Category Archives: Literary Events

Adrienne Wong playing “My Name is Rachel Corrie” about the peace activist killed by a bulldozer while defending a Palestine house

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Rachel Corrie

My Name is Rachel Corrie
Havana Theatre
Push Festival
January 25 – February 9, 2008

Rachel
Corrie was 23 years old when she was crushed to death by an Israeli
army bulldozer on March 16, 2003. She was working with others trying to
protect the home of a Palestinian pharmacist from demolition in Rafah,
Gaza Strip, Palestine. “My Name is Rachel Corrie” is a powerful

Sometimes we can be pulled so strongly into doing things by our passions.  Rachel Corrie was driven by passion to stand in front of Palestinian homes on the Gaza Strip, being threatened by Israeli bulldozers.  As an U.S. citizen from Olympia WA, she felt it was her duty to protest the actions of the U.S. government.  Unfortunately Rachel was killed by a bulldozer, but called a martyr by Palestine leader Arafat.

Adrienne Wong is playing Rachel Corrie in the Push Festival's “My Name is Rachel Corrie.” Wong was also similarly driven by her passion to play the young activist.  Read the article: Hour.ca – Stage – My Name Is Rachel Corrie to learn about Wong's unusual audition for the role.

My Name is Rachel Corrie, is a play composed from Corrie's journals and e-mails from Gaza, written by British actor Alan Rickman. I've checked the blogosphere, and it looks like a real interesting play with controversial themes.  Was Corrie being used for Palestinian propaganda?  Did the bulldozer driver not see her? Why is it important to to destroy Palestinian homes on the Gaza Strip?

The initial 2005 opening in London, directed by Rickman at the Royal Court Theatre in London, England won the Theatregoers' Choice Awards for Best Director
and Best New Play, as well as Best Solo Performance for actress Megan Dodds.  It was subsequently scheduled to open in New York City at New York Theatre Workshop
in March 2006. But due to fear of reactions from Jewish groups, the play was “postponed indefinitely.”

What will Vancouver's Jewish community say about My Name is Rachel Corrie?  What will White audiences and critics say about an Asian actor playing a blonde American character?  Hopefully, they will all say that both the actor and the play are full of passion.  Adrienne is actually Eurasian or Hapa-Canadian, as her mother is French Canadian.  Wong already has many ethnic “roles” on her resume.  Ethnicity shouldn't be a quality for casting, but sometimes it is.

Adrienne is a committed actor involved on many levels in Vancouver theatrical community.  A few years ago she was writer in residence at the Firehall Arts Centre, and I have seen her in lead roles in Golden Child and Gold Mountain Guest.  She has also been a past co-host for the 2004 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event.

Banana Boys back again at the Firehall Arts Centre

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Banana Boys
Firehall Arts Centre
January 17 – February 9 , 2008


Last year Firehall Arts Centre brought back Urine Town the following year, after a smash initial run.  This year, they have brought back Banana Boys.  I saw the play last year and found it a hysterical, fast-paced, action-packed with both ideas and physical comedy.

Some of our female dragon boat team members said “Hey what about the Banana Girls?”  This play hits the nerves about Asian-Canadian identity.  What is it like to be considered a banana? Yellow on the outside but White on the inside.  No doubt many Canadian-born Asian Canadians are considered more and more banana with each passing generation, as they lose their mother tongue language, and traditional customs. 

But can you lose something you never really had? Often times this 5th generation Chinese-Canadian bristles at being asked “Where are you from?” 

On the other hand, the Asian traditionalists and new immigrants have often asked me “Are you Chinese?  You look Chinese… You should speak Chinese!”

This play addresses all these issues… the push and pull of living between cultures, while trying to establish your own identity.

This Leon Aureus play is based on the original book by Terry Woo.  Terry came to Vancouver last year for the rehearsals and the opening night performance, and was really pleased with the Firehall's production.  No wonder the play sold out its final nights and has been brought back for 2008.

The Quickie – New Asian Canadian play sneak preview excerpt featured at 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event

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Another Gung Haggis Fat Choy exclusive!!!

TF Productions' playwright Grace Chin is back with another “set in Vancouver” play that resonates sexual and racial intercultural politics and social customs.   Last year  Grace and her writing partner Charlie Cho previewed their first play Twisting Fortunes at the 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner which I reviewed Twisting Fortunes is just like “real dating.

This
time the writing is all Grace… and she will be performing a sneak
preview excerpt onstage with fellow actor Emily Chow, as characters
Susan Fan and Regina Cho.

