SOUL SAMURAI: The Fight Nerd

Check it out, Vamp Fans! "Soul Samurai" was featured in the newest episode of The Fight Nerd! The cool cats from this formidable fight website came and checked out our fight call. Click the video below to get a sneak peek at our most badass play to date!

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

SOUL SAMURAI: Critic-O-Meter

This is neat, Vamp Fans! There's a new theatre blog out called Critic-O-Meter that compiles all the reviews for a given show and then figures out the show's "overall grade". They just did it for "Soul Samurai" and we gots an A (the first one they've ever given a show)! This is what they have to say about it:

Ladies and gentleman, we present to you the best-reviewed show, and the first A grade, in Critic-O-Meter's admiteddly brief history. Critics find Vampire Cowboys' frenetic new mash-up of martial arts, blaxploitation, and graphic novels airtight and entertaining, with an ambitious use of multimedia and a literally kickass cast headed by the magnetic Maureen Sebastian. The play's irresistible urban argot inspired That Sounds Cool's Aaron Riccio to a pen charmingly slangy notice, including the first use of "sick" as a superlative I've ever read in a New York theater review.

Check it out here!

SOUL SAMURAI: Comic News Insider One Shot!

Check it out, Vamp Fans! Sheldon Best, Maureen Sebastian, Bonnie Sherman of "Soul Samurai", as well as Vampire Cowboys producer Abby Marcus and yo' favorite yella playwright, join Jimmy and Joe of the very popular COMIC NEWS INSIDER for a special CNI One Shot! We talk about the show, our nerdy pasts, as well as prove once and for all how extremely geektastic we all are in a CNI pop-culture quiz. It's all very fun and informative. Listen to it HERE!

SOUL SAMURAI: Escapist Magazine

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! Way back before we opened "Soul Samurai", our merry band of badass actors did some fight demos at NY Comic Con 2009. While we were there, Jon Hoche, Maureen Sebastian, and Bonnie Sherman got interviewed by Escapist Magazine. Check out the footage below. And if you're the impatient type and just wanna fast forward to the action, just click it over to 2:49 in the video!

SOUL SAMURAI: A Rave from Time Out New York

Wow, Vamp Fans! The love keeps coming for "Soul Samurai". This time from the very prestigious and trusted outlet, TIME OUT NEW YORK! And for the first time since my production of "Trial by Water" in 2006, one of my shows has finally pulled off getting back on Time Out New York Critic's Pick list! Check out an excerpt from the review below and then get your tickets to see "Soul Samurai". A rave may be comforting, but it is still only you being in our audience that can truly make our show a success.

Qui Nguyen and his company, Vampire Cowboys, team up with Ma-Yi Theater Company for this explosively funny Foxy Brown–meets–Kill Bill goof. Shoguns and 70s style reign over a dark New York of the future, vampires infest Brooklyn and one woman takes revenge against the undead. Outfitted with stop-motion animation, awesome puppetry and a pimped-out wardrobe, "Soul Samurai" kicks the Vampire Cowboys recipe up a notch; the script has the complexity of a graphic novel, without sacrificing its zinelike homemade sweetness. Yes, outside it's still the chill dead of winter, but go and guffaw your way through "Soul Samurai". It can bring you back to life! Time Out NY Critic's Pick!
- Helen Shaw, TIME OUT NEW YORK

SOUL SAMURAI: Comic News Insider

Check it out, Vamp Fans! Sheldon Best, Maureen Sebastian, and Bonnie Sherman from "Soul Samurai" sat in on this week's recording of COMIC NEWS INSIDER! They helped read the news, talked BSG, discussed the NY Post political cartoon controversy, and clearly had fun slugging back vino on Jimmy and Joe's extremely popular pop-culture podcast. To check it out, click HERE!

And check back in another day or two as they post a special SOUL SAMURAI One-Shot!!!

SOUL SAMURAI: The Bloggers

I feel very fortunate. There's been alot of love shown to "Soul Samurai" via cyberspace (I'm looking at you - Time Out NY's UPSTAGED, James Comtois, Matt Freeman, Jeremy Arambulo, SFScope, Indienomics, Daniel Kelley, Carla Ching, The Tao of Jeet Page Do, AfterEllen, PinkRaygun, & PaperMag). Thank you all. It really means the world to me to have you see my work and spend some time in my nerdy mind. Much love to you all! You guys f-in' rock!

SOUL SAMURAI: The Reviews

Holy crap, Vamp Fans! The reviews are pouring in and the love coming to my most favorite Vampire Cowboys show ever has been astounding. Lotsa love, lotsa good vibes, lotsa metaphorical high-fives rolling our way. We just officially opened the show last night, but the ride so far has been one of the best artistic journeys I’ve ever gone on. From working with Ma-Yi to slinging back drinks with the cast & crew, every moment I’ve had with this play has been amazing. Thank you, everyone, for all the support you've given so far. We love ya.

Explosively Funny! Time Out New York Critic's Pick.
– Helen Shaw, TIME OUT NEW YORK

Exhilarating! Side-splittingly funny and slyly intelligent!
– Andy Propst, VILLAGE VOICE

Has HIT written all over it. NYTheatre.com Critic’s Pick.
– Martin Denton, NYTHEATRE.COM

Theatre at its best. Backstage Critic’s Pick.
– Mark Peikert, BACKSTAGE

A wildly funny, action-packed delight.
– Dan Balcalzo, THEATERMANIA

Sexy, and full of noisy joy.
– Jon Sobel, BLOGCRITICS

You’d be hard-pressed to find two more frenetic & engaging hours of entertainment in this city.
– Liz Gorinsky, TOR

Delivers a satisfying blend of humor and violence.
– Joe Bendel, J.B. SPINS

One of THE best shows in the city. A New Theater Corps Top pick!
– Aaron Riccio, NEW THEATER CORPS

An extremely exciting piece of theater. See "Soul Samurai" before it’s too late.
– Samantha O'Brien, OFFOFFONLINE

Get tickets NOW. I'll be going again soon.
– Jimmy Aquino, COMIC NEWS INSIDER

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

SOUL SAMURAI: A Rave from NYTheatre.com

Holy crap, Vamp Fans, the reviews are starting to roll in and there has already been alotta love for the show that I consider the best thing I’ve ever done. It's always moving to read that your work is being appreciated by reviewers, but let's be completely honest here, reviews are still only reviews, it’s not what makes a show successful. That is still in your hands, Vamp Fans. You gots all the power. The only way we can rock out is if you come see the show and tell your friends. Remember always, you're the ones tha make Vampire Cowboys!

But in case you do need some convincing on why you should grab your tix now, check out below some of the words from perhaps the single most significant online reviewer and online theatre reviewing site on the web, the always reliable NYTheatre.com:

"Soul Samurai", the new show from the Vampire Cowboys has HIT written all over it. Savvy off-Broadway producers should be pushing each other out of the way to get to HERE Arts Center so that they can be the one to move what feels like the Next Big Thing in Theatre to the long commercial run it doesn't just deserve but commands. (The standing ovation—the first one I've ever seen for an indie theater production—says a great deal about the viability of such a move.) "Soul Samurai" offers a happy and rare combination of pop-culture-guilty pleasure and smart, sophisticated storytelling; of what Nguyen himself calls a "theatrical event for the geek-chic" and thrilling and funny live-action adventure of the sort that heretofore has exclusively been shown on a screen of some kind. All the innovations that Vampire Cowboys have been working on these past five years come together here in an evening that's loaded with energy, style, humor, intelligence, and a surprising amount of heart.
- Martin Denton, NYTHEATRE.COM

SOUL SAMURAI: Interviews from the Ma-Yi Theater Newsletter

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! In case you're not signed up for Ma-Yi Theater's newsletter (Which you all should be cause Ma-Yi effin' rocks), posted below are two interviews that Maureen (star of "Soul Samurai") and I gave their weekly online missive regarding our experiences as artists-of-color and our relationship with America's premier Asian American theatre company, Ma-Yi Theater. Check it out. For more info on Soul Samurai's badass co-producers, go HERE!

THE FIRST DEWDROP OF SPRING
Fierce, talented, and as lovely as a dewdrop, Maureen Sebastian takes time out of her hectic schedule to chat with Ma-Yi about her experience as an artist, and her role as Dewdrop in Soul Samurai...

What has your experience been as a young Asian American theatre artist?
Maureen: I've been quite blessed in the work I've been able to do as a young, female, Asian American actor. With theatre companies such as Ma-Yi and Vampire Cowboys, I've found supportive, nurturing homes, which I know that isn't the case with a lot of artists out there. To be honest, it's hard no matter what labels are forced upon you, but when you have an strong sense of yourself despite those labels, this industry becomes a much easier place within which to work.

Do you/how do you feel connected to the Asian American artistic community?
Maureen: Yes and no. Because I have found a home with Ma-Yi, I have something that anchors me very closely to the Asian American artistic community. However, the life of an actor is an ephemeral and transient one: I, much of the time, feel that I belong to numerous artistic communities, because I have to make myself amenable to any work that comes my way.

How has being a part of/involved with Ma-Yi affected you?
Maureen: They were my first conduit into the theatrical community in New York City. Without them, I wouldn't have met the artists I know and work with today.

Talk about being a part of the writer's lab.
Maureen: I am so fortunate to be a part of the Writer's Lab, particularly because the talent that is infused with that group of writers is immeasurable. I've also worked with a handful of them as an actor. Qui Nguyen, of course, I've worked with on numerous occasions. Lloyd Suh wrote the first play I did with Ma-Yi, "Children of Vonderly". And I did a workshop of "Thunder Above, Deeps Below" by A. Rey Pamatmat at the O'Neill Theatre Center this past summer. They're also committed to cultivating truth, justice and the (Asian) American Way. We're kind of like the Justice league of Asian American playwrights.

How do you feel being an image of a tough, queer, Asian heroine?
Maureen: I feel pretty badass as Dewdrop. She's like a train without a conductor, chugging through landscapes full-speed ahead, not slowing down for a soul, until something bigger and badder can stop her in her tracks. In terms of research, my inspiration came from Samurai films: "Seven Samurai", "Lone Wolf and Cub", "Miyamoto Musashi: Samurai", "Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman", "Harakiri", "Afro Samurai", "Samurai Champloo".

QUINTESSENTIAL QUI
Being true to his inner geek has brought the sincere, raw talent of Qui Nguyen to the forefront of the hip, young theatre scene today. Warm with joy, Qui shares with Ma-Yi his thoughts on theatre, Vampire Cowboys, and being a member of the Ma-Yi family....

What has your experience been as a young Asian American theatre artist?
Qui: Doing theatre is always hard. You work until your eyes bleed to create a show you can proudly stand behind and then as soon as you've exhausted every bit of psychic energy you have in making the best show you can possibly make, you're then faced with having to work even harder (easily ten times as much work) to hustle to get an audience. That's the job. That's what we do. And I'm strangely addicted to it. I do feel lucky that throughout the years I've managed to pull off getting a few fans for my plays. That's always comforting, but it's never truly comfortable. The next show is always more ambitious, the task is always harder, the work always more grand. "Soul Samurai" is easily the best thing I've ever done and now I'm sweating to get folks to see it. As for the Asian American part . . . I dig my eyes. I love the way they look. Asians rock.

Do you feel connected to the Asian American artistic community?
Qui: As an artist, most of my work (with the exception of my plays "Trial By Water" and "Bike Wreck") has been more defined not by the tint of my skin, but by the company I keep. That company specifically is a regular band of artists that I run with for the last seven years called the Vampire Cowboys. They have let me indulge on all my bad boy tendencies as a writer and as a fight director. And because of that, I really feel that it has helped me find a unique and interesting voice. The regulars that attend my Vampire Cowboys shows tend to be diverse in race, age, and background, so I don't know what that says about how embraced or not embraced I am in any community. I know I enjoy pushing peoples preconceived notions on what theatre can and can't be. And I know I'm a total geek. In many ways, I think Ma-Yi is producing this show to help introduce me to that Asian American audience that doesn't even know that I exist. With "Soul Samurai", I've worked hard to create an Asian American/lesbian heroine that both the Asian American and LGBT community can embrace and cheer behind. As an artist, I'm always trying to get folks to cheer. That's sort of my personal mission statement. Cheer.

Does Ma-Yi help you feel more connected to a community?
Qui: Absolutely. Ma-Yi rocks. They produced my first Off-Broadway show, "Trial By Water". They gave me a home in the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. And now they're taking the work I do with my Vampire Cowboys and bringing it to a much bigger stage. I love Ma-Yi like I love my own company. They inspire me, they push me, they throw good parties. And because of Ma-Yi, I was able to meet the absolutely awesome Maureen Sebastian. Without her, this show would not even exist. As a writer, I've been spending years trying to create someone like Dewdrop (the lead character in "Soul Samurai") - my version of an Asian American Wonder Woman - a character who could last. And though I knew what her story would be, it wasn't until I started working with Moe that this character came to life. Maureen completely rocks this show. If anything, seeing her is almost enough reason alone to go. So go already. See my play. I want you in my house. And that house is Ma-Yi.

Talk about being a part of the writer's lab - how has it influenced/affected you?
Qui: The Ma-Yi Writers Lab are my homies. I dig on these cats like family. These are the writers whose works inspire me everyday because these are the writers who are growing up alongside me. We root for each other, we support one another, and after each and every performance, we're there to pour the drinks and sling back the shine. These guys are my artistic family. I love them. They are the best. I can't imagine loving theatre like I do if it weren't for them.

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

SOUL SAMURAI: Tonight there's gonna be some Talkback

Reminder, Vamp Fans! Tonight (Wednesday, Feb 18th), web celeb, Jimmy Aquino, host to the extremely popular pop-culture podcast, COMIC NEWS INSIDER, will be hosting the very first ever Vampire Cowboys talkback directly after this evening's “Soul Samurai” performance. Come grill us. Come say hi. Come watch us squirm as we answer any and all your questions. And come at a discount price (use the following code for $20 tickets: CNIROCKS). Trust us, you may have been to stuffy theatre talkbacks before, but a talkback with your favorite undead wranglers promises to be at least entertaining if not damn enlightening to why we all turned out so damn geeky. Come out! We'd love to see ya there! And, remember, please spread the word about the show. You're the ones that make Vampire Cowboys rock.

SOUL SAMURAI: Calling all Indie Theatre Fans!

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! SOUL SAMURAI is now officially on its way. We just had our first three preview performances and the show is already lookin’ mad killa. But now I DESPERATELY need your help. Please help us get the word out. Tell your friends, post us on your blogs, but most importantly come see the show EARLY in the run. Seeing ya this week immensely helps us in pulling off making this show a success and keeps me and my Vampire Cowboys from losing our shirts on this show. It’s really our best show we’ve ever done and I really need your help in making it awesome. Come help our Indie Theater Company succeed Off-Broadway. You’re the ones that keep us going.

