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Not So Ancient
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Hosted by theatre professionals, Jonathan Castanien and Peter J. Kuo, Not So Ancient is a podcast that looks back at the history of Asian American Drama. Every episode follows a conversation with the duo, joined by a guest, after having read a play written by an Asian American playwright that was first produced more than 10 years ago. Join our hosts on a deep dive into the not so ancient Asian American theatre canon as they discuss plots, themes, history, and community through a play each episode.
9 Episodes
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Actress Carolina Do talks with Peter and Jonathan about "Durango" by Julia Cho. In the episode the trio digs into Cho's family drama and the revealing road trip her characters take. The sibling dynamics and immigrant parent ticks all resonate as they find brilliant nuance in the cultural markers of the play.
This time Not So Ancient looks at "Tea" by Velina Hasu Houston and not only has one, but TWO guests joining in on the discussion. Production manager, Chantel King, and stage manager, Joanne Pan, share their thoughts on Houston's drama about the Japanese war wives following World War II. Culture shock, assimilation, and the obligation of culture are woven through out the narrative giving the four fuel to talk about what it means to be Asian American.
Playwright, Sanaz Toossi joins Jonathan and Peter as they all discuss Ralph B. Peña's "Flipzoids." A play about three Filipinx characters during 1985 navigating what it means to assimilate and be an American. The three Southern Californians delve deeply into the culture and implications of Orange County as a setting, the intricacies of "immigrant plays," and Sanaz reads a few problematic excerpts from past reviews of the play.
Not So Ancient's second episode recorded in Chicago at the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists' Con/Fest 2018! Artistic Director, actor, director, and CAATA Board President Randy Reyes joins in the conversation around Philip Kan Gotanda's family drama, "Fish Head Soup."
Los Angeles Playwright and producer, Nicholas Pilapil, guest hosts while Not So Ancient takes a look at "A Language of Their Own" by Chay Yew. The trio delves deep into this queer story about the aftermath of a breakup during the 1980s. Meanwhile, Peter realizes he doesn't know enough about queer theatre history and may need to do a spin-off podcast.
Playwright, Lauren Yee joins Jonathan and Peter to talk about Wakako Yamauchi's "The Music Lessons." The trio explores Yamauchi's well crafted play about a widowed Japanese farmer who decides to allow a new drifter in town to live and work on her farm alongside her three children in the 1930s.
Jonathan and Peter are joined by guest host, Jesca Prudencio! Diana Son's play about a young interracial couple that moves to Brooklyn with their newborn baby has the trio tackle themes of gentrification, intersectional race issues, and how trendy coffee shops are alluring.
Jonathan and Peter discuss Frank Chin's Chickencoop Chinaman. Through Chin's play they discuss Asian American identity, the model minority myth, and what one of Peter's guilty pleasures is.
In the intro episode, meet Not So Ancient hosts Jonathan Castanien and Peter J. Kuo. Find out what spurred the creation of this podcast and how each episode will go down.
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