-progress showing last year) Stay tuned!
Redlands, CA
"PERFORMING IDENTITIES"
University of Redlands, Glenn Wallichs Theater
January 28, 2012 - After many years, Dan returned to UOR to perform excerpts from IT'S GREAT 2B AMERICAN plus STATION WAGONS OF LIFE, on a mixed bill with Leo Garcia and Doug Hammett as part of the UOR "Performing identities" solo performance series. It was a blast! The audience was laughing & crying and Dan had a great time as well. Also included was a post-show Q&A and a lovely reception at Prof. Chris Beach's beautiful home. U of Redlands rocks!
ON THE INTERNET:
"MOTTAINAI"
Dan's funny new environmental music video, created this spring with Nobuko Miyamoto and Great Leap, is now online. With over 30,000 views, it's been seen in every state of the U.S. and increasingly around the world!
Please check it out, share it with your friends, and pass the word about living a less wasteful lifestyle!
Los Angeles, CA.
GRANDMAS, GRAPES, AND GONGGI-NORI
Report from Korea
Dan's video presentation about his experiences in Korea earlier this year, when he went to teach a storytelling workshop for elderly rural women on Seongam island in South Korea.
This project was made possible by a Culture Exchange International grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.
Santa Barbara, CA.
TRUE TALES AND CLEVER LIES
Univ. of California Santa Barbara, Multicultural Center Theater
May 26, 2011 - Dan returned to the MCC after many years to perform excerpts from IT'S GREAT 2B AMERICAN and ONCE WE WANTED. Thanks to Kip Fulbeck for the local hospitality and the great meeting with his students!
Los Angeles, CA.
MOTTAINAI & ORDER TO GO
Tateuchi Forum, National Center for the Preservation of Democracy
June 5, 2011 (World Environment Day) - The premiere screening of Dan's new environmental music video, MOTTAINAI, created in collaboration with Nobuko Miyamoto and Great Leap's community of artists! Also on the day were live two performances of "ORDER TO GO" (see report from Sept. 11, 2010), workshops on greener living, and lots of fun! www.greatleap.org.
Santa Monica, CA.
ONCE WE WANTED
Highways Performance
Space
May 13-14, 2011 - Dan and Iu-Hui Chua gave a work-in-progress presentation of their brand new interdisciplinary collaboration. O.W.W. is a funny, philosophical, playfully sexy, deeply
intimate and personal exploration of what it means to truly be connected with somebody. Full of surprises, Kwong and Chua incorporate dance, theater, poetry, comedy, puppetry, martial arts, and song in a dense but fast-paced collage of vignettes. This is Kwong's first major production since the passing of his mother in 2010, and this piece is partly a tribute to her and her legacy of love.
Dan and Iu-Hui are eager to continue developing this production, and look forward to bringing it around the country!
Los Angeles, CA.
MOTTAINAI
Music Video Production
April 16, 17, 2011 - Over two intense long days of work, Dan directed the shooting of the newest environmental music video for Great Leap! Glad to say it went very well and we got some great footage.
Featuring another song by longtime colleague Nobuko Miyamoto, MOTTAINAI is a call to remember the wisdom of our ancestors when it comes to cherishing the earth's resources and avoiding thoughtless waste.
We had a terrific hard-working crew - Jon Edwards our Cameraman, Bob Miyamoto our Key Grip (and Nobuko's brother), Anna Woo our 1st Asst. Director, and many more. Truly a community project, we couldn't have done it without the support of many people, including our many Kickstarter funders. Thanks to all!
Laramie,
WYOMING
A Slice of Rice, Frijoles & Greens
University
of Wyoming at Laramie
April 7, 2011 - Dan was on the road with his Great Leap
colleagues Chic Streetman and D'Lo, to perform at the University of Wyoming as part of the annual Shepard
Symposium on Social Justice. They treated us wonderfully, and we did okay performing at 1.5 miles above sea level! (huff, puff)
Norton, MASSACHUSETTS
TRUE TALES from the Son of a Wheaton Grad
Wheaton College, Kresge Experimental Theatre
March 31, 2011 - The universe smiled with a truly ironic bit of scheduling as Dan performed at his mother's alma mater on the exact one year anniversary of her passing. In tribute to her, I performed various excerpts which featured her presence. Included in the show was a screening of the documentary I produced about Momo's 60th college reunion, when she received the Alumni Achievement Award in 2007, a high point in her life. I also read a new narrative poem specifically about Momo and the indelible impression she made on her male offspring.