What do women really want?  Did Robbie Burns have the answer?  We know that Robbie Burns LOVED the fair sex and wrote many many poems dedicated to them – the most famous being “My Luv is Like a Red Red Rose.”  But does a rose smell as sweet whether it is red, or white, or yellow?  And what about men and women…. do they smell as sweet whether they are white or yellow? 

Check out this spicy excerpt that will be presented January 27th at the 2008 Gung Haggis Fat Choy : Toddish McWong's Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner.

Can you really know someone in five minutes? And is speed
dating a shortcut to happiness, or a slippery slope to heartache? TF
Productions, the team that brought the city its first “accidentally
Asian” romantic dramedy, Twisting Fortunes—which played to a sold-out
house at the Playwrights Theatre Centre on Granville Island last
year—presents The Quickie, a Vancouver-based, contemporary romantic
comedy that rips a strip out of speed dating, making whoopee, and
cultural collision. In all the wrong places.

The Quickie is directed by Ross Bragg (Producer, CBC) with
lighting design by Darren Boquist (Walking Fish Festival) from a script
by Grace Chin (Event Producer, Scripting Aloud), one half of the TF
Productions writing/producing team that includes Charlie Cho (Associate
Producer, CBC). TF Productions is grateful to receive in-kind support
from the CBC, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT) and Scripting
Aloud. “A 'quickie' can mean a lot of things. This is a fun play about
dating in Vancouver, but it's not only about sex; it's about how
readily we judge people before we know who they are, about love at
first sight,” says Bragg.

In this take-out love story, Richard “The Rich” Gupta (Raahul
Singh) wants everything, while his buddy Darryl Chu (Alex Chu) just
wants the right woman. Susan Fan (Grace Chin) is willing to settle for
a man she can put up with, while her best friend Regina Cho (Emily
Chow) won't settle at all. The four meet their matches quickly enough
at the same speed dating event, yet find the follow-through far from
tidy. An amorous woman (Allison Riley), a party girl (Kit Koon), a
pretty boy (Phil Gurney) and a toothsome dentist (Victor Khong) further
complicate the “girl meets boy” dynamic.

The
Quickie is the second theatrical production, after 2007's Twisting
Fortunes, to be staged after being workshopped at Scripting Aloud, a
monthly pan-Asian Canadian scriptreading series active since 2005. A
short excerpt from The Quickie will be read live at the Tenth
Anniversary Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner event on January 27, 2008 at
Floata Chinese Restaurant, 400-180 Keefer Street, downtown Vancouver.

Performances:
Thurs. Feb. 7, Fri. Feb. 8, Sat. Feb. 9, 8 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 10, 2 p.m.
Fri. Feb. 15, Sat. Feb. 16, 8 p.m.
Venue: Playwrights Theatre Centre
(1398 Cartwright Street), Granville Island
Tickets: $15 at the door, $13 online via PayPal at www.scriptingaloud.ca/quickie

Media:
Charlie Cho
Co-Producer, TF Productions
778-288-5933

quickieplay@gmail.com

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre Needs Your Support

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Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre is hosting a GALA on Saturday. January 26. 
That's Gung Haggis Fat Choy eve!!!

I LOVE VACT… and have supported and attended many of their events over the years including Asian Comedy Night, Sex in Vancouver,  Exit the Dragon, Cowboy Versus Samaurai, and Bondage.

The line-up is incredible with actress Olivia Cheng as co-host with funnyman Tom Chin – who co-hosted Gung Haggis Fat Choy in 2005.  Then there is Jeffery Yu + Aaron Elvis Wong + sketch comedy troupes Lick the Wax Tadpole, 5-Spice, SFUU MAN CHU and The Yangtzers.

Check out the VACT press release:

For Immediate Release
MEDIA RELEASE

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
Needs Your Support
*FUNdraising GALA on Saturday, January 26, 2008

VANCOUVER, BC (January 7, 2008) – Buying tickets and telling your friends about the upcoming Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre FUNdraising Gala is a great way to support this incredible organization.  VACT has entertained this city's Asian Canadian community for over 9 years now with last summer’s hit of Cowboy Versus Samurai, its annual comedy nights to the unforgettable Sex in Vancouver Serial.  All funds raised will continue to help VACT produce its 2008 line-up of shows.

