AIISF - What's New
Angel Island Book Tour off to a rousing start
In addition to the standing room only crowd at the Immigration Station for the launch of Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America on July 31, authors Erika Lee and Judy Yung were greeted by 225 friends and family at a celebration at Fort Mason on August 7. In addition to the presentation on the book, Erika and Judy thanked people who offered their family stories for the book, volunteers who did data entry work and research for the book, and friends and family who supported the authors through the years.The next day, Erika and Judy journeyed to Los Angeles for a book talk sponsored by the Chinese American Museum at the Pico House. Over 65 people attended the talk.
Please visit www.aiisf.org/index.php/boo/book-tour-schedule for details on events in San Leandro, CA (Aug. 22), Portland, OR (Sept. 1), Seattle, WA (Sept. 2), San Francisco (Sept. 7 and 9), Corte Madera (Sept. 8), San Diego (Sept. 10 and 11), Yuba City (Sept.15), Sacramento (Sept. 16), Los Angeles (Sept. 19), Washington, D.C. (Sept. 21), New York (Sept. 23), Oakland, CA (Sept. 30), Boston (Sept. 30). Events are also scheduled in October and November 2010.
Artists Interpret the Angel Island experience
One of the most gratifying developments this year has been the creative works celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Angel Island Immigration Station. Earlier this year, composer Chen Yi's choral work, "Passages," was performed by the San Francisco Girls Chorus with visual accompaniment by filmmaker Felicia Lowe. The following are special presentations you won't want to miss.September 15, 16, and 17 - 7:30 p.m. Paper Angels, a play by Genny Lim, directed by Victoria Linchong. A Direct Arts production to be performed at Portsmouth Square, San Francisco.
This production of Lim's 1982 play will incorporate a two-piece traditional Chinese music ensemble and 12 actors including Obie Award winner Jojo Gonzalez. It is part of the San Francisco Fringe Festival and admission is free. For more information, go to http://www.sffringe.org/fringe10/10/paper.html.
The producers are still raising funds to bring the cast to San Francisco. You can make a donation at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/34801238/paper-angels-in-san-francisco.
September 24 and 25 - 8 p.m.; Sept. 26 - 2:30 p.m. - "Passages: For Lee Ping To," an Asian Improv aRts presentation of Lenora Lee's multi-media dance performance at Dance Mission Theater, 3316 - 24th St. (at Mission Street), in San Francisco.
Inspired by Lee's grandmother's detention at the Immigration Station in 1940, the work includes video sequences by media designer Olivia Ting, music by Frances Wong, and a reading by poet/playwright Genny Lim. A short excerpt of this work was performed at the Immigration Station on July 31 and you can see a short clip of that performance at www.aiisf.org/media. You can also see an excellent short video by James Q. Chan in which Lenora Lee explains the origins of the dance piece along with rehearsal footage. Go to http://www.youtube.com/user/AsianImprovaRts#p/a/u/O/Fw32WJLZMoE to learn more about the production.
Tickets are $14 in advance at Brown Paper Tickets or $20 at the door. The event is co-sponsored by AIISF and the Chinese Historical Society of America.
Other upcoming events:
October 24, 3 p.m. -"World Premiere: Angel Voices: Rhapsody on Angel Island Poetry by pianist /composer Jon Jang at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The works features poet Genny Lim and a chamber jazz ensemble comprised of pipa (Chinese lute), woodwinds and a rhythm section. The presentation is part of the San Francisco Jazz Festival. Tickets are $30. The premium general admission will be $50 and feature a pre-concert talk by Jon Jang.
November 7 - 5 p.m. - GenRyu Arts 15th Anniversary Concert, "Tsuki No Usagi," will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Angel Island Immigration Station. The concert will feature the core ensemble as well as guest arts Hideko Nakajima (shamisen, accordion and voice), Tastu Aoki (taiko, shamisen, acoustic bass) and master shamisen artist from Japan Chizuru Kineya. The concert will be at BRAVA Theater, 2781 24th St., San Francisco.
In case you missed the Centennial Celebration on Angel Island, see the videos now!
On July 31, over 1,000 people gathered at the U.S. Immigration Station, Angel Island to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this national historic landmark. The program opened with the “Wee’a,” a Coast Miwok blessing, performed by Federated Indians of the Graton Rancheria language group. Tsim Schneider, a tribal member and archaeologist, said, “Here, over 5,000 years ago, Coast Miwoks lived among the natural beauty of San Francisco Bay. And scattered glimpses of this past are found in an occasional house depression; and in collections of chipped stone tools, ground stone mortars and pestles, sometimes basket remains, shell ornaments and dense deposits of mammal, bird, and fish remains – as is the case for Coast Miwoks residing at the site we are now sitting on top of. Importantly, in addition to being places of physical sustenance, these sacred sites were also places of spiritual importance… our ancestors lived, dined, danced, and buried their dead.” To see the blessing, click here.Read more: In case you missed the Centennial Celebration on Angel Island, see the videos now!
Lee Ping To’s Angel Island experience interpreted through dance
San Francisco dancer and choreographer Lenora Lee will be presenting her dance “Passages” on September 24-26 at the Dance Mission Theater. “Passages” is in homage to Lee’s grandmother on her mother’s side, Lee Ping To, who immigrated through the Angel Island Immigration Station in 1940, the year that the Station was closed.Read more: Lee Ping To’s Angel Island experience interpreted through dance
2010 Event Calendar
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