Several of my mother's dear friends from the class of 1947 made it to the show (one driving 70 miles through a snowstorm to get there), and their presence made it that much more powerful. One of the most emotional performances of my life, it wasn't just "a show" - it was more like a memorial tribute to my mother.
While at Wheaton I was housed in a gorgeous 1960's guesthouse on campus which was designed by the legendary architect/designer Walter Gropius (with whom Momo's older brother Daisuke studied after the war!).
I also conducted a mini-performance workshop with Wheaton students, and an off-shoot of this visit was the possibility of Wheaton College acquiring one of my mother's weavings for their collection.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip!
South
Korea
FROM INNER WORLDS
Gyeonggi Creation
Center, Seon-gam Island
February 3-28, 2011: Dan recently returned from another residency in Korea, returning to G.C.C. some 14 months after his participation in the pilot program there in Fall of 2009. What was intended as a storytelling workshop for rural elderly Korean women turned out to be a classic example of the "students" teaching the "teacher". It was deeply moving to be with these spirited, funny, warm and caring women. Ranging from mid-60s to mid-80s in age, they were a delightful bunch who welcomed me into their community with such graciousness and generosity. It was impressive to see how different the situation is for elders in that rural setting. They spend virtually every day together hanging out in the senior center: eating meals, playing "Go-Stop" (a card game based on the Japanese game of Hanafuda), singing karaoke, and just being together. Their situation is a striking contrast to the isolation most seniors have to deal with in urban America. Many of these women still work in the fields on their grape farms. They were so down-to-earth and real, it was love at first sight for me. I think they taught me more than I taught them.
The project was funded in part by a Culture Exchange International
Grant from the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.
CALIFORNIA
Calavereando V
Highways,
Santa Monica
November 5-7, 2010: In an
unusual gig, Dan performed as part of the ensemble in
Paulina Sahagun's 5th annual event at Highways. Combining
aspects of traditional Mexican Day of the Dead festivities
with commedia dell'arte style, Calavereando honored the
wisdom of ancestors while also making satirical socio-political
commentary. Highlight for Dan was portraying a skeletal Barack
Obama in a tag-team wrestling match with Glenn Beck, Christine
O'Donnell, and Sarah Palin! Great fun!
Also part of the event was
a community altar in the lobby gallery for those who have
lost a loved one in the last year. There was a nice Momo-presence there!
Pasadena,
CALIFORNIA
"Indelible Ink" Poetry & Performance Series
October 26, 2010: Dan performed
a brand new, hot off the press site-specific piece in-the-round at POP Champagne
& Dessert Bar, in the heart of Old Town Pasadena.
The piece began with Dan entering wearing a head-dress
costume which simulated a miniature theater stage (see video). Meanwhile Dan's recorded voiceover described
the basic theatrical formats (proscenium stage, thrust
stage, theater-in-the-round). After a brief live
monologue in which Dan ranted about how much he hates
theater-in-the-round, he segued into a story about his late mother
and her extraordinary ability to connect with people.
This piece is the seed for Dan's next major solo project, "Center of the Universe", coming in 2012-13
PART I
Other than that, Dan's highlight of the night was meeting the amazing singer/songwriter Corrinne
May, originally from Singapore now based here in the States.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you check her out, she is brilliant!
POP
Champagne & Dessert Bar, 35
E. Union Street, Pasadena 91103
Culver
City, CALIFORNIA
Collaboratory VIII: "Order To Go"
PERFORMANCE
(directed by D.K.)
September 11, 2010: A standing
room-only crowd saw the culminating performance of round
VIII of the Collaboratory mentorship program! The show
was presented at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in
Culver City in an outdoor pavilion. Over a hundred folks
braved chilly weather and dense fog to come see an outstanding
performance by Janet Dandridge, June Kaewsith, Zumi Mizokami,
Ayuko Sato, Shannon Shue!
For ten weeks this wonderful
group of emerging artists was led by Dan and Young-Ae
Park, learning how to work together to create collaborative
performances, and using the theme of "the environmental
impact of take-out food containers & utensils".
The results were funny, poignant, rich and informative.
The evening was hosted by
the funny and delightful Amy Hill and also featured live
music by Nobuko Miyamoto and Friends, plus a live screening
of our new music video "B.Y.O. CHOPSTIX" (see
above).
One of our most successful
Collab shows ever!
INTERNET
B.Y.O.CHOPSTIX
MUSIC
VIDEO
May 2010: Dan directed and edited his first
music video! Great Leap's Artistic Director Nobuko Miyamoto
teamed up with rapper Luke "Aidger" Patterson
to write and record a funny-yet-pointed song about the ecological
ills of disposable chopsticks. Shot on location at Azuma
Restaurant in Gardena and in studio, B.Y.O.C. features Nobuko
as the Ghost of Dead Chopsticks, and Aidger as an eco-savvy
rapping sushi chef. Also making cameos are Danny Yamamoto
(drummer for Hiroshima), acclaimed solo perfomer Jude Narita,
and several former participants from Great Leap's Collaboratory
mentorship program.
Also, Great Leap is now selling portable
chopsticks on their website:
chopstix.greatleap.org
Bring your own!
CHICAGO
Month At The Museum - NOT.
August 2010: Dan entered a contest
to live for one month in the Chicago Museum of Science &
Industry. Unfortunately he didn't even make it past the
first cut (over 1,000 entries!), but here's the extended
version of the video he submitted with his application:
You be the judge!LOS ANGELES
UCLA Medical School
A SLICE
OF RICE, FRIJOLES & GREENS
August 3, 2010: Our annual performance for
first-year med students in Bruin-town! This year featured
Dan, Paulina Sahagun, and Lynn Manning each performing 20
minutes of solo material.
LOS ANGELES
24th Annual ATHE Conference
PANEL
DISCUSSION
Moving
Through Masculinity: Re-thinking maleness through Theatre,
Movement, and Dance
August 4, 2010: Dan was on a panel with some
amazing artists discussing the exploration of masculinity
in performance. Jeff McMahon convened, with Tim Miller,
John Fleck, Dan Froot, and Doug Cooney! It was especially
interesting to have both Gay and straight perspectives on
this topic. Conference was held at the Hyatt Century Plaza
Hotel, dubbed the "Western White House" during
the Reagan years.
(ATHE = Association for Theater in Higher
Education)
Philadelphia,
PA
Artists Exchange Festival 2010
Asian Arts Initiative
March 27, 2010: Dan performed excerpts from
IG2BA. Also on the bill: Philly-based artists CATZIE VILAYPHONH
and ANULA SHETTY.
March 29-April 3, 2010: Dan also facilitated
an intensive workshop on the topic of "HOME: Far and
Near" with a terrific group of artists from across
the country including Anula Shetty, Robert Karimi, Regie
Cabico, Kristina Wong, Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai, Makoto Hirano
and Catzie Vilayphonh. The week culminated in a showing
of performances created by the group during the week.
The show was directed by Regie Cabico, who
graciously stepped in for Dan when he had to return home
mid-week when his mother passed away. Dan was actually able
to participate in the show from Santa Monica via live video
link, and read a short piece he had written in honor of
his mother. Special thanks to Gary San Angel for making
it technically possible.
Also, thanks to Gayle Isa (Exec. Director
of AAI) for her kindness and flexibility during this tough
situation.
Finally, thanks to all the participating
artists whose compassion and loving support made it as bearable
as possible.
Wellesley,
MA
Wellesley College
February 11, 2010: Dan gave a very successful
performance of the newest version of IT'S GREAT 2B AMERICAN,
and also had a great time visiting Prof. Elena Creef's seminar
class. Exciting to try out a new version of the show and
get some useful feedback from students and faculty. Major
thanks to Prof. Creef, Marissa, and Ken Loewit for making
it happen!
Manhattan,
KANSAS
Kansas State Univ.
February 3, 2010: Dan returned for his third
visit to KSU (since 1997) and performed a medley of short
pieces. He also got in a couple games of bowling in the
Student Union.