This year's entertaining FUNdraising Gala coming to the NORMAN ROTHSTEIN THEATRE on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 will feature:

* Standup Jeffery Yu, voted 2003's funniest comic with a day job
* Singer Aaron Elvis Wong, 2007 Elvis Tribute Artist winner at the Penticton Festival
* 4 sketch comedy groups from last year's Etch-YOUR-Sketch     SKETCHOFF!#$%!! –
    The Yangtzers, 5-Spice (formerly Slant Eyed Peas), SFUU MAN CHU, and
    Lick the Wax Tadpole.

Support Asian Canadian theatre! Come kick off the 2008 season! Door Prizes! Silent Auction! Desserts! Wine! Laughs! And more!

Hosted by the talented and beautiful Olivia Cheng, recently seen as controversial New York Times best selling author Iris Chang in the film Iris Chang:The Rape of Nanking and the very funny Tom Chin, MC for VACT’s annual Asian Comedy Night for the last 8 years.

For more information please visit http://www.vact.ca.

Event Details
VACT’s FUNdraising GALA
Norman Rothstein Theatre
950 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver

Performance Date and Showtime
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Show @ 7:30pm
Gala Reception to follow

Ticket prices In Advance  (include service charges)
$40 VIP Ticket:
     Reserved Section for VIP Seating
     VIP reception after the show
     Drink ticket
     Refreshments
     Special door prizes draw ticket
$25 Regular Ticket – Show only

TICKETS CAN BE PURCHASED in person at the Norman Rothstein Theatre, by phone (604) 257 -5111, or online at www.vact.ca

Ticket prices At Door  (cash only at door)
$45 – VIP Ticket
$30 – Regular Ticket
$20 – Reception Ticket

Please call for group rates 778.885.1973

For media access please contact Joyce Lam at the e-mail address or phone number listed below, no later than January 21, 2008.

VACT (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) aims to produce quality plays in which Asian-Canadians take on culturally or artistically significant roles. VACT works to dispel Asian stereotypes by producing leading and/or supporting roles where Asian-Canadians are depicted realistically in the performing arts.

-30-

For photos, interviews with cast and crew, and media passes, please contact:
Joyce Lam, Producer, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
T:  778-885-1973    E:  joyla@shaw.ca     W:  vact.ca

Firehall's Ecstasy of Rita Joe enthralls and bites with both performance and social commentary

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The
Ecstasy of Rita Joe

by
George Ryga

until 8
December 2007

The Firehall
Arts Centre, Vancouver

Director
Donna Spencer


This Canadian classic theatre work is still strong and disturbing.  Remounted on its 40th Anniversary for the Firehall Arts Centre’s 25th Anniversary, this production of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe stuns audiences with not only the power of its story and acting – but now with the resonance of history’s truths and tragedy.   Playwright George Ryga’s words are still haunting and critical 20 years after his death in 1987.

Firehall Arts Centre artistic director Donna Spencer has assembled a stellar cast, and directed the production herself, as well as playing the role of school teacher.  And forty years later, the deterioration of Vancouver’s downtown eastside, the continued plight of urban aboriginal peoples, the issues of the Residential School system, the memories of both Oka and Gustaphson Lake First Nations stand-offs with the RCMP, play as much a sociological backdrop as the appointment of Steven Point to Lieutenant Governor of BC, international recognition of Haida and Musqueam artists, and recent Land Claim settlements.

The 1967 premiere of Ecstasy of Rita Joe was both a triumph and tragedy.  It was the first play about Aboriginal issues on a major theatre stage to be taken seriously, shocking audiences with the plight of a First Nations woman from the countryside, who is caught in a downward spiral, trapped by the unforgiving forces of the city. 

The original Vancouver Playhouse production is legendary in Canadian arts, produced by artistic director Joy Coghill, and directed by George Bloomfield, as was the remount which became the first English language play production at the National Arts Centre in 1969.   George Ryga expanded the role of Rita Joe’s father, when
Chief Dan George stepped into the role.  Ann Mortifee was the young ingénue when she wrote the music for the play, performing it in her role as musician/singer.  George was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in 1971, while Coghill and Mortifee became members of the Order of Canada in 1990 and 1991.

But the Firehall Arts Centre's production is a worthy contender. 

Lisa Ravensberg is mesmerizing as Rita Joe, alternately capturing both the innocence and bewilderment of the young native woman, lost in the city’s bureaucratic judicial system.   Standing before the magistrate, played sensitively by William B. Davis, more famously known as “cancer man” in the X-Files, Rita Joe tells him she is confused and just wants to go home. 

