The original edition of My Asian Mom ran in May, June, and July of 2012.
Fridays and Saturdays
May 4–27, 2012 at Stage 773
June 1–July 7, 2012 at The Den Theatre (extension)
Directed by Joe Yau
Conceived by Mia Park
My Asian Mom sold out every show in its inaugural four-week, eight-show run in 2012. My Asian Mom then extended another six weeks.
From saving the meat of a deer hit in the road to arranging marriages for their daughters, Asian mothers are weird, funny, and nurturing in their own inexplicable ways. With the Confucian command to honor and obey elders in their upbringing, it is often culturally taboo for Asians to divulge public emotion and opinion about their mothers.
The short plays from the inaugural My Asian Mom were about Korean, Indian, Filipino, and Chinese moms as well as a fashionably "Pan-Asian" mom. Some of the works were devised by the performers, some were excerpts from longer plays and others were chosen from a nationwide call for submissions. The cast included a hapa (person of half Asian descent), and artists from Burmese, Korean, Filipino, Indian, Caucasian and Chinese backgrounds. This multi-ethnic collaboration of talents fully express the humorous, touching and aggravating experiences they’ve had with their Asian moms.
The short plays from the 2012 edition of my asian mom included:
Marrying Nandini by Nandita Shenoy. Directed by Jin Kim. Featuring James Kannookadan and Sonia Khaleel. An Indian couple gets the green light from their adult daughter to find her a husband online.
Organic Meatballs by Damon Chua. Directed by John Hildreth. Featuring Ben Albovias, Aimee Algas Alker, Ramona Kywe. A brother and sister check in with one another only to realize that the meeting is guided by the invisible hand of mom.
This Is Why I Don’t Drink by Neal Ryan Shaw. Directed by Neil Jacobsen. Featuring Ginger Leopoldo, Kai Young. A son visiting his mom share a drink and catch up on what’s most important to her, the lives of fictional characters on a Filipino soap opera.
Eight Turkey Sandwiches by Mia Park. Directed by Helen Young. Featuring Mia Park. A daughter dreams of her Korean family lineage and contemplates how she's supposed to fit in when she doesn't eat turkey or mayonnaise.
Piano by Hope Kim. Directed by Joe Yau. Featuring Hope Kim. A Korean woman tells of her time growing up with piano lessons and how that’s affected her life and her mom’s.
MamaSiHero by Conrad A. Panganiban. Directed by Jin Kim. Featuring Aimee Algas Alker, Lovien "Joey" Flores, Ben Albovias, Ginger Leopoldo (6/29 & 6/30). A comic book artist is under pressure to deliver a new superhero and draws her inspiration from her mom.
Tiger Mom by Colleen Dilts and Mike Gillespie. Directed by Jay Sukow. Featuring Colleen Dilts, Patrick Woods. A Caucasian mom decides to raise her child in the tradition of a Tiger Mom.
Fridays and Saturdays
May 4–27, 2012 at Stage 773
June 1–July 7, 2012 at The Den Theatre (extension)
Directed by Joe Yau
Conceived by Mia Park
My Asian Mom sold out every show in its inaugural four-week, eight-show run in 2012. My Asian Mom then extended another six weeks.
From saving the meat of a deer hit in the road to arranging marriages for their daughters, Asian mothers are weird, funny, and nurturing in their own inexplicable ways. With the Confucian command to honor and obey elders in their upbringing, it is often culturally taboo for Asians to divulge public emotion and opinion about their mothers.
The short plays from the inaugural My Asian Mom were about Korean, Indian, Filipino, and Chinese moms as well as a fashionably "Pan-Asian" mom. Some of the works were devised by the performers, some were excerpts from longer plays and others were chosen from a nationwide call for submissions. The cast included a hapa (person of half Asian descent), and artists from Burmese, Korean, Filipino, Indian, Caucasian and Chinese backgrounds. This multi-ethnic collaboration of talents fully express the humorous, touching and aggravating experiences they’ve had with their Asian moms.
The short plays from the 2012 edition of my asian mom included:
Marrying Nandini by Nandita Shenoy. Directed by Jin Kim. Featuring James Kannookadan and Sonia Khaleel. An Indian couple gets the green light from their adult daughter to find her a husband online.
Organic Meatballs by Damon Chua. Directed by John Hildreth. Featuring Ben Albovias, Aimee Algas Alker, Ramona Kywe. A brother and sister check in with one another only to realize that the meeting is guided by the invisible hand of mom.