Santa Monica,
CA.
Miles Playhouse
December 5 & 6, 2009: Dan had the pleasure
of performing with longtime friend and colleague Jude Narita
(and poet Elizabeth Iannacci). Good to be reminded how brilliant
Jude's work is!
SOUTH KOREA
Residency:
Gyeonggi Creation Center
Ansan, Gyeonggi
Province
Oct. 29 - Nov. 24, 2009: Dan spent a month
at this new international arts center on Seongam Island,
a rural area 40 miles SW of Seoul. He was part of a group
of 24 international artists conducting researching for future
art projects focused on community issues.
While there, Dan also created a site-specific
installation piece in the form of a small-scale baseball
diamond, dedicated to the boys who died at this location
during WWII. (check out Dan's Facebook page for many photos
documenting the installation).
JAPAN
Lecture/Workshop Tour
AICHI PREFECTURAL
UNIV., Nagoya
October 14, 2009: Dan facilitated an introductory
workshop on autobiographical writing & performance.
October 15, 2009: Dan gave a video/lecture
presentation for the British & American Studies Dept.
With a fully professional translator, wow!
Residency
sponsored by the Cultural Symbiosis Research Institute of
Aichi Prefectural Univ. Coordinated by Prof. Mizuho Murayama.
**************
KYOTO
SANGYO UNIVERSITY, Kyoto
October 16, 2009: Dan screened
video & lectured on his work, with focus on Hybrid Identity
and other pithy topics...
Coordinated
by Prof. Kyoko N. Nozaki
**************
KOBE
UNIVERSITY, Kobe
October 21, 2009: Workshop on "effective
social/academic communications" for graduate students.
October 22, 2009: Autobiographical writing
& performing workshop for undergrad students.
October 22, 2009: Dan screened video and
lectured on IT'S GREAT 2B AMERICAN.
Coordinated
by Prof. Hideyuki Yamamoto
**************
COMPARATIVE
CULTURAL HISTORY OF MASCULINITY SYMPOSIUM, Osaka
October 24, 2009: Dan talked about his workshop
approach & demonstrated some of his teaching methodology.
Dan was also on a panel, talking about Asian
American masculinity and screening video clips of his work
on the topic.
Sponsored
by Japan Society for Promotion of Science, Gender Studies
Project led by Prof. Miho Mitsunari, Setsunan University.
Additional support from the Asian American Literature Association
and the American Drama Association of Japan.
SPECIAL
THANKS TO PROF. HIDEYUKI YAMAMOTO OF KOBE UNIVERSITY FOR
MAKING THIS ENTIRE TOUR POSSIBLE!
PASADENA,
CALIFORNIA
Touching All Bases: A Baseball Celebration
PASADENA
CENTRAL LIBRARY
October 9, 2009: As part of ArtNight
Pasadena, the Baseball Reliquary and Pasadena Public Library
presented Touching All Bases: A Baseball Celebration. This
multi-cultural, multi-generational evening incorporated
visual art, music, performance, literature, and moving image
media to provide new insights into America’s national
pastime.
Secrets of the Samurai
Centerfielder
On the 20th anniversary of his ground-breaking
performance Secrets of the Samurai Centerfielder,
Dan performed a monologue from the show.
Dodgertown
A funny
yet deeply-moving story about being a devoted follower of
the home team, including Kwong's childhood technique for
getting into Dodger games for free, his perspective on professional
sports as a mind-numbing substance, and a stunning vision
at Chavez Ravine.
OXFORD, OHIO
Miami University of Ohio
Baker
University Center Theater
A SLICE
OF RICE, FRIJOLES & GREENS
October 1, 2009: Dan performed an excerpt
from IG2BA (Classroom Patriots) plus "Station Wagons
of Life" as part of Great Leap's touring show. Dan
performed with his longtime friends & colleagues, CHIC
STREETMAN and PAULINA SAHAGUN.
WELLESLEY,
MA
Wellesley College
Lecture
September 23, 2009: Dan talked about his
work in Prof. Elena Creef's class on "Elvis Presley
& 50s America".
PROVIDENCE,
RHODE ISLAND
Providence College
Slavin
Student Ctr.
