OPINION
Page 6 n THE ASIAN REPORTER
September 18, 2017
Volume 27 Number 18
September 18, 2017
ISSN: 1094-9453
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MY TURN
n Dmae Roberts
Caught in Caught
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’ve spent most of the summer preparing for a through lines of dialogue. Still, getting back into
life-changing adventure, one that returns me to acting is like re-learning how to ride a bicycle, as I
my first love and the main reason I moved to engage my mind to remember someone else’s
Portland. In June I was cast in a production at complex words.
We started rehearsals this month. A stellar cast
Artists Repertory Theatre. I’ve been learning lines
and getting into mental shape ever since. As of this of veteran Portland actors (including Sara
writing, I’ve also lost more than 20 pounds to Hennessy and Chris Harder), director Shawn Lee,
prepare myself physically for the hard work of being and an entire creative team are taking care of every
aspect of the production, even
a full-time actor for two months.
details such as putting my name
This is a milestone for me. It’s
on a coffee mug. This level of
been more than a dozen years
professionalism is the height of
since I last acted in a full
theatre luxury.
production. Though I continued
I’m also honored to be working
to produce stage productions, I
with Los Angeles actor Greg
quit performing in the early
Watanabe, who was involved in
2000s when my mom became ill
the Broadway production of
and I decided to care for her.
Allegiance with George Takei.
After being a caregiver, I
Besides impressive theatre and
concentrated on my radio career.
film/television credits, Greg
It wasn’t until 2014, when I
performed the solo play Hold
co-founded Theatre Diaspora —
These Truths by Jeanne Sakata,
a theatre group featuring
which tells the story of Seattle’s
Asian-American actors — that I Caught, an installation of visual art and
Gordon Hirabayashi, who was
found myself edging closer to live theatre presented by Artists Repertory
Theatre, runs October 1 through 29 on
imprisoned for defying the U.S.
wanting to be onstage again.
the
theatre’s
Morrison
Stage
in
downtown
government’s internment of
Theatre was my first love.
Portland. (Photo courtesy of Artists Reper-
Japanese-Americans
during
Ever since I was a child, I wanted
tory Theatre)
World War II.
Portlanders
to be an actor. I studied it in
school and joined the theatre community. When I might have seen him in the starring role of The
moved to Portland in 1989, I worked in three or four Language Archive last spring at Portland
productions per year until I stopped pursuing acting Playhouse. It’s been a thrill to be in the same
jobs. I became a playwright as well as an actor while rehearsal room with him as we work on the play and
focusing on radio documentary work. Lately, discuss themes of racism and cultural
however, I started to offer myself as an actor when appropriation.
Many years ago, I was usually the only
casting directors asked me for referrals for Asian
performers. And after such a long hiatus, Artists Asian-American actor in the room. The rare
Repertory Theatre, a professional theatre, offered exceptions were when theatres produced plays I’d
me a role in Caught, a production with text by written. It’s a gratifying experience to be not only
acting again, but also to be involved in a theatrical
playwright Christopher Chen.
I’m not able to tell you too much about the play production that speaks so deeply to me as an
because Artists Rep initially wants to keep Caught Asian-American theatre artist and journalist. The
somewhat of a secret. I can tell you it features Asian cherry on this dream sundae is also to be working
artists and it is an unusual comedic, genre-bending with a company that respects an Asian-American
production of live theatre as well as an elaborate art playwright’s text and the large questions it asks
installation. In this age of people trying to define while mind-bending the audience in its fusion of art
“fake news,” Caught brings to light themes of truth and theatre.
I hope you can join me in the culmination of my
and deception in the worlds of art and journalism.
The production also asks the question: “When does dream of being a professional actor again. Previews
for Caught begin October 1 and the show runs
cultural appropriation begin?”
I’ve spent the summer learning about 30 pages of through October 29. For information, performance
lines for the production. I found it amazing that times, or to buy tickets, call (503) 241-1278 or visit
there are now tools like apps to help run one <www.artistsrep.org>.
I
Opinions expressed in this newspaper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of this publication.