Audiences & Reviewers Responses to Cowboy Versus Samurai

"... charming and unexpectedly moving comedy... bolstered by a deft cast (Feodor Chin, Julia Cho, Daniel Vincent Gordh, and West Liang) and thoughtful direction by Peter J. Kuo, whose sound design elements (credited to Felix Lau) add layers to the text and make it uniquely theatrical." (full blog post)

- Prince Gomovillas, Bamboo Nation

"Don't miss your chance to see Artists at Play's marvelous production of Michael Golamco's Cowboy Versus Samurai... the play is a clever and poignant re-telling of Cyrano de Bergerac with an Asian American twist." (full blog post)

- Angry Asian Man

"... many comic moments, some poignant moments and some seriously introspective scenes... A wonderfully crafted study of the universal need for acceptance, understanding and love." (full review)

- Jose Ruiz, ReviewPlays.com

"The play was REALLY funny, and really well done; the monologues blended well with the story and it really made you think about your own 'preferences,' and how you see yourself in the world." (full blog post)

- Starchaserxoxo, Tumblr

What people are saying on Twitter using the #AAPCvsS hashtag.

"Just saw @AAPlay's production of Cowboy Versus Samurai. LOVED IT. #AAPCvsS" (original tweet)

- @AngryAsianMan, Twitter

   "COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI : Heartfelt, Hilarous, Hella Entertaining. Kudos to Artists at Play."

- Trieu T., Facebook

"Awesome opening night for @AAPlay's COWBOY VS SAMURAI: Superb cast, lots of laughs and surprises! People, if you're in LA, check it out!" (original tweet) 

- @MichaelGolamco, Twitter

"I loved the show.  It was both funny and moving."

- Greg W., Facebook

"Congrats @aaplay! This is definitely a winner. #aaplaycvs" (original tweet)

- @jullylee, Twitter

"Love this play and you guys did a GREAT job with it!"

- Ken N., Facebook



Daniel Vincent Gordh and West Liang in Cowboy Versus Samurai

"As an Asian American woman who married a Caucasian man, I can empathize w Veronica Lee. #AAPCvsS was great last night. @AAPlay" (original tweet) 

- @MarvelGee, Twitter

"A dream cast that seemed to perform together seamlessly."

- Rodney K., Facebook

"140 characters cannot properly convey how much I loved @AAPlay's production of Cowboy Vs Samurai. Hilarious and poignant. #AAPCvsS #SoGood" (original tweet)

- @bubblegirljulz, Twitter

"COWBOY VERSUS SAMURAI was excellent. Refreshing, funny, compelling, and relevant..."

- Charles K., Facebook

"#AAPCvsS was wonderful. The script is funny, and @thatjuliacho, @Danielvgordh, @FeoChin, & @west_liang were awesome. You should go see it!" (original tweet)

- @Ardentadmirer, Twitter

"RUN don't walk to @AAPlay prod @michaelgolamco's #CowboyvSamurai w/@thatjuliacho @Danielvgordh @FeoChin @west_liang" (original tweet)

- @TimothyTau, Twitter

"Loved #AACvsS !! Super well written and touching story!!! Thank you for the amazing night @AAPlay :)" (original tweet)

- @MAO0525, Twitter

"I really enjoyed tonight's preview. Congratulations and have a great opening!"

- Rona M., Facebook

 

Julia Cho and Feodor Chin in Cowboy Versus Samurai

Peter J. Kuo Directs Cowboy Versus Samurai

Artists at Play presents

Cowboy Versus Samurai

You can hide from love for so long before it smacks you across the face.

 

NOW - Oct. 20

Fridays/Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m.

The Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts

720 Kohler St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021 (map)

TICKETS $15 - $25 ~ To purchase online: http://bit.ly/AAPCvsS

In this modern re-imagining of Cyrano de Bergerac, Travis Park is a high school English teacher and L.A. transplant enjoying small-town life in Breakneck, Wyoming. He attends meetings for a two-member Asian American Alliance led by militant friend Chester. He hangs out with Caucasian friend Del who is trying to move out of his dad's house. Travis is content escaping big-city life ... until whip-smart, attractive Veronica Lee arrives from New York with her own dating preferences, which include guys like Del. Through irony and humor, Cowboy Versus Samurai exposes the social struggle of Asian Americans to find their place in the vast American landscape and with each other.
 

Watch the Cowboy Versus Samurai promo video!      

