Chinese American writer and filmmaker Kuang Lee from Oakland, California, broke from Chinese cultural norms and wrote a one-man musical comedy act that explores the complexities of his relationship with his late father.
He said that when dealing with his father’s death, Asian American expectations are to maintain composure, not express your feelings that much, and just get through it. However, since the passing of his father was a big moment for him, he wanted to be able to talk about it freely.
He hopes that writing and performing this show that shares his vulnerable emotions will open the dialogue up for others within his Asian culture to be able to express themselves too, he said.
Kuang Lee rehearses for his show “Gags” in Berkeley, Calif., on June 28, 2024. Helen Billings/The Epoch Times
“I’m pretty stoic, and so this show is kind of about being able to talk about things that might be embarrassing or uncomfortable to talk about, but I think it’s important,” he told The Epoch Times. “I think that observing Asian culture and Chinese culture in particular, a lot of times we try to keep things pretty close to the vest.”
He said that when he was a child, he wished he was able to express himself more and get things off his chest, and he doesn’t want the same for his daughter.
This is his first time acting. Mr. Lee said that he set out to challenge himself with the one-man show.
An advertisement for the comedy act states that “Gags” is a funny and heartfelt quest to understand a father’s life through laughter and song.
“I knew that I wanted to write about my father’s passing, and I knew that would be a pretty sad topic, so I knew I had to kind of go in with some funny songs and funny jokes and bring the audience in a way that’s entertaining,” he said.
Kuang Lee rehearsing for his show “Gags” in Berkeley, Calif., on June 28, 2024. Helen Billings/The Epoch Times
With Star Wars references, jokes innocently poking fun at Asian culture, and funny songs spanning the musical genres of country, punk, and lullabies, he says he mainly hopes for the audience to have a good time, but he also feels that his story will resonate with people.
“I heard this one quote that the more specific you can make a story, the more universal it is. It’s a strange contradiction, but this is a very specific story to my life … and I think people will really relate to it, because we all have families,” he said.
In addition to the show, Mr. Lee is simultaneously making a documentary about his relationship with his father and the making of the show.
He said that in the process he has come to learn new things about his father that he had no idea about, including that his father was a novelist and one of his books was a love story set in the 1960s. With this, he realized that they have writing in common.
He said he didn’t know his father that well and thought he was just a technical guy, but through this process he has come to learn who his father was, not just as his father, but as a person. He said it’s been amazing.
Kuang Lee, Kevin Rebultan, and videographer Gavin in Berkeley, Calif., on June 28, 2024. Helen Billings/The Epoch Times
The director of “Gags,” Kevin Rebultan, told The Epoch Times: “The first time I read [‘Gags’] and heard it out loud, I thought he had something pretty special. … I’m very happy to be the one who gets to bring this to its feet.”
Mr. Rebultan is from Vallejo and is an artist and performer himself. He said he’s glad to help bring Mr. Lee out of himself, and he enjoyed the story because it’s such a poignant and crucial kind of tale to tell for both people in Asian communities and those outside.
“I think there’s something really beautiful about bringing to light our sort of deepest insecurities onstage in a way that invites people to share themselves as well, and that’s how you build community, and that’s how you build love and art, to put it simply,” he said.
In addition to his love for storytelling, writing, and making music, Mr. Lee attributes his desire for expression to growing up in America and its extroverted culture.
Mr. Lee’s work includes a narrative feature called “Buddy Solitaire,” available on Hulu; and his second feature, “Best Mom,” which won Best Family Feature at the Hollywood Film Festival, according to a press release.
“Gags” will be performed at the San Francisco Fringe Festival.
Venue: Exit Theater, 277 Taylor St., San Francisco, CA 94102
Sun., Aug. 11, 3:00 p.m.
Sun, Aug. 18, 6:00 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 24, 9:00 p.m.
A “Gags” poster. Courtesy of Kuang Lee
