DISORIENTALISM

A star on the Manhattan comedy scene, host and curator Kate Rigg graduated from Juilliard’s drama division and immediately began moonlighting in comedy and spoken word club stages around the country, creating solo shows (Zombie Asian Moms, Happy Lucky Golden Tofu Panda Dragon Good Time Fun Fun Show) and creating wild events like this one all over the city. She is the lead singer and lyricist for legendary Nuyorasian power duo Slanty Eyed Mama, and has had her original works invited to the Smithsonian, The Comedy Central Theater, HBO Time Warner Workspace, LA Grand Performances, and many International Festivals. As a comic you have seen her on Comedy Central, Showtime, NBC, PBS, and in dive bars and comedy clubs all over. She is currently the chief creative officer for the newly formed Center for Diversity, Disability & Inclusion (DD&I). www.katerigg.com

Olivia was the first Asian-American Young Cosette in Les Misérables and has been wowing New York audiences ever since in the Broadway casts of Mamma Mia, A Christmas Carol, Disney’s High School Musical and many off Broadway shows. She has appeared in many, many productions of Miss Saigon (and zero productions of King and I. ) She does a lot of plays where she is usually crying or playing a 14 year old and sometimes, she plays a crying 14 year old. She has also been on a bunch of TV shows where she usually plays the token Asian assistant who drops something at inopportune times.

Marc is the first Asian American to play the title character on Broadway in  Hamilton. (He’s also the first to play King George and Aaron Burr in the show.) Originally from Hilo, Hawaii. Marc grew up in Seattle and trained in dance. Other credits include the national tour of “Disney’s High School Musical”, the world premiere cast of “Allegiance” at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre alongside Lea Salonga and his Broadway debut in the musical “If/Then,” alongside Idina Menzel. Marc has also performed with Seattle Kokon Taiko and the Ineffect Dance Company.

Sometimes called  the “Triple Threat of Burlesque”  because of her impact on theater, TV + film and club stages, New York burlesque legend and proud blasian artist Maine Anders aka “The Maine Attraction” has brought her signature “Burlesque Fusion” all over the world.  She has toured with DJ Tiesto, performed on the Latin Grammys with Wisin y Yandel, and livened up the stages of James Brown, Lionel Richie, Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams,  Dita Von Teese, and Amanda Lepore. She dazzled in off-Broadway productions Lady L’ Amour’s Final Bow and Broadway on the Bowery and has been seen on film in Dee Rees’ acclaimed Pariah, and as the title role in cult hits Nefertitty, Nefertitty in Space, Nefetitty TV. She also brought her fire to the 2015 Grammy Award Winning “Cheek to Cheek” special on PBS alongside Lada Gaga and Tony Bennett.

Jeigh originated and is currently starring as Baby Doll on Broadway in the critically acclaimed Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Jeigh was born and raised in Toronto, Canada where he starred in the Canadian premiere of Myths and Hymns (TIFT), was nominated for a Dora Award as Mark in Altar Boyz, played Chip Tolentine in 25th Annual… Spelling Bee (STC),  Jacob Two-Two, and The Hooded Fang (another Dora Award Nomination), played Donkey in Shrek (Rainbow Stage), and Jo-Jo in Seussical (YPT). He was Jacob in the First National Tour of La Cage, Original cast David Byrne’s Here Lies Love (NYMF), and the world premiere of Moulin Rouge! (Emerson Colonial). He’s also performed on International cruise ships and in regional theatre across Canada.

Corner Club is the Manhattan-based indie pop project of Sav & Mike. The duo turned their post-work jam sessions into self-produced songs, finding a global audience from their bedrooms. Their songs have been featured on up-and-comer Spotify playlists like Fresh Finds and Dope AF. 

KOE is the interdisciplinary collaboration of Chinese New Zealander Eva Ding on flute and 2^nd generation Japanese American Emma Kato on cello.   Their partnership formed in 2018 during graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music. They were grant recipients of Chamber Music America’s Ensemble Forward Grant and have performed at the Rose Studio at Lincoln Center, Riverside Church, and multiple times at Greenfield Hall. They have premiered the new works and arrangements of Pulitzer Prize winning / finalist composers Zhou Long and Chen Yi, Grawemeyer Award winner Lei Liang, and collaborate with up-and-coming composers Corey Chang and Yuki Ohnishi.

Brian is a New York based Stand Up Comedian who has been featured in the New York Comedy Festival, Sirius XM, Vice and Time Out New York as one of the top rising comics to watch in the city. He is a regular host at the Broadway Comedy Club in Time Square and runs a weekly show called Laughter Hours at QED Astoria in Queens.

Badass Disney Princess and radical performance art violinist and singer songwriter, Mateo opened for Alicia Keys and has been seen at the Metropolitan Opera, Late Night with Colbert and the Met Museum.

Rising modern dance star Jakub is a recent graduate of the Juilliard School and dances with the New York based Gibney Dance Co. 

Multi-talented theatrical chanteuse and arts activist Sarah Shin deconstructs the “standards” of the American musical theater canon through a new lens.

A true New York City legend, Hawaiian Mahu (2 spirited) chanteuse and impresario Raven O has years of experience as a performer in venues as diverse as galas for Art Basel to dive bars in the lower east side. Currently the artistic director and silky smooth master/mistress of ceremonies at the notorious Box Nightclub, this androgynous queer AF performance unicorn is one of a kind.

Named one of 2021’s Artists You Need to Know by Rolling Stone, St. Lenox is the indie pop blues rock solo project of New York-based singer/songwriter and attorney Andrew Choi. His unique vision of the American experience has manifested itself across critically acclaimed albums like 2021’s Ten Songs of Worship and Praise for Our Tumultuous Times.

Fixtures at Asian American heritage festivals across the world, profiled on PBS, twice invited to the Smithsonian Institute this multi award winning duo combine powerful electric violin with rock comedy and spoken word. www.slantyeyedmama.com

Brandon is an award winning multi-instrumentalist and has worked with the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York New Music Ensemble (NYNME), and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. He is currently the percussionist for the North American Broadway tour of Les Misérables. Brandon serves as a dance accompanist at The Ailey School, AMDA, and CAP21 and recently released an EP entitled Paper Seasons with his trio, Empire Wild. He’s a graduate of The Juilliard School where he was the recipient of the William Schuman Prize for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership.