If you’re looking for laughs this weekend (and at this point who isn’t?), you can tune in to these two sidesplitting digital events, guaranteed to have you rolling on the floor, if not yet in the aisles.
NYC’s premiere Asian-American sketch comedy troupe Model Majority returns to the virtual stage on Saturday, May 1, to kick off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the CAPA United We Stand 42nd Annual AAPI Festival. The funny and talented team’s latest online offering, the AAPI History 201 Comedy Show, features Model Majority regulars Veronica Dang, Kevin Chew, Carol Lee, Andy Jiang, Betsy Abraham, Monica Villa, Ariel Estrada, Alex Chester, Viet Vo, Rob Chen, Ellen Ko, Jeremy Rafal, and Julie Tran, with special guests Erick Esteban, Viktoria King, Lindsay Burton, Theo Park, Randy Ta, Chris Stewart, and Zack Watson, performing history-related skits that will not only make you laugh, but also help you to learn more about the Asian American and Pacific Islander past, culture, and invaluable contributions made to the US and the world.
The comedy show is presented free of charge, but with the serious mission of raising funds for the Asian Mental Health Collective – a nationwide organization that is doing the hard work of destigmatizing mental health in the Asian community, which has high suicide rates and is least likely to seek help. “It’s been a tough time for Asians in America,” the Model Majority notes, “and we need to come together to stop hate against Asians.” They are doing just that, with a fresh perspective on themes that are rarely seen in the mainstream media, while fighting offensive stereotypes, bigotry, and attacks with dedication and humor.
Model Majority’s AAPI History 201 Comedy Show streams on Saturday, May 1, starting at 9 pm. Viewing is free, but voluntary donations in any amount are encouraged to support the AMHC. To receive the streaming link, please RSVP. For additional information, visit the event’s Facebook page.
On Sunday, May 2, Tony Award-winning producer Eva Price (Jagged Little Pill, Oklahoma!) and the premium streaming platform Stellar present Titanique: The Maiden Voyage Concert. The virtual concert presentation offers a preview of the upcoming new musical comedy Titanique – an irreverent parody of the eleven-time Oscar-winning film Titanic, featuring the songs of Céline Dion. Performed live on stage at the Greenwich Village nightclub Le Poisson Rouge, the special online event follows sold-out pop-up concert engagements in LA and NYC, which earned a 2019 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Award.
Co-Written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle, and Constantine Rousouli, directed by Blue, and choreographed by Ellenore Scott, the story begins when the Canadian-born singer hijacks a Titanic Museum tour and provides the audience with her own totally wild take on the fateful voyage. The show is filled with laugh-out-loud send-ups of famous moments from the blockbuster movie, hilarious references to pop culture, and powerhouse vocals of such iconic hits as “My Heart Will Go On,” “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” “All By Myself,” and “To Love You More,” with music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Nicholas Connell, and backed by a full live band.
So if you want to hear an original spin on what really happened to Jack and Rose on that fateful night, be sure not to miss the boat. The cast features Broadway favorites Marla Mindelle (Sister Act, Cinderella) as Céline, Constantine Rousouli (Cruel Intentions, Wicked) as Jack Dawson, Alex Ellis (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Legally Blonde) as Rose DeWitt Bukater, Frankie J. Grande (Rock of Ages, Big Brother) as Victor Garber, Kathy Deitch Wicked) as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Kyle Ramar Freeman (Once On This Island national tour) as The Iceberg Bitch, John Riddle (Frozen, Phantom of the Opera) as Cal, Randy Blair (Amélie) as Ruth, and Jalynn Steele (The Lightning Thief) and Courtney Bassett (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) rounding out the ensemble.
Titanique: The Maiden Voyage Concert streams live on Sunday, May 2, at 7:30 pm, and will be available on demand for 48 hours, May 3-4, on Stellar. For tickets, including optional party packages, go online. A unique link and viewing instructions will be provided upon RSVP.
