Withmargaret Cho Andfriends
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SPECIAL THANKS With special thanks to: Hot Rod Shop Inc., and This event is generously supported by The Wal- Felix Lighting. lace Foundation and Chevron. Based in New York City, The Wallace Foundation is an independent A very special thanks to the members of Stu- national philanthropy dedicated to fostering im- dent Ambassadors for the Arts (SAFTA) for provements in learning and enrichment for disad- their work on this event: vantaged children and the vitality of the arts for everyone. It seeks to catalyze broad impact by Gloria Ashaolu supporting the development, testing, and sharing Anna Bruns* of new solutions and effective practices. For Kevin Carley more information, visit wallacefoundation.org. FRONT ROW Isabel Chen Liting Chen Cal Performances’ suite of student life and learn- WITH MARGARET CHO Nikki Cheung ing programs, including Front Row, is made pos - Naniette Coleman sible, in part, by Chevron. Zoe Forest AND FRIENDS Vickie Jin Cal Performances produces and presents perfor - Kathryn Kityama mances of the highest artistic quality, enhanced BY UCB STUDENTS, Daryanna Lancet by programs that explore compelling intersec- FOR UCB STUDENTS Sharon Lau tions of education and the performing arts. Emily Lin Founded in 1906, Cal Performances fulfills this Chloe Lo mission by presenting a diverse range of more Seth Lu than 100 music, dance, and theater perform- Priscilla Ng ances each season, as well as creating a context Janice Ng for the work through supporting education and Parth Nobel community programs. Adalie Palma ALI Swetha Prabhakaran WONG Meg Scriber Jessely Serrano* Vibha Seshadri George Wang Josie Wen* APARNA Kammy Wong NANCHERLA Sondra Yu Angela Zhao Leila Zhu Talya Ziplipsky HARI *also members of the Student Curators of Cal Performances KONDABOLU RACE. IDENTITY. POWER. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Only at UC Berkeley. MARCH 21 | 7–8:30PM ZELLERBACH HALL Front Row is generously supported by The Wallace Foundation and Chevron. calperformances.org/front-row ABOUT THE ARTISTS I’d love to create an event where we talk all Of course this can’t work unless the se- about race in entertainment. So much has lected artist is willing to join this process with changed since I started doing comedy in the commitment and enthusiasm. At this mo- Hari has also performed at such notable fes- School, and the school’s mascot, “Hari the Hawk,” 1980s and I’d love to take a look at it from all ment, we want to thank Margaret Cho for her tivals as the HBO Comedy Festival, South by was named after him during his senior year. (He different sides! dedication to this project and its subject mat- Southwest, Bumbershoot,, Sasquatch Festival, sometimes fears that his greatest achievement I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to bring ter. She brings her staggering intelligence, the Aspen Ideas Festival, and Just for Laughs in was accomplished at the age of 17.) this special show to Cal! hilarious sense of humor, profound insights, Montreal and Chicago. Hari attended both Bowdoin College and —Margaret Cho and unmistakable style to the mix. We also When in New York City, Hari co-hosts the Wesleyan University, graduating from the former would like to thank Ali Wong, Aparna Nan - mostly improvised talk show The Untitled Kond- institution with a BA in comparative politics in cherla, and Hari Kondabolu for taking part as abolu Brothers Project with his younger brother 2004. A former immigrant-rights organizer in We developed Front Row to celebrate and Margaret’s guests, making this a star-studded Ashok (“Dap” from the hip-hop group Das Racist) Seattle, Hari also earned a master’s degree in engage UC Berkeley’s most defining and event, indeed. as well as The Untitled Kondabolu Brothers Pod- human rights from the London School of Eco- prized resource—its student body. It is a priv- The final element in this project is you, cast. He also wrote the cover story for Spin mag- nomics in 2008, writing a merit-earning disser- ilege each day to work in an environment the students and community of UC Berkeley. steeped in the possibilities of the future, sur- Your time, interest, and presence here are azine about Das Racist in November 2011. He tation entitled “Mexican Returnees as Internally rounded by the individuals who will make that why we do this work. It is particularly reward- was a former video blogger for World Compass, Displaced People: An Argument for the Protec- future manifest. With this in mind, we at Cal ing for us—and for your peers—to be involved a joint initiative between WGBH Boston, PBS, tion of Economic Migrants Under the UN-Guid- Performances are thrilled to play our part in with such an event. Go