Boone, NC

We now move on to our next adventure. We left the city to enter the woods of North Carolina. Specifically, Boone, NC the north western mountains of the state. We will be performing at the Turchin Center www.turchincenter.com as part of the Appalachian Summer Festival. It will be at a beautiful gallery space with incredible artwork. We are the live installation performance. July 6th, 2007. This will be our final stop before heading back home to Los Angeles. It's been very peaceful and restful so far. Can't wait to experience the outcome.

Good-bye New York

New York City thank you. NAATF thank you. Audiences in New York City thank you. We thank you all for a very successful run of Refugee Nation at the Abingdon Theatre as part of the first ever National Asian American Theater Festival. This experience has made us learn how important our work is. The impact on the audiences that came really completes the cycle of art and healing. Several of the performances we had people in tears because they could relate to the characters on stage. The refugee experience is not new. The refugee experience is one where we can all connect and understand. The struggle to find a better life. The hope and horror of war. I was very happy to have met more Lao people. I was very happy to perform with Leilani. I am happy with what we are doing and look forward to making it even better.

To all the fellow artists and participants of the NAATF. Congratulations for all your hard work.
Ova

Count down

One more day until our first show at the Abingdon. We've got four performances to go to help close out the NAATF. Leilani and I have been hard concentrating and focusing on making our piece better and better. Rehearsals have been up and down, it's amazing how the weather can affect your rehearsal process. We had a few days of heat in New York City and our loft felt like an oven which in turn makes us all cranky. On those days we don't get as much done. On cooler days we definitely get a better run of our lines, our moments and characters in the scenes we've created. I can't wait to show what we have to an audience and get a few good runs. I'm excited to have my family from Hawaii joining us and supporting Refugee Nation. I'm excited to hear of new Lao audience members joining the Refugee Nation. This is an exciting time.

Sleep or Never

New York City maybe the city that never sleeps...but we NEED our sleep. A trek into the city can be an exhausting one. Consider last night. The festival has begun and it seems the performances are going well. Leilani and Marie-Reine went to see Regie Cabico and Aileen Cho's show. They had a great time at LaMaMa with other festival participants like D'Lo and Kristina Wong rooting and supporting each other. There is a strong sense of camaraderie amongst the participants because it's important and we need each other. We need each other as audience, we need each other as colleagues and we need each other to better ourselves. There is so much activity as part of the festival and New York City itself that time is valuable. Choices can be difficult to make depending upon location, time frame and distance. Going from one place to another takes a lot of walking. So by the time you are subway setting to one place you exhaust yourself. When you get home...sleep is important. So sleep in when you can.

I went to the Asian American Legal Defense Fund event around Chelsea. There were many NYC professionals in attendance numbering close to 500 or so. I did my best to promote Refugee Nation. Most who I spoke too seem interested and I hope they come. It was great to connect with friends I had made at a BBQ earlier in the week. They were instrumental in helping me spread the word and give out postcards. I also met new friends who in the future could help us out. Hsindy from Boston. We'll definitely connect with you when we arrive in Boston during the fall. Progress takes time.
Ova

Pirate or Refugee?

Leilani has been bugging me to write about the difference in the work I did on Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and the work I do with Refugee Nation. The two experiences have such a wide gap that it's incredibly ludicrous to think about. One is backed by a multi-billion dollar business under the name of Disney, while the other is supported by a tiny, non-profit organization called TeAda Productions.

Being a pirate on the film made me realize the truth behind the business. It's all about the dollars in the end. The creative forces that control the film must and have a strong arm on the outcome of the final product. I was a very teeny tiny part of that giant machine. In the end I was fortunate enough to have screen time. I was lucky. It can be done with a lack of soul.

Being a refugee performing with my wife Leilani AND sharing about the Lao experience is rewarding in so many levels. It is the truth of who I am. It is the essence of what I am. The struggle to make the performance powerful and alive. The passion and courage to deal with relevant issues that plague our society today. War. Oppression. Healing. I am proud to be creating a work so personal and yet global.

So if you were me would you rather be Pirate or a Refugee?