ISSUE 17: Melanie Maras

And Kristina Wong's latest show.

THE YELLOW PAGES is a weekly newsletter recommending Asian and AAPI films, music, writing, and other inspiration — all the artsy things I wished for growing up!

🎭 Kristina Wong’s Pulitzer Prize Finalist show “Sweatshop Overlord” is playing at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Los Angeles now through March 12th:

On Day 3 of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kristina Wong began sewing masks out of old bed sheets and bra straps on her Hello Kitty sewing machine. Before long, she was leading the Auntie Sewing Squad, a work-from-home sweatshop of hundreds of volunteers—including children and her own mother—to fix the U.S. public health care system while in quarantine. It was a feminist care utopia forming in the midst of crisis. Or was it a mutual aid doomsday cult?

As the demand for masks abated and we began to return safely to space, Pulitzer Prize finalist Kristina began to put her life together post-pandemic cult leadership. With hilarity and boundless generosity, she invited the audience in on her work building community in isolation, while reflecting on what we’d been through and imagining what we wanted to become in this Lucille Lortel and Outer Critics Circle award winner for Outstanding Solo Show.

Kristina is a longtime friend. She is one of the funniest, bravest, and hard-working artists I know. Back in 2017 I was featured in her “How to Pick Up Asian Chicks” video series. Enjoy and cringe.

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Follow Melanie: Instagram | Twitter | Official Website

Name/Pronouns:

Melanie Maras (she/her).

Where are you?

Hollywood, Baby.

What do you do?