Asian Improv aRTS Midwest Presents Rdg 4 “Our Perspective” Asian Am. Play Rdgs 10/22/18 Steppenwolf — Asian Improv aRTS Midwest / Our Perspective

For more information, visit Our-Perspective.com .

CHICAGO – Oct. 15, 2018 – PRLog — The AA Arts Incubator Program of Asian Improv aRts Midwest (AIRMW) proudly presents the fourth and last 2018 reading of its historic series, “Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings,“ Monday, October 22, 2018 in The 1700 Theatre at Steppenwolf Theatre, 1700 North Halsted Street, in Chicago, Illinois, from 6 – 8 p.m. Mia Park is serving as the project’s Producer and Guest Curator. Launched last February at Goodman Theatre in Chicago to a standing room only crowd, this is AIRMW’s first-ever invited staged reading series of short and full-length plays written by Midwest Asian Americans.

Reading Four of “Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings” will feature “First Data Gold, by Tanuja Jagernauth, directed by Puja Mohindra. This reading is presented as part of the LookOut Series – Steppenwolf’s performance series that presents the work of artists and companies across genre and form.

“With the success of the record-breaking film, “Crazy Rich Asians,” Asian American acting arts and story telling are more accessible than ever,” said Mia Park, Producer and Guest Curator of “Our Perspective.”  “Chicago’s “Our Perspective” series continues to provide the support, inspiration and audiences for Midwestern Asian American theater artists,” she said.

(The “Our Perspective” team previously featured playwright Tanuja Jagernath’s “Skin” in Reading One, and “Battleground” in Reading Three, both directed by Jonald Jude Reyes. Puja Mohindra* previously appeared as an actress in “Our Perspective’s” Reading One as Mindy in “Election,” by Susan H. Pak.

*As an actress, Puja Mohindra is a Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers.)

Mia Park and the Our Perspective team are pleased to announce the appointment of Tanuja Jagernath as Producer and Karissa Murrell Myers as Casting Director. Buoyed by the success of 2018’s year-to-date full house audiences, AIRMW and the “Our Perspective” team have decided to continue the series into 2019, with performances planned at Victory Gardens Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre in January, May and September. A current Call for Play Submissions is out. For submission instructions, please see below. The team has also announced a new internship program.

“Our last reading in 2018 features a new full- length play by Chicagoan Tanuja Jagernauth. We’re also doing a call for submissions for 2019 AND offering free internships. Next year, the 2019 “Our Perspective” line-up at Victory Gardens Theatre and Steppenwolf Theatre Company will continue to showcase the best of local, Asian American play writing, directing and acting,” said Mia Park.

For directions and parking to Reading Four of “Our Perspective,” please visit the www.steppenwolf.org home page. General admission is $5.00; visit the ticket link here:

https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets–events/seasons/2018-…

Media requests for images, interviews or press credentials to attend “Our Perspective,” should be directed to ENERI Communications at info (at) enericom (dot) net (mailto:info@enericom.net)  .

CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM

Casting for the October 22, 2018 Reading Four of “Our Perspective: Asian American Plays” has been announced as follows:

“FIRST DATA GOLD” by Tanuja Jagernauth, Directed by Puja Mohindra

Kaiser Zaki Ahmed (Sunny), Adia Alli (Masiko), Vijay Bhargava (Suresh), Kamal Hans (Gopal) and Xu (Stage Directions). Neil Connelly will serve as Dramaturg.

SYNOPSIS

Sunny is the broke outcast of his conservative, South Asian family and the biggest Mets fan that ever lived. His girlfriend, Masiko, is a Dominican statistician with a knack for making winning bets on baseball and harnessing quantum space. Sunny is shocked when his estranged, toxic father, a die-hard Yankees fan, invites him to this weekend’s Mets vs. Yankees game at Citi Field in Queens. At the game, Sunny’s dad invites him to join his brand new, multi-level marketed cannabusiness, confirming Masiko’s suspicions that the whole thing is a trap.

Will Sunny put his conflicted family past behind him and go into business with his father for a shot at financial security and family reunification or will he remain true to the values he shares with Masiko?

Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings

The Asian Pacific American (APA) population is seriously under represented on stage. “Our Perspective: Asian American Play Readings” is a staged play reading series intended to provide inspiration, space, and audiences for Midwest APA playwrights, directors, and actors. Curated by Mia Park and produced by Asian Improv Arts Midwest’s AA Arts Incubator, “Our Perspective” is a series of four play reading events at the Goodman Theatre and Victory Gardens Theater, and presented as a part of Steppenwolf Theatre’s LookOut Series.

For more information, visit www.Our-Perspective.com and follow #OurPerspectiveReadings on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information about AIRMW or to share an idea, please contact AIRMW here: 4427 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60640 or infoairmw (at) airmw (dot) org .

ABOUT THE “OUR PERSPECTIVE” INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The “Our Perspective” team is happy to announce a new internship program. Interns can learn to produce play readings and plays. Focused, passionate, dedicated parties should e-mail their resume and Statement of Intention as to why you want to produce Asian American staged play readings and plays to Mia (mailto:Mia@MiaPark.com) (at) (mailto:Mia@MiaPark.com) MiaPark (dot) com (mailto:Mia@MiaPark.com) .

CALL FOR PLAY SUBMISSIONS

The “Our Perspective” team is pleased to announce it is currently accepting play submissions for the 2019 “Our Perspective” reading series. All play lengths will be considered with a strong preference for completed works that are ready to be read or produced. There is no cost to submit.

To be considered for the January 28, 2019 play reading at Victory Gardens Theatre, submit by November 1, 2018. Selected works are expected to be announced December 1, 2018;

To be considered for the May, 2019 play reading at 1700 Theatre at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, submit by February 15, 2019. Selected works are expected to be announced April 1, 2019;

To be considered for the September, 2019 play reading at TBA, submit by June 15, 2019. Selected works are expected to be announced August 1, 2019.

Please e-mail play submissions to tjagernauth (at) gmail (dot) com (mailto:tjagernauth@gmail.com) .

NOTE: Media is invited and encouraged to cover the overall concept and goals of the “Our Perspective: Asian American Plays” project. However, since this is a Staged Reading, no reviews will be allowed, nor the televising, broadcasting, visual and/or sound recording, motion picture filming or videotaping, in whole or in part, per industry standard.

CAST, CREATIVE TEAM and CURATOR’S STATEMENT

Available upon request to info (at) enericom.net .
This is an abbreviated release – for full release, bios and more, see website www.Our-Perspective.com or request a full PRESS KIT from info (at) enericom (dot) net .

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