Stir-fried

Chicago-based comedy troupe brings socially conscious hilarity to Colorado

By Christina Onpeng, staff writer

Oct. 12, 2007

Stir-Friday Night! Date: Sunday, Oct. 14 Time: 6 p.m. Place: Broomfield Auditorium, 3 Community Park Road Price: $20 Tickets can be purchased in advanced by calling 303-763-9379 or online at http://www.filam-colo.org/tickets. Tickets cost $20.

What happens when you take a handful of Asians, stir in some comedy and drizzle in some improv? You get Stir-Friday Night!

Stir-Friday Night! is a Chicago-based Asian-American sketch and improv group. The group will be coming Oct. 14 to the Broomfield Auditorium. The event is hosted by the Filipino American Community of Colorado. The show starts at 6 p.m. with Sol Pinoy, a Colorado-based Filipino-American dance group, being the opening act before the comedy troupe takes stage.

“SFN! has helped cultivate Asian-American talent as well as serve a voice to the community as we tackle the issues that Asian Americans go through via comedy and satire,” said Harrison Pak, artistic director and a cast member.

Stir-Friday Night! started in Chicago in 1995 and drew in a number of performers from different backgrounds. The group travels coast to coast presenting hilarious, thought-provoking works that educate a broad spectrum of audiences about the Asian-American and human experience.

“I became involved with Stir-Friday Night! three years ago when I moved to Chicago. I had a strong interest in Asian American representation and I wanted to be apart of a group that actually confronted these issues head on through comedy and satire,” Pak added.

Even though-Asian American representation can be taught in an academic setting it is not quite the same, he said.

“In an academic setting, you can discuss these issues but through comedy you can make issues literal and more ‘down to earth,’” he said. “For example, it’s one thing to talk about ‘Asian Fever,’ the mainstream’s exoticization of the Asian female, but it’s something entirely different when you can play with these notions on stage.”

Pak added that this comedy show speaks to the Asian-American crowd, showing issues that Asian Americans face. It is rare in popular culture, that Asian Americans have something to call their own in terms of entertainment. Even though there are Asian-American comics, it caters more to the mainstream which makes the show even more special.

“Audiences should expect a show that is lively, enlightening, and entertaining. We worked very hard to prepare a show that speaks to the Asian American audience because we, too, are Asian American. That makes it all the more special for us when can specifically entertain Asian Americans,” Pak said.

But it’s the audience that’s the reason Pak loves to perform.

“The audience’s laughter … is the sign of relationship,” he said. “It says that the experience that I laugh at is the experience I can relate to and that means everything to us.”

Pak said working with the other cast members is fun, even when they’re thinking about the technical aspects of the show.

“We have a great time with each other,” he said. “We really love to make each other laugh and it’s a joy when work is so much fun. I’m sure you’ll see it on stage.”

Even though they as a group have been performing many different shows, Pak said they still get nervous prior to performances.

“Before the show, we as a group will warm up and basically try to put any nervousness we might have behind us. We’re focused but trying to stay loose as well. Right before the show is about as anxious anyone of us will be for the night,” he said.

Even though the group has performed many different shows, they still are nervous when they get on stage.

“Before the show, we as a group will warm up and basically try to put any nervousness we might have behind us. We’re focused but trying to stay loose as well. Right before the show is about as anxious anyone of us will be for the night,” Pak said.

Tickets can be purchased in advanced by calling 303-763-9379 or online at http://www.filam-colo.org/tickets. Tickets cost $20.

For more information on Stir-Friday, visit their website at http://www.stirfridaynight.org.