But she can’t go home.  She is now a victim, stuck in a system of constantly being discriminately charged from vagrancy to prostitution. And she doesn’t know how to get out.

Rita Joe’s boyfriend Jamie Paul is trying to make something of himself in the city.  Kevin Loring steps energetically into the role of Jamie Paul, playing both the sweet and caring boyfriend, as well as the proud angry and indignant young First Nations man, that refuses to be patronized.  He rejects the old ways of Rita’s father (Byron Chief Moon) who is also Chief of the Reserve, the kindly social worker Mr. Homer (Alvin Sanders) who gives Jamie Paul, Rita and his friends “hand-outs”, and he criticizes the Indian agent and the government’s policies.

Duncan Fraser is powerfully subtle the Priest, We see him genuinely concerned at Rita’s plight when he visits her from the reserve in the city jail.  He naively talks to her about God’s love and gently touches her, but Rita repulsively rejects his hand in a move that hints at the sexual abuse of the Church’s role in the Residential School system.

Byron Chief Moon plays the Father, the role originated by Chief Dan George.  He is tall with a gentle loving and thoughtful presence.  His scenes with a young Rita are joyful, but turn sad when he risks his health to visit her in the city in an effort to bring her back to the reserve.

Tricia Collins as Rita Joe’s sister is a wonderful counterpoint to Ravensberg’s Rita Joe.  Although a minor character, Collin’s beauty and portrayal of her character’s return to the Reserve contrasts with the ugliness of Rita’s continued entrapment in the city, and the plight of urban natives with alcohol, drugs and cultural misunderstanding.

William B. Davis has the most challenging job as The Magistrate.  He must work with dialogue that seems patronizing, didactic and dated, yet still find a way to be understanding and caring.  He carries this through with a balance that is infused with the 40 year bittersweet knowledge of what the Aboriginal communities have suffered and triumphed over.  It is up to the audience to be the real judge of how society relates to Canada's Native population.

In the final scene, Rita Joe's sister and father walk out with First Nations drummer and singers.  Rita's father sings a lament.  Another song is followed by Collins and a singer.  It as much a tribute to the passing of Rita Joe, as it is to the new understandings of First Nations culture in our society.  I spoke to cast members after the opening night performance, and they told me this was an addition to the script, which they felt was a fitting and very appropriate

The Ecstasy of Rita Joe is still a powerful work, that despite its long acknowledged structural flaws, continues to work in its abilities as social commentary and wonderful vehicle for actors and production team.  One of the biggest compliments must go to actor Lisa Ravensburg, who immerses herself so convincingly in the role of  a realistically desperate First Nations woman that is all too commonly seen along the Hastings & Main vicinity, that my companion did not recognize her at the opening night reception – where I introduced him to several of the actors.

“This play carries a message all Canada should hear,“wrote Chief Dan George in the preface of the first publication.  These are words that are relevant and compelling in 1967 as they are forty years later in 2007 to go see this play.

Personal note:

I wanted to see “The Ecstasy of Rita Joe” for many reasons:

Check out these recent reviews:

Vancouver Province: Here's the definitive Rita Joe

reviewvancouver: The Ecstasy of Rita Joe

Hiromi Goto – New VPL writer-in-residence

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The VPL writer-in-residence program was created by Kevin Chong when he was a VPL Board member.  It's a cool program where you can make an appointment and have your work critiqued.  Last year's WIR was Gary Geddes – an Orkney Islands descendant.

Hiromi Goto was one of the featured authors who read to CUPE 391 – on the picket line reading series.

She is now the VPL Writer-in-residence.
Her first official reading is tonight
Nov 27th – 7pm
Alice Mackay Room
Central Branch Library
350 West Georgia

Please come hear and support this incredible author and dynamic reader.

The following is from www.vpl.ca

 

Writer-in-Residence Program 2007

 
The Writer-in-Residence program promotes Canadian writing and literature to Vancouver citizens.
Now in our third year, we are very pleased to have award-winning author Hiromi Goto as our
Writer-in-Residence for 2007.
Ms.
Goto will spend 75% of her time writing, while 25% of her time will be
devoted to mentoring emerging writers, conducting workshops and
participating in other activities to share her experience with the
broader community as well as communities not typically exposed to
Canadian literature. Ms. Goto will also be working on her sixth
manuscript and her first full-length poetry project.
The
2007 VPL Writer-in-Residence Program is made possible through the
generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts and the Friends of
the Vancouver Public Library.
Inaugural Reading
Tuesday, November 27 @ 7:30 p.m.
Alice MacKay Room (Lower Level), Central Library (350 W. Georgia Street)
Free admission. All are welcome.
Photo: Hiromi Goto, VPL's 2007 Writer-in-Residence. (Photo by Kiely Ramos)

