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You're young, pretty, come from Alabama, and
are a first generation Vietnamese-American
Michelle Glick stars in her solo show
Asian Belle
A tale of trying to fit in and learning when not to
Beginning July 15th at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre
In Association with the Midtown International Theatre
Festival
Did you ever feel like the world is a tuxedo and you're
a pair of brown shoes? With apologies to George Gobel, this is a question
that might easily apply to Michelle Glick. The daughter of a Vietnamese
war bride, Glick spent most of her time growing up in Alabama trying to
be the perfect Southern Belle. Only no one seemed to think of her that
way. Glick recounts those experiences in Asian Belle, a funny
and endearing solo show which begins performances July 15th at the Dorothy
Strelsin Theatre, located at 312 West 36th Street. Written and performed
by Glick, directed by Christine Miller and produced by Namakula, Asian
Belle is being presented as part of the Eleventh Annual Midtown
International Theatre Festival. Members of the Press are invited to all
performances.
Playing a variety of roles,
Michelle takes the audience through her formative years,
where she faced typecasting in Annie, encountered problems at Bible
School (her family were Buddhists) and endured endless ignorant looks from
store clerks who thought she couldn't speak English. “Being just like
everybody else is very important when you're a kid," Glick noted.
"Asian Belle is all about the dangers
of making assumptions, including ones made by me. Until I began learning
about my own heritage and where I came from."
In addition to telling her own story, Glick delves into
her relationship with her mother, recounting the struggles, heartbreaks,
eventual independence and the personal pride her mom found in her adopted
home.
An actress, writer and producer, Michelle Glick
has performed in productions at The Actor’s Studio, The Cherry Lane
Theatre and The Upright Citizen’s Brigade. Michelle’s films have screened
in major film festivals, including the Toronto Film Festival, SXSW, the
Cannes Film Festival and the TriBeCa Film Festival. Most recently she appeared
as the lead in the feature film Exposed, which won
the Best Feature Film Award at the New York International Independent Film
Festival. Through her production company, The FilmGym, her most recent
project as producer is The Sea Is All I Know, starring
2009 Oscar nominee Melissa Leo and Peter Gerety (The Wire).
Her company's latest film, The Bridge, won Best Short at
The Athens International Film Festival and will screen at The Beijing International
Film Festival. http://www.michelleglick.com
Christine Miller feels a special connection directing
solo-shows and understands the courage to perform them, having written,
produced and performed her solo-show Baby Cow at FringeNYC 2008.
Directing credits include: Maybe Later (solo show, Tongue in Cheek
Theatre), Make-out Queen (solo show, Emerging Artists Theatre),
Drug Buddy (Assistant Dir., Cherry Lane), Fiddler on the Roof!
(Hamilton, NY), National Abolition Hall of Fame; In Your Company
(Colgate University). Some acting credits include: The Cycle (finalist
for HBO short films), Sister, Sister, Party of Five, General
Hospital, Moesha. http://www.christineRmiller.com
Namakula is a New York City-based artist who has worked in various
capacities in theatre, film, television and radio, including as a commercial/film
editor, writer, actor, producer and director in the United States, England,
and Spain. Her performance work runs the gamut from appearances on Late
Night With Conan O'Brien, to stand up in NYC comedy clubs, to off Broadway
performances at The Cherry Pit Theatre, The Manhattan Theatre Club, and
La Mama Theatre, to name a few. Recently, she modeled for the photo project
The Chicken Society for critically acclaimed DP/photographer
Valentina Caniglia, which just had its premiere at Gelato
Salon in Rome and recorded a narrator voice over for Steve French's new
audio book, Baggily Bogwits. Currently, she is a fundraising
coordinator for the charity organization Focal Point Aid and is producing
the first season of her comedy webseries KATE & KULA. http://namakula.com
The Midtown International Theatre Festival, created
by John Chatterton and now in its eleventh year, welcomes theatrical storytelling
across a broad spectrum of genres, forms, identities, cultures, and appetites.
The MITF seeks to nurture these new ideas, perspectives, and stories on
its stages, with an eye set on guiding these productions toward future
success and longevity. The MITF proudly hosts production companies from
across the country and around the globe, uniting talent in one of the biggest
theatre capitals in the world. For more information, go to http://www.midtownfestival.org
Running through August 1st, Asian Belle will
be performed at the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, located at 312 West 36th
Street, (between 8th & 9th Avenues) on the first floor, as part of
the Eleventh Annual Midtown International Theatre Festival. Show times
are Thursday, July 15th at 6pm, Saturday, July 17th at 3pm, Friday, July
23rd at 8pm, Saturday, July 24th at 5pm and Sunday, August 1st at 4pm.
Tickets to all shows are $18.00, $15.00 for students and seniors. Reservations:
at 866-811-4111 or http://www.midtownfestival.org.
The running time for Asian Belle is 60 minutes. The press
is invited to all performances.
Information for Listing Editors
WHAT:
Asian Belle
Written and Performed by Michelle Glick
Directed by Christine Miller
Produced by Namakula
Part of the Eleventh Annual Midtown International Theatre
Festival
Synopsis:
Growing up in Alabama, first generation American Michelle,
the daughter of a Vietnamese war bride, wants nothing more than to be a
typical Southern Belle. So why won't anyone look at her that way? In her
one-person piece, Asian Belle, Michelle (playing multiple
roles) faces typecasting when trying out for the school production of Annie,
has problems at the local Bible School when the instructor tries to change
her brother's name, and the endless annoying looks she got from store clerks
who thought she couldn’t speak English. She also examines her relationship
with her mother and her mom's own personal experiences in America in this
touching and heartfelt solo piece about personal identity and coming to
terms with one's unique heritage.
WHERE:
Dorothy Strelsin Theatre
312 West 36th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
1st Floor
Please note: the theatre is wheelchair accessible
WHEN:
July 15th-August 1st
Thursday, July 15th at 6pm
Saturday, July 17th at 3pm
Friday, July 23rd at 8pm
Saturday, July 24th at 5pm
Sunday, August 1st at 4pm
TICKETS:
$18.00, $15.00 for students and seniors.
RESERVATIONS:
866-811-4111 or http://www.midtownfestival.org
INFORMATION:
http://www.michelleglick.com
RUNNING TIME:
60 Minutes
SUBWAY INFO:
Take the A, C, E, 1, 2 or 3 train to 34th Street
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