PFP Adds Another Low Cost Ticket Night for A Hand of Talons

Brother/Sister: Anders (Sean Schroeder) and Wilhemina Yao (Stephanie Kim-Bryan)
Anders (Sean Schroeder) gets spiffed up by his sister Wilhemina (Stephanie Kim-Bryan)

Thanks to our generous Kickstarter donors, Pork Filled Productions is excited to add Sunday, May 15 as another low cost performance for its world premiere run of A Hand of Talons, running at the Theatre Off Jackson (409 7th Ave. S., Seattle), April 29 to May 21, 2016.

“We blew past our fundraising goals and expectations,” says Roger Tang, Executive Director for PFP. “Since we achieved our added $4,000 stretch goal, we are able to make all of the tickets for our Sunday, May 15 matinee at 2 pm only $10, as a part of our goal to make theatre accessible to everyone.”

This special $10 Matinee on May 15 adds to the variety of budget options already available to our audiences, which include Thrifty Thursdays ($12 on May 5, 12, and 19) and two Industry/PWYC Nights (Pay What You Can on May 2 and 9). Our regular ticket prices are also fairly affordable at $18 General and $15 Student/Senior at the door ($15/$12 in advance).

For generations, the Yao clan has ruled the criminal underworld in New Providence with an iron fist. But as the family empire threatens to crumble, Wilhelmina Yao must do whatever it takes to win at in a high-stakes game of power and betrayal. Descend into the hazy underground gambling den of the Fortuna Mews to explore the dark world of steampunk noir in this thrilling third installment of the New Providence series, presented in association with the Theatre Off Jackson.

Tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets, at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/web/2490244. Running time is two hours with one intermission. A Hand of Talons is rated PG-13 for intense situations and stage violence. For more info, email PFP at info@porkfilled.com.

Spinning off from the long running sketch comedy group the Pork Filled Player, Pork Filled Productions stretches the boundaries of Asian American theatre. Reflecting the imagination and creativity of modern Asian American artists, Pork Filled Products reworks traditional Asian American theatre to embrace the full spectrum of genres, from steampunk (The Clockwork Professor and The Tumbleweed Zephyr) to supernatural comedies (Big Hunk o’ Burnin’ Love by Prince Gomolvilas), to mistaken race farces (Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang) to crime family con games (Fast Company by Carla Ching) and yes, even Kung-fu zombie Shakespeare (Living Dead in Denmark by Qui Nguyen).

A Hand of Talons is supported by 4Culture and Seattle’s office of Arts & Culture and is an Associated Project of Shunpike. Shunpike is the 501(c)(3) non-profit agency that provides independent arts groups in Washington with the services, resources and opportunities they need to forge their own paths to sustainable success.

We’ve Made Our GOAL! Let’s S-T-R-E-T-C-H It Out!!

We are so excited to announce that A Hand of Talons has achieved our initial fundraising goal!  Thanks to the generous support of our 45 backers, we have currently raised an incredible $3,530! We are so grateful to our fans for believing in our show and helping us to create this amazing steampunk universe on stage!

The whole TALONS gang is so excited to be FUNDED! Photo by Joe Iano Photography.
The whole TALONS gang is so excited to be FUNDED! Photo by Joe Iano Photography.

But we still have 4 days to go, so we want to push ourselves to make the very most of this Kickstarter campaign. We are setting a new stretch goal of $4,000 to help make attending the show more accessible. While we already offer several nights with discounted prices, including $12 tickets on all Thrifty Thursdays and two pay-what-you-can Monday Industry Nights on May 2 and May 9, we still want to push ourselves to do whatever we can to make sure that cost is never an issue for folks who want to see our play.

If we can achieve our new $4,000 stretch goal, we will be able to discount all of the tickets to our Sunday matinee on May 15 to a mere $10! Our matinee time slot has proven very popular for those audience members who often don’t have the means or ability to attend events in the evenings, so your extra donation would really give those patrons a helping hand to get out and go see some theater.

Bernie (Jenn Ruzumna) heartily agrees that a STRETCH GOAL is just the ticket! Photo by Joe Iano Photography.
Bernie (Jenn Ruzumna) heartily agrees that a STRETCH GOAL is just the ticket! Photo by Joe Iano Photography.

Our campaign ends on Wednesday, April 13 at 2pm! We still have plenty of fabulous Backer Rewards to share, so please spread the word and let’s keep our luck rolling! And be sure to get all the latest news on the show on Facebook, Twitter, or www.porkfilled.com.

Meet the Crew: Brandon Estrella

 BrandonE
We are so excited to work with first-time PFP collaborator Brandon Estrella! Brandon is a props and set designer whose work has been seen with a wide variety of companies around Seattle. He is a founding member of The New Alchemists and, over the past few years, his designs have been featured throughout the greater Seattle Area. You may have seen some of his recent work with Ghost Light Theatricals (From Kings to Controllers, King Kirby, As You Like It), STAGEright (Weird Romance), WET (The Motherf*cker With the Hat), MAP Theatre (The Art of Bad Men), SIS Productions (Paper Angels), and the Intiman’s Emerging Artists Showcase. You can check out some of his upcoming projects with MAP Productions, Theatre Schmeater, Northern Belles Webseries, and The New Alchemists.
He also created this lovely scale model of the Talons set, as seen above. Look closely for a few hidden surprises built into the walls of the Fortuna Mews…!

Director Amy Poisson on the Theatrical Mustang Podcast!

Our Talons director and beloved colleague Amy Poisson was recently featured on the Theatrical Mustang podcast with a panel of local female directors, including Lacy Gavilanes, Julia Griffin, and Vanessa Miller, co-hosted by Katie Woodzick and Olena Hodges. Check out Episode 80 here, and learn what got Amy started as a director, what kinds of plays she is drawn to, and her staunch dedication to diversity in theatre. Hooray Amy!

A Talons Tutorial

Video
So…how exactly do you play a hand of Talons? This New Providence card game has its roots in last summer’s The Tumbleweed Zephyr, where gambler Kai finds himself in a bit of a scrape after playing one too many hands with the head of the Yao clan. The game also plays a role in A Hand of Talons (after all, it’s part of the title!), but how do you decide the rules for a fictional game to be played on stage? So we called in Zephyr alumni and Talons master card players Troy Lund (Hoban Hughes) and Manuel Cawaling (Kai Hernandez) to give our current cast a few pointers. Check out the video here!

Ante Up for A HAND OF TALONS Kickstarter

Our cast and director have been hard at work at rehearsal, our marketing team is spreading the word far and wide about the show, the designers are at their drawing boards creating our sets, props, and costumes… and all we need now is YOUR support to get A Hand of Talons on its feet!
PFP has just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $3,500 to help with space rental costs, and to increase our budgets for costumes, props, and sets. Being a fringe theatre company, we are old hands at stretching our pennies to put on the best show we possibly can. But with your help, we will be able expand our vision for the play to create a truly spectacular theatrical experience!
We have some smashing backer rewards available, including poster giveaways, VIP tickets with reserved seating, exclusive backstage tours, and maybe even your name as a part of our play! Also, thanks to the power of Shunpike, a portion of your donation is tax deductible.
Our Kickstarter campaign ends in just three weeks on Wednesday, April 13, so don’t delay! Support our Kickstarter today!

Buy Tickets HERE for A HAND OF TALONS (updated)

Use this handy reference guide to buy tickets and plan your trip from Seattle to New Providence to see A Hand of Talons. You’ll be treading on Yao clan territory, so you’ll want to plot out every detail before you go, including parking, dining choices, and more!

Buying tickets

Tickets purchased in advance are:

  • $15 General Admission
  • $12 Student/Senior/TPS (Seniors are 62 or above!)
  • Mondays are Industry Pay-What-You-Can
  • Thrifty Thursdays are  $12
  • Sunday matinee on May 15 at 2pm for only $10!
    Thanks so much to our generous Kickstarter backers for making these discounted tickets available to everyone!

Buy them NOW (with the updated ticket link)
at Brown Paper Tickets: BPT.pdf

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/web/2490244

Run time is approximately two hours with intermission.

We are excited to offer a special online Double Date Deal (four
Advance General Admissions for $50) for folks who want to enjoy the show with a few friends and save some cash!

Tickets at the door are:

  • $18 General Admission
  • $15 Student/Senior/TPSTeenTix_logo
  • PFP is proud to participate in Teen Tix

Parking for Theatre Off Jackson

Need to find parking in the International District?  Please refer to this helpful map for information on nearby parking lots and their evening fees:

TOJ Mag Talons

In general, there is plenty of street parking, with 2 hours free underneath the freeway and reasonably-priced metered parking elsewhere (metering ends at 8pm). We CAN  recommend the lot under Interstate 5, between Jackson and King Streets. Not only is it extremely well-illuminated, but it also costs a mere $2 after 6pm (cash only/exact change) and $10 for special events such as Sounders games. All proceeds go to help Interim CDA, the agency that helps develop the International District as a neighborhood to live in, a destination to visit, and a community to work in.

Note: The Viaduct is scheduled to be closed for two weeks beginning April 29 (Opening Night!), so please plan extra travel time and avoid SR99 during those dates.

Also Note: There will be Sounders games at CenturyLink Field on the evenings of April 30, May 7, and May 21. Finding parking (both street and pay lot) can be especially challenging on game days, so please plan accordingly to take public transit or factor in extra time to park.

Feeling a little peckish?

