The fabulous storytelling event that you've been hearing so much about is now available for you to watch online. Watch me host my remarkably talented students, the hysterically funny Sandra Tsing Loh, and the comic genius that is Shelley Berman. (And, by the way, my "moment" with Mr. Berman, which I Twittered about, is at the 1:26:20 mark.) Watch:

After my very public search for Charlie, he e-mailed me! Oh, the power of the Internet!

There's actually really nothing else to say in this post—so, here's a classic picture of me and Pork Chop:

My friends made a music video called "Booty Shake." It's a summer song that trumpets the pleasures of ice cream and ass. Brilliant parody? Or seriously disturbing insight into the minds of straight guys? You decide. Watch:

I'm going to start answering my phone like this: "Hi, this is Prince Gomolvilas Mysterious Skin Opens in September Tickets Are on Sale Now." This is part of an effort to pound into everyone's brains that if you miss this show you do so at the peril of your very soul. And you know me. I'm not one to exaggerate. Deets for your eyes:



MYSTERIOUS SKIN

a play by PRINCE GOMOLVILAS
based on the novel by SCOTT HEIM
directed by TIM DANG
featuring Scott Keiji Takeda, David Huynh, Elizabeth Liang, Christine Corpuz, Marcus Choi, and Ruffy Landayan

Brian gets nose bleeds—and blackouts. Neil gets paid for sex—with older men. Alien abductee Avalyn gets lonely—and wants her next close encounter. As the story unfolds, the characters' parallel lives come crashing together to unlock the past and to uncover the terrifying and heartbreaking truth. (Mature audiences only.)

"Bracing, poignant, and unsettlingly honest."
—San Francisco Chronicle

"Gomolvilas does an impressive job of turning Heim's provocative story into an intriguing piece of theater."
—San Francisco Bay Guardian

"Disturbing, forthright, and believable. The drama [is] razor-sharp and lacerating."
—The Advocate

"Gomolvilas's keen script will challenge and surprise viewers."
—Out.com



SEPTEMBER 9, 2010-OCTOBER 10, 2010
WEDNESDAYS, THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS @ 8:00 P.M.
SUNDAYS @ 2 P.M.

Preview Performances:
September 9-12
$20 general; $12 student

Opening Night:
September 15 @ 7:00 p.m.
$60 admission includes pre-show hosted bar & post-show reception with cast and crew

Regular Performances:
September 16-October 10
Single tickets $25-$35
Senior & student discounts available

Pay-What-You-Can Performance:
Thursday, September 16 @ 8:00 p.m.
Tickets go on sale one hour prior to performance time
($5 suggested)

Wine Down Fridays:
Fridays @ 7:00 p.m.
Enjoy complimentary glasses of white or red wine served before the production
(Must be 21 years of age)

Rush Tickets:
Arrive 30 minutes prior to any regular performance
Student Rush Tickets: $15 (Wed. & Thurs.); $20 (Fri.-Sun.)
General Rush Tickets: $20 (Wed. & Thurs.); $25 (Fri.-Sun.)

Group Sales (15 tickets or more) also available

To buy tickets:
http://www.eastwestplayers.org/tickets/singletix.htm

For more information:
http://www.eastwestplayers.org

This past weekend at East West Players' energetic and entertaining fundraising event, "One Night Only: Hip Hop and Hot," the organizers attempted to school old-time, theatergoing fuddy-duddys on the four pillars of hip-hop—DJ-ing, breakdancing, rapping, and graffiti art—as well as the unofficial fifth element, beatboxing. In this awesome video tutorial, which was showcased at the event, an Asian-American beatboxer named Sophia breaks it all down with dry wit and mad skillz. Watch:

After the groundbreaking Thai-American literary event that I was part of a couple months ago, an audience member named Charlie was so titillated by the evening's program that he hunched down to the floor to to pick up the note cards I used in my bit and asked if he could keep them—as a sort of souvenir, I suppose. (I don't know for sure. For all I know, he could very well have slept with them or had tea parties with them.)

Charlie and I had a pleasant conversation, and he gave me his e-mail address so that I could put him on my mailing list and so that he could be updated about every single move I make.

BUT I LOST THE LITTLE SLIP OF PAPER THAT HAD CHARLIE'S CONTACT INFO ON IT!

Now, Charlie probably thinks I ripped up his e-mail address and tossed it at a homeless person on my way home and that I'm a total asshole for ignoring a new fan.