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Interview with Qui Nguyen

Yep, that's right, Vamp Fans, tonight's the night! It's showtime! "Soul Samurai" begins hittin' it this evening at Here Arts Center. So grab your tickets now!

And to mark this occasion, we gots an interview with yo' favorite yella playwright. Except it's not here on the Beyondabsurdity blog. It's actually at the esteemed Michael Criscoulo's digs.

UPDATE: The interview has been added below:

Qui Nguyen is a Bad Mutha-(Shut yo mouth!)
by Michael Criscoulo

You know who Qui Nguyen is: renowned fight director, acclaimed playwright, and Giants fan extraordinaire. You’ve seen his plays: action-packed, combat-filled geekfests like Fight Girl Battle World, Men of Steel, and Living Dead in Denmark. And you know his theater company: the genre-busting (and increasingly imitated) Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company.
So what else is there to know about this multi-faceted and hugely influential theater artist? You’d be surprised. On the eve of the world premiere of his newest soon-to-be-smash opus, Soul Samurai, Qui dropped by the ol’ blog for a marathon session that proves once and for all what a bad mofo he is. Check it, people…

I’d like to start on a non-theater related note. I know you are a New York Giants fan. Any post-season thoughts on their seemingly early playoff exit?
I’ll keep my answer concise since this is a theatre blog and I have been known to “long talk” when it comes to the football. Bottom line: We need Plaxico. We were unstoppable when he was out there catching the pigskin, now we look pedestrian without him. I really hope the Jints decide to keep him if they can. Every great QB had a great receiver. Montana had Rice. Big Brother Peyton has Harrison. Bradshaw had Swann. And, hell, even Brady was barely more than Clark Kent before he met Moss. Eli has Plax. He needs #17. Nuff said.

Okay, thanks for getting that out of the way. Now, on to the matter-at-hand: your new play, Soul Samurai. You recently wrote a hilarious blog post in which you revealed that two of the cinematic influences for Soul Samurai were the blaxpoitation film Blacula and Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon. For real? And could you tell us more about that, please?
Well, yeah. These two flicks are two of my all-time favs. Blacula because it was the first movie that I ever experienced and was like “Holy crap, the bad guy in this film is completely justified in messing some shit up!” If you have never seen it, the movie goes a little something like this – Prince Mamuwalde - a.k.a. Blacula - goes to a certain Transylvanian Count to get help in stopping the slave trade. The count, being evil and all, does some backstabbing, turns Mamuwalde into a vampire, and then sticks him in a coffin for all eternity to suffer “in hunger.” However, Mamuwalde gets accidentally released from his coffin onto 1970’s NYC and then . . . well, you get the picture. The big thing for me in all this was that Blacula was actually out to save the world before he got cursed. His motivations were for good. And that really impacted my adolescent mind when seeing it. Blacula wasn’t just a monster, he was also a man.
In crafting the baddies in the Soul Samurai, I want to make them all as equally sympathetic as my favorite blaxploitation vamp. Where in some shows we’ve done, it was fun having some Iago-like evil being the big bad on our stage. This time, we’re going with a less “Bad guys wearing black” motif. We want to make the audience, at times, feel uncomfortable when they see the good guy win. We want to make it a bit more complex, but in a fun way.

As for Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon, this is my numero uno. If you haven’t seen it, go rent it. If you have and you’re familiar with Vampire Cowboys’ work, the correlations are clear. As a kid, it was a flick that made me run around karate chopping everything around me after each viewing. It was a flick that had me cheer anytime a fight occurred. And the characters were awesome. Shogun Sho’nuff. Bruce Leroy Green. The glow! It’s the kind of entertainment experience I want to bring my audience every time I make a Vampire Cowboys show. I want folks to cheer. I want to get them excited. And if I see them directly afterwards attempting to do some bad kung fu moves in the lobby, I know I’ve done my job well. Soul Samurai is gonna attempt to do all these things and more. It’s gonna be awesome.

Your theater company, Vampire Cowboys, is co-producing Soul Samurai with Ma-Yi Theater Company. Is this your first co-production with them, or anyone else? And how did it come about?
This is indeed our first co-pro we’ve ever done. How did it come about? Lots of beer and I think at some point there was perhaps some blackmail involved. And Ralph Peña (Ma-Yi’s Artistic Director) must have lost a bet during one of our infamous poker games. Yeah, Asians like to gamble. That definitely comes to my advantage since I got mad skillz when it comes to the cards.
But, no, seriously. This is clearly a huge move for both Ma-Yi and Vampire Cowboys. Ma-Yi Theater is the premier Asian American theater company of the country. They’ve won OBIEs, become a home for Asian American artists in the Off-Broadway arena, and championed new works by living playwrights. Vampire Cowboys makes shows that brings geeks to the theatre. On paper, it’s a very strange marriage. But I think that’s exactly why it happened. We have a lot to offer the other. They bring in the Off-Broadway crowd, we bring in the fanboy crowd. It’ll be interesting to see if our small Indie Theater will get any props from the big boys.

As for how it all started, Vampire Cowboys was involved in the National Asian American Theatre Festival, a festival that Ma-Yi helped produce a couple of years ago. Our show, Living Dead in Denmark was the festival’s sell-out hit. Ralp, who I know very well from being the Co-Director of Ma-Yi’s writers lab, said afterwards “Hey Qui, Ma-Yi should produce one of your Vampire Cowboys shows. It’s time to get you in a bigger theatre and your names out to a bigger audience”. As I’m sure most writers have heard time and again, folks promise stuff like this all the time, but rarely does it ever pan out. On this occasion, however, Ralph really meant it. So thusly, here we are.

It’s exciting, but I’m not gonna lie, it’s also all a bit scary. For Vampire Cowboys, we’re spending more money than we’ve ever spent before. And now we’re talking more seats to fill, more nights during the week to pull in an audience, and a longer run. This show could literally break us if we don’t pull off getting a crowd. And to top it off, the country is in a recession. So why go ahead with the biggest show of our lives? Well, cause as I said before, Asians do love to gamble. And as my wife loves to say “As artists, this is how we help the economy, by giving people reason to go out and live.” As silly as this show may sound, we really think what we’re doing is big time important.

By now everyone knows that you are a world class fight director, as well as playwright, and that your plays are loaded with stage combat. How and when did you first become interested in stage combat?
World class? Really? That’s really flattering of you to say. I’ve honestly never seen myself as such. Fighting has always just been part of who I am. As a youngster, it brought me a lotta trouble. Now as an adult, it puts food on my table.
Growing up as one of the only yella faced kids in an almost purely white and black town of El Dorado, Arkansas, I obviously did alotta throwing down. A great portion of my adolescent diplomacy came via smacking down redneck bullies. I was an angry kid who hated seeing people get picked on. Obviously, I knew what that was like. So I spent a lotta my public school years shutting up the shit-talkers. From necessity, I spoke in a language of fists and kicks long before I ever decided to translate any of it to the stage.

