Oh Family Concert

Oh Family Concert

Oh Family Concert

Artist Diana Oh performs an intimate concert of original music for seven decades of their family and shares a glimpse of how their latest music, art and personal storytelling practices brought them in deeper relationship with their mother, June.

Original Music by Diana Oh
Directed by Diana Oh, jb, and Sarah Shin
Director of Photography & Editor – jb / ZANNI Productions
Produced by Erica Rotstein

Lead Vocals  – Diana Oh
Additional Vocals –  Viva DeConcini, Jack Fuller, Michael Maloney, Serena Ebony Miller, Matthew Park, Sarah Shin
Drums – Timothy Angulo
Electric Guitar – Viva DeConcini
Keys, Electric Violin – Jack Fuller
Acoustic Guitar/Electric Bass – Michael Maloney
Cello, Electric Bass – Serena Ebony Miller
Synth – Diana Oh
Electric Guitar – Matthew Park
Violin – Sarah Shin

disOrientalism – November 15 @ Joe’s Pub

The first installment in a new multi-disciplinary series featuring killer Nuyorasian Artists — New York’s premier Asian American performers. Top notch talent from the worlds of music, comedy, concert dance, cabaret and electronica join forces for one electrifying show.  Curated and hosted by notorious NuyorAsian comedienne/rapper Kate Siahaan-Rigg with co-host and child star-turned-Broadway actress Olivia Oguma.

This program lasts about a 75 minutes and is recommended to boost your immunity against boredom, inaction, xenophobia and orientalism. #stopasianhate #freeHelloKitty #nuyorasian #electricviolin #savechinatown #AAPI #wokthisway

More info here: https://publictheater.org/productions/joes-pub/2021/d/disorientalism-part-1—the-nuyorasian-arts-scene/ 

Asian American Arts Alliance Virtual Residency

I recently finished Asian American Arts Alliance’s inaugural virtual residency, which culminated in an artist-led virtual gallery titled UNFINISHED. Thank you to A4 and the cohort artists for their support to during the residency and in setting up the gallery <3

Featured in the Virtual Gallery:

As a theatremaker I love to support fellow artists –  be on a team, help develop their work, provide space and resources for artists to share their work – I like to say that I am adding my spices to someone else’s recipe. And this residency was the time I could prioritize exploring this side of myself as an artist, see what would come out of my voice if I could make my own recipe and there were artists supporting me.

 

At first, I tried to finish a script I started when I was in school – autobiographical stories about heritage, identity, and the different music in my life, but I had to trash it. It didn’t feel right. It felt dated.

 

The pandemic allowed me so much soul-searching. I spent a lot of time reflecting on what kind of artist I wanted to be, what kind of life I wanted to lead, and how to separate my goals and dreams from the harmful ideas of success borne out of capitalism and white supremacy.

 

Eventually, where I landed on was that I just wanted to sing for people.

 

I started with my go-to karaoke songs, (and I have MANY options because I am both Korean and a theatre nerd) and found something in the songs I would never dare to sing in public.

 

They are the “overdone songs,” the “cliches,” the songs made iconic by famous leading ladies, for characters that become predictable dream roles for many aspiring theatre kids. 

I always knew this, but only recently I really realized that musical theatre culture is overrun by upper-middle-class white people that could afford training, were used to being the star, and loved to explore and pretend struggle and trauma through a character, and when I would do my research on looking for material, when I tried to dream – the answers I would get weren’t really guided towards me. Musical theatre, when I first knew her, actually had no idea what to do with me.

 

I used to do a lot of negotiating in my head when asked about my dream roles – a popular question for actors – because I would prepare myself for people questioning me on “historical accuracy,” what the “political take” would be, or if I’m “being too egotistical,” people suggesting me more “realistic” dream roles I should have like Kim from Miss Saigon, Marcy Park from Spelling Bee, or any other Broadway Role that has been recently played by an Asian actor that may or may not have implicit Asian stereotypes incorporated in the character description, or people just giving me a look of pity


 

but actually, if I were seen as a whole, nuanced, person, you would see that I can play any role
or actually do and create anything. We all have the potential to do anything, really.

