Lights, camera and…BLOOD! There certainly were a lot of blood, guts and horror at Lodestone Theatre Ensemble’s production of AMERICAN MONSTERS. The three one-act plays ran from October 28-November 19, 2000 at the East L.A. College Theatre and explored the dark side of Americana. Specifically produced for Halloween, the artistic directors of Lodestone wanted "to create a show in keeping with the spirit of the season: a theater experience, featuring all things twisted, shocking and disturbing" but with an all-Asian cast!
Would we see the next sequel of a slasher film like SCREAM or I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER with an entire cast and crew of Asian actors, writers and directors? Most likely not, but that’s precisely the reason why Lodestone was created – to offer Asian American artists a forum to do that which is not done in ‘white’ Hollywood. Founded by Bokyun Chun, Philip W. Chung, Chil Kong and Tim Lounibos, Lodestone provides an opportunity for Asian American artists to explore all themes and ideas. It challenges them to think outside of the box, be experimental and daring as well as have fun. Although Lodestone has a mandatory policy to cast mostly Asian actors, anyone is welcome to join and participate, so long as it is keeping with the spirit of Lodestone’s mission to create edgy and compelling entertainment while promoting Asian talent. And with AMERICAN MONSTERS, Lodestone created a scary and twisted piece that successfully shatters stereotypes. Seeing a series of horror plays, some with strong sexual overtones, acted out with Asian faces was definitely new and different. And people think Asians are quiet, conservative, law-abiding citizens! Boo!
As the disclaimer in the program stated (in fine print), "These plays contain adult themes and content. For mature audiences." DEAD OF NIGHT, BEASTLY BEAUTIES and MURDEROBILIA are definitely not for the weak hearted. When asked about the show, the Korean American father of one of the actresses said, "The performances were good, but the storyline…I don’t know. I’m too much of a conservative." He was cautiously forewarned by his dutiful daughter/actress about the subject matter prior to the show.
With loud sound effects and loud dialogues and plenty of dead bodies to go around, the really sick and perverse side of human nature is presented in an unassuming suburban setting with Asian faces
DEAD OF NIGHT by Philip W. Chung and directed by Ryan Yu is about a grown woman who, haunted by dreams of a menacing clown, comes to a realization about her family’s deep dark secret literally in the basement. With the help of her psychiatrist/ Grimm Reaper (played by Radmar Agana Jao), Abby, the lead character relives what happened when she was a child on the night that her older sister mysteriously disappeared. In the beginning, the adult Abby has continual nightmares she does not understand. As she sees a psychiatrist, he tells her that that the nightmares are bits and pieces of her repressed past. We later discover that on that fateful night, little Abby wanders into the forbidden basement and witnesses her father, (yes the father did it) the evil figure of authority, sexually molesting her sister and later chopping her body to pieces while dressed as a clown (insert blood here). When her father sees her, he kills her as we see the Grimm Reaper escorting the adult Abby to the other side.
The themes of reality versus fantasy/dream and adult authority and responsibility versus child-like naivety and submission are clearly obvious. The climatic incest revelation is more predictable and a bit familiar than shocking, however. But there is something about clowns that makes one want to check underneath the bed repeatedly. It is ironic how a happy, smiling clown can be distressingly disturbing. Could it be that behind the façade you have a grown man in full make-up wearing women’s clothes? And what’s with clowns and big feet? Did you know that big feet on a man mean he has a big…oops, wrong play.
Clever use of stage direction and lighting help transition the flashback sequences aptly. Moreover, the make-up of the clown and the dead sister incarnate are eerily perfect. In one scene the dead sister (played by Emily Liu) appears to the adult Abby only to be jerked back by the clown (played by Emil Lin) standing in the back was very visual and somehow emotionally perverse. Jennifer Aquino’s (Abby) performance was solid in her first Lodestone production.
Philip W. Chung is one of Lodestone’s co-founders and writer. He wrote the company’s most recent production of LAUGHTER JOY & LONLINESS & SEX & SEX & SEX & SEX. His stage and television credits include the play, YELLO FACE and an episode of LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN.
Ryan Yu the director of DEAD OF NIGHT also directed Lodestone’s workshop of JULIUS CAESAR. He is the first Korean American to graduate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the first theatre major ever to graduate from M.I.T.