When I went off to college though, things had dramatically changed. By that point, the anger of my youth had long disappeared. Where I once was obsessed with being invincible, I now was possessed with trying to be unforgettable. I was an acting major at Louisiana Tech University and my fight skills had caught the eye of my then instructor, Mark Guinn. Mark is a very well-regarded and nationally-known fight director and stage combat teacher. He saw that I had some natural talent when it came to fight choreography and pushed me to pursue it. He showed me how to channel all the energy I once used to figure out how to beat up an opponent and turned it into a structure I could use into figuring out the best way to attack a story onstage. The same mind-frame I had when it came to breaking down someone’s defenses, I now was re-routing to figure out how to convey a story. It was an epiphany. By the time I graduated Louisiana Tech, I was part of one of the first sets of advanced actor/combatants with the Society of American Fight Directors recognized in all weapon forms. And since I moved to NYC seven years ago, I’ve managed to choreograph over a hundred shows and now teach stage combat at Columbia University. It’s been a pretty far journey from the teenager who once used to slug drunk truckers who picked on his brothers. But regardless of how different I’ve become, the essence is still the same. I enjoy creating fights cause it’s sort of in my blood.

As a writer, you’re heavily influenced by many non-theatrical sources, like movies, television, and comic books. But you choose to write for the theater. Why do you prefer to work in your chosen medium?
Man, I wish I had a simple answer for this. But the truth is there’s no one big reason on why I decided to pursue theatre instead of film, comics, or television. Honestly, I definitely have ambitions in all those mediums as well. The ultimate vision for Vampire Cowboys is actually to, one day, be a production company that produces theatre, film, and comic books. But why theatre specifically? I guess because I honestly feel like I have something to offer the medium. If I didn’t truly believe that, I wouldn’t be doing it. Early on (and I guess currently as well), I had agents and other professionals tell me that I was wasting my time pursuing this craft since my voice seemed so much better suited for something like a Hollywood action flick over a Manhattan black box. They told me that no one would ever truly appreciate the work I do in this field, that creating what I create would only get ignored in theatre. That in this field I’d come off as being seen as a goof-ball oddity while in comics and film, I’d be a game player. And wouldn’t I prefer making money? Okay, so I do wish I was making more money and perhaps I do get dismissed by my fair share of “serious theatremakers and critics” thinking the shit I do is just silly, but I guess that’s part of why I do it. I think I bring what I bring to live performance because so often people think the genres of action, horror, superheroes, kung fu, sci-fi, and the like are just for film, that theatre can’t ever be as good at putting this sorta stuff up so why bother? And I’m a contrarian by nature. I hate being told I can’t do something. So I do it because I want to prove that it can be done. And not just done, but done brilliantly. I do theatre because teachers told me that I shoulda been doing something else. Theatre was the girl I wasn’t supposed to date so thusly I’m obsessed with her. Does that make sense?
Also, I just love the community. From my peeps at Ma-Yi and LAByrinth to my drinking buds at Youngblood, The Brick, Partial Comfort, and Nosedive, I can credit a lot of my current and future liver damage to those in the theatrical arts. My wife and my best friends in the world work in this medium. Sitting down to do a Vampire Cowboys show is like a nightly excuse to hang out with my buddies. From those on stage to those that come to our shows, it’s a big drunken lovefest of nerdy nerds geeking out. It’s the shit. Dig that.

You not only write for your own theater company, but for others as well. Is there a difference in the way you write for your company versus someone else’s, or do you approach all of those projects the same way?
It’s always different. Even within Vampire Cowboys. Sometimes the shit just hits. Sometimes it’s a trial of temper tantrums. I guess the big difference is when it comes to Vampire Cowboys, I know I have ultimate freedom to do what I want. With other companies, I’m working within their parameters. Sometimes freedom brings on genius, sometimes it just gets me even more loss. The same can be said for parameters.
I guess I’ve never really codified a specific process. With a show like Fight Girl Battle World, I practically pounded that out in a couple of weeks and then did some edits here and there throughout the rehearsal process. Soul Samurai took me years. It’s a play that I’ve written multiple versions to help figure out (not drafts mind you, but full-on different versions). I had one set in feudal Japan, another one that was more of a modern adaptation of The Three Musketeers, and finally the one that we’re now producing with a strong hip-hop vibe. The journey of creating the hero of this show wasn’t easy. Mainly because I wanted her to be perfect – my version of an Asian American Wonder Woman of sorts – a hero that could last. And no matter how much I wanted to make her right, it just didn’t seem to click. I could see how she moved, but never could picture her face. That is until I met and started working with actress Maureen Sebastian. She’s been with Vampire Cowboys since 2006 when she first appeared in our production of Living Dead in Denmark. She’s a strong, beautiful, and magnetic actress who I knew right away would be perfect as Dewdrop (the lead character in Soul Samurai). It was working with her that finally opened the story up for me. She broke it all open.

So the process of making shows is always different. I never know what it is that’s going to be my “in.” With Fight Girl, it was a staging trick that Robert Ross Parker (my director) thought up. With Soul Samurai, it was an actress. With something like “Quitters Inc.,” a show I wrote for Nosedive Productions, it was the base material itself. I think that’s what makes writing so exciting for me. It’s always a discovery on figuring out how to find my stories. It’s always an adventure.

Vampire Cowboys operates its own rehearsal space, The Battle Ranch, in Bushwick. What led the company in this direction? And how’d you pick the name?
I ain’t gonna lie - I wish I could say I was the one who thought of it, but all cred goes to my wife and our company’s producer, Abby Marcus. The Battle Ranch was her brain child. If you know my wife, you know that she’s a girlie with a lotta passion and a lotta heart. And that heart of hers truly beats for Indie Theater. Seriously, I’ve never met someone so relentless in wanting to promote Off-Off Broadway. And I only say this to help explain how The Battle Ranch came into being because it all goes hand in hand with her dedication to the Indie Theater movement.
When Vampire Cowboys first began, we had very little in the coffers just like any other small theatre starting out. And instead of trying to shell it out to tiny little holes out in Manhattan, Abby decided to bring us out to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to rehearse. There, we were able to work at Studio 111, a large beautifully maintained space that not only was available for only $10 an hour, it also gave us free storage so we didn’t have to tote our many weapons, props, and costumes back and forth at every rehearsal. It essentially gave us an affordable home. And it was here that Vampire Cowboys was able to grow and develop all our shows.

However two years ago, Tanya and Ken, the two curators of the space needed to let it go. And instead of letting it die, Abby corralled all of Vampire Cowboys together and announced that she wanted to take it over. Our response was a bit of a raised eyebrow. One, we could now easily afford rehearsal rental at any hall we wanted in the city. Two, this was a huge financial risk. And three, her plan involved keeping the rental price of the space down at $10 an hour, meaning that there was no way we would ever see any kind of profit from this venture, only potential loss. So why the risk? Why add the burden of running a space on top of our already busy schedules at producing shows? Because it was important, she insisted. Her mantra, “It’s not about the money, it’s about the community. Don’t you think it’s important that others have the same opportunities we had when we first started? We can’t let another affordable space disappear in NYC. It’s for the good of all. We have to do this. Cause if we don’t, we’re just making it harder for everyone else.”

And so, she won. And after two years of seeing all the good it has produced, I thank God she did. Countless numbers of small companies regularly rehearse there and the work that has come out of The Battle Ranch has been awesome. It’s also the home of “The Saturday Night Saloon,” our monthly show we produce during the fall and winter of serialized plays. And the sense of Indie Theater comrade we’ve been able to help promote has been incredible. As most know, since opening the space, we have had to move The Battle Ranch once (since our landlord decided to gut the original building and turn it into apartments), but the spirit and community still thrives in the new Battle Ranch. Again, it was a gamble, but one that has thoroughly paid off.
As for the name . . . you have to ask Abby. I think it just made her laugh.