Does anyone know this Charlie guy? Tell him to e-mail me! Or, better yet, Charlie, are you reading this? I didn't throw away your e-mail address! Contact me! (Click the "Contact Prince" link in the upper right side of this page.)

Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!

After auditioning nearly 100 actors for six juicy parts over the course of three grueling days, the cast for the Los Angeles premiere production of Mysterious Skin has finally been announced. First of all, the level of acting talent out here in Los Angeles is top-notch (I mean, everybody moves here!). So we were able to find actors who are perfect for this show—they're not only supremely talented, but also hot hot HOT! Like, seriously, I am in love with all of them. I present to you Scott Keiji Takeda, David Huynh, Elizabeth Liang, Christine Corpuz, Marcus Choi, and Ruffy Landayan:





Will they all now be my new close and personal friends? Please?!

[Mysterious Skin runs September 9 through October 10, 2010, at East West Players in Los Angeles.]

In recognition of California's gay-hatin' Proposition 8 getting over overturned (in yo' face, Prop. 8, in yo' FACE!) last week, check out this old clip from Sesame Street. Grover and a kid expertly discuss marriage—with no mention of gender. Watch:

Literally NONE of my friends wanted to see Step Up 3D with me. I couldn't even entice MY OWN MOTHER to go—and she's so desperate for contact with me that she sends me multiple spam messages per day just to keep in touch.

So last night I caught a late screening ALL BY MYSELF. And when I say ALL BY MYSELF, I mean that I was THE ONLY PERSON in the theater.

Well, at least I didn't bug anyone when I LAUGHED OUT LOUD at the parade of unintentionally funny lines ("He has a gambling problem!") and unintentionally funny scenes (the Icee air ballet!) and when I honestly SHED TEARS OF JOY after ALMOST EVERY dance sequence.

You know how much I love dance movies. I mean, I saw Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights IN THE THEATER. I'm not proud. But I'm trying to prove a point.

Anyway, I don't know why they keep trying to build a story around these Step Up sequels—because it's all about the dance numbers. First of all, there's something about the athleticism, artistry, and combustible kinetic energy of dance that hits me on some inexplicable emotional level. When I see people move like that (aggressive dance styles appeal to me most), I get pumped. Secondly, the dance sequences in these Step Up movies are thrilling, compulsively re-watchable, and feature top-notch talent.

In this threequel, I didn't think the multiple credited choreographers could top what can only be described as "the shirtless water-splashing number," but they do. The film climaxes with a preposterously enjoyable light and laser dance and throws in amazingly nimble little kids into the mix.

By the way, here's a little taste of the water dance:



There's also delightfully effective use of in-yo'-face 3-D effects that make me long for Step Up 4-D, which will hopefully dump the whole idea of trying to create a plot and characters and simply propel entertaining dance numbers at us for two hours.

I think the Toronto Star sums it up best: "Step Up 3D is as supremely exhilarating and thoroughly terrible as fans of the series might've expected."



Yes, that's an endorsement. You know why? 'Cuz we're all B-FAB! (Born from a Boombox!)

(Stop groaning.)

Perhaps you are most familiar with the theremin from The Beach Boys' summertime song, "Good Vibrations," or from the strange 1994 documentary, Theremin: An Electric Odyssey, but from here on out you will forever associate the theremin with the cat in the follow video. This clip assaults you with a whole lot of cute, but the real satisfaction comes from the surprise ending. Watch:



[Thanks to Scott Heim.]

I know this blog is supposed to be on hiatus this week, but I have to emerge for just a moment to tell you that Pork Chop tried to eat my marble cake! I yanked the plate away from him, and now he's depressed....



He sure knows how to be dramatic.

Bamboo Nation is on hiatus this week, but here's something epic, unintentionally funny, and borderline creepy to tide you over. Apparently, the guy you see in this video filmed it all himself over the course of nine months—I'm sure the shots of him inexplicably lifting rocks shirtless took several weeks alone—as a sort of love letter to a girlfriend who is no longer with him. I know that after watching him carry bales of hay and things of the sort for seven-and-a-half minutes, you'll be compelled to say, sarcastically, "She left him?! Oh, I wonder why!" But doesn't your heart go out to him just a little bit though? C'mon, people, show some compassion! He loooooooooved her! Watch:



[Thanks to Scott Heim.]