EMPOWERING AAPI VOICES
CATS empowers, mentors, and provides a platform for Asian American performing Artists in the Silicon Valley and wider Bay Area. Discover more and get involved in our exciting programs!
What’s New with CATS
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![A young boy holding and playing a guitar against a sky with clouds and ocean waves, with the word 'Resurgence' and the name 'Kris Nuchagami' in the background.]()
Kris Fuchigami Live
Sat, Feb 8th, San Jose. Click below for the Recap.
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![A black and white photo of a woman smiling and waving, with colorful text overlay reading 'Realities of Being an AAPI Artist' and 'Colleen Quen AAPI Artist Spotlight,' along with a logo in the bottom right corner.]()
Colleen Quen
AAPI Artist Spotlight
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![Poster for a benefit screening event titled HITO HATA: Raise the Banner, featuring black and white and color photos of people in a community setting. The event is scheduled for Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 2:00 pm at SJBCB Annex, San Jose. The poster includes details about the film's production by Asian Pacific Americans and directed by Duane Kubo and Robert Nakamura.]()
Hito Hata - Raise the Banner
A benefit screening for the Dharma Center.
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![Group of people working with film equipment outdoors, with some filming and others preparing cameras and lights.]()
Inaugural CATS Filmmaker Fellowship Program
Coming soon…
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![Promotional poster for the Asian American Pacific Islander Playwright Festival, featuring color-blocked portraits of six diverse theater artists, with event details and a 25% discount code.]()
AAPI Playwright Festival
The inaugural Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Playwright Festival is a unique theater arts experience showcasing the talent of local Bay Area AAPI theatre artists. The production is co-sponsored by San Jose Stage. Use code FNF2024 to save 25%
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![A young boy smiling and making a shaka sign while holding a ukulele outdoors.]()
Kris Fuchigami Summer Concert
Back by popular demand!
Friday July 12th 5:00 pm PST
Register now for FREE online concert
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![Illustration of a megaphone with a hand giving a thumbs-up, and text that reads 'Urgent Casting Call'.]()
Casting Call: Contemporary Asian Theater Scene’s Inaugural Playwright Festival
Contemporary Asian Theater Scene is casting Bay Area-based nonequity performers for staged readings of the six ten-minute plays that make up the Inaugural Playwright Festival.
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![A digital poster for the Dr. Jerry Hiura Inspiration Award 2024 art challenge featuring a painting of women sitting on a bench and using their phones, with text about the contest and awards, including submission deadline and eligibility requirements.]()
Dr. Jerry Hiura Inspiration Award 2024
We are now accepting submissions for the Dr. Jerry Award. Applicants must be current high school or college students in or from the Bay Area. The theme this year is Human Connections in the Digital Age
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![Event poster advertising a staged reading of the play 'Teenage Dick' by Mike Lew, featuring a lion emblem, roses, and floral decorative borders, scheduled for June 21-22, 2024 at Akiyama Wellness Center in San Jose Japantown.]()
CATS Presents: The 3rd Annual Summer Staged Reading
Come enjoy an immersive staged reading performance of TEENAGE DICK by Mike Lew
TEENAGE DICK is a hilarious and sharp-witted adaptation about perception, disability, and the treacherous road to ascendancy.
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![Group of seven diverse adults smiling and posing together outdoors on a sunny day, standing on a wooden deck near trees and residential buildings.]()
CATS Inaugural AAPI Playwright Festival
Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS), in collaboration with award-winning director and playwright Jeffrey Lo, announces the launch of its inaugural Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Playwright Festival, a one-of-a-kind theater arts experience that fosters and showcases the talent of existing and emerging local Bay Area AAPI theater artists, from writers and actors to directors, stagehands and others.
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![Performers on stage in front of an audience for our Staged Reading, with people sitting and watching, some taking photos.]()
Staged Readings
“I saw a reflection of my AAPI heritage in the Staged Reading with CATS, which gave me the ability to connect and bond with AAPI actors, directors, and playwrights while telling a universally relatable story”
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![A collage of six images and accompanying text featuring various Asian American artists and their work, with names and educational backgrounds listed.]()
Dr. Jerry Inspirational Award
This award was established in honor of the late co-founder of CATS, Dr. Jerry Hiura, who was a poet, artist, jewelry maker and musician - multifaceted in spirit and talent.
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![Red theater seats in a darkened auditorium.]()
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific Film Festival
Featured on: Metro SV (top Film Festival) and SV Creates 2023 Annual Report
The SVAP FilmFest
The Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest is an eagerly anticipated event that celebrates the vibrant and diverse perspectives of Asian American filmmaking. As an annual showcase of breathtaking cinematography, compelling storytelling, and thought-provoking subjects, the festival serves as a platform to highlight the rich cultural tapestry and the unique experiences of Asian Americans on the silver screen.