What does the future hold for you and the Vampire Cowboys after Soul Samurai?
For me, it’s always hard to look beyond the show I’m currently making. Soul Samurai is so much a focus right now. I mean even beyond it being the biggest and riskiest production Vampire Cowboys has ever undertaken, it’s also perhaps the single most personal show I’ve ever written. Yeah, I know that might sound weird saying a show about jive-talking Samurai and hip-hop ninjas is one coming from the heart, but as blatantly entertaining as it may be, it really is inspired from a place of true sincerity. I grew up watching kung fu flicks and blaxploitation films. Being an Asian sensation getting raised in the deep south and living on the “rougher” side of town, it woulda been easy for me to feel bad about what I looked like or where I lived. But, as a kid, seeing characters like Bruce Lee and Richard Roundtree on the screen made me be able to raise my head up high and believe I truly could be the baddest mamma jamma in my hood regardless of my skin color. It was about heroes. Movies like Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon and Bruce Lee’s The Chinese Connection were flicks that made being a yella fella living up in the projects not so bad. Soul Samurai is my play honoring those films and hopefully adding another yella heroine to the bunch. This, as they say, is my verse.
But as for the future of Vampire Cowboys? Well, I can safely say we’ll be doing more shows, more films, and more comics. We got a remount of Fight Girl Battle World happening this summer and next year we’re planning on doing a show tentatively titled Alice in Slasherland. As for me personally, I’m gonna keep writing, keep making fights, and hope that anyone who’s read this comes out to see Soul Samurai. It’s gonna be fun. Easily, it’s the best show I’ve ever done.

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: One More Day!

SOUL SAMURAI begins tomorrow!!!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: First Ever Vampire Cowboys Talkback!

Ever wondered what goes into making a Vampire Cowboys show?

Curious what inspired the creation of plays like “Fight Girl Battle World”, “Living Dead in Denmark”, and “Men of Steel”?

Just wanted a chance to talk to one of the fine ladies of Vampire Cowboys?

Well, guess what, Vamp Fans? Here’s your chance!

Web celeb, Jimmy Aquino, host to the extremely popular pop-culture podcast, COMIC NEWS INSIDER, will be hosting the very first ever Vampire Cowboys talkback after next Wednesday’s performance of “Soul Samurai”. Come grill us. Come say hi. Come watch us squirm as we answer any and all your questions. Trust us, you may have been to stuffy theatre talkbacks before, but a talkback with your favorite undead wranglers promises to be at least entertaining if not damn enlightening to why we all turned out so damn geeky.

Come on, don’t you wanna ask Robert how he thought up “Boba Fett & Taun Taun”? Or what Jon Hoche’s favorite comics are? Or what’s Paco best joke is? Or, ladies, if you can touch Sheldon Best’s abs? Or, fellas, listen to Maureen and Bonnie describe what it’s like kissing each other? Yeah, you at least wanna hear the answer to the last one, right? Bring it! All you gotta do is come see the Wednesday, February 18^th performance of “Soul Samurai” (using, of course, our special discount code of LOVEBITES) and then stick around directly afterwards for the night’s roasting, I mean questions . . .

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Discount Ticket Offer

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! Wanna discount ticket to the opening week of "Soul Samurai"? Well, if you want it, you got it! Here's the code: LOVEBITES

Just go to the ticketing website HERE and type in the code when prompted. The discount is good for any performance between now and February 22nd! Come check out the awesome. It's gonna rock.

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Ain't Too Proud To Beg

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! I’ve decided to take this moment to openly beg for you to go buy your tickets for "Soul Samurai". Yep, beg. I’ve never been one of those self-confident artists who thinks by just “building it, they will come”. I know there’s alotta shit out there to entertain you from Hulu to Hollywood, so stepping out to see some theatre may not be at the top of your list. However, it should be. Seriously, it really should be. Here’s my top ten reasons why you should choose Vampire Cowboys for your current fix of pop-culture fun this weekend:

10. Girl fights. A ton of them. 20 pieces of violence in total. And we don't mean the hair-pulling-roll-around-on-the-floor variety, we mean full-on Crouching Tiger, Kick Your Ass kind of fights complete with Katanas, Capoeira, and Kung Fu. This is one wonderfully violent show that pounds thru with Kill Billian action at its finest.

9. Puppets. We got puppets. We know you dig on the puppets, you artsy loving art-philes. And we got two really cute ones in this show...as well as one really angry one. They’ll make you laugh, chigga! Fo reals.

8. "Soul Samurai" has one of the finest crop of actors Vampire Cowboys has ever assembled. And when I say “finest”, I mean they're effing hot (Yes, they can all act very well too). You’ve seen the publicity shots, right? “Soul Samurai” is soaking in the hotness. Seriously, if I were still a teenager, I’d have posters of these fine mofos on my wall. But, don’t worry, they’re all the approachable kind of hot. Not like that snooty cheerleader you wanted to smack in high school that’s now all fat, bitter, and living in a trailer park. More like that late-blooming nerdy girl who you used to joke around with that suddenly showed up one day looking all tastey like a young Jennifer Love Hewitt. She's smoking, but still friendly and approachable. Our actors are that kinda hot.

7. Vampire Cowboys is most definitely the little guy in this storyline, the underdog, the theatre that shouldn’t be on Off-Broadway. But here we are. Help us not look like fools by filling our seats. Please?

6. Paco Tolson is one of the funniest mutherfuckahs I’ve ever seen in my life and he’s in this show. I would not advise drinking while he’s on stage. He’ll make you squirt beer out your nose. And that shit stings.

5. More original Vampire Cowboys videos! Nope, there's no Boba Fett or Taun Taun this time around, but there are definitely some new and funny vids in this play that'll surely get you to guffaw. As well as one in particular that may make you go "aw".

4. Girls kiss in this play. Yep, with each other. Yep, they’re hot. Yes, it’s awesome.

3. Let me repeat that, girls kiss in this play. But not just for the sake of being titillating. There’s a true, honest to goodness, girl-on-girl love story happening here and I don’t mean that in a porno sense. Along with all the action, there’s some real heart here too. Yes, fellas, amongst all the ass-kicking, this is indeed a show you can bring your girlfriends to see.

2. On a personal note, this is singularly the best play I’ve ever created. Seriously. I cannot do better than this. This is my VC masterpiece. It's literally a show I’ve always wanted to write and see. Having it produced now is truly a dream come true. Actually, let me correct myself, for it to truly be a dream come true, you gotta come see it.

1. Girls. Kiss. In. This. Play. What are you waiting for? Go!

In all seriousness though, this is clearly a really big show for me and my Vampire Cowboys. And unlike some larger companies, we don't have any kind of marketing machine backing us. We don’t have tons of cash to advertise on billboards, magazine ads, and internet banners. All we can do is sincerely and openly ask (or beg in this case) to have your presence. It’s sorta what makes theatre so great, right? The ability to really be honest and connect with your audience. Well, audience, here’s me at my most honest – please come, I really need you in my house. And the earlier in the run you come, the better chance we have at not losing our shirts. We've worked really hard on this show and we want you to see it. And tell your friends. You're the ones who make all this possible. You're the ones that make Vampire Cowboys. Spread the word.

If you’ve never seen one of our shows, this is definitely the one you need to check out. If you already love our stuff, this is definitively our greatest. So buy your tix, bring your friends, and get ready to have a good time. I guarantee you’re gonna dig it. It's the shit.

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Actor Video Journal (Week 4)

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Interview with Maureen Sebastian

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! We are now only five days away from the start of “Soul Samurai”! And I can tell you that we are all f'ing excited right now. After four weeks of rehearsals and alotta sweat, bruises, and laughs, the show has really come together in a way I never would have expected.

