Celebration Theatre presents STICKY RICE Staged Reading + Talkback at Renberg Theatre

In partnership with ONE Institute and Los Angeles LGBT Center, Celebration Theatre returns to the annual Circa: Queer Histories Festival with a one-night-only staged reading + talkback of Boni Alvarez' play about a group of San Francisco gaysian friends on the journey to self-love, love for community, and the love of your chosen family. Directed by the award-winning Michael Matthews. Originally developed through the Geffen Playhouse Writers Room.

With a stellar cast (including many Celebration company members): Reggie Lee*, Alexis Camins*, Daniel Chung*, David Tran*, Richardson Cisneros-Jones*, Tom DeTrinis*, Christopher Grant Pearson, and Boni Alvarez*. Talkback moderated by Lucy Mae San Pablo Burns, Associate Professor in the Asian American Studies Department at UCLA.

Historically, in American media, Asian men have primarily been depicted in an emasculated light — as the asexual nerd, the comedic foreign exchange student, the active yet sexless martial artist, and the suffering gay butterfly.

Sticky Rice by Boni Alvarez centers on a group of San Francisco gaysian friends who have internalized such popular depictions and explores what happens when they are forced to confront their self-hatred and prejudices. Sticky Rice is about unwrapping the “sticky rice” — slang for Asian American men who desire only other Asian American men) — unearthing gay Asian beauty outside the White gaze, the journey to self-love, love for community, and the love of your chosen family.

Circa: Queer Histories Festival is a month-long programming series showcasing the trailblazing histories and vibrant cultural contributions of LGBTQ+ communities through the lens of present-day challenges and triumphs. This year's theme is LOVE and (R)EVOLUTION.

* Appearing through an Agreement between this theatre, Celebration Theatre, and Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.