GAF Glam Bang
Playbill
November 10, 11, 12
Master of Ceremonies
Nancy Lim Yee
Piano music by Sam Cady.
GAF Glam Bang is a collection of vignettes on the style, personalities, fun facts AND fiction of the Grant Avenue Follies. Written by the Follies' own playwright and Clarion's executive director, Clara Hsu, this theatrical play was included in the PBS documentary, The Express Way with actor Dulé Hill (released in 2024).
About GAF
Grant Avenue Follies is a cabaret group that brings to life the legacy of San Francisco Chinatown’s golden nightclub era. Cynthia Yee, founder of the Follies, received the 2009 Jefferson Award for public service. The Follies are active in entertaining and raising funds for senior-citizen groups and have been featured on local and national news, AARP, TV shows such as Mario Lopez's Access Daily, and Steve Harvey's Steve on Watch. The Follies are also known as the Rapping Glammas. With three viral music videos---Gai Mou Sou Rap, Glammas Wrap and That Lunar Cheer---they manifest women's beauty, love and strength wherever they go.
Synopsis
Grant Avenue Follies is actually a secret gang disguised as a cabaret entertainment troupe. Their true gang name is Glam Bang and the head of Glam Bang is Empress. However, there is a small dissenting group within Glam Bang. They privately called themselves Glam Bang-Bang. Glam Bang-Bang is led by Lady OxSay.
Whenever the Follies greet each other privately they would use the word “bang” (instead of “hi”), but the dissenting group would say “bang-bang”—almost the same salut, you see, but not quite; so regular members of Glam Bang would not notice the difference except the Glam Bang-Bang themselves.
Trouble begins when Empress shows off a glittery diamond crown. A cat fight ensues amid everyone’s effort in putting together “THE PRE-SEN-TA-TION.”
Actors
Doris Grover, Narrator / Madam Lola
Cynthia Yee, Empress, head of Glam Bang Gangster
Pat Chin, Glam Bang Gangster aka Ms. Patty
Mimi Chin, Glam Bang Gangster / Fan Tan
Emily Chin, Glam Bang Gangster aka Lotus Buns
Avis See-Tho, Glam Bang Gangster aka Darn Tart
Marleen Luke, Glam Bang Gangster
Ruby Fong, Glam Bang Gangster
Pat Nishimoto, Lady OxSay, head of Glam Bang-Bang Gangster
Louise Ow-Ling, Glam Bang-Bang Gangster
Clara Hsu, Glam Bang-Bang Gangster
Dennis Tom, singer aka Dandy Dennis
Allen Ogi, hula instructor / Chef MSG
Tech and Crew
Wendy Lee----stage manager
Giray Guntel----sound and video operator
Inga Chernogradskaia----lightboard operator
Credits
Clara Hsu, playwright, lyricist and producer
Kelly Ka Wing Li, director and video editor and lighting designer.
Miki Katsuyama Novitski, choreographer
Karl Force, music composer of Glam Bang Rap and Penny Wong Rap
Outpost Recording Studio
Video Clips of Penny Wong courtesy of GOOD MEDICINE PICTURE COMPANY & CHINATOWN SHORTS
Photos of Penny Wong courtesy of Janice L. Quan
Inga Chernogradskaia, visual designs and slide presentation
Tina Kwok, costume consultant
Death of 3 Composers
by Clara Hsu
Travel to the 17th, 18th and 19th Century to find out about the death of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. Performed by the students of Clarion Children's Theater. Directed and produced by Clara Hsu.
Music by Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.
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ACTORS
ShuHua Chen
Kaylee Lao
SiuTai Luo
Jeffrey Situ
Chloe Wu
YingYi Xu
Kelly Zhen
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TECH
Giray Guntel, sound board
Inga Chernogradskaia, light board
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LIGHTING DESIGN
Kelly Li
Snacking Kids Rap
RAPPERS
Raymond Wong
Grace Lin
Jayden Louie
Justin Louie
Anson Zhu
Kelly Zhen
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DANCERS
Students of Clarion Children's Theater
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