And to celebrate our kickoff week, we gotcha an interview with the star of “Soul Samurai” herself, the badass and beautiful Maureen Sebastian. Moe’s been with Vampire Cowboys since 2006 and has starred in both “Living Dead in Denmark” and last year’s hit, “Fight Girl Battle World”. She is an extremely gifted actress who has inspired all of us with her nuanced and magnetic performances. In many ways, the role of Dewdrop (the lead character of “Soul Samurai”) couldn't have been written without her. As the show's writer, I had been working for years to pull off creating a character and story like this one – my version of a strong Asian American superhero of sorts – a character who could last. And though I knew in my mind what this character represented and how she'd move, it didn’t come together until I started working with Maureen. She blew it wide open. I'm pretty sure without her I would still be lost writing different versions of this script not knowing where to go next. The journey of creating this show has been an epiphany due to Maureen and she absolutely kicks ass in this role. Her performance alone is worth checking this production out. Seriously. If you dig swords, a good action story, or just wanting to have a good time, this play is for you. It’ll definitely make you wanna cheer. Please come see it.

In your own words, what is "Soul Samurai" about?
What it’s about as a whole is something I'm still piecing together in this very early stage of the rehearsal process. I can tell you, though, that from my character's point of view, it's about understanding the true way of the Samurai. I liken her journey to the first story of Hiroshi Inagaki's "Samurai" trilogy. It's about a human-being filled with immense amounts of passion and drive but without much control of that energy or understanding of the world around them. It's about cultivating your mind, body and spirit to fully realize yourself as a human being and learning your place in this world. It's about letting go. Funny thing is, because Qui's and Robert's work is quirky and fun and hilarious - very much a collage of pop-culture references that forms a world unto itself - you wouldn't necessarily walk away from this play with the weight of those thoughts bearing down on you. But that's what makes Vampire Cowboys' work undeniably exciting. Because if you take the time to listen, it has both.

Maureen, in "Soul Samurai", you play the role of Dewdrop. What can you tell us about your character?
So I'd referenced Miyamoto Musashi from the "Samurai" trilogy earlier. That film influenced my idea of the way I wanted Drewdrop's journey to go. In the beginning, like Miyamoto, she's a confused kid who has a lot of rage and love and hope and bile all boiling inside of her after some monstrously tragic shit hits the fan at a pretty crucial
moment in her life. She's trained herself to get some revenge, but being able to kick ass isn't all it takes to be a true samurai. She's got a whole play, though, to figure out what it does take. And one can only hope she puts it together by the end. Oh yeah. Did I mention she's a badass?

What do you anticipate to be some of the challenges in creating such a role? What excites you about playing such a character?
Uhh. I'm not a samurai. And I have weak wrists. In all seriousness, the physicality will be a challenge. But it's one I've been anticipating, which is why I started training in Kung Fu at the start of the new year, as well as maintaining a strong practice in Bikram
yoga. What's great about a role like Dewdrop is the idea of training oneself to be in complete control: physically - of course - but – more importantly - mentally. Throwing myself into that mindset that is both challenging and exciting.

What are some of the films/books/comics you're looking at to prepare for this role?
Do you really want the list? Because I'll pull it out. I'll slap you in the face with it, and it'll hurt, but I'll whip it out. The list, I mean.

In general, I started with the classic films within the genres with
which we were working.

Blaxsploitation: “Foxy Brown”, “Coffy”, “Blacula”, “Shaft”, “Super Fly”, “Dolemite”, “Barry Gordy's The Last Dragon”.

Samurai: “Seven Samurai”, “Lone Wolf and Cub”, “Miyamoto Musashi: Samurai”, “Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman”, “Harakiri”.

Then the cast and Qui and Robert started a dialogue about how we needed to see this and this and this and this and the list went on and on. We didn't need a dramaturg. We
had each other to nerd out.

What are some of your favorite films/books/comics of this genre?
I keep coming back to it, but “Miyamoto Musashi: Samurai trilogy”. They're brilliant. I recommend to anyone and everyone. Each is only about an hour and a half long, so you don't feel like you've just been sitting in your apartment watching movies instead of taking a walk outside or calling your mother. It's that good.

What's it like to do fights onstage?
It's exhilarating. It's exhausting. The audience's reactions make it all worthwhile. There's something very freeing about pretending to get the shit kicked out of you or f-ing someone up real crazy-like. Is that weird? Probably, but I guess with Vampire Cowboy shows, if you can't speak it, you fight it.

Qui's a long-time choreographer, so I'm always geeked to execute his fights. I am somewhat intimidated by having to be in a majority of the fights, but I think that's something I can confidently overcome during the rehearsal process. Qui's also been taking capoeira and has begun Krav Maga, so I expect most of his choreography to be much like “The Zohan”.

This is your second show with Ma-Yi and your third with Vampire Cowboys. In your opinion, what makes this collaboration exciting?
They're both willing to take risks. Theatre companies willing to do that are few and far between. The ones whose purpose is to do that are the ones I work with.

What they can bring together are their audiences. They bring in different crews. Not Sharks and the Jets different, but perhaps more like Walter Reade and Landmark Sunshine different. In any case, it'll be good for both companies to broaden their audience base. And I don't think either crew will be disappointed.

Is there anything from any past roles you've played that will help you to create Dewdrop?
Well, I'm Filipino and so is Dewdrop, so that helps. But really, there haven't been any roles that I've played that are quite like this little chicky, which makes it all the more exciting to be working on.

What are some of the personal influences that have helped you most onstage?
My friends and their amazing taste in everything. I'm not joking. I'm lucky to surround myself with clever, articulate people who are always on the crest of what's interesting and worthwhile in film and art and music and politics. Without them, I'd be stuck watching "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" and wishing my specs were as neat-o as Sarah Palin's. Did I mention these friends include all the Vampire Cowboys and Ma-Yi folk, because they do.

Finally, why should people come see "Soul Samurai"?
Because we are going to rock it out old school. Mothahfuckah.

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: New York Comic Con Pics

Off to the NY COMIC CON!!!

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! Your favorite comic book-inspired theatre company is off to do our annual appearances at the NY COMIC CON starting today! If you're there, please come visit us. We'll be at booth 969 and will be doing some fight demonstrations as well as a sneak peek of one of our upcoming "Soul Samurai" fights at 11am, 1:15pm, and 4pm on Saturday at the Con's Variant Stage. In honor of all our comic book nerdiness, I'm reposting the link to our SOUL SAMURAI COMIC BOOK PREQUEL above. Just click on the page to access it.

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Interview with Sheldon Best

Our next interview goes to the newest member of the Vampire Cowboys acting crew, Sheldon Best. A versatile and magnetic performer, we met Sheldon during Equity Principle Auditions (yeah, those things actually work every now and again). His strong acting skills and chiseled good looks immediately struck us and when we saw what he was able to do during our fight auditions, we knew right away he had to be part of the “Soul Samurai” team. After three weeks, he’s melded perfectly with our rag tag team of theatrical rebels. With a mature demeanor, an endearing sense of humor, and one hell of a fish-tale kick, Sheldon looks to be the newest VC supastar.

In your own words, what is “Soul Samurai” about? What excites you about this play?
I see “Soul Samurai” mostly as a story of love lost and revenge sought; however the play is also about the ability of people’s inner evils to eventually consume them. I’m really excited about exploring that final theme. I’m also really excited by how many different influences are present this play, such as Blaxploitation, Samurai, and puppetry, to name a few. It’s really interesting to learn about them but what I’m really looking forward to is the process of actually making it all happen onstage.

