PAT and Covid-19
How do you run a theatre company in the midst of a global pandemic?
Photo: Ankita Singh
Creative Director Chye-Ling Huang on where to for Proudly Asian Theatre.
The outbreak of Covid-19 has changed all of our lives in different ways. With physical distancing enforced for the foreseeable future, the very nature of theatre itself - sharing space, breath, in all its palpable and visceral glory - has been put on time out. Survival - mentally, emotionally and financially - has been our priority and the priority of the practitioners we work with since Covid-19 distancing measures were implemented in March.
PAT was formed by two young actors as a reaction to the lack of Asian representation in a media landscape where we make up over 15% of Aotearoa, and almost a quarter of Auckland where we are based. Representation is vital to changing the prejudiced narrative that Asian diaspora live with, as much as it it vital in dismantling the unseen biases in casting, who holds power, whose art is prioritised and who gets control over our narratives. Lack of representation is actively damaging. The void is quickly filled with the simmering layer of anti-Asian sentiment embedded since the first wave of immigration in the 1860’s - one that has so quickly reared its head in this time of crisis. Our goal is simple: with every performance, gathering, post or korero we chip away at stereotypes and encourage other Asian artists to be visible, to create work that reflects their original and specific voice without fear of judgement - from reflective cultural journeys, to offbeat comedy, to non-verbal performance art.
We don’t know what the future holds - but we do know this: Asian voices need to be heard now more than ever.
A test of a play reading online - March 2020.
Some of our initiatives are unable to be executed safely, and we don’t know when they will be able to run again. However, our kaupapa is, as always, focussed on the artists intention. This presents exciting and challenging ways for us to present works, and to support artists. Some works can continue mentorship online - over zoom, or morph into research projects as opposed to performances. Some may be recorded in podcast form or be funnelled into essays that support the final performance piece as accompanying resources, deepening the discussion around the works.
We know these forms are no replacement to live theatre, and our mission isn’t to fit a square peg into a round hole. Our audiences and community are the beating heart of our work - and why we do what we do. But we will go where the artists take us, until we can deliver our stories face to face again.
Stay safe, stay home, stay tuned - and if you have any questions, ideas or concerns - we’re an email away.
From the team at PAT,
Chye-Ling Huang, Marianne Infante,
James Roque, Alyssa Medel and John Rata