Auditions are now open for PFP’s She Devil of the China Seas, set for August 2022 at the Theatre Off Jackson.

Based on the real-life pirate who commanded the largest pirate fleet in history, “She Devil of the China Seas” is one part true history, one part swashbuckler, one part Marvel comics! In this show, Shih knows one thing in life: survival. She clawed her way up from refugee to sex worker to support her injured sister. But when China’s pirate lord offers her a chance at something more, the sorceress Wu and her dark forces gather to destroy her before she can fulfill a destiny from the gods! An action fantasy a la BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA and SHANG CHI, complete with pirate queens, swords, and sorcery!

AUDITION INFORMATION

Audition form (with space for video auditions) at
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1l0ANEZywcoSWPHaM1CoJ3x1ZpxXM8u72wiweUOa9H6I/

Audition/Interview Dates: 
Auditions open immediately. Video submissions. Deadline February 28, 5 pm.

Callbacks March 22 and 26 at Theatre Puget Sound.

Audition Requirements: 

Seeking actors of all body sizes, genders, and physical abilities. 

Global Majority (BIPOC) actors, especially AAPI actors, are especially encouraged to audition. 

But roles require actors of ALL races/ethnicities.

Auditioners will be required to be vaccinated AND boosted. Actors called for callbacks will need to be masked, vaccinated and boosted.

Please note that there are specific needs in the script and we are working to cast as authentically as possible. Stage combat is a defining piece of this play. 

Sides from the play will be available for use as monologs. Actors may submit up to three sides of their choice, regardless of their fit to the character.

https://porkfilled.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/XI_SIDE_2022.pdf

https://porkfilled.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/ZHONG_SIDE_2022.pdf

https://porkfilled.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/SHIH_SIDE_2022.pdf

https://porkfilled.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/PAO_SIDE_2022.pdf

https://porkfilled.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WU_SIDE_2022.pdf

https://porkfilled.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/AI_SIDE_2022.pdf

Cast breakdown

Compensation: 

Actors will be paid a stipend of $500 (plus 1% of net) and receive a certification from the Society of American Fight Directors if they complete the 3-week stage combat intensive (free to participants). Approximate value of workshop is $500.

Rehearsal schedule

Extended rehearsal schedule to encompass a stage combat intensive training (and the uncertainties of a pandemic world). Completion of intensive will result in certification in Unarmed Combat from the Society of American Fight Directors (workshop is free to participants). (Note: Actors not cast as fighters, or actors already certified are not required to take this workshop)

The Society of American Fight Directors is working to Expand, Educate, Empower!

EEE allows underserved communities and organizations to receive 30 hours of training (free!) in a particular weapon discipline (e.g. unarmed, single sword, knife, etc.) from an SAFD Certified Teacher and Advanced Actor Combatant. The 30 hours of training will culminate in a Skills Proficiency Test to be adjudicated by a Fight Master, giving students the opportunity to certify in said discipline. Payment for Certified Teachers, Advanced Actor Combatants, and adjudication fees will be provided for by the Society of American Fight Directors or grant funding. The organization receiving the education will not be held responsible for these expenses.

The mission of “Expand, Educate, Empower” is to:

1. Expand the outreach and diversity of the Society of American Fight Directors by connecting underserved artists and theatre professionals to stage combat professionals.
2. Provide free access to stage combat education.
3. Empower a more diverse cohort of theatre professionals.

Most of the slots are reserved for actors in our summer production, SHE DEVIL OF THE CHINA SEAS, but extra slots will be open to PFP alums and other BIPOC theatre artists. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements!

PFP is launching our first Year End Campaign!

We aim to raise $2,500 to ally with the Deaf community by developing a new world premiere play by an Asian American Deaf artist (with many Deaf actors in the cast!) for our Slow Cooker Unleashed, and to provide ASL interpreters for a Deaf Community Night for She-Devil of the China Seas! 

Already, we’ve raised $1,200 $1954 $2074 from donors!! We’d love for you to join this very cool initiative, which will build bridges from the Asian American community to the Deaf community.

Visit our giving portal (or click on the photo) and donate to PFP to help us reach our goal to bring fun, larger-than-life stories! Let’s meet our goal and a joyful 2022 for the Asian American and Deaf communities!!

RESILIENCE! 

A 24-HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL FEATURING ALL AAPI ARTISTS   Through Covid and an ever-mounting tide of anti-Asian hate, Asian Americans have gone through the wringer in the past two years. Well, guess what—we’re still here, persisting and resisting all your efforts to stuff us into boxes to define us. We’re striking back with our whole voice, creating 7 new plays in 24 hours themed around resilience, representation and better, bolder futures. Live-streamed performance November 13, 2021 at 8:00 PM PST.