About Hiromi Goto

Hiromi
Goto is an award-winning writer whose work has won world-wide acclaim.
Born in Japan and immigrating to Canada with her family at the age of
three, she is the author of four books. Her first novel, Chorus of Mushrooms,
was the 1995 recipient of the Commonwealth Writer's Prize Best First
Book Canada and Caribbean Region and the co-winner of the Canada-Japan
Book Award and her third novel, The Kappa Child, won The James Tiptree Jr. Memorial Award in 2001. In 2003, Ms. Goto was selected by TV Ontario's Imprint as one of the top 10 Canadian writers under 40 worth watching.
Her short stories, critical writing and poetry have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including Ms magazine, Nature, and the Oxford University Press anthology, Making A Difference, and she co-wrote the script for the award-winning NFB short animation film, Showa Shinzan. Her most recent book, Hopeful
Monsters, is a collection of short stories and her latest young adult novel, Half World, is pending publication.
As
a creative writing facilitator she has worked with learners of all ages
and has read and lectured at institutions throughout Canada, the United
States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Taiwan, Germany and Japan.
Currently, Ms. Goto lives with her family in British Columbia.
 

Scheduling Writers' Appointments with the Writer-in-Residence

Writers
wishing to request a meeting with Hiromi Goto should contact VPL's
Community Relations Office at 604-331-4041, or send an e-mail to programs@vpl.ca.
Please
note, writers will be asked to submit a five-page sample of their
manuscript prior to the appointment being made. For more information
about this, contact Community Relations Office at 604-331-4041 or programs@vpl.ca.
Every effort will be made to
accommodate requests for interviews, however, please note that under
the Canada Council guidelines, the Writer-in-Residence has a limited
time available and it may not be possible to accommodate all requests.
Thank you for your interest.
 

Upcoming Events:

Inaugural Reading
Tuesday, November 27 @ 7:30 p.m.
Alice MacKay Room (Lower Level), Central Library (350 W. Georgia Street)
Free admission. All are welcome.
 

Press Releases:

 

Previous Programs:

Eating Stories with the Chinese Canadian Historical Society – book launch

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Tonight is the night I get to see my contributions in print for the book: Eating Stories A Chinese-Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck.

Brandy
will be on CBC Radio Friday morning with Rick Cluff, Morning Edition, at about
7:50AM.

Also some hot news from
Henry.  Jerry Kwok has done a
wonderful job with the 8 min. teaser film on the workshop. It's downloadable at
http://www.instrcc.ubc.ca/CCHS/CCHS_workshop.wmv .  

We are having an author's book launch tonight at the Rhizome Cafe on Broadway, before the official book launch at the Vancouver Museum Sunday Nov. 25th at the Vancouver Museum.

It was a wonderful pleasure to meet so many people interested in the writing process, and how to improve their own writing skills.  People were so interested in food, our workshop discussions often took forays into Chinese-Canadian history, memories of food and family, as well as cultural traditions and differences.

The first book, Tracing Roots, by the CCHS is especially memorable for me because my cousin Hayne Wai contributed stories about his mother and our uncles.  It was great to be able to take the book home as a gift to my parents, and show them the paragraphs featuring “Uncle James,” “Auntie Rose,” and my father  – “Uncle Bill” to my cousin or “Bok-Sook” (#8 Uncle).

Tonight all the writing workshop participants get to take home copies of the book.  I will get to show my parents my published contributions of photographs and paragraphs, which introduce the stories of how I developed my love for salmon, my creation of Gung Haggis Fat Choy, and how our dragon boat team cooks up it's own haggis won ton.  This anthology features 2 current (Dan Seto and myself – Todd Wong) and two past paddlers (Grace Chow and Meena Wong) from the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dragon boat team.

Brandy
Lien-Worrall, our workshop leader and anthology editor, will be on CBC Radio Friday morning with Rick Cluff, Morning Edition, at about
7:50AM.

Also some hot news from
Henry.  Jerry Kwok has done a
wonderful job with the 8 min. teaser film on the workshop. It's downloadable at
http://www.instrcc.ubc.ca/CCHS/CCHS_workshop.wmv .  

FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  info@cchsbc.ca

http://www.cchsbc.ca

 

Meals and Memories Come
Alive in New Collection of Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Food and Family
Stories

Groundbreaking work
captures authors’ personal stories of family and community

 

VANCOUVER – The
Chinese Canadian Historical Society (CCHS) is pleased to announce the
publication of Eating Stories: A Chinese
Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck, edited by Brandy Liên Worrall and with
Foreword by Margaret Gallagher.

Following the
success of the first workshop and the resulting book publication, Finding Memories, Tracing Routes
(English and bilingual English-Chinese editions), CCHS held a second writing
workshop with the theme of “Food and Family”, which had nearly tripled in
size.  Twenty-three participants of
Chinese Canadian or Aboriginal backgrounds researched, discussed, and wrote
their memories of family gatherings, home cooking, restaurant outings, and
other stories cooked up by the smells, tastes, sounds, sights, and textures
that bring families and communities together. 
Together with their stories, 37 family recipes and over 170 images
complete the collection.  Additional
contributors include Imogene Lim, Lisa Moore, Janice Wong, and Henry Yu.

George
McWhirter, Vancouver’s Poet Laureate, says of this groundbreaking collection:
“I want one of those meals and to be in one of those families.  If I can’t be that in actuality, these
stories make me a guest of all, complete with recipes for me to try out on my
own, after.  These are more than
literate tellings of family food rituals and recipes; they are elegantly and
pungently related. . .In the process, these pieces become evocative literature
and unforgettable history.”

“This
collection is amazing in terms of the scope of experiences in these Canadian
communities, from the 1930s all the way to present day,” states editor and
workshop facilitator Brandy Liên Worrall. 
“Reading these stories is just like sitting in a Chinatown café eating
apple tarts in the 1960s or going to a barbecue at the reservation, catching
salmon and having a good time. This is really history you can eat.”

Writers include
Jacquie Adams, Jennifer Chan, Shirley Chan, Allan Cho, Grace Chow, Lilly Chow,
Betty Ho, George Jung, Jackie Lee-Son, Roy Mah, Gordy Mark, Amy Perrault, Dan
Seto, Bob Sung, Hayne Wai, Evelyn Wong, Larry Wong, Todd Wong, Harley A. Wylie,
May Yan-Mountain, Candace Yip, Gail Yip, and Ken Yip.  The Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC would like to
acknowledge the support from the Provincial Capital Commission for the
participation of two First Nations authors in the writing workshop.

An “authors
reception” will be held at Rhizome Café (317 East Broadway) on Thursday, November 22, 2007, at 7:00 PM.  This intimate event will have a short
presentation and author readings.  Media
interest in this event, including requests for interviews with the authors,
should be directed to Nancy Fong, nancy.wy.fong@gmail.com.  Media attendance to this event is by RSVP
only.

The “Eating
Stories: A Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck” book launch, hosted by
CBC’s Margaret Gallagher, will be held at the Vancouver Museum on Sunday, November 25, 2007, at 4:00 PM.  Authors will read from the book, as well as
answer questions from the audience.  In addition, New Voices: Chinese Canadian Narratives of
Post-1967 Diaspora, a post-secondary student-initiated anthology of
literary and artistic works by Chinese Canadians living in the Lower Mainland,
will be also launched that day. This book is now available at http://www.newvoicesproject.org/
.

Copies of Eating
Stories can be purchased at the authors reception and the launch.  For more information, bulk and educational
orders, and press kits, email nancy.wy.fong@gmail.com.  Copies may also be purchased online at http://www.lulu.com/cchsbc.  Proceeds go toward the “Edgar Wickberg
Scholarship for Chinese Canadian History.”

ABOUT the CHINESE CANADIAN
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

The
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia (CCHSBC) is a broadly
based membership society with educational goals.  Our main objective is to bring out the untold history of ethnic
Chinese within the history of British Columbia.  We achieve this through sustained efforts at document
preservation, research, family and oral history promotion, public education
programmes, an active website, and many other initiatives.

MEDIA
CONTACT-ENGLISH AND CHINESE [interviews &
press kits]: nancy.wy.fong@gmail.com

Eating Stories, a Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck: book launch Nov 25th at Vancouver Museum

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Mayor Larry Campbell, Toddish McWong, Enid Campbell – photo Naoko Watanabe at the 2005 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner.

