10x10 Entertainment is thrilled to present a world premiere play and theatrical documentary, MACHO LIKE ME, written by and starring Helie Lee, directed by Sammie Wayne and produced by Ken Mok. MACHO LIKE ME will begin previews on Saturday, January 8 and will open on Saturday, January 15 and run through Sunday, February 13 at the Coast Playhouse, 8325 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood.
MACHO LIKE ME is the true account of Helie Lee's remarkable six-month journey living life as a man. Cutting off her hair, donning men's clothes and moving out of her home to begin life anew as Harry, Helie sets out to prove a point: that men have it so much better than women. But as Helie soon finds out, her assumptions are quickly dashed - resulting in a new world-view that ends up surprising many - especially herself.
Motivated to embark on this journey by yet another relationship with a man gone wrong, Helie reveals her plan to become a man to her friends - none of whom believe she will go through with it. So Helie decides to enlist her friends Anna and Katie to document her experience as proof.
Beginning with a weight lifting regime to build up masculine bulk, then shaving her head to a near crew cut and getting a whole new male wardrobe, Helie is excited to begin this new gender role-playing experiment. But passing as a man is a lot harder than it looks. Despite her studious observation of men's physical behaviors and mannerisms, Helie is initially unable to shake her own. Passing as a gay man at first, Helie's journey takes her into the world of male bonding through the ritual of sports, a near disastrous encounter with some macho Latino men, and a moment of epiphany at the Playboy Mansion. Through it all, Helie begins to see that men have it much harder than she ever imagined. When Helie takes an editing job for a retired architect, she finds a friend and mentor in David Hyun. Their relationship gives Helie a deeper insight on the ways of men and a glimpse of what can happen to a man when he ages. In the end, Helie's experiences change her views on men, privilege, and relationships. MACHO LIKE ME is a dynamic theatrical documentary that combines Helie's unique perspectives and experiences with interactive footage from her life as a man.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST
HELLE LEE (Writer/Director/Producer) is the author of the bestseller Still Life With Rice (Scribner 1996), and In The Absence of Sun (Harmony Books 2002), memoirs in which she chronicles her family's experience in war-torn Korea from the 1930s to 1997. In The Absence of Sun specifically details her risky attempt to rescue her uncle from North Korea. Inspired by her courageous story, Cosmopolitan Magazine selected Lee as a "Freedom Fighter" out of thousands of women nominated for their "1999 Fun Fearless Female" competition.
Born in Seoul, Korea, Lee's family immigrated to America when she was four. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science. After college, she sojourned back to her birth country to rediscover her roots. After returning to the U.S., Lee began writing her first book while working on such shows as In Living Color, Saved By The Bell, and the
Martin Lawrence Show.
As a bestselling author, Lee has been featured on Nightline, CNN, the Associated Press, NBC Nightly News, NPR, The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, People Magazine, Life & Times, Today Show, and Oprah. She has spoken as a guest lecturer at Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Northeastern University, Amherst, the Korean American Coalition, KASCON, The Museum of Tolerance, and many other venues. Lee has also been published in Mademoiselle, Essence, and KoreAm Journal.
Lee lectures around the country on her bicultural heritage and human rights issues for North Korea refugees. In June of 2002, Lee was invited by Senator Ted Kennedy to testify at the Senate Subcommittee Hearing on Immigration. Lee is the Co-Founder of The Korea Academy For Educators (KAFE), an honorary board member of the San Diego Asian American Film Festival, a board member of the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea, and a member of PEN, a community of writers defending freedom of expression and building a literary culture.
Macho Like Me has been adapted into a full-length documentary, which is now being entered into numerous film festivals.
SAMMIE WAYNE (Director) is a director, actor, stage manger, lighting designer and producer. Some of his stage credits include The Blacks, Salome, Sisterella, Split Second, Bonita and Billie, One Last Look, Nevis Mountain Dew, Cool Negroes and One Woman Two Lives. Wayne is the stage Manager and lighting designer of Kim Wayans', one woman show, "A Handsome Woman Retreats" and for
Loretta Devine's one woman show" Pieces of Me". He has stage managed for
Glynn Turmans' one man show "Moving Man" and for
Ella Joyce's one woman show A Rose among Thorns. He was the assistant director for the 13th and 14th NAACP Theatre Awards and asst. stage manager for
Della Reese's "The Message is in the Music". Wayne also co-produces Giving Back Corporations Annual Toast/Roast, a fundraiser to help provide book scholarships for high school seniors entering their freshman year in college.
KEN MOK (Producer) is founder and president of 10x10 Entertainment, a
Production Company which produces television, film and alternative media. Among the television projects being produced under the 10x10 banner are the CW network's top-rated reality series, "America's Next Top Model." For the CW he also produced, "The Pussycat Dolls Presents: Girlicious," "Stylista," and both of VH1"s "The (White) Rapper Show" and "Miss Rap Supreme". Mok is also the creator of the MTV series "Making the Band," which is in its fifth season as well as "WWE Tough Enough," a show that is now part of the WWE line-up. He has also produced series for Fox, ABC, USA networks and HGTV. In addition to television, Mok produced the major motion picture Invincible, starring
Mark Wahlberg and is currently in development on a new movie for MTV/Paramount studios. Mok is also co-founder of the company KM2, a web-technology company which specializes in web 2.0 ventures. Prior to producing, Mok served as Vice President of MTV Productions, overseeing its television series and MOWs. He also served as Director of Comedy Development at ABC and began his network career at NBC as creative executive.
ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING
MACHO LIKE ME will preview on Friday, January 7 & Saturday, January 8 at 8pm; Sunday, January 9 at 3pm; Friday, January 14 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, January 15 at 8pm and run through Sunday, February 13 at the Coast Playhouse, 8325 Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood.
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm; Sundays at 3:00pm. Ticket prices are $30.00 for all performances. Tickets are available online at http://macholikeme.tix.com and www.macholikeme.com or by calling 1-800-595-4849. For Group Sales: e-mail info@macholikeme.com or call 310-720-2388.