September 24, 2009:
Dan performed various excerpts including "Birth Interview",
Station Wagons of Life", plus selections from IG2BA.
September 25, 2009:
Dan facilitated an introductory workshop on autobiographical
writing for performance.
This residency sponsored
by the Asian American Association, Board of Multicultural
Student Affairs, and Students Organized Against Racism.
CALIFORNIA
The
World's Youngest Poet
Sylvia
White Gallery, Ventura
September 4, 2009: Dan reprised his intellectual
baby, reciting selections from his latest book "Passions
of a Breastfeeder". Complete with spouting political
rhetoric (and baby poop) for a jam-packed house. Assisted
by the most fetching wet-nurse ever, Allura Lee.
CALIFORNIA
Collaboratory VII: "The
Blue Marble"
The
Electric Lodge, Venice
Performed
by Porschia Baker, Manny Baldenegro, Caroline Chang, Claire
Day, Maya Gingery, Joyce Lee, Angela Salgado.
Directed
by DK, assisted by Young-Ae Park.
August 30, 2009: Great Leap
presented the latest works-in-progress created in their
mentorship program for developing the next generation of
artist-leaders in Los Angeles. Collab VII was focused on
"caring for the environment".
Collaboratory participants spent
six weeks experiencing field trips to environmental and
arts organizations, meetings with mentors from the local
arts community, master classes with guest teachers, and
workshops with Dan and Young-Ae practicing collaboration
techniques. The last two weeks were focused on the creation
of works for this presentation at Electric Lodge, a solar-powered
performing arts center.
This program was presented as
Electric Lodge’s 2009 “Green Piece”, their
annual project devoted to combining the arts and the environment.
CALIFORNIA
IT'S
GREAT 2B AMERICAN
Torrance
Cultural Arts Center
May 27, 2009: Dan performed
his newest show for a packed house at the George Nakano
Theater in Torrance.
Presented as part of
the "Whose Story Now?" series curated by John
Powers, presented in association with the Japanese American
Citizens League, Japanese American National Museum, Japanese
American Historical Society, JACCC, and more.
WISCONSIN
Lecture/Demo:
From
Inner Worlds
University
of Wisconsin, Madison
February 23, 2009:
Dan gave a 90 minute talk with video screening, plus mini-performance
excerpt about his latest work. Dan was hosted locally by
the wonderful Li-Chiao-Ping and her husband Doug Rosenberg.
WISCONSIN
Performance:
IT'S
GREAT 2B AMERICAN
Beloit
College, Wilson Theater
February 26, 2009:
Dan performed the full show for the good folks at Beloit,
and taught an introductory workshop on autobiographical
writing & performing for the Theater Department.
ILLINOIS
Lecture/Video
presentation:
From
Inner Worlds
School
of the Art Institute of Chicago
February 26, 2009:
Dan visited his beloved alma mater to screen video and
talk about his latest work. Hosted by the Visiting Artists
Performance Seminar series.
CALIFORNIA
IT'S
GREAT 2B AMERICAN
Los
Angeles Theater Center
November 14-16, 2008:
This production featured new choreography, spiffed up video
sequences, with a definite post-Obama-election kick! Part
of LATC's "Face Of The World Festival".
NOW
BOOKING:
IT'S
GREAT 2B AMERICAN
IT’S GREAT 2B AMERICAN is a funny, fierce,
highly political piece inspired by Kwong's recent travels in Asia.
A darkly humorous search for an American identity beyond arrogance,
denial and guilt in which Dan confronts the Dr. Jekyll & Mr.
Hyde within the Yankee psyche: from champion of democracy to imperialist
bully.
Along the way, Dan inspects the carry-on baggage
that comes with a U.S. passport and Asian face; the irony of being
“oppressed minority” at home yet a privileged citizen
of the great global powerhouse.
IG2BA is equal parts documentary travelogue, satirical
dance review, irreverent history lesson, and poignant storytelling.
From the Japanese American internment camps of
WWII to the secret American bombing of Cambodia to tourist shopping
in Bali to the events of September 11th, IG2BA is a timely, hard-hitting
work that boldly and humorously speaks to America’s place
in the world -- its checkered past, troubled present and hopeful
future.