Everybody loves stories about food.  Recipes or restaurants, people will reminisce over their favorite memories of food… how it was made… who made it… what their favorite dish is…

In January I took a writing workshop with the Chinese Historical Society of BC.  The theme was “Food and Family” and taught by Brandy Lien-Worrall. 

23
participants in a writing workshop wrote their memories of family
gatherings, home cooking, restaurant outings and other stories cooked
up by the smells, sounds, sights, and textures that bring families and
communities together.

The writers include myself – Todd Wong, the
creator of Gung Haggis Haggis Fat Choy, Dan Seto current Gung Haggis
dragonboat paddler, my cousin Hayne Wai – president of CCHS, + many friends such as: Meena Wong, George Jung and Gordie Mark – who were active during the Chinese head tax campaign, community activist Shirley Chan, Chinese-Canadian Military Museum curator Larry Wong and ex-Gung Haggis paddler Grace Chow and myself.

 

Dan Seto signing books at the CCHS 2006 book launch for Tracing Family Roots.
Dan Seto with noodles at Sha Lin Noodle House.

         

November, 25, Sunday, 4-6 PM. CCHS Book Launch,
Eating Stories, a Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck.

Vancouver Museum, 1110 Chestnut Street, Vancouver. 

CCHS is pleased to welcome everyone to the book launch for Eating
Stories: A Chinese Canadian and Aboriginal Potluck, edited by Brandy
Liên Worrall and with Foreword by Margaret Gallagher. Following the
success of the first workshop and the resulting book publication,
Finding Memories, Tracing Routes (English and bilingual English-Chinese
editions), CCHS held a second writing workshop with the theme of “Food
and Family.”

Twenty-three participants of Chinese Canadian or
Aboriginal backgrounds researched, discussed, and wrote their memories
of family gatherings, home cooking, restaurant outings, and other
stories cooked up by the smells, tastes, sounds, sights, and textures
that bring families and communities together. In addition to their
stories, there are 37 recipes and over 170 images. Writers include
Jacquie Adams, Jennifer Chan, Shirley Chan, Allan Cho, Grace Chow,
Lilly Chow, Betty Ho, George Jung, Jackie Lee-Son, Roy Mah, Gordy Mark,
Amy Perrault, Dan Seto, Bob Sung, Hayne Wai, Evelyn Wong, Larry Wong,
Todd Wong, Harley A. Wylie, May Yan-Mountain, Candace Yip, Gail Yip,
and Ken Yip. Additional contributors include Imogene Lim, Lisa Moore,
Janice Wong, and Henry Yu.  

Please join us for the official launch of this unique book and meet the authors! 

“Ecstasy of Rita Joe” – important BC theatre work opens at Firehall Arts Centre Nov 21

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The Ecstasy of Rita Joe is one of Canada's most important works according to the Literary Review of Canada's 100: Canada's Most Important Books.

For the past two years, in my role with the “Save Joy Kogawa House
Committee” my paths have crossed with connections to “The Ecstasy of
Rita Joe” because:

  • We have talked about George Ryga House in the Okanagan as a writer's in residence program,
  • Joy
    Coghill (who as Artistic Director, produced EoRJ), did a reading for
    our awareness fundraising event
    Joy of Canadian Words: April 25th fundraiser for Kogawa House    – where we
    asked actors to read from one of the Literary Review of Canada's “100 Most Important Canadian books”
  • TLC
    – The Land Conservancy of BC invited Anne Mortifee to a
    “friend-raising” event in Burnaby because Anne is working with TLC on
    Cortes Island for a special project
  • Last week at the opening night for the play “Gravity”
    – the niece of Chief Dan George gave a First Nations welcome and sang a
    song.

Here is the press release for Ecstasy of Rita Joe:

[]
    
   
    
        
        
        
        
         presents

 

The Ecstasy of Rita Joe
By George Ryga
 
Celebrating their 25th Anniversary season, the Firehall Arts
Centre is excited to present the beloved Canadian classic, The
Ecstasy of Rita Joe by acclaimed author George Ryga with previews
November 17 – 20, and opening on November 21 through December 8, 2007.


 

The Ecstasy of Rita Joe is an important piece of modern Canadian
theatre, as it was the first work that addressed issues relating to
Aboriginal peoples; was mounted on stage and taken seriously.
 
The play recounts the story of a young Aboriginal woman who moves to the
city but finds she has no place with either the white man or with her own
people.   But who is the villain?  What is the root of the
problem?  The violence of the white culture or the patriarchy of
Native culture, or both?  The play is a tragic story told in a
combination of song and montages. Forty years later, Ryga’s play is as
compelling and powerful as ever and remains a play for all peoples.
 
