Artists at Play to Workshop TOT: THE UNTOLD, YET SPECTACULAR STORY OF (A FILIPINO) HULK HOGAN

Artists at Play will workshop Victor Maog's tot: The Untold, Yet Spectacular Story of (a filipino) Hulk Hogan, followed by multiple readings in May across Los Angeles through a partnership with the Los Angeles Public Library LA Made series and AAP's Annual Reading series. Rodney To will direct Maog's comedy, which will be free for the public to attend.

tot follows an immigrant boy as he travels from the Ferdinand Marcos-ruled Philippines to the San Francisco Bay Area to meet his long lost parents. He journeys from a country full of strife and military rule only to find himself in his lonely American bedroom conjuring up pro wrestling fantasies to escape his new life.

"After reading tot, I was struck by how the play is funny without being a parody and how it showcased deep emotion without being melodramatic," Producing Artistic Leader, Marie-Reine Velez. "It gives us a fully human story of immigration through a child's perspective - a child who doesn't fully understand the reality of the 'American Dream,' as well as the circumstances and hardships of moving from one country and culture to another."

LA Made at Los Angeles Public Library (formerly Made in L.A.) is a program series that aims to educate and inspire individuals in the areas of literature, arts and music, as well as in other areas of knowledge within the humanities context. Their focus is on the diverse landscape of Los Angeles, highlighting the immense artistic and performance talent that has developed in the course of the city's eclectic history.

"AAP is driven by our passion for diversity, representation, and inclusion," said Producer Nicholas Pilapil. "It's exciting for AAP to be included in this year's LA Made series, because we have the opportunity to share an Asian American story to a wider - and not primarily Asian American - audience. It's been a great experience to work with such a large institution who shares the same values as we do."

The cast include Brendan Bradley, Golda Inquito, Ramon De Ocampo, Reuben Uy, Anne Yatco and Sandy Yu.

Playwright Victor Maog was named one of American Theatre Magazine's "20 Theatre Workers You Should Know" (October 2015) and his work has reached over half the continental United States. He's also a director and educator with credits including: The Public Theater, Williamstown Theater Festival, Signature Theatre, Mabou Mines, The Lark, New Dramatists, Yale School of Drama, NYU/Tisch and 2g, where he serves as Artistic Director. In 2004, he was one of six directors in the nation to receive the National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Career Development Award. He's been the recipient of the Altvater Fellowship at Cornerstone Theatre Company in Los Angeles, Van Lier Directing Fellowship at Second Stage in New York City, the Presidential Award with the Theatre Arts Project in San Joaquin County and was chosen as an inaugural TCG SPARK Leader, spotlighting promising arts executives. Maog currently creates and directs large-scale stage shows, live events and spectaculars for Disney Parks Live Entertainment. Vice President, CAATA Board. B.A. in Global Leadership and Performance Studies - NYU/Gallatin. Visit www.victormaog.com for more.

Director Rodney To's acting credits in TV/film include "Parks and Recreation," "You're the Worst," "Modern Family," "Wilfred" and "New Girl". Theater credits include work with Echo Theater Company, Victory Gardens, Steppenwolf, La Jolla Playhouse, Northlight, Center Theatre Group, South Coast Repertory, Hartford Stage, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, East West Players, Playwrights' Arena and Ma-Yi.

All readings are free and open to the public. tot will have three presentations on May 8 at 6:00 PM (Mar Vista Branch Library), May 13 at 2:00 PM (West Los Angeles Regional Library) and May 18 at 6:00 PM (Malabar Branch Library).

IF YOU GO:

LA Made
tot: The Untold, Yet Spectacular Story of (a filipino) Hulk Hogan
Venues and Dates: Monday, May 8 at 6:00 PM at the Mar Vista Branch Library (12006 Venice Boulevard); Saturday, May 13 at 2:00 PM at the West Los Angeles Regional Library (11360 Santa Monica Boulevard); and Thursday, May 18 at 6:00 PM at the Malabar Branch Library (2801 Wabash Avenue)
Tickets: All readings are free for the public to attend
More information: bit.ly/2ocLPwo

Founded in 2011 by Julia Cho, Peter J. Kuo, Stefanie Wong Lau and Marie-Reine Velez, Artists at Play is a collective of Asian American creative professionals who have come together to curate quality theatre in Los Angeles. Producing Member Nicholas Pilapil joined Artists at Play in 2013. Artists at Play presents theatrical productions missing from Los Angeles' local landscape to tell the stories of communities underrepresented in theatre, with a focus on the Asian American experience. Past productions include Lauren Yee's Ching Chong Chinaman, A. Rey Pamatmat's Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them, Michael Golamco's Cowboy Versus Samurai, playwright Julia Cho's 99 Histories, Madhuri Shekar's In Love and Warcraft and most recently the world premiere of Carla Ching's The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up. Dedicated to new play development, Artists at Play has also developed new works by Boni B. Alvarez, Sanaz Toossi, Alice Tuan and Leah Nanako Winkler, among others, as part of their Artists at Play readings.

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