Bears! and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. ing Principles on Internal Displacement.” This is, the stewardship of student life and learning —Rob Bailis, Hari was born and raised in Queens, New by far, the least funny thing he has ever written… by providing access to the greatest living per- Associate Director, Cal Performances York City. He went to Townsend Harris High including this bio. forming artists, the centuries of knowledge, progress, and innovation they represent in From the Student Curators their practice, and the human inspiration they We’ve only lived so long, as children who provide through their gifts. were raised in the shadow of 9/11 and who In creating Front Row, we took our inspi- came to consciousness during the time of our ration directly from the students of UC Berke- first black President. We’ve seen the impact ley. In 2015–16, the inaugural season of this our voices can have on society, but we’ve also program, we recruited a rare and talented had our idealism shocked by the polarizing band of undergraduates to consider this new forces that have divided a nation. It seems program and help develop a plan. We started particularly important right now that we ex- by asking the question: “If you could invite amine the issues that have brought to light any national or international artistic/cultural fig- these fissures in our national identity—race, ure with direct ties to the Bay Area to make a identity, and power. Power is at the crux of our continued from inside front cover show with you, who would you ask and discussion: Who has power? What does it We are intensely aware of how different we cial way of showing us what is important, why?” After developing a list of nearly 40 pos- mean to hold power in our society? What does are, and conversations about our identities placing in stark relief the larger issues at hand. sibilities, we began to narrow the list by ask- it mean to feel powerless? How do we, as fueled our curatorial process. Eventually they Perhaps, and more importantly, humor brings ing, “What if the show we make is not only stu dents—many of us minorities—gain power brought us to the incredible Margaret Cho. us together—laughter opens hearts, and with about the actual work of the artists we select, and agency? Because the core of Front Row We all see attending this large research open hearts, we can more fully appreciate the but about what goes on inside their head? is a celebration of who we are—as citizens of university as a major opportunity, but life here perspectives of others. As you leave tonight, What if we populate the stage with who and the Bay Area and as a vibrant and complex can also feel overwhelming and impersonal. we hope you think about who you are and what they find interesting?” student body—this can be the ideal public We can, however, connect over our struggles what forms your identity, but most of all, what Those questions, in the hands of a differ- platform on which to tackle these ideas. as children of immigrants, people of color, that means beyond yourself. How can you ent set of student curators each year, are When creating this year’s Front Row, we victims of oppression and marginalization, and make a difference? what make Front Row unique—a one-night- dove into the diverse narratives of Berkeley allies in the movement to make our world Thank you, Margaret, for the years of in- only insight into the mind of an artist who has students, highlighting our racial diversity and more inclusive. Here is our contribution to that spiration and laughter that led us to selecting shaped a generation, based exclusively on expanding on our more nuanced stories movement—an all-Asian-American show that you for this year’s Front Row, and for these months of that artist sharing stories and about our identities, communities, and per- offers four artists of color a unique platform months of amazing planning that dealt with staying in dialogue with us, as well as partici- sonal nar ratives. Our small team represents within an industry that is often unwelcoming. challenging subjects. To Ali, Aparna, and Hari— pating in deeply personal interviews created a microcosm of our campus, hailing from Over the past months, we’ve pondered thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing and conducted by the student curators. To- many intel lectual and cultural backgrounds. these serious topics in great detail, and we’ve your time and talent with us. You will make this gether, they create the frame that will hold We are tied together by our love for the arts had the pleasure of doing so with levity that a night to remember! the show together, as well as the format for and our understanding of the arts as a tool for only comedians can bring.