FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM APRIL 22, 2022 • THE QUEENS COURIER 36
buzz
Flushing Town Hall’s Asian and Asian American
arts programs promote cultural understanding
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
CMOHAMED@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Flushing Town Hall is spotlighting Asian
and Asian American arts programs this month
leading up to Asian American and Pacifi c Islanders
Heritage Month in May.
Th roughout the year, the nonprofi t features
artists from multiple cultural traditions, performing
diff erent art forms including world
music, jazz, dance, theater, comedy, fi lm, visual
arts, cross-cultural programs and more.
Ellen Kodadek, executive director and
artistic director of Flushing Town Hall,
noted Flushing’s rich culture, which includes
Chinese, Korean, South and Southeast Asian
communities.
“Th e staff at Flushing Town Hall and the
artists we present year-round are from the
citywide communities we serve, celebrating
the rich diversity of Queens and New York
City,” Kodadek said. “Our audiences have a
chance to see themselves represented on our
stage and in our galleries, and can also come to
learn about cultural traditions diff erent from
their own.”
Asians and Asian Americans have increasingly
been the target of hate crimes, especially
since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Th e
NYPD reports that the early months of 2022
have logged more than double the number of
incidents than were committed during the
same months last year.
Cultural organizations can help promote
understanding of diff erent cultures through
the arts.
“Given the rise in hate crimes against Asians
and Asian Americans, it is crucial to provide a
platform for Asian voices and to celebrate the
diverse cultures of New York City, especially
in Queens, the most diverse borough on the
planet,” said Shawn Choi, director of marketing
and engagement. “New York’s Asian and Asian
American artists have pain to express, stories
to share and jokes to tell, and we are proud to
showcase their incredible talent. We are committed
to bringing people together through our
programs.”
Flushing Town’s April and May lineup of
events will include these Asian cultural presentations
in addition to many other programs,
including jazz, cross-cultural music, exhibits
and family/school programs:
Crazy Talented Asians & Friends:
An Evening of Live Comedy,
“We are here. Are you?” —
Saturday, April 23, 8 p.m.
“We are here. Are you?” will highlight Asian
American experiences through sketch and
stand-up comedy, hosted by Otter Lee and
featuring eight rising talents, alongside the
Overstep Comedy group and special guest
Teresa Ting of Main Street Patrol, who will
address the recent rise in hate crimes.
New Music Horizons:
Collaborative Artists In Concert
— Sunday, April 24, 2 p.m.
New Music Horizons returns to Flushing
Town Hall to present two dynamic composers:
classical composer Alicia Lieu and jazz composer
Mark Wade. Lieu presents new material
from her opera in progress, “UNWRAPPING
FORTUNE,” which follows the adventures of
protagonists Ivy and Kwan Fai through the
themes of love and Chinese Food.
HOLLA & HEAL: A Live Benefi t Concert
Featuring Magnetic North & Taiyo
Na and Special Guests — Saturday,
April 30, 5 p.m.
A live concert of soul, folk, jazz and hip-hop
performed from a distinct and progressive
Asian American perspective. Th e event aspires
to be a safe gathering for community healing.
Proceeds from the concert will benefi t CAAAV:
Organizing Asian Communities.
Photo Exhibition: HAN IN TOWN
— Friday, May 6, 6 p.m. opening
reception, 7:30 p.m. artist talk
Presented in partnership with
Courtesy of Flushing Town Hall
KoreanAmericanStory.org, “HAN IN TOWN
(KoreaTown)” is a photo series by Janice Chung,
a Korean American artist and born-and-raised
New Yorker. Th e series focuses on Korean
American business owners of Flushing, both
fi rst and second generation, and seeks to encapsulate
a nostalgic era of Flushing, once an
epicenter for Korean Americans.
“Th is project is dedicated to all the moms and
pops who fed me, cut my hair and sacrifi ced
everything for the next generation of Korean
Americans,” Chung said.
Th e exhibition runs through May 15.
New York Classical Players: Hommage
à J. S. Bach — Sunday, May 8,
2022, 2:30 p.m..
New York Classical Players return to Flushing
Town Hall with an in-person, free performance
to reunite with audiences. Indulge in
two of Bach’s most extraordinary works alongside
two premieres drawing inspiration from
his musical innovations, featuring conductor
Dongmin Kim.
Crazy Talented Asians & Friends:
ThirdAnnual Animation Shorts Festival
— Friday, May 13, 6 p.m.
Th is 90-minute program will present animation
shorts selected from several hundred
submissions and showcase a wide array of life
experiences through masterful art direction,
storytelling, animation and sound design. Th e
screenings will be followed by a Q&A with the
panel of featured animators.
For the venue’s full schedule of 2022 spring
events, visit Flushing Town Hall’s website.
Flushing Town Hall requires all visitors, performers
and staff to show proof of vaccination
against COVID-19 with matching identifi cation.
Additionally, masks will be required at all times.
(From l. to r.) Artists Otter Lee, Alicia Lieu, Kristin Lee, and Magnetic North and Taiyo Na will perform at Flushing Town Hall.
“Given the rise in hate
crimes against Asians
and Asian Americans,
it is crucial to provide a
platform for Asian voices
and to celebrate the
diverse cultures of New
York City, especially in
Queens, the most diverse
borough on the planet.
New York’s Asian and Asian
American artists have
pain to express, stories to
share and jokes to tell, and
we are proud to showcase
their incredible talent. We
are committed to bringing
people together through
our programs.”
— Shawn Choi
/KoreanAmericanStory.org
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