This Is Why I Don’t Drink by Neal Ryan Shaw. Directed by Neil Jacobsen. Featuring Ginger Leopoldo, Kai Young. A son visiting his mom share a drink and catch up on what’s most important to her, the lives of fictional characters on a Filipino soap opera.
Eight Turkey Sandwiches by Mia Park. Directed by Helen Young. Featuring Mia Park. A daughter dreams of her Korean family lineage and contemplates how she's supposed to fit in when she doesn't eat turkey or mayonnaise.
Piano by Hope Kim. Directed by Joe Yau. Featuring Hope Kim. A Korean woman tells of her time growing up with piano lessons and how that’s affected her life and her mom’s.
MamaSiHero by Conrad A. Panganiban. Directed by Jin Kim. Featuring Aimee Algas Alker, Lovien "Joey" Flores, Ben Albovias, Ginger Leopoldo (6/29 & 6/30). A comic book artist is under pressure to deliver a new superhero and draws her inspiration from her mom.
Tiger Mom by Colleen Dilts and Mike Gillespie. Directed by Jay Sukow. Featuring Colleen Dilts, Patrick Woods. A Caucasian mom decides to raise her child in the tradition of a Tiger Mom.
Thank you for funding this show!
Deepest gratitude to the amazing supporters who helped us not only reach our online fund raising goal, but surpass it. Check out the super cool donors here.
Deepest gratitude to the amazing supporters who helped us not only reach our online fund raising goal, but surpass it. Check out the super cool donors here.
Press for the 2012 edition of My Asian Mom
Time Out Chicago Review: Recommended: “In this assortment of ten-minute plays, performers approach a knotty question: What does it mean to be an Asian mother, and what do her kids make of that? The performers, playwrights and directors...have roots in China, Korea, the Philippines, Japan and Burma, which makes for an appealing range of viewpoints.”
Chicago Theater Beat Review: “Thankfully we have My Asian Mom to add some welcome authenticity to all of the hubbub.”
Chicago Reader Review: Highly Recommended: “Appropriately, it's the Asian moms who steal this show..the pieces strike a balance between the poignant and the playful.”
Gaper's Block: “Asian Mom is a lovely evening of theater.”
Chicago Theatre Minority Report: "...there is no doubt that these stories will carry poignancy for mothers and children of all ethnicities."
World Journal Review #1 (In Traditional Taiwanese)
World Journal Review #2 (In Traditional Taiwanese)
"What's On Dec" ABC7 Best Events: My Asian Mom Extension
Crain's Chicago Business: 10 Things To Do This Weekend
Center Stage Review: OPENING OF INTEREST
Interview with producer Mia Park on Outside The Loop radio
Interview with producer Mia Park on The Sunday Papers, WGN Radio
Time Out Chicago Review: Recommended: “In this assortment of ten-minute plays, performers approach a knotty question: What does it mean to be an Asian mother, and what do her kids make of that? The performers, playwrights and directors...have roots in China, Korea, the Philippines, Japan and Burma, which makes for an appealing range of viewpoints.”
Chicago Theater Beat Review: “Thankfully we have My Asian Mom to add some welcome authenticity to all of the hubbub.”
Chicago Reader Review: Highly Recommended: “Appropriately, it's the Asian moms who steal this show..the pieces strike a balance between the poignant and the playful.”
Gaper's Block: “Asian Mom is a lovely evening of theater.”
Chicago Theatre Minority Report: "...there is no doubt that these stories will carry poignancy for mothers and children of all ethnicities."
World Journal Review #1 (In Traditional Taiwanese)
World Journal Review #2 (In Traditional Taiwanese)
"What's On Dec" ABC7 Best Events: My Asian Mom Extension
Crain's Chicago Business: 10 Things To Do This Weekend
Center Stage Review: OPENING OF INTEREST
Interview with producer Mia Park on Outside The Loop radio
Interview with producer Mia Park on The Sunday Papers, WGN Radio
Book My Asian Mom!
Many of the short plays from My Asian Mom are available to be performed at educational institutions and festivals. If you're interested in having one or more My Asian Mom pieces perform at your event, please contact us. A-Squared is also able to facilate talk-backs and discussions for your event or organization.
Here is a list of some of the institutions where My Asian Mom have been performed.
Northwestern University
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Green Festival at Navy Pier
College of Lake County
Many of the short plays from My Asian Mom are available to be performed at educational institutions and festivals. If you're interested in having one or more My Asian Mom pieces perform at your event, please contact us. A-Squared is also able to facilate talk-backs and discussions for your event or organization.
Here is a list of some of the institutions where My Asian Mom have been performed.
Northwestern University
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Green Festival at Navy Pier
College of Lake County