Sheldon, in “Soul Samurai”, you play the role of Marcus Moon as well as several others. Without giving away too much, what can you tell us about your character?
Marcus is a man with good intentions whose life never seems to go as planned. As a result he has extremely low self esteem, or maybe it’s the other way around. Either way, I think he is someone everyone can connect with on some level. He wants to be acknowledged, to feel important in some way or to someone; he hates feeling invisible and that his life means nothing in history’s grand scope. Most people have wondered what impact their lives have on the world and Marcus is an extreme case of that. Should be fun to play. The other characters I’ll be playing are a martial arts master and the shogun of Queens, Master Leroy Green; the leader of the baddest, most mysterious gang and shogun of Brooklyn, Boss 2K, the Shogun of Manhattan’s bodyguard, Fang; and a Manhattan gangster named Burnout.

What do you anticipate to be some of the challenges in creating such a role?
Well, I think the greatest challenge and excitement are one in the same. It lies in the fact that I’ll be playing four other characters (possibly more as there are still some other small roles that will be divvied up as rehearsals progress. Therefore I have to be sure to create distinct characters that don’t blur and fade in the audiences minds. I also have to walk a careful line between caricature and reality, the obvious and the subtle. I think when creating several characters one can make strong choices either way easily, but it can lead to boring results. I hope to develop characters with variety and dynamics by making strong but balanced character choices.

What are some of the films/books/music you’re looking at to prepare for this role?
Some of these films I have already seen and some are on my list. Some films that I’ve watched I can’t include without giving too much away about “Soul Samurai”:
The Warriors
Shaft
Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song
Badass Cinema.

The music I’ve been listening to are from artists whose songs inform the world of the play as indicated by the stage directions. This includes music by Isaac Hayes, The Cookies, the Jackson Five, Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Far*East Movement.

What are some of your favorite films/books/music of this genre?
I would have to go with the Jackson Five and Kanye West.

Have you ever done any extensive fight choreography before? What excites you about the fights you’ll be doing for this show?
Yes and no. I’ve done some short, intense fight choreography in previous shows but never quite as much as what I’ll be doing in this show. I’m really excited to experiment with different fighting styles, especially for the character of Master Leroy Green. I’m excited to get to work with weapons. I mean really, how cool is it to get to fight with weapons at work?

What's it like to do fights onstage?
It depends on your position in the fight but either way it’s really intense. If you’re the aggressor you have to sell the strength of your hits while making sure to keep your scene partner safe. If you’re the one getting beat up, you have to make sure the timing of your reactions is in tune with your scene partner. It takes a lot of energy and a lot more focus. It’s all about communication before, during, and after the fight to make sure it’s safe and that it looks good, everyday from rehearsals to and through performances.

Is there anything from any past role you’ve played that will help you to create Marcus Moon?
None immediately come to mind, no. I try not to rely on things that have worked in past roles because it encourages me to experiment and be creative. That being said, sometimes during the rehearsal process I’ll do a physical gesture that was specific to a previous role. I’ll then realize that certain moments in one play remind me of certain moments in another and therefore bring about similar reactions. I then try to take what I learned from the previous role and reshape it to make it work for the present one.

What are some of the personal influences that have helped you most onstage?
My family. They’ve instilled in me is two sayings that have affected my work ethic. One is from a childhood book my mom used to read to me that states, “If a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” The other is something my dad would always say, something to the effect of, “Whenever you do a job, make sure nobody has to walk behind you and fix it up.” Both these statements encourage me to put my all into whatever I do and that allows me to be proud of my work onstage. Hopefully others like the work too!

Finally, why should people come see “Soul Samurai”?
Girls, guys, fight scenes, weapons, things that make you laugh, things that make you go hmmm, things that tug on your heartstrings, things that are sexy, great story line, action, pimps, puppets, surprises/unexpected plot twists, Blacks, Asians, Whites, Latinos, love, revenge, NYC, a great night at the theater. If you like any of the above and especially if you like all of the above, you should definitely come see “Soul Samurai.” I know I would…I mean if I wasn’t, well, in it. You know what I mean. See you there!

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: An article by Robert Ross Parker on THE BROOKLYN RAIL

Whaddup, Vamp Fans! Check out the BROOKLYN RAIL article written by "Soul Samurai" director Robert Ross Parker, where he discusses all he's learned from being part of the cuddly and loveable Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company! Check it out HERE

UPDATE: The text of the article has been added below:

Geeks and (Bloodsucking) Freaks:
Lessons from the Theater Trenches
by Robert Ross Parker

When I was 27 I moved to Ohio to study to be a theater director. Weird vocation/geography combination, but it seemed to make sense at the time. While I was there I met a guy named Qui Nguyen, who was studying playwriting. One day, we ran into each other in the local comic book store. This was only slightly less embarrassing than running into your friend in the local “adult” bookshop. Yes, we read comic books, but we didn’t tell people we read comic books. Having both been outed as supreme nerds, we decided to grab a beer. Over what became several beers, we came to three conclusions.

1. Most people think theater is dull, pretentious, and boring.

2. There would seem to be a large amount of evidence to support this belief.

3. We both liked movies and comics a lot and thought that theater should be more like those things.

So we created a play called Vampire Cowboy Trilogy. It featured superheroes, ninjas, and an evil cheerleader, and we thought it was pretty cool. Almost 10 years later here we are in New York. We’re the co-artistic directors of the Vampire Cowboys Theater Company (now in its seventh season), and we are still working hard to prove theater can be fun, cool and exciting. It’s been a heck of a ride, and I’ve learned an enormous amount along the way. Here’s the important stuff in five quick points:

No matter what, you can never, ever bore the audience.

An audience will put up with a lot of shenanigans. They’ll let you try weird stuff, and even go along with ideas that don’t really work, but if you bore them it’s over. They will hate you. And I don’t blame them. They paid money to give up a couple of hours of their lives and put themselves in your hands. Fail spectacularly if you must, but never, ever bore them.

It’s about telling a story, stupid!

That is the job at its very core. Yes, you want to explore ideas and ask questions. Yes, you want to challenge forms and go further as an artist than you did last time. But your first job is to tell a story with a beginning, middle, and an end. If you can’t do that, none of the other crap really matters. Stories are the whole basis of human identity. We are each a collection of stories, and it is through hearing stories that we come to feel and understand more about others and ourselves. The whole darn theater thing started millennia ago when we gathered around the fire and said, “Dude, I just speared a huge fucking mastodon!” And someone was like, “No way, how did it go down?” “Well,” we said, “let me tell you about it . . .”

Theater should be...well...theatrical.

It’s amazing how much of it isn’t. We’re still suffering under the belief that theater is supposed to be a bunch of people in a room talking to each other. That sounds a lot like a meeting, and people get paid to go to those. People seem to believe the stage is a limited medium and the opposite of film, where you can do anything. I think theater is most potent when the audience engages its imagination. And that imagination is more powerful (and way cheaper) than an ILM effects crew. There is a theatrical solution to staging any moment. Qui gleefully writes space battles, dog attacks and montage sequences. We have no freaking idea how to stage them at first, but they wind up being some of our favorite moments.

The art stuff doesn’t matter if no one comes to see it.