 

You just have to be. creative. 

 

So here’s me finally sharing a little bit of what makes me feel good, in hopes that it makes you feel good and sparks some creativity.  Shamelessly.

 

and there’s more to come 😉

Lighting: Sarah Hirsch

Sound: Erica Huang

LITTLE WOMEN

Music by Jason Howland

Original Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein

Korean Lyrics from êč€ìží˜•

Orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg

“Astonishing” originally performed by Sutton Foster.

Track by CurtainUp Musical Theatre Karaoke ​

 

LEGALLY BLONDE

Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin

Orchestrations by Christopher Jahnke

“So Much Better” originally performed by Laura Bell Bundy and ensemble.

Track by Curtain Up Musical Theatre Karaoke 

ZAPI Artists presents THIS IS THE HOUR: UNDER OUR OWN PEN

I first met with ZAPI Artists almost 5 months ago to discuss the beginning of a virtual cabaret…and on December 12 it finally premiered!! Check out the show below!

The proceeds from this production will be distributed to the Asian American Advocacy Fund, the Black Trans Travel Fund, and the API artists who collaborated on this event. 

Produced by Cindy Tsai 
Directed by Sarah Shin
Music Supervised by Cynthia Meng
Video Editing by Jasmine Hope Veridiano
Additional Video Editing by Cindy Tsai, Kyle Tristan Chua
Audio Mixing by Erica Huang
Co-hosted by Cindy Tsai, Sofia Khwaja 

 

SET
“All I Wanna Do” – Helen Park and Max Vernon (cut song from KPOP)
   Performed by Toren Nakamura
“A591” – Isabella Dawis and Tidtaya Sinutoke (HALF THE SKY)
   Performed by Michael Maliakel and Kendyl Yokoyama
“Take A Leap” – Cheeyang Ng and Eric Sorrels
   Performed by Shuyan Yang
   Piano: Yan Li
“My Annie O” – Rona Siddiqui (LETTERS TO THE PRESIDENT)
   Performed by Kim Blanck
   Piano: Ted Arthur
   Guitar: Michiko Egger
   Prologue: Kyle Tristan Chua
“Allah” – Aya Aziz (EH DAH? QUESTIONS FOR MY FATHER)
   Performed by Aya Aziz and Waseem Alzer
“I Don’t Look” – Melissa Li and Kit Yan (INTERSTATE)
   Performed by Sushma Saha and Tessa Chan Southwell
   Piano: Jessie Rosso
   Guitar: Michiko Egger
   Various Household Items: Cynthia Meng
“Almusal” – J. Oconer Navarro
   Performed by Lydia Gaston
“What Makes A Man” – Jay Kuo (ALLEGIANCE)
   Performed by Kennedy Kanagawa 
   Piano: Chris Kong
“Clairvoyant” – Adam Gwon (SCOTLAND, PA)
   Performed by Zachary Noah Piser, Cindy Tsai, Tessa Chan Southwell, Alex Nguyen, and Naomi Li
   Piano: Cynthia Meng
“Wildflower” – Ari Afsar (JEANNETTE)
   Performed by Shivani Rustagi and Sofia Khwaja    Guitar: Michiko Egger

A Very Herrera Holiday

WE OUT HERE!!! I had the most fun directing this zoom play that is being performed live every night.

“Join New Repertory Theatre from your favorite device for our new Showstopper Virtual Play Series! Featuring the world premieres from two phenomenal female playwrights of color, this series gives you two live performances for just $20. From the comfort of your home and with optional audience participation, the Showstopper Virtual Play Series is live theatre at its pandemic best.”

