By Celine Son,
12th grade,
Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Sides: The Fear is Real… is a collection of comedy sketches about actors whose desperation to be cast in a role leads them from one ridiculous audition to another. The script portrays show business with little glitz and glamour and playfully highlights the struggles of young actors in New York City. Sides (the word refers to the pages of a script that actors are asked to read at an audition) presents a series of auditions that force actors into nightmarish yet hilarious ordeals.
The comedy, which is written and performed by a com-pany of six Asian-American actors calling itself Mr. Miyagi’s Theatre Company, makes use of Asian stereotypes to shed light on the restrictions placed upon actors. The story brings to life not only “the struggling artist,” but the struggling ethnic professional, as well. While it achieves this humorously, the audience is able to detect a glimmer of resentment. For instance, two casting agents prompt an auditioning actor to read his lines by replacing “r” sounds with “l” sounds. He begrudgingly gives in, turning the line he’s asked to read from “Give me one dollar!” into “Give me one dorral!” causing the casting agents to approve gleefully.
"A series of
comedic auditions
that force actors
into nightmarish
yet
hilarious ordeals.
I recommended SIDES to all my friends."
The play’s priority is humor first and social commentary second. No one escapes the witty mockery of the script. The cast takes on falsely confident actors, overzealous playwrights and obnoxious casting agents and exaggerate these characters with absurd hilarity. All the actors adapt skillfully to various roles and perform as well-rounded comedians using physical comedy, vocal impersonations and absurd personalities. One character is so nervous at an audition that he sweats profusely, his hair and face dripping wet, and his clothing soaked through at his armpits, back and butt. Each awkward attempt to compose himself leads to a series of trips and falls that had the entire audience roaring with laughter.
I recommended Sides to all my friends. It is a really funny show. At the performance I attended with my mother, the audience spent most of the show laughing out loud, and my mother and I were no exception.
By Celine Son, 12th grade,
Eleanor Roosevelt High School
Asian theatre in New York City offers a wide range of genres from sketch comedy to poetic dance performances. Some productions reflect ancient cultural forms, such as a performance by Chinese acrobats, a two-thousand-year-old tradition. Others embrace modern themes of Asian culture that relate more to the Asian youth population. Regardless of what performance you decide to attend, you will experience enriching and exciting entertainment.
This fall you can choose from
diverse offerings, all with affordable
student tickets. Mr. Miyagi’s Theatre Company,
a company of six Asian-American
actors, has created SIDES: The Fear is Real…
(reviewed on this page), a series
of comedy sketches that
portrays
the hilarious absurdity and agony many actors face during the audition process. The New Victory Theatre has two very different productions this fall featuring Asian themes and artists: in Cathay: 3 Tales of China, Asian-American director Ping Chong collaborates with the Shaanxi Folk Art Theatre of China in a world premiere that blends theatre and puppetry in a breathtaking spectacle, while the Golden Dragon Acrobats from China includes acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, dancers and nearly every other type of performer you can think of! In November, the Pan Asian Repertory
Theatre presents Cambodia Agonistes, a dance play about a blind Cambodian dancer who is haunted by her painful memories of Cambodia’s holocaust at the hands of the Kmer Rouge.
The Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America produces works for and by Asian artists, welcoming new plays from Chinese speaking countries and collaborations with artists throughout Asia. Second Generation, founded by Asian actors, singers and Broadway performers, is dedicated to bringing world-class Asian-American stories to the world stage. National Asian-American Theatre Company provides opportunities for Asian actors, directors, designers and technicians through the performance of European and American classical and contemporary works. Ma-Yi Theater Company’s mission is to develop new plays and performance works about Asian- American experiences, and provide a home where artists can take big creative risks.
Ma-Yi Theater Company: Develops new plays and performance works about Asian-American experiences. (212) 971-4862. www.ma-yitheatre.org
Mr. Miyagi’s Theatre Company: Sides: The Fear is Real… Through Oct. 30. Culture Project, 45 Bleecker St. $21 student rush day of show. (212) 253-9983. www.mrmiyagi.com
National Asian-American Theatre Company: presents American and European works with non-traditional Asian casting. www.naatco.org
Pan Asian Repertory: Cambodia Agonistes Book & lyrics by Ernest Abuba and music by Louis Stewart. A musical mosaic of contemporary songs and dance that follows the journey of a classical Cambodian dancer. Oct. 29-Nov. 20. Students $20. West End Theatre, 263 W. 86 St. (212) 279-4200. www.panasianrep.org
Second Generation: dedicated to bringing world-class Asian-American stories to the world’s stage. www.2g.org
The New Victory Theatre: Cathay: 3 Tales of China, presented by the internationally recognized Ping Chong & Company. Oct. 28-Nov. 13. Golden Dragon Acrobats, Nov. 18-Jan. 1. New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42 St. $10 student rush. (646) 223-3065. www.newvictory.org
Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America: present shows for and by Asian artists. www.yangtze-rep-theatre.org