Cowboy Versus Samurai  
by Michael Golamco
Directed by Peter J. Kuo

FEATURING
Feodor Chin, Julia Cho, Daniel Vincent Gordh and West Liang

Set Design by Art Betanzos
Costume Design by Rachel Stivers
Lighting Design by Christopher Singleton
Sound Design by Felix Lau
Property Master Naomi Kasahara
Stage Manager Jennifer Perez
Production Manager Darlene Miyakawa
Assistant Director Julien Tan
Assistant Set Designer Sasha Monge
Fight Choreographer Tripp Pickell
Assistant Stage Manager Cat Betco 

Photo Credit: Feodor Chin, Julia Cho, Daniel Vincent Gordh and West Liang
in Cowboy Versus Samurai. Photos by Michael C. Palma.

Directing Reel

 
Here is a demo reel of my directing work:

Peter J. Kuo's Directing Reel

Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon
Produced by Yes, and ... Productions. (2012)
Featuring Julia Cho, Helen H. Ota, Michael C. Palma and Scott Keiji Takeda

Ching Chong Chinaman by Lauren Yee
Produced by Artists at Play (2011)
Featuring Julia Cho, Elizabeth Ho, Stephen Hu, Ken Narasaki, Helen H. Ota and Scott Keiji Takeda

re:MiX'T by Kate Rigg
Produced by East West Players (2013)
A Youth Tour
Featuring Stephen Chang and Katy Tang

Songs for a New World by Jason Robert Brown
Produced by Yes, and ... Productions (2009)
Featuring Randy Guiaya, Myra Ocenar, Helen H. Ota and Michael C. Palma

Letters to a Student Revolutionary by Elizabeth Wong
Produced by Addword Productions (2009)
Featuring Carin Chea, Julia Cho, Edward Gunawan, Joon Lee, Nghia Lu, Ruffy Lundayan, Tina Tong and Sheila Tejada

Free Reading of Peter's Play!

THE AMAZING WEDDING RACE

by Peter J .Kuo

Monday, August 1st @ 7:00 pm

At the home of MTC the Fremont Centre Theatre!

1000 Fremont Ave.

South Pasadena, CA 91030

Erica is a Chinese American adoptee that is convinced her Caucasian fiancee Charlie has racial issues. Her solution? Have her closeted brother and best friend hire actors to play stereotypes that will flush out Charlie's bigotry. A new comedic farce about race, love and family by South Pasadena High School Alumni Peter J. Kuo!

Featuring 

Jared Asato, Ben Banner, Francois Chau, Susan Callahan, 

Carin Chea, Julia Cho, Emily Kuroda, and Jimmy Matsuki

This reading is free.

Asian Pity Party? Did you mean Raunchy Naughty Empowerment Party?

In a recent KeepOrJot video I wanted to support a friend's show called 'Wrinkles' which is about an 73-year old porn star. To promote it I did a mock-interview with one the actress of the show who portrays a 19-year old porn star. I thought it came out pretty well. This is the video:

One of the comments left on the video recently was a bit unexpected. The person dived into ideas of stereotype and frankly called my friend Elizabeth Ho a whore...well not directly but I took offense for her. This person's comment is below:

"I pity this woman, she has done everything to support derorgatory stereotypes for her race. Sure you can say it's all a bit of fun and is a dig at other races for being so ignorant, but ultimately they will play on the stereotype and use her as an example as a willing asian whore. Most unfortunate, the asian peoples have a lot more to offer than just blowjobs, takeways and servitude."

Now generally I try to ignore or I'll leave a witty response when someone doesn't like a video, but this person kind of struck a nerve. I think I get the most passionate/defensive when certain issues come up, specifically race and sexuality.

This was my response to the person:

"Hi there. I'm rather thrown off by your comment for several reasons. First, I don’t get where you see she has done “everything” to support Asian derogatory stereotypes. Are you talking about the part where she boldly states she’s a legitimate actress who has been on several TV shows or is being featured in a professional theatrical show that this video is a promotion for? Or maybe the part where she is being objectified by the interviewer (me) and independently takes a stand and walks away from the situation? Frankly I don’t see her perpetuating any derogatory stereotypes in this video like excelling at math, driving poorly, speaking with an accent, using kung-fu or eating a dog (I use them as examples not because I believe they’re true, but because I agree, those are derogatory stereotypes).

What I do see is a legit actress who is proud to be in a professional show called ‘Wrinkles,’ which is based off of a true story about a 73-year old male porn star. And that I believe breaks several stereotypes, one being that elder people can’t still be sexually active or seen as sexually attractive, and another that Asians are demure and model citizens, when we can actually be just as rambunctious as any other race. The theatrical play itself is quite tame and has no obscenities or foul language, and is created to be quite accessible for family friendly fun. In fact the company producing the play has fought to raise the visibility of Asian Americans across the nation by breaking the model minority stereotype.

Being that you write so passionately against perpetuating stereotypes, I imagine you must be aware enough to realize that in general people get turned off by change or are afraid of something different. The purpose of this video and the other promo videos is to appeal to certain pre-conceptions people have of Asians. If you actually watch the show ‘Wrinkles,’ there are strong themes and lessons that audience walk away from, including an understanding that elders are like everyone else and should be treated such, and respecting people instead of objectifying them. Sure, she is portraying a porn star in the show, but there are Asian porn stars. And in the end of the show you’re taught to respect her and not objectify her.

Maybe it’s a stereotype but do they exist. Should we hide them or try to deny their existence? While we’re at it why don’t we erase the shameful use of the ‘n’ word in ‘The Adventures of Huck Finn’ and try to remove racism from history? Finally I’d like close by saying that you’re use of the words ‘whore’ and ‘blowjobs’ can be taken as a bit excessive and unnecessary. Hope this puts this video into a better context for you. P.S. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t need your pity. I think it might be a derogatory stereotype that Asians want to be pitied.

Thanks!"

I like to believe in these situations I make fair and sound arguments, but I'd like to know what you think. Was I too harsh? By utilizing a stereotype in hopes to eventually break it, is that still just perpetuating it? Let me know.

Oh and if you're in Downtown Los Angeles and want to check out Wrinkles at East West Players you can find info about the show and tickets here: http://bit.ly/fDzlIp

Twitter Basics: The @Reply

So, I just felt I needed to put out in the world a basic rule that applies to Twitter.

We all know the @reply. We mostly use it when we're replying to someone about something.

PersonA: I just ate a Mango and it was freaking delicious! I could eat it all day!!!

PersonB: @PersonA I love mangoes...but you shouldn't capitalize it because it is not a proper noun unless it's the name of a person.

PersonA: @PersonB Maybe it is. *wink*

Note: When you @reply someone at the very beginning of your tweet, like the above example, the only people who will see it in their twitter live stream (aka timeline) are people who are following both PersonA and PersonB (you and the other person) or if someone searches that specific @reply. (If PersonA or PersonB does not follow the other, they won't even see it in their twitter stream. They will only see it when they check their @replies)

Other times we use the @reply to mention someone so everyone who follows us will see it and it will appear in the @reply feed of the person being mentioned.

PersonB: I'd like everyone to know that I stopped following @PersonA because they are a perv.

PersonA: I'd like everyone to know that I couldn't care less who @PersonB follows on twitter. @PersonB can kiss my ass!

When you tweet something like this, everyone who follows you will see the tweet!

Now sometimes we want to start a tweet by referencing a person, but we want everyone to see it.

PersonB: @PersonA is one of the most despicable people in the world! I HATE THEM WITH A PASSION!

!STOP! According to previous stated twitter rules. The only people who will see this tweet are people who follow both PersonA and PersonB. But what if you want all of your followers to see it, even those not following the other person?

You have to put something in front of that @reply. Try a period or a dash or something. ANYTHING!

PersonA: .@PersonB can suck my big toe because they can't even use an @reply properly. Don't like what I have to say? Tough Titties!

This will ensure that anyone following PersonA will see this tweet about PersonB, regardless if PersonA's followers follow PersonB.

Does that make sense?

To recap:

PersonA: @PersonB I'm sorry...that you were born an idiot!

^Only persons following both PersonA and PersonB will see this tweet.

PersonB: .@PersonA GO TO HELL!

^Any persons following PersonB will see this tweet.

I hope this lesson in Twitter Basics was helpful.

If you have any questions feel free to leave them below and I'll respond as soon as possible.

Thanks!

Remember to please tweet responsibly.

Peter Directs a Reading of Boise, USA

Fullerton College Playwrights’ Festival
presents a reading of

Boise, USA
by Gene Franklin Smith
Directed by Peter J. Kuo
Dramaturg Kimberly Colburn

Tuesday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Bronwyn Dodson Theater
321 E. Chapman Avenue
Fullerton, CA 92832

Admission is free.

In 1955, in quiet, respectable Boise, Idaho, the shocking arrests of three men for "lewd and lascivious conduct" with teenage hustlers sets off a notorious "witch hunt" to purge the city of all suspected homosexuals. Family loyalties are divided, pitting father against son, brother against brother. The truth of what actually happened is still unspoken in Boise today.

*Contains Adult Language

Featuring David Anis, Ishnon Brown, Jessica Hanna, Brandon Kaspar, Aurelio Locsin, Fred Peters, Scott Rubinstein, David Rusiecki, Christina Treble and Crystal Woolard.