Action Adventure's 'Sidekicks'

Dmae features Action Adventure Theatre's new serial play in four parts - Sidekicks - a scripted improv comedy about the sidekicks of superheroes. We'll hear from AAT's Pat Moran and writer Emily Gregory about their process to create this novel approach to episodic stage plays. We'll also hear about a staged reading of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yankee Dawg You Die in the Ellyn Bye studio of Portland Center Stage on April 4th at 7pm. 

(Featured music is David Ornette Cherry. Hear his music at DavidOrnetteCherry.com.

Action Adventure Theatre presents a new play with a different episode each consecutive weekend of the show. Sidekicks is the ongoing story of working class heroes in a comic book version of Portland. Audiences have the opportunity to catch all four episodes in succession or stop in for just one dose of Action/Adventure’s unique and entertaining form of storytelling.

Sidekicks is directed by Noah Dunham and Pat Moran 
Written by TJ Acena, Noah Dunham, Devon Wade Granmo, Emily Gregory, Aubrey Jessen and Pat Moran.
 
Starring: Leon Anderson, Jed Arkley, Nate Ayling, Nick Beaird, Noah Dunham, Matthew Hopkins, Aubrey Jessen, Katie Michels and Zoe Rudman

Featuring: Noelle Eaton, Nick Fenster, Devon Wade Granmo, Jake Michels, Schuyler Schmid and Greta West 

Action/Adventure’s newest theatrical sitcom, Sidekicks!
April 3-27, Thursday-Sunday at 8pm

Action/Adventure Theatre, 1050 SE Clinton St.
Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door
Can be purchased at actionadventure.org. Or portland.strangertickets.com

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Emily Gregory also tells us about directing a staged reading of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yankee Dawg You Die in the Ellyn Bye studio of Portland Center Stage. The reading features actors Paul Susi and Joseph Wahl.

The title refers to a stereotyped role that the elder Asian actor had to play. It's never been done in Portland though it was written in the 80s. We'll be in the Ellyn Bye Studio.

Yankee Dawg You Die centers around  the relationship of two men: Bradley Yamashita, one of the new breed of Asian-American actors. Highly political and outspoken, he will only take on acting roles that are dignified and unstereotypic.  Vincent Chang is a survivor of  the old "Chop Suey" circuit as a hoofer and went on to star in feature films, even garnering an Oscar nomination in the 1950s. Now, though still regal and debonair, Vincent is forced into taking often stereotypic and undignified roles. Through a series of quick-moving scenes, the play follows the two men as they meet, form a tenuous friendship and together do battle amidst the often humorous and at times ruthless backdrop of the Hollywood film world.

A review from the LA Times:

"Gently comic and quietly powerful, Gotanda's story addresses such issues as it observes the interactions of a successful older Asian American actor and a politically activated up-and-comer who questions some of the elder actor's roles. The show's title playfully refers to a few of those jobs as the obligatory menacing Japanese soldier in old World War II movies."