Hey folks! Allow me to introduce you to the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Julia Cho.
Who are you?
I am Julia Cho. I am an actor, not the writer. That might be confusing for folks who don't know there is a writer with the same name, but there is and she is ridiculously talented. And I'm not her. Sorry for anyone who might be disappointed. If you want to stop reading at this point, I totally understand.
What are you?
I am a person, a woman, an American-born child of Korean immigrant parents. I am an actor and founding member of Artists at Play, a theatre-producing collective based in Los Angeles.
Where are you?
Let's go with "The Greater Los Angeles Area." As you're reading this, I'm either driving in my car or at rehearsal for Artists at Play's upcoming production of 99 Histories by-- coincidentally-- the writer Julia Cho. Not confusing at all, right?
Where are you from?
Los Angeles native, born and raised.
What do you do?
In between auditions and actual acting gigs (mostly TV), I consider my producing duties with Artists at Play as like a day job... but without the income! I don't think even my friends really understand the scope of what a theatre producer does. Basically, you OVERSEE EVERYTHING-- from play selection, venue, cast/crew/personnel, box office, press/marketing, etc.-- and you have to be able to TROUBLESHOOT ANYTHING. So besides that, auditioning, and acting: I eat, I sleep, and I try to watch as much TV, film, and theatre as I can.
What are you all about?
You know, just doing my thang... which entails everything mentioned in the previous response! I've always had a love for the arts, visual to performance and everything in between, and I want to be able to share that with fellow Asian Americans and younger generations. Especially live theatre, because I refuse to believe it's a "dying art" when it's been around for hundreds and hundreds of years. Theatre is still here for a reason and I'd love for more of my peers to recognize its power and revel in its magic. (Sorry that last part was my inner theatre-nerd geeking out a bit!)
I will also always be about Flamin' Hot Cheetos Limón.
What makes you angry?
Oh gosh, there is really just too much. Knowing that I'm Korean by blood and that we are a-- ahem-- passionate people, I do try very hard to keep my genetically-coded emotionality in check. And I am getting better about trivial things like when drivers don't use their blinkers or when people treat me in a discriminatory/belittling way based on my race, gender, age, what have you.
Then there are larger, overwhelming social/political issues, such as police brutality, gun control (or the lack thereof), culturally enforced racism/sexism/misogyny... living in a world that is far from the post-racial America some would like to imagine.
I guess what I try to do is recognize all that which makes me angry and channel that anger in positive ways, in ways I myself can at least try to be a better human being. Filter through that anger to mine the passion, in how I approach and share my work, in how I treat the people I come across in my own life.
Seriously though, reckless drivers. And Internet trolls. (a la Jean-Ralphio on Parks and Rec) "THE WOOOOOOORST!"