SLOW COOKER UNLEASHED! PNW LORE

UNLEASHED IS BACK! LIVE & CO-PRESENTED WITH CAFÉ NORDO   We’re combining our Unleashed program with Nordo’s Slow Cooker program for a festival of new works. We will co-present three brand new works by local playwrights of color, exploring Seattle myths, legends and folklore. These pieces will be presented in person at Cafe Nordo’s Knife Room space in February or March of 2022.

DEVISED SHOW: A SHOW CREATED BY PERFORMERS

JOIN OUR 2022-2023 DEVISED SHOW COHORT   We’re launching a devised theatre group, designed for writing, developing and presenting new work in a collaborative format. Recruitment and development of the devising cohort will begin in Summer 2022 for a public presentation in 2023.

MIKU AND THE GODS

CO-PRESENTATION WITH ARTSWEST JUNE 2022  PFP will co-present with ArtsWest the world premiere of miku and the gods in June 2022. This piece was developed in our 2020 Unleashed festival, and we brought this piece to the attention of the ArtsWest band of Associate Artists and the ArtsWest staff.

We will be participating in ArtsWest First Look previews (which will give a behind-the-scenes look at miku and the gods) and more!!

SHE DEVIL OF THE CHINA SEAS

FULL, IN PERSON PRODUCTION IN AUGUST 2022   We’re presenting a full, in person mainstage production of an original, full length show penned by our very own Roger Tang in association with Theatre Off Jackson in August 2022. This piece was developed in our 2017 Unleashed festival.

Synopsis:

Shih knows one thing in life: survival. She clawed her way up from refugee using every means to support her injured sister. But when China’s pirate lord offers her a chance at something more, the sorceress Wu and her dark forces gather to destroy her before she can even accept…and fulfill a destiny from the gods! 

Based on the real-life pirate who commanded the largest pirate fleet in history, SHE DEVIL is one part true history, one part action fantasy, and one Marvel comics, which equals full length fun on stage in the mode of SHANG CHI and BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, complete with pirate queens, swords and sorcery!

PFP presents RESILIENCE! An AAPI 24-Hour Play Festival on November 13, 2021 at 8:00 PM PST.

Through Covid and an ever-mounting tide of anti-Asian hate, Asian Americans have gone through the wringer in the past two years. Well, guess what—we’re still here, persisting and resisting all your efforts to stuff us into boxes to define us. We’re striking back with our whole voice, creating 7 new plays in 24 hours themed around resilience, representation and better, bolder futures.

The festival performance will be live-streamed on PFP’s YouTube channel.

Link to tickets and the full list of the cast and crew to be announced in October.

Pork Filled Productions presents a reading of CJ, An Aspanglish Play, written by Mercedes Floresislas, directed by Ana Maria Campoy, with director of ASL Kai Winchester, available as video on demand,  starting July 31. Weaving English, Spanish and American Sign Language, CJ zooms from grounded reality to mythological realms in a tale enjoyable for hearing and deaf audiences alike.

When CJ’s mom overdoses, the fifteen year-old must go live with her estranged aunt and Deaf grandmother who also struggles with dementia. She lashes out at her grandmother and as a consequence three Aztec deities take her on a three night journey through Mictlan so she might recover her history and save her soul.

Tickets are available from Ticketleap, at https://pork-filled.ticketleap.com/cj-an-aspanglish-stry/ , on a Name Your Price basis (starting at $5 per household), and will be available until August 14. The play will have ASL interpretation.

This reading is the first step for CJ  as Ophelia’s Jump Theatre in Claremont, CA will then take the play to a full production in November of 2021. That will mark the sixth of seven shows since 2017 that Pork Filled has developed into full production out of its Unleashed play development program for POC playwrights.

The cast for CJ  includes Deaf actors Stephanie Nogueras, Eduardo Ayala, Michael Martinez-Islas, and Jake Merz; and hearing actors Mia Floresislas-Medina, Estefania Garcia, Beatriz Villegas, Michael D. Blum, Khalif J. Gillett, Maria Teresa Herrara.

Grecia Leal Pardo is stage manager. Melanie Queponds is dramaturg. Melissa Marquez is lighting designer.

CJ, An Aspanglish Play is suitable for ages 13 and up. Warning: [spoiler title=” style=’default’ collapse_link=’true’]the following subjects are talked about in this play: amputation, drug use, overdose, suicide and death. Child-parent separation is also depicted in this play.[/spoiler]

Plays about family intergenerational trauma have a healing effect, however, healing has a time and a place. Pork Filled  respectfully asks that you honor your healing journey in choosing what is best for you.

For more information, contact PFP at oink@porkfilled.com.

The oldest Asian American theatre group in the Pacific Northwest, Pork Filled Productions centers Asian American and POC artists to imagine fantastical, inclusive and FUN universes. Through the genres of science fiction, noir, fantasy, steampunk and more, we envision a bright universe informed by diverse experiences and perspectives, populated by larger than life characters, where everyone’s story can be told. PFP’s season is supported by 4Culture and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture.

Pork Filled Productions is fiscally sponsored by Shunpike, 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.