2022-23 MSG Lab 2 Public Reading

Date: Tue June 14

Time: 8PM

Free Admission

Location: Roundhouse Community Centre | 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2W3, Canada

About the play

Embers of the Past

Leigh, a Chinese Canadian woman, and her mother, Ming Yue, are immersed in their memories as they pack up the home of their family friend, Amalia. “Embers of the Past” does away with the long-held stereotype of nuclear Asian families, ones with strict yet well-meaning parents that expect perfect grades of their children, of the “model minority.” Instead, it is a portrait of a single mother suffering from PTSD, forced to make difficult decisions that change the course of her and her daughter’s life. This story is many things; words left unspoken, the ripple effects of trauma from the past that leaves its mark on the present, growing up, parenthood, long-held resentment, love, and forgiveness.

Credits:

Playwright: Louisa Phung

Dramaturg: Jesse Del Fierro

Director: Gavan Cheema

Cast: Sharon Crandall, Patti Kim & Yasmin Tayob

Louisa Phung is an award-winning director and writer based on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish Peoples, otherwise known as Vancouver, BC. They have had a successful career as a 2nd Assistant Director in the local film and TV industry spanning 20 years, and her short films have been honoured with many awards, including Outstanding Screenplay, Outstanding BC Film, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Cinematography, and nominated for Best Short Film at the Regina International Film Festival and Awards in 2021. Recently, Louisa co-directed United Player’s production of Qui Nguyen’s “Vietgone” (June 3rd-26th) with Keltie Forsyth Louisa is grateful to have the support of vAct and the MSG Lab program in developing her first stage play, “Embers of the Past,” which without, would have stayed in her neurodivergent brain. Louisa would like to give special thanks to Jesse Del Fierro, Carman Szeto, Maggie Lieu Laporte, and the unwavering support of her friends and family. www.LouisaPhung.com

Jesse Del Fierro is a non-binary, Filipinx – Canadian theatre creator, performer and facilitator with the privilege to work in both Moh’kinstsis on Treaty 7 Territory and on the unceded, ancestral territories of the Coast Salish peoples colloquially known as Calgary AB and Vancouver BC respectively. They have the absolute joy of being vAct’s 2021-22 MSG Emerging Dramaturg and have collaborated on works presented at PuSh International Performance Art Festival, SummerWorks, Audain Gallery, Vines Art Festival and rEvolver Festival amongst others. Intersectionality is their only reality, and they appreciate you. Say hello at www.jessedelfierro.com

Gavan is a director, writer, producer, and educator. She is based out of Vancouver: the traditional, unceded, and occupied territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She is a first generation Canadian, with roots coming from the five rivers of Punjab. Currently, Gavan is the Associate Artistic Director at Theatre Conspiracy where she just premiered her new piece Himmat at The Cultch.

Sharon (she/her/hers) is a first generation Chinese, Indonesian, Filipina immigrant currently living in Vancouver, BC. She is a stage and screen actor, singer and educator. She started performing in community musical theatre during her university days. Select theatre: 9 to 5 the Musical (Citadel); As You Like It (Citadel, RMTC); Matilda (Citadel, RMTC, Arts Club); As You Like It, Lysistrata (Bard on the Beach); In the Heights (Arts Club); Shit (Firehall); Shrek (TUTS). Select film/tv: She Went Missing (Lifetime); A Clüsterfünke Christmas (Comedy Central); The Kid Detective (Sony); Kung Fu (CW); The Package (Netflix); Turner & Hooch (Disney +). Upcoming: Balestra; Motherland: Fort Salem (Disney +). Currently, you can find her as Mia in Pillow Talk on Crave. www.sharoncrandallofficial.com

Patti Kim is a dean’s list graduate of the Mount Royal College Theatre Program (now known as Mount Royal University). An established Canadian television and film actor, her most recent film/tv work includes in The Unforgivable on Netflix and the recurring role of Carol Chiwewe on The Expanse. She has also made cameos (her term, not theirs) as a judge in a TV musical, a military officer in a show that centres around military that employs combat witchcraft. Patti is making her debut with Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre’s (vAct) MSG Lab, reading Louisa Phung’s poignant Embers of the Past. She would like to thank Tracy Moromisato, June Fukumura and vAct for the privilege to collaborate with so many talented people. Insta: @theotherpattikim Twitter: @iamthepk

Yasmin Tayob is a half Indian from South Africa, half Portuguese, Muslim, Canadian actor and writer. She works and lives on Musqueam Tsleil-Waututh territory. Yasmin has had the pleasure of performing in the Funeral Plot for the Or festival and also in Brishkay Ahmed’s Burqa Boutique in the Revolver festival. She played a woman returning to the dating scene after a divorce in the award-winning short film Fate and Chocolate Cake and hid behind a pile of sweet buns in Calendar Girls. Yasmin recently finished her master’s degree in education for which she wrote a one person play about her battles with mental illness. Yasmin is overjoyed to be playing this character with this incredibly talented gang!