Why not grab a bite to eat before the show? Here are some nearby restaurants to try out:

A. Red Lantern
Contemporary Asian cuisine
520 S. Jackson St.
redlanternseattle.wordpress.com

B. Green Leaf
Excellent Vietnamese cuisine
418 8th Ave. S.
greenleaftaste.com

C. Phenom Penh Noodles
The I-District’s only Cambodian restaurant
660 South King St.
www.phnompenhnoodles.com

D. Eastern Cafe
Tasty sandwiches, crepes, and espresso
510 Maynard Ave. S.
www.facebook.com/EasternCafe

A Hand of Talons Opens on April 29th!

Return to the steampunk universe of New Providence with a brand new world premiere play! A Hand of Talons, written by Maggie Lee and directed by Amy Poisson, opens at the Theatre Off Jackson (409 7th Ave. S., Seattle) on April 29.
Rehearsals are already underway for this exciting show, which takes us back in time to a standalone prequel story before the events of The Clockwork Professor. Pork Filled Productions has assembled a stellar new cast of characters (with one returning favorite!) to explore the dark underworld of organized crime that lurks beneath the surface of the fair city of New Providence.
Tickets go on sale March 15, but check out this sneak peek from our first rehearsal!
The whole TALONS gang is so excited to be FUNDED! Photo by Joe Iano Photography.

Head Hawg Featured in the Bay Area


Pork Filled Executive Director Roger Tang has just returned from a fruitful trip to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he spoke to the Stanford Asian American Theatre Project (which he helped to found 35 years ago) and received an Equity Award from the Equity in the Entertainment Industry Symposium at Stanford University.
While he was there, he spoke to the local paper, The Stanford Daily, about his long career in Asian American theatre and what he did before he was the “Godfather of Asian American theatre.” Check out his interview here!

Save the Date for A HAND OF TALONS

In the steampunk crime world, keep your enemies close, your friends closer and your family within dagger’s reach!

Pork Filled Productions presents the world premiere of A Hand of Talons by Maggie Lee (The Clockwork Professor, The Tumbleweed Zephyr), directed by Amy Poisson (These Streets, Fast Company, The Tumbleweed Zephyr), at the Theatre Off Jackson (409 7th Ave. S., Seattle), April 29 to May 21, 2016.

For generations, the Yao clan has ruled the criminal underworld in New Providence with an iron fist. But as the family empire threatens to crumble, Wilhelmina Yao must do whatever it takes to win at in a high-stakes game of power and betrayal. Descend into the hazy underground gambling den of the Fortuna Mews to explore the dark world of steampunk noir in this thrilling third installment of the New Providence series.

Shows are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, with two Pay-What-You-Can Industry Nights on May 2 and 9 (Mondays at 8 pm) and one matinee on Sunday, May 15, 2 pm.

“”It’s a bit of a departure from our usual light-hearted action adventures, ” says PFP Executive Director Roger Tang. “But we feel that audiences will really enjoy this new dark look at the New Providence steampunk universe.”

“A Hand of Talons is a prequel of sorts, exploring a young woman’s path to power, and what she sacrifices along the way to become a strong leader. And we’re still doing what we love to do by mixing and matching genres, this time with a strong dose of The Godfather, Jules Verne, and that unique New Providence twist.”

A Hand of Talons features Ben Burris, Tim Gagne, Kenna Kettrick, Stephanie Kim-Bryan, Mariko Kita, Abhijeet Rane, Jenn Ruzumna and Sean Schroeder. Producers are Maggie Lee, May Nguyen and Roger Tang.

Designers include Brandon Estrella (Sets/Props), Jocelyne Fowler (Costumes), Tess Malone (Lighting), Joseph Swartz (Sound), Daniel Rector (Dramaturge), May Nguyen (Fight Choreography) and Michael Massey (Stage Manager).

Advance tickets are $15 General and $12 Student/Senior/TPS at Brown Paper Tickets, on sale, starting March 15, at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/web/2490244. Run time is approximately two hours with one intermission. There is a Double Date Deal (four General Admissions for $50). At the door, tickets are $18 General, $15 Student/Senior/TPS. PFP participates in Teen Tix. A Hand of Talons is rated PG-13 for intense situations and stage violence. For more info, email PFP at info@porkfilled.com.

Spinning off from the long running sketch comedy group the Pork Filled Player, Pork Filled Productions stretches the boundaries of Asian American theatre. Reflecting the imagination and creativity of modern Asian American artists, Pork Filled Products reworks traditional Asian American theatre to embrace the full spectrum of genres, from steampunk (The Clockwork Professor) to supernatural comedies (Big Hunk o’ Burnin’ Love by Prince Gomolvilas), to mistaken race farces (Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang) to crime family con games (Fast Company by Carla Ching) and yes, even Kung-fu zombie Shakespeare (Living Dead in Denmark by Qui Nguyen).

A Hand of Talons is supported by 4Culture and the Office of Arts & Culture Seattle and is an Associated Project of Shunpike. Shunpike is the 501(c)(3) non-profit agency that provides independent arts groups in Washington with the services, resources and opportunities they need to forge their own paths to sustainable success.

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An Asian American Theatre Company