PULLMAN, Wash. — The Los Angeles-based, non-profit Asian American theater company “hereandnow” will perform at Washington State University April 17 in the Compton Union Building Auditorium. The 7 p.m. program, open to the public without charge, is part of Asian Pacific American Awareness activities on the campus throughout the month.
The company began as a group of seven artists who were frustrated by the lack of roles available for young Asian American artists. The troupe is composed of Laotian, Thai, Filipino, Chinese, Hawaiian, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese young people, most of them full-time students and only one theatre major. The group travels across the country performing for community and college organizations for mostly Asian Pacific American audiences.
Each show discusses such issues as inner ethnic conflict, the struggles of coming to America, politically unjust sexual experiences and attitudes, gender issues, and what it means to grow up Asian in the United States. In their shows, the performers incorporate dance, comedy and music in addition to acting.
All of the material is original work, report group directors. It is written, conceived, directed and performed by Asian American artists in the company. Hereandnow also adds a question-and-answer period with the cast after each performance, when performers and audience member may discuss Asian issues on a more personal level.
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