VIDEO
CLIPS:
excerpt:
Unilateral Culture Exchange
excerpt:
Classroom Patriots
excerpts:
Letters from an American
+ Preachin' to the Choir
excerpts:
Passport to Conquest + Navy
Blue & Gold
excerpt:
In Cambodia
excerpt:
Cognitive Dissonance
excerpts: Laos + Dance of The Big
Stick
excerpts: Land of Smiles + The Abu
Ghraib Masked Ball
MINI-REPORTS
(cont)
CALIFORNIA
Be
Like Water
East
West Players Theater, Los Angeles
Directed
by Chris Tashima
Sept 17-Oct 12,
2008: Dan's new play had its world premiere!
"Dan Kwong has penned a powerful,
emotive, yet at times playful tale..." ~ Rafu Shimpo
"The beauty of "Be Like Water"
is that it's about families like yours that struggle with
identity, racism and insurmountable family expectations.
It's about your heartbreak and strength." ~ Pacific
Citizen
"Kwong can still deliver a roundhouse
kick to the emotions." ~ L.A. Times
"...Hayashida and Sun Lee deftly
handle playwright Kwong’s venerable skill in writing
monologues that forward story line while allowing character
depth." ~ View From A Loft
"Playwright Dan Kwong reveals an
ability to adapt the huge issues (racism, mother-daughter
stalemates, application of ancient wisdom) to living-room
scale. He balances these disparate dimensions so that the
expansiveness, danger and instruction of unseen story are
just as active as the day-to-day trials of his familiar characters."
~ Theater Times
Synopsis:
Chicago, 1978. Disco rules.
It's been 5 years since the tragic and untimely death of
legendary martial artist Bruce Lee.
Tracy Fong is a 13-year old
tomboy who has become a street-fighting, ass-kicking, gung-fu/Bruce
Lee-fanatic. Her best friend at school happens to be named
Bruce Lee - but he's a scrawny little nerd who loves disco
dancing as much as Tracy despises it.
While Dad plays it cool, Mom
pressures their daughter to be more of a "normal"
girl.
As Tracy squares off against
a nasty bully, her overbearing mother, and the dreaded annual
disco dance, along comes the Ghost of Bruce Lee (in a glass
of water!) to help Tracy on her journey.
Produced by EWP in association
with Cedar Grove Onstage.
CALIFORNIA
IT'S
GREAT 2B AMERICAN
HIGHWAYS,
Santa Monica
Co-directed
by Shishir Kurup
July 10-13, 2008:
Dan premiered his first full-length solo performance
in 9 years!
MINNESOTA
IT'S GREAT 2B AMERICAN
2nd
Natl Asian American Theater Conference
Mixed
Blood Theater, Minneapolis
June 5-7, 2008: Kwong performed
a 10 minute excerpt from his new work as part of the
Writer/ Performer Showcase, and also sat on a couple
panels at the Conference: "Surviving as a Solo
Artist" and "Shaping the Remix", the
latter which included discussion of the Collaboratory
mentorship program he has been directing for Great Leap
since 2005.
JAPAN
Performance as Self-Expression/Realization
Kobe
University, Japan
May
8, 2008: On Dan's second visit to Kobe U. he gave a lecture
to faculty and students on his teaching methods and philosophy,
and taught an introductory performance workshop.
Sponsored
by Kobe U's Prof. Hideyuki Yamamoto and the Innovative
Ethics Research Project, Faculty of Letters.
CALIFORNIA
From
Inner Worlds
Cal State
University Northridge
March 12, 2008: Dan
performed excerpts from his book as part of the CSUN multicultural
program.
CALIFORNIA
Collaboratory V: "Leaps
of Faith"
National
Center for the Preservation of Democracy, Los Angeles
March 8,9 2008: Led by Project
Director Dan and Co-Facilitators Young-Ae Park and Nobuko
Miyamoto, ten artists worked together for 7 weeks visiting
various religious/spiritual centers in Los Angeles, meeting
with local mentors/elders/ “wisdom-keepers”, experiencing
master classes with guest teachers, and sharing their own
personal stories of faith with each other.
