When I received a telephone call from director Danny Lee last April, I didn't know what to expect. He said he is preparing to do a PBS series on art and artists, and asked if we have any new work to show. We didn't, but I said we will. So with running the Clarion, writing grants and getting ready for the Grant Avenue Follies' annual appearance at the Burlesque Hall of Fame, I had to come up with a new something.
GAF Glam Bang was written not just for the PBS show. It was also a request from the Hong Kong Business Association. They wanted their annual meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, to end with a play. The idea of Glammas as a group of secret gangsters was appealing to me. Celebrating Penny Wong's 98th birthday also gave me inspiration. Although rehearsal time was extremely limited, we managed to pull it off for Danny Lee, a show at the Hawaii Convention Center and another three fundraiser shows for Clarion.
Danny Lee spent three days at the Clarion filming us. Cynthia and I were interviewed extensively by Danny and then again by Dule Hill. We enjoyed our conversation on art, culture, and challenges as artists. Fingers crossed, we waited for the moment when we're allowed to tell people about the documentary series, The Express Way with Dule Hill.
The series premiered on April 23, 2024. We had a watch party at the Clarion. Louise made a jello angel food cake, Pat Nish made spam musubi. We had cookies, wine and champagne, and filled the house with friends and fans. We laughed and clapped. Some were moved to tears too. It was lovely and memorable. All the hard work paid off. You can now watch the episode on YouTube.
