8 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 17, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Queens Kickshaw in Astoria closes for ‘reinvention’
Astoria resident starts podcast to highlight immigrant actors’ stories
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com
An Astoria resident who moved to the
United States three years ago to pursue
acting has started a podcast to share the
stories of other immigrants in New York
City who are trying to get their big break
in the industry.
Ingrid Raison, a native of France, grew
up performing in a musical theater group
but did not fully commit to her craft
until three years ago when she moved to
Astoria and enrolled at the Neighborhood
Playhouse School of the Th eatre.
Aft er graduating last May and meeting
other immigrants who are actors,
Raison said she was inspired to start the
“Actsiders” podcast to discuss not only
acting but the challenges of fi nding success
in a foreign country.
“Since then I’ve been confronted with
the reality of the industry here,” she said.
“I’ve met some pretty amazing people
who were like me — uprooted and who
decided to fulfi ll their dreams and trying
to make it in the Big Apple and I was fascinated
to hear their stories, their journey,
sometimes a really harsh and diffi -
cult journey.”
Raison was also driven to start the
product because of “the current political
climate.”
“With everything happening since
November I think it’s really important
to one up and listen to immigrant stories
like you and me trying to make things
happen here and who are a positive asset
to America and New York itself,” she said.
Currently, she invites actors she has
met through productions, auditions
and the Neighborhood Playhouse to her
house. Th ey speak for two to three hours
about what projects they are working
on, any challenges they faced and a
brief section called open mike where
actors can perform a monologue, play
an instrument or sing. Th e interview is
then condensed to about 30 minutes.
So far, Raison has released six episodes
where she interviewed actors from
India, Ukraine, Peru, Italy, Israel and
Mexico. She is also trying to expand the
group of people she interviews and is
“trying to move away from the Western
world.”
Raison profi les Ram Kanneganti, a
recent NYU graduate from Hyderabad,
India, about his passion for clowning
and his recent project for HBO. Camila
Pujol Ochoa, who was born in France
but moved more than 30 times as a
child, talks about her career as an actor
and producer, and Anna Just, who is
from Ukraine, talks about her long journey
to New York and experience in the
2004 Ukrainian revolution.
She has interviews lined up with
actors who are originally from Egypt
and Lebanon and is planning to speak
with actors who moved to New York
from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Raison hopes to also interview directors
in the future and possibly work out of a
professional studio.
“Th ere are so many adjustments and
diff erent challenges that American-born
actors maybe don’t acknowledge,” she
said. “My guests are people who are
resourceful, who are not waiting to see
what happens, who are incredibly curious
and want to share that with people.”
“Actsiders” is available on iTunes,
SoundCloud and Stitcher. Raison also
has an accompanying blog where she
summarizes her conversations.
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com
Th e beloved Astoria restaurant Queens
Kickshaw, mostly known for its variety of
grilled cheeses, will close its doors on Aug. 27.
In a post on its website, owners Jennifer
Lim and Ben Sandler said they will close
the eatery to make way for a new one in
October. Th e restaurant fi rst opened at
40-17 Broadway in March 2011.
Th e owners said they were “honored to
have met so many of you, fostered lasting
connections, and collaborated with local
purveyors and partners.”
But due to “growing business challenges”
Lim and Sandler decided to remodel
the restaurant and change the food and
drink menu.
“Th e Kickshaw spirit will stay in
place, though the food and beverage will
change,” the letter read. “We will maintain
our mission of being a supportive
workplace while envisioning a new gathering
spot for the neighborhood.”
Th e hours will remain the same until
Aug. 27, when a closing party will take
place from 6 to 11 p.m. Th e new restaurant
will open in the same location in
early October.
To raise money for the new endeavor,
the owners are selling pre-opening week
dinner tickets for $35. Th e tickets include
food, drink, tax and gratuity.
Th ey also encourage people to sign
up for their mailing list to receive information
about the new restaurant as the
opening date approaches.
Photo courtesy of Queens Kickshaw
The Queens Kickshaw will close its doors this month but will reopen with a new menu in October.
Photo via Instagram/Actsiders
An Astoria resident and actor talks to immigrant actors on her podcast, “Actsiders.”
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