They combined autobiographical
material along with historical and contemporary sources
in a highly collaborative approach, addressing questions
such as: How can multi-dimensional religious identities
live side by side? How do we navigate religious conflicts
with intelligence and compassion? How can we create progressive
and respectful visions for the future?
One of our most successful Collaboratory
residencies ever!
NEW
HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS
Sleeping
With Strangers
Bowker
Auditorium, UMass, Amherst
February 8, 2008: Kwong
& Peng presented their critically-acclaimed blend
of performance art and Chinese opera to a full house.
sponsored by the UMass Asian Studies Department. Two
days later they taught workshops and performed for Derryfield
School in nearby Manchester, New Hampshire.
JAPAN
Being Naked without
Being Nude
Kobe University,
Japan
December 13, 2007: Dan gave
a video presentation and lecture about his autobiographical
performance work for students at the Faculty of Letters.
Students found the provocative title utterly confusing...
WASHINGTON
From Inner Worlds
Whitman College,
Walla Walla WA
August 26-September 29, 2007:
Dan guest-taught a very successful intensive course on
Autobiographical Writing & Performing for the Theater
Department of Whitman College. A remarkably talented group
of students presented their solo pieces to full-houses
as the opening production of the Whitman Theater Department's
season.
CALIFORNIA
Collaboratory IV: "Third Stone"
FarmLab, Los Angeles
July-August, 2007: Dan and Young-Ae
Park facilitated a free 8-week residency for emerging artists-of-color
interested in collaborative performance and community leadership.
The theme for this round was "caring for the environment".
The residency included field
trips to various cultural centers in communities of color,
guest teachers, and seminars with community elders, mentors,
and wisdom-keepers.
Collaboratory IV culminated
in a weekend of performances created by participants, directed
by Kwong and Park, and hosted by FarmLab, a progressive
organization in downtown L.A. which is dedicated to finding
new ways to bring the urban environment more in harmony
with nature.
PUBLICATION:
A
History of Asian American Theatre
Recently published by Cambridge University Press,
this is the definitive book on the subject, written by Esther
Kim Lee, Asst. Professor of Theatre at the University of Illinois
Champaign Urbana.
It acknowledges the significance of Kwong's body
of work within a larger historical context of Asian American theater,
spanning from 1965 to 2006.
Quote from the book:
"Dan Kwong empowers the Asian American
identity and challenges American identity by telling stories of
his life. And he has inspired others to use his workshop techniques
to continue breaking the cycle of silence of Asian American men
and women."
(ISBN-13-978-0-521-85051-3)
(The book also features a photo of Dan performing
at Highways. Photo credit should be: Marcel Schaap.)
OKLAHOMA
Sleeping
With Strangers
Tulsa Performing Arts
Center
March 2007: Dan & Peng performed
their critically-acclaimed collaboration to a packed audience
for New Genre XIV, the innovative arts festival in Tulsa produced
by Living Arts of Tulsa. They really know how to treat artists
right over there...
CALIFORNIA
Sleeping
With Strangers
HIGHWAYS,
Santa Monica
February 2006: The successful world
premiere of this multidisciplinary collaboration with traditional
Chinese opera artist Peng Jingquan from Beijing, China. Receiving
rave reviews, the show also toured to Duke University NC, New
York University, and Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA.
An outrageous blend of Chinese opera
(real and fake), Western drama, multimedia, puppetry, slapstick,
poetry and storytelling, "Sleeping With Strangers" shares
the highs and lows of international relations between China and
the U.S., between fathers and sons, and between friends.
PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA
Sleeping
With Strangers
Nordica TC/G, Kunming
September 2005: A work-in-progress
version of Kwong & Peng's collaboration was presented in this
very cool Swedish(!) experimental gallery/performance space in
the city of Kunming. The eclectic audience - Chinese college students,
European ex-patriots, and a handful of locals who wandered in
not knowing what the heck was going to happen - all seemed to
appreciate it...
CAMBODIA:
The
Mekong Project Phase II
Phnom Penh; Siem Reap; Battambang
November 2004: Returning to SE Asia, Dan again
helped facilitate this international residency. The Mekong Project
brought together 14 artists from China, Vietnam, Laos, Burma,
Cambodia, Thailand and the U.S. Traveling together for 3 weeks
in Cambodia, the project visited Siem Riep (site of famed Angkor
Wat and many other spectacular temples) and Battambang before
culminating in a weekend of performances in Phnom Penh. A very
successful project!
