A Theatrical Force by Anh Lottman

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Writing is a skill that I’ve spent years honing into an art. During my time at USC’s Master of Professional Writing program (graduated May 2003), I discovered the artistic themes of my work. It is encompassed within the Theatre of the Absurd and the Theatre of Cruelty. The arc of my writing is that all pain ends; therefore, to that end, I craft work that deliver catharsis. I hope to give people with little/no voice, an opportunity to be heard, whether they are within a cultural, philosophical or political minority.

I began my love of expression, through the written word, at a young age. As a teenager, my father would drive me to the public library to check out a minimum of five novels a week. Writing was a natural derivative of reading for me. I even established a library club at Sunny Hills High School. Later, I majored in English literature at Pomona College. And I’ve always been involved with creative writing endeavors: as a journalist, assistant editor of USC’s Southern CA Anthology, and currently the editor of Nuvein—a literary publication whose mission is to create a forum for artists of all ages and cultures.

Writing is a standard-bearer in my life. I hope to encourage you to express your inner artist as well. I believe that the most important indicator of a society’s well being is reflected in its artists. We mirror the highest and lowest levels of our civilization, and Nuvein is one avenue for you to X-press yourself.

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Jeff Liu

Theatre is an art form that is an “appreciation of live performance and performers,” said Jeff Liu. At 35, he is concurrently the literary manager for East West Players and resident director for Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. He even acts when the moodstrikes him. “Theatre is one place where you can continually work in storytelling and not lose your shirt.”

As a young Asian-American man born in Illinois in 1970, he has faced his share of familial pressure to be successful. According to Liu, there is a stereotypical Asian-American opinion of the arts. It isn’t practical nor will it make you as much money or give you as much prestige as becoming a doctor or a lawyer.

After having lived and worked as an artist, Liu agrees with his parent’s opinions that art is not practical. The question Liu answered in order to achieve his success is “How do you survive in this somewhat alien culture?” That answer is to find the quickest way to assimilation and to make money. “As long as you can face that, it’s a privilege to choose (the arts).”

Liu didn’t take a straight path to his goal. Like the stereotypical, overachieving Asian-American student, he double-majored, choosing drama and sociology. He even toyed with chemistry because he “got the thing that science is the best.” Yet art has always spoken to him, Liu said, as it is one way to address life. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise that drama soon took over his life.

He interned at East West Players and tried his hand at writing screenplays, acting and directing. Now Liu is in the estimable position of creating a mark within the Asian-American world of theatre, with the power and drive to define the future of Asian-American theatre and nurture the next generation.

As literary manager of East West Players, which is more of a national organization compared to Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, Liu evaluates submissions based on practicalities for the organization. For example, he needs to be cognizant of what kind of theatre the organization wants to do and the interests of the average subscriber. As an equity theatre, it also costs East West Players a lot more money to put on a play. “Ignoring the practical side of arts is a mistake, unless it’s just a hobby.”

East West Players functions as a hub, according to Liu, in which people come together to make each other better. Founded in 1965, East West Players was the first theatre for Asian-Americans. Now 40 years later, Liu said, there are about 55 Asian-American theatres in the United States.

East West Players is a safe environment where budding artists can explore their craft within an Asian-American context. As the administrator for the David Henry Wang Writer’s Institute at East West Players, Liu is also looking to nurture young writers in their voice, regardless of genre or style.

At Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, Liu has a lot more freedom because he said that nobody is making a living from the plays. It is a powerful and liberating experience to not worry about anything except the art, according to Liu, who enjoys contributing to the small, but vibrant theatre scene in Los Angeles.

Theatre is not going away, said Liu, because there is something magical about a live performance…so pure and organic. It includes everything from spoken word performance to a sports event. According to Liu, theatre is anything with a built-in unpredictability factor that has a beginning, middle and end. From Broadway to every little town with a theatre, “we can give ourselves any kind of role.”

In June, East West Players hosted the first Asian-American conference. “The Next Big Bang” started a discussion on how to address the future of Asian-American theatre. “We’ve made a huge progress,” said Liu. Now an Asian-American model exists to create access to Asian-American art throughout the United States, but what is the next step?

The conference attendees are making inroads to answering that question and others like what is an Asian-American play? Obviously, said Liu, it is a play about Asian-American characters or the Asian-American experience. Madame Butterfly by David Henry Hwang was not a typically Asian-American play, but it was a watershed play for the Asian-American theatrical identity.

There are no simple answers to encapsulate the growing Asian-American presence in theatre. However, it is easy to understand by looking to individuals within the movement like Jeff Liu who live and breathe theatre. “(I have) a love of stories in general…(and) theatre is one place where (I) can continually work in storytelling.”

Jeff Liu received his MFA from UCLA. As Resident Director for Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, his productions include TEXAS, TERMINUS AMERICANA (Ovation Award nominee for Best World Premiere), SOLVE FOR X, and THE GOLDEN HOUR. A feature he co-wrote, CHARLOTTE SOMETIMES, was nominated for two IFP Spirit Awards. As an actor, he has worked in such plays as 12-1-A, THE ADVENTURES OF B.Y.O.BOY, AZIATIK NATION, and the upcoming ONE NATION UNDER GOD (Aug '06). He also appeared in the short films BEAUTIFUL and HARLEQUIN, and directed two more, QI LIME PIE and GREAT MOMENTS IN ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY (VC FilmFest '06).