BEASTLY BEAUTIES by Judy Soo Hoo and directed by Frances Hearn is about three very different women who encounter a dead man in the mountains. The dead man comes back to life to prey on the women’s sexual fears until only one survivor is left standing, or better yet one is left ‘riding.’ This refreshing and innovative play about the age-old gender debate (which sex is better, stronger, smarter, etc) is both comical and provocative and a wee bit stimulating. McQueen, a native tribeswoman, leads a doctor and her assistant, Priscilla, into the mountains to study the mating habits of owls. The women’s observations of the owls evoke their past experiences with their own mating habits with men. McQueen, a rather voluptuous, raspy voiced woman who refers herself in the third person, embodies the traditional woman, the norm, the pseudo-rational. She’s the first to be eaten by Jack, the dead man who repeatedly refers himself as a ‘rockstar.’ Priscilla, the petite but feisty street urchin with a been-there-done-that attitude, puts up a good fight but eventually succumbs to the powers of the erected dead man. But it’s the soft-spoken doctor, however, who is the last one to survive. Not yielding to the rockstar’s foreplay, she firmly asks question like "Do you know what I want?" and "Is there something inside of you – something real?" The only response she gets from him is a typical male answer, "I’m sorry." The wise one who has had 37 lovers but only one ‘Orlando’ (aka Orgasm with a capital O) ultimately overpowers and overrules the dead man to serve her greatest ‘heated’ need. She rides and rides and rides the dead rockstar until she arrives at Orlando again! Wheee, can necrophilia be um, this hot? Funny how the learned doctor’s sexual needs are satisfied only with a dead, limp man. Makes you want to go hmmmm, doesn’t it?
Kudos to the casting, costume and set design decision-makers. The simple use and attention to details to the overall look of the play adds more layers and textures to the sexual theme. A very tall and stiff looking ladder with constructed branches attached towards the top is the only prop in an otherwise barren stage. As the actors climbs up and down and up again on what looks like a big, fat erection, it subconsciously arouses the mind for a more graphic sexual assault later on. Furthermore, each of the actresses look the part they played as well. The wild haired McQueen play by Heidi Ahn is dressed in tight black tank top and flared pants showing all of her ample womanly curves. The spiky platinum blonde, Priscilla, played by Sun St. Pierre (yes, she’s a Korean blonde) wears army boots, black fishnet stockings and a choker. The soft-spoken doctor played by Elaine Kao wears a simple but elegant long black dress. All the actresses bring their characters alive on stage. But of course the only man in the play must get some attention too. Pierre Li who plays the dead rockstar has the talk, strut and grind that would put any rocker to shame. With his tight abs and an even tighter ass (he wears black Calvin Klein briefs, ladies), Pierre portrays the alpha male to a T, better yet Pierre plays the "Asian" alpha male to a T.
Witty and telling, BEASTLY BEAUTIES is written by Judy Soo Hoo. The playwright who also wrote TEXAS, Lodestone’s inaugural play in 1999 has won the Yukon Pacific New Play Award at the Edward Albee Conference. She is also the recipient of the East West Players AT&T New Voices Award and the PEN/West Emerging Voices Fellowship just to name a few.
France Hearn director of BEASTLY BEAUTIES, is a graduate of the California Institute of the Arts where she received her MFA in Theatre. She has acted in and directed several show throughout the Seattle and Los Angeles areas.
MURDEROBILIA is the last and longest play of AMERICAN MONSTERS. Written by Matt Pelfrey and directed by Jeff Liu, this bizarre play is about two murder encyclopedia salesmen, a bored housewife obsessed with murder artifacts, and her tortured, guilt-ridden husband. Their paths all collide towards murder, blood and more murder. Kipp, a has-been top saleman (played by Kipp Shiotani) comes into the home of Bayla and Brand to sell murderobilia. Unbeknownst to him it is Bayla, the bored housewife (played by Yuria Kim) who has the secret fetish for the killing stuff and not Brand (played by Tim Lounibos). The two have an affair and bond over their fascination with serial killers and murderobilia. She shows him her secret - a storage room where she keeps her ‘collectibles.’ One she is especially taken with is the notorious refrigerator that Jeffrey Dalmer used. Things get complicated when Kipp’s friend Formica Mike (played by Tony Lee) unexpectedly drops by and entices Kipp to join him in his new venture, a murder museum where the dark side of human nature is exploited for cash only (capitalism at it’s finest). Formica Mike accurately states this bizarre interest America has with murders with phrases like, "America is murder habitat," "disposable income, disposable people," "commerce from murder safari will make a killing." Amazing what people will do for a dollar. When Kipp refuses to be Formica Mike’s sales guy, Formica Mike goes out door to door himself. He comes across Brand and tries to sell him murderobilia. This enrages Brand who by this time has become insanely guilt ridden for the death of his kid sister – she was raped and murdered as she walked home alone one night, the night Brand was supposed to pick her up but instead went out drinking with friends. Out of frustration, angst and anger, Brand kills Formica Mike. Suspicious of their tryst, Brand next attacks Bayla and Kipp. The play ends with Brand killing himself and joining his sister on the dark side.
Where on Earth can one ever see a slutty, trailer park Asian housewife who is fixated with serial killers and murder artifacts? Or her deranged, emaciated, serial killing blue collar Asian husband? Lodestone! Although that play MURDEROBILIA is slightly convoluted and long, it is definitely worth seeing Asian actors playing white trash. That was a treat.

Matt Pelfrey, the only non-Asian playwrite, also wrote DRIVE ANGRY, which garnered him the Heideman Award. The play premiered at the 1999 Humana Festival at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. His play COCKROACH NATION was recently received critical acclaim by Moving Arts.

Jeff Liu founded the Wind & Water drama group at UC Berkeley and earned his MFA in directing at UCLA. HE assisted Rodney Kageyama on 12-1-A and Amy Hill on 29 _ DREAMS. Jeff also directed Lodestone’s production of TEXAS.
American Monsters was a presentation of the East L.A. College Theatre Artists-in-Residence Program and part of the second annual EDGEFEST 2000, a citywide celebration of the vibrant and diverse LA theatre community. Held at The Edison Center for the Performing Arts, East L.A. College, American Monsters had a successful four week run.
For more information about Lodestone and it’s upcoming events, please contact them at P.O. Box 1072 Studio City, CA 91614 (323 993-7245) or SHPLodestone@aol.com

Next mainstage production for Lodestone will be Annette Lee’s THIS CUL CE SAC – a wickedly funny comedy about the dirty little secrets we keep hidden between our toes.