The production’s stellar cast includes well known actor William B. Davis
of X-Files fame playing the Magistrate, Lisa C. Ravensbergen as Rita Joe,
Kevin Loring as Jamie Paul, Byron Chief Moon as the Father, Duncan Fraser
as the Priest, Alvin Sanders as Mr. Homer and the talented singer/actor,
Tracey Power, in the folk singer role originally created by Anne
Mortifee. 
 
Show Times:  Tues – Thurs. 7:30pm, Fri &
Sat. 8pm Sat & Sun. 2pm matinees with a special pay-what-u-can
matinee Wed 1pm. 
Ticket prices – $14- $28
 
For tickets call 604-689-0926 or visit
www.firehallartscentre.ca

Ruth Ozeki and Shaena Lambert read at historic Joy Kogawa House – Wonderful community chemistry for Vancouver's new literary landmark

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Ruth Ozeki and Shaena Lambert read at historic Joy Kogawa House
Wonderful community chemistry for Vancouver's new literary landmark


Writers Shaena Lambert, Joy Kogawa and Ruth Ozeki were featured at the November 10th “War and Remembrance” event at historic Joy Kogawa House.- photo Deb Martin

Magic happens sometimes in unexpected places, and with unexpected people.  Joy Kogawa, author of Obasan and Naomi's Road, shared with the audience that she has been continually amazed at the way the universe has unfolded to not only save her childhood home from demolition last year – but also to continue build a foundation for the planned literary landmark and writers-in-residence program for historic Joy Kogawa House.

Tonight's
event was perfect with both authors Shaena Lambert and Ruth Ozeki
reading their most recent works that deal with the consequences of the
WW2 Hiroshima bombing.  How fitting that the stars aligned to have Ruth
come to Vancouver from between her busy commutes between Cortes Island
and New York City to settle in Kogawa House on the day before
Remembrance Day. 

The reading event went well tonight. 
80 people.  30 over the earlier cap of 50 people.  We had standing room
only upstairs, rather than turn people away.  Guess we will have to knock out the walls into the
former music room and take out bathroom – both added in 2004 by the
last owner… as we start our restoration early.

The audience was divided into two groups; Upstairs with Ruth Ozeki; and downstairs with Shaena Lambert.  Tamsin Baker of TLC (The Land Conservancy of BC) welcomed the upstairs audience and gave a brief history of the saving of Joy Kogawa House by the TLC and the Save Kogawa House Committee.  I added to that history, as a member of the now renamed History Joy Kogawa House Society, then introduced author Ruth Ozeki. 

Ruth is the descendant of Japanese-Americans who were interned during WW2.  Her grandfather was one of the few Japanese-Americans interned in Hawaii, while her mother was put under house arrest while attending university in Wisconsin.  Her book “My Year of Meats” was the 2007 choice for the One Book One Vancouver program at the Vancouver Public Library. 

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Ruth read from “Click”, a special collaborative book for Amnesty International.  The first chapter was written by Linda Sue Park, and Ruth wrote the fourth chapter.

After a 40 minute session and an intermission, the authors switched locations with Ruth moving downstairs, and Shaena moving upstairs. 

Shaena read from her new novel Radiance, set in 1952 and based on true events in which Keiko Kitagawa arrives in New York City from Japan, as the “Hiroshima Maiden” who undergoes plastic surgery to remove a scar caused by the Hiroshima bomb.

After the readings, each author took questions.  Books were available for sale, including Click, Radiance and titles by Joy Kogawa.

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Following the close of the event, members of Joy Kogawa House Society hosted a dinner for authors Joy Kogawa, Ruth Ozeki and Shaena Lambert at the Red Star Seafood Chinese restaurant.  It was wonderful to see and talk with everybody in such good spirits after the successful event.  Everybody on this committee is dedicated to the cause of seeing Joy Kogawa House become a literary landmark for Vancouver and to develop a writers-in-residence program.  And they are all good-hearted people that trust and like each other.  What a joy it is to be on this committee.  It was particularly amazing to see the wonderful chemistry between Ruth and Shaena who had only met once before.

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Another unexpected twist of events happened when Todd Wong started telling Ruth about the Pacific Origami conference being held in Vancouver.  Ruth asked Todd to fold something, then suddenly Joy and Ruth were also very involved in folding, as a traditional crane base became an 8-point star, then finally a pegasus winged horse.  Simply magic.