HOLD ME DOWN to Play Hollywood Fringe Festival

Jackie Yangyuen will present “Hold Me Down,” a one-woman musical debuting at this year's Hollywood Fringe. This autobiographical musical explores a woman's journey to healing through bondage and kink. In “Hold Me Down,” Jackie Yangyuen performs original music, embodies multiple characters, and showcases captivating choreography, all set against a backdrop of ropes symbolizing her emotional freedom.

Comedic, reflective, kinky, and raw, “Hold Me Down” weaves through the complexities of Jackie's relationships with her family, friends, and mentors in the BDSM community. Jackie brings to life her rambling, gambling-addicted mother, her irreverent best friend, her increasingly estranged older brother, and her supportive-but-distant father with a blend of empathy and caricature. She adopts their perspectives and her own as she laughs, sings, and struggles under the weight of their expectations. As her sense of self begins to unravel, Jackie finds solace in the comforting embrace of ropes and suspension. Held securely in tightly bound knots, Jackie releases the pressure to hold herself together, finally embracing her true self: adventurous, queer, kinky, and enough.

“Hold Me Down” is a story of radical authenticity and untangling trauma in unconventional ways. It chronicles one woman's journey beyond cultural acceptability to personal acceptance, reclaiming life's most formative experiences, even when they hurt. Jackie's real, lived story resonates with anyone on their own path from pain to bliss.

Jackie shares her story in an accessible and welcoming way that resonates with the audience, addressing themes of family conflict, curiosity, exploration, and self-discovery. “Hold Me Down” is perfect for the diverse and curious Fringe audience, demystifying the taboo of bondage and intriguing those unfamiliar with the kink community. For BDSM-savvy audience members, Jackie's unique entry into kink will evoke familiarity and surprise. This performance is as much for her as it is for her audience. Jackie heals in real time, balancing grief and levity, anger and compassion, flaws, and acceptance of her journey and what lies ahead.

Producer: Cooper Edgren. Music Director: Paul Kirz Jr.. Movement Director: Shyamala Moorty. Script Director: D'Lo. Set Designer: Mario Aguirre. Costume Designer: Sam O'Neul. Starring: Jackie Yangyuen

VENUE:  Asylum @ Stephanie Feury Studio Theatre - 5636 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA

PERFORMANCES:

Sun, June 9, 5:30 PM (Preview Show)
Sat, June 15, 7:30 PM
Mon, June 17, 8:30 PM
Sat, June 22, 10:00 PM (Plus an additional 30 min Q&A segment)
Sun, June 30, 2:30 PM

TICKET PRICES:

$15 (regular)
$20 (ticket + bondage plushie)
$22 (ticket + bondage earrings)

Content Warning: 18+ (rape/sexual assault, verbal abuse, gambling addiction, mental health (depression, suicide), bondage and fetish)

Photo: Tristan Nguyen Tran! @tristan_nguyentran on Instagram

This is not a wheelchair accessible venue, staircases leading up to the theater.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM

Under the seasoned guidance and direction from D'Lo and Shyamala Moorty, this production has blossomed into a full-fledged production.  Paul Kirz Jr.'s evocative beats and production seamlessly thread the emotional arc of Jackie's story through her original songs. The vibrant and edgy aesthetic comes to life through the meticulous costume designs by Sam O'Neul and Ada Zandition Couture. Mario Aguirre's visionary set design, featuring a towering PVC pipe structure adorned with glow-in-the-dark ropes that dance like spiderwebs, immersing audiences in Jackie's world. Lastly, Cooper Edgren's adept logistical management ensures a flawless production as an outstanding producer.

Outside of the Hollywood Fringe Festival, Jackie is a queer, nonbinary (she/they) Asian American storyteller whose diverse array of creative outlets includes songwriting, singing, novel writing, voice acting, and in her free time, cake baking and gouache painting. Through her multifaceted expressions, Jackie strives to illuminate the journey of self-discovery and empowerment, inviting others to embrace their own identities. By sharing her narrative, Jackie fosters connections, allowing listeners to find resonance in the overlapping experiences of her life. By day, she's a left-brained radar systems engineer; by night, she transforms into the vibrant pop singer-songwriter known as jly. Her artistic journey also includes leading the punk pop band augustleft and lending her voice to compelling villains in immersive audio dramas. Jackie's artistry is a mosaic of intersecting identities, where every piece is carefully crafted to reflect the depth of her heart and soul.

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