Slava Polunin and Me

Hello friends and lovers..

First off, thank you everyone, who have in one way or another spoke with me and shed some wisdom onto my previous post about the "Asian Dilemma."  It's at these times where I find that people do care about the choices I make because ultimately, I wish for whatever I end up doing to push not only myself but the entire Asian community of performers forward.  I don't want to make it harder on myself than it already is.  

You'd be surprised by how many castings I find with directors looking for that "ethnic" part.  You know what I'm talking about.  And the more I see these the less sensitive I become to what that actually means.  Unless it's some biopic of some historic Asian figure or unless there's another Asian person involved in the creative process, the sides I receive of the character reads flat, one dimensional and culturally flawed.  And because I feel that I can bring more to an "ethnic" character than just that I submit for roles I shouldn't be submitting for.  Now, I understand that these auditions I've been going out on aren't big budget, Hollywood scale productions and I'm working with other newbies like myself so I probably shouldn't be too let down by what I'm coming across but, CMON.  If you're going to write an ethnic character into a film how about a little ethos that goes beyond knowing your roommate's best friend's sister-in-law who goes to school with this guy with once played little league with this half Asian guy.

That is why I've decided to begin writing for myself.  I know this is something I should've been doing for a while now but I'm sick of people just not getting me right.  I know myself best.  I know what I like and what I'm good at.  If Polanski can star in his own films than so can I.  I was never really a supporter of writers who direct and star in their own pieces but I now I'm wondering what in the world led me to think that was wrong.  Fear maybe. Because if it sucked it would be completely on me.  But honestly, I like to think I'm capable of good work and I usually take immense pride in everything I'm involved with.  I know several amazing actors, as well as an extremely creative group of people that can help me with any of my artistic shortcomings... so why not put us to use?  I'm doing it.

I'm totally inspired by this dude right now.  Slava Polunin.  He's a clown.  One of the best at his craft.  If you want to look him up, watch the clip of him with the coat.  He's got a show out right now that's touring the world called Slava's Snowshow.  I really hope it makes it's way back to the states.

Here's a wicked quote by him..

What Is My Kind of Theatre?
or
The Theatre I Love

- It is a kind of wedding cavalcade,
where I try to marry everyone to everyone;

- It is a theatre of ritual magic
and festive pageantry,
constructed on the basis of images and movements,
games and fantasies,
that are the common creation of the audience and the people of the theatre;

- It is a theatre which inexorably grows
from dreams and tales;

- It is a theatre of hopes and dreams,
full of longing and loneliness,
losses and disillusionment;

- It is a theatre which always changes,
which breaths spontaneous improvisation
and cares scrupulously for tradition;

- It is in the vein of contemporary
multi-layered synthesis,
on the boundary of life and art;

- It is a theatre that works in an epic-intimate alloy
of tragedy and comedy,
of absurdity and naivity,
of cruelty and gentleness;

- It is a theatre which escapes
definition and the unequivocal
understanding of its actions,
as from attempts
to usurp its freedom.

Slava Polunin

PS.. I think they started airing my channel 7 promo again sooo look out for it!