CANADA
A.T.H.E. Conference
Toronto, Ontario
July 30-31, 2004: The annual conference for the
Assoc. for Theatre in Higher Education included hundreds of academics
and practitioners from across the continent and beyond. Dan performed,
taught a workshop, was part of a panel discussion, participated
in an interview and did a book-signing session - all in 2 days...
U.S.A.
From
Inner Worlds to
Outer Space
Book Release Show
HIGHWAYS, Santa
Monica
July 22-24, 2004: To celebrate the publication
of his new book, Dan performed a medley of pieces from his repertoire
at Highways Performance Space. Featuring excerpts from the book,
the performance marked Dan's reunion with his brilliant director,
Christine Sang. All went exceptionally well with the exception
of a costume malfunction that made Janet Jackson's look tame in
comparison.
INDONESIA
The Art of Rice
Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali
August 2003: Dan returned
to Bali, Indonesia to complete work on The
Art of Rice. This international collaborative
multidisciplinary multi-media performance featured eleven outstanding
artists from China, India, Burma, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Dominican
Republic and the U.S. all working together to create a performance
about that humble life-sustaining grain.
After a month in Bali developing the show, the group traveled
to Hawaii and performed on three different islands. It made its
L.A. premiere to full houses at the Japan America Theater, Pomona
College and UCLA. Dan had the opportunity to practice Balinese
shadow puppetry and 'topeng' (mask) performance. It was a wonderfully
intense experience with lots of very fast collaboration and creation.
CALIFORNIA
Rite of Passage
HIGHWAYS, Santa Monica
May 10, 2003: Dan had his head shaved
onstage as part of Highways' 14th Birthday Celebration. Assisted
by performers Bennett Schneider
and Pete Lee,
Kwong sat stoically as audience members donated $10 each to come
onstage and snip off a lock of his hair. Meanwhile a videotape
was projected showing emails Dan received, cheering him on to
dome-hood, along with photos of Dan from age 3 months to present,
sporting all manner of hairdos.
Audience-barbers received groovy certificates of participation.
Final shaving of the Kwong-Dome was executed by Pete, to the strains
of Also Sprach Zarathustra. The ritual raised over $500 for Highways.
THAILAND, LAOS
The
Mekong Project Phase I
Chiang Mai; Louang Prabang
March 2003: Dan was a Co-Facilitator on this
3-week residency in northern Thailand and Laos, helping artists
and staff work together successfully. The Mekong Project was a
multi-year project
funded by the Rockefeller
Foundation and administered by Dance
Theater Workshop in NY, to develop resources for Southeast Asian
artists in the Mekong region.
Highlight of the residency was a 4-day boat
ride down the Mekong River to Louang Prabang, Laos which inspired
the creation of a new solo performance, "On
The Mekong".
Boyle Heights Residency
Read a thoughtful recap of Dan’s performance residency in
conjunction with Great Leap as part of the Japanese
American National Museum's January 2003 exhibition
Boyle Heights: The Power Of Place.
April 9, 2005: The Japanese American Historical
Society of Southern California honored Dan for outstanding contributions
to Japanese American history and culture at a lovely banquet event.
Also honored that evening were videographers John Esaki and Amy
Kato, and traditional dancer Sumako Azuma.
Award
From LACAD
April 27, 2005: The Los Angeles Cultural Affairs
Department announced the recipients of its COLA grant for mid-career
artists, and Dan was among the group. The award resulted in the
creation of a new performance presented in May 2006 at Barnsdall
Gallery Theater (see above).
Award
From CCF
June 30, 2004: The
California Community Foundation announced recipients of its individual
fellowships for "Outstanding Mid-Career Artists" (at
least 15 years of professional experience). From 300 applicants,
5 California artists were selected for this highly-competitive
fellowship. Recipients were Enrique Celaya, Karen Kimmel, Rika
Ohara, Eloy Torrez and DK. Congratulations to all the
winners!