 

 

A VERY HERRERA HOLIDAY 

By Alexis Scheer
Directed by Sarah Shin
Featuring Amanda Figueora

 

Lifestyle blogger Emma Herrera is live on Zoom to walk you through her favorite seasonal drinks
and crafts, and perhaps let some relationship frustrations slip—after all, who
isn’t looking for a little space from their spouse these days? But there’s a lot
of rum in that coquito, and something’s weird about the homemade wrapping
paper
 A Very Herrera Holiday is a darkly comedic look at an influencer who may
be sharing more than festive fun.

Press: Theatre Talk Boston, WBUR

 “artfully directed by Sarah Shin……”

“In “A Very Herrera Holiday,” Scheer’s clear, engaging writing style coupled with the surrealism of the camerawork allows us to get to know the bubbly Herrera. And, Shin’s careful direction helps pull audiences right into Herrera’s warm kitchen. Shin, who most recently directed Central Square Theater’s “The First Pineapple and Other Folktales,” wants it to feel that way. In her work, she creates space for “characters and (collaborators) to exist in their boldest and most honest form,” she writes on her website. She aspires for showgoers to feel like they’re coming over for a home-cooked meal.”

 

The First Pineapple and Other Folktales

I have the honor of directing this show at a new outdoor space called Starlight Square. It’s the 6th show in the country to be approved by AEA for in-person performance and audience. Excited to share it with you all!

The First Pineapple and Other Folktales
Written & Performed by Micah Rosegrant
September 16 & 17 at 7:30PM
Presented by Central Square Theater

Part oral history, part play, part concert, The First Pineapple and Other Folktales is the ritual of memory evoked when a queer filipinx poet appears on a stage somewhere in our settler-nation called America. As divides between performance and personhood collide, blur, and flood, we see the author at their most vulnerable, which may also be their most holy. Come witness, exorcise, and dream with author Micah Rosegrant in the hardest folktale they may never tell “right”.

This production is subject to the approval of Actors’ Equity Association’s (AEA) requirements for the COVID-19 pandemic. AEA is the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Video Clips featured here:

Asiamnesia: Canceled

Since my last post, I’ve been able to do some cool stuff!

  • Get an apartment in New York
  • Work on Dave Malloy and Rachel Chavkin’s Moby Dick at American Repertory Theatre (yes, back in Boston) as Choreography Assistant
  • Work on Celine Song’s Endlings at New York Theatre Workshop, as an assistant director to Sammi Cannold
  • Begin rehearsals for Asiamnesia by Sun Mee Chomet at Brandeis University as director –

But due to COVID-19 the production was sadly canceled. I hope there is a time where we can produce Asiamnesia on a Boston stage in the future!

Since the call for social distancing, I was able to participate in a virtual reading of The Fortune Teller by Christina R Chan with TC Squared Theatre Company, check that out below!

Stay safe and healthy!

AMPUTEES

I am excited to share that I have a bunch of projects in the making…first up is directing the new play AMPUTEES by Quentin Nguyen-Duy, a Playwrights’ Project Production as part of the New Play Initiative in Boston University College of Fine Arts 23rd Annual Fringe Festival.

Get tickets here!

Artist In Their Element | Clairvoyance #3

Diana Oh’s third installation is coming April 20th 1-4pm at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston!! I’ve been playing with Diana all year as what they’ve named a Love Nurse (aka Production Assistant), and I’m so excited to be involved in a way that’s a bit different for this one 😉

“As Artist-In-Community Resident at A.R.T., Oh and a group of Queer and Trans Identified Powerhouse Influencers of Color, at the invitation of the artist, will strike a pose for portrait painting that celebrates queer magic and QPTOC love. They’ll each showcase their own personal fashion aesthetic in a staged tableau at the ICA. A commissioned artist will paint their portrait, and you are invited to observe, muse, sketch, or take in the beauty and applaud! Drawing materials provided; participants also welcome to bring personal sketchbooks and pencils.

The Artist in Their Element is created and staged by Diana Oh in collaboration with artists of the Boston community. The event is the third installment in the artist’s Clairvoyance series.”

Theme: Overlay by Kaira