Theater hasn’t happened if the audience doesn’t arrive. Vampire Cowboys has a brilliant producer named Abby Marcus. She came to see our first show in NYC and thought, “This is a pretty good show. Why am I the only person in the audience?” She joined the company as our managing director and we haven’t looked back since. It’s one thing to try to make good theater, but if no one knows about it it quickly becomes a very frustrating exercise. It’s not like making a novel, painting, or film. It’s ephemeral, and when the thing closes it’s probably all over. You need smart marketing, qualified press representation, and creative producing. You need a machine behind a show or you’ll just be lost in the maelstrom.

If someone else is doing it better, shouldn’t you be working for them?

If the mission statement of a fledgling off-off theater company is remarkably similar to LAByrinth’s, or Second Stages’s, or MTC’s they’ve got an uphill battle for recognition. It’s pretty tough to beat someone with more experience/money/resources/reputation at their own game. Do something that only you can do. I can boast, without a hint of arrogance, that Vampire Cowboys is New York’s premiere comic book-inspired, martial arts action, dark-comedy-drama, puppet using, video making small theater company. And our latest show will be the very finest post apocalyptic, hip-hop, blaxploitation-samurai play of the season.

There have been many other lessons for me from the Vampire Cowboy experience, everything from how much stage blood should be used (a lot) to how many zombies it takes to make a hoard (about nine will do it). But the above points are the really important ones, and I consider myself pretty lucky to have had the opportunity to learn them.

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Angry Puppet (NSFW...don't get too excited, it's purely due to language)

Speaking of puppets . . .

Yeah, he's in our show. Ain't he cute?

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Interview with David Valentine

For the past five years, a fun element to any Vampire Cowboys show has been our use of puppetry. From “Puppet Jesus” which starred in “A Beginner’s Guide to Deicide” to “President Ya-Wi” from last year’s “Fight Girl Battle World”, puppets have evolved from a theatrical curiosity to a full-on major element to our shows. Leading this charge is our resident puppet master, David Valentine. He’s been with Vampire Cowboys since our second production and has easily been the inspiration and master craftsman in putting puppetry on our stage. A good friend and trusted collaborator, his involvement with our company has helped push our theatricality into new and exciting directions. With “Soul Samurai”, we will be asking for David to create some full-body puppets that will be the central element in one of our ACT II fights.

What is "Soul Samurai"?
Pain. Violence. Society. The Man. Swords.

What excites you about this show?
I love NYC and I love theatre that takes a different look at what NYC is or could be. Live, onstage violence is pretty awesome as well. It's also wonderful to get to do a Vampire Cowboy production in a different/larger space. It forces many of us to think differently on how to tell a story while still holding onto those signature elements of VCTC.

You've been involved with Vampire Cowboys for five years now. How did you guys first start working together?
During my time at Ohio University as an actor I got to know Qui and Robert just a little through fight choreography for shows and passing each other in the hallways of the Theatre building. While I was studying abroad in London in the spring of 2004 I found myself googling the Vampire Cowboys website. I remember sitting in awe of the entire look of the work these guys were doing. Then, in early 2005 I randomly e-mailed Robert Ross Parker telling him in the subject line "Vampires need Puppets." Robert responded quite quickly to that first e-mail saying "Yes, yes we do. Let's Talk." A few weeks later I was delivering Puppet Jesus to Robert in Manhattan for the production of "A Beginner's Guide to Diecide." Some of the first words that came out of Puppet Jesus (i.e. "Fuck") led me to believe the relationship of Vampires and Puppets was in for the long haul.

How did you first get involved with making puppets?
My final fall quarter at Ohio University I was not cast in a show and so my acting professor told me to create a puppet show. I got together a writer, composer, and another puppet builder and we produced my first fully puppet production of "Little Red!" It was then that I fell in love with building puppet characters for theatre.

Have there been any particular challenges in creating puppets for "Soul Samurai"?
YES. Qui and Robert always give me great challenges each season. This year they were interested in some pretty animalistic characters. I have a great appreciation for kinesthetic puppetry. This is a type of puppetry involving a high level of full body physical engagement. Figuring out how to build such four-legged creatures that will be easy to use as well as effective on stage has been an exhilarating challenge.

What are some of your main artistic influences? How will that help you in making this show?
Michael Curry Design is responsible for the puppetry in "The Lion King" on Broadway. His team of designers has amazed me for many years.

Is there any particular research you're using to help you make this show?
I have two hard back books. One is "The Lion King on Broadway" and the other is "Sesame Street: Unpaved." Both are crucial in my problem solving and idea stealing.

What's it like working with Vampire Cowboys?
Robert and Qui are ALWAYS so generous with me. For the past two years they have come to me with giddy little smiles asking for tricky little characters. Often within the last week or two of rehearsals. It is in this fashion that I have the most fun. The pressure and the rush to make something great in a short amount of time is so rewarding.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in puppetry?
If you want to make puppets, go to a toy store or a home depot or a fabric store. Buy random crap and make something that makes you smile. I've always worked on a "trial and error" system. There's no exact science to it.

If you want to BE a puppeteer, first do all the above. Make your own puppet. Figure out how you want the character to work. Then just play with it the way you would with a G.I. Joe or a Barbie or a T-Rex. So much of puppetry is about extending your own body into an object that only "looks" like something. It's up to you to make it come to life. Every movement means something.

Finally, why should people see "Soul Samurai"?
Because tickets are cheap, the story is compelling, the violence is a plenty, the humor is silly, and my puppets will rock your shit. The end.

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Ron Howard & The Fonz shilling the show

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Going to New York Comic Con

Wanna know what’ll humble almost any hotshot theatre company of literally any size? Shove them into the middle of the New York Comic Con and then let them try to impress the passerby’s with their theatre resumes . . . yeah, it’s a pretty pathetic endeavor. Trust us, we know. Whether you’re the Lincoln Center or you’re just a noob fresh outta drama school, the pop-culture savvy geeks of Comic Con don’t nod in your direction unless you got at least one to two fansites following your every move. There’s no place like a con to make you viscerally feel the expression “Theatre is Dead”. With everything from hot new video games & Hollywood flix to the latest comic books and ugly dolls shilling booths around you, the land of live-performance feels a bit old-fashioned in the post-modern vacuum of electronic excess. With all the international cool around them, it's hard to notice something as localized as New York Theatre.

However, call us foolish or foolhardy, Vampire Cowboys goes to New York Comic Con every year and tries to do just that – get the attention of the geeks. With far less money to pimp our rides than say Marvel Comics, DC, or Cartoon Network, a small nonprofit outlet like ours can easily get swallowed up in the white noise of all the nerdgasms happening around. For a theatre company that – and let’s be completely honest here - is a bit of an oddity even inside the theatre realm, Vampire Cowboys looks even more bizarre amongst the sexy cash-clad behemoths of big money mainstream entertainment. Though we may cater to a geek-chic audience, our fanbase is microscopic compared to fans of even the most obscure shows/comics. Just to put it in perspective, a quick google search finds five to seven fansites for a show like “Red Dwarf” when New York’s leading theatres like Manhattan Theatre Club and The Roundabout COMBINED roll in with a comfortable round number of zero. And those are the theatre companies WITH money, Vampire Cowboys barely has enough surplus to rent the van we need to carry all our stuff to the Con in the first place, much less deck out our booth Playstation style.

So why do it? Why spend money on a booth at Comic Con when we could easily use it to purchase ads in rags like the theatre section of TimeOut NY or American Theatre Magazine? Why choose to be the tiniest guppie in the big ocean of entertainment instead of being the medium sized, albeit strange looking, fish inside a much smaller pond of NY theatre?

Well, because as silly and idealist as this may sound, we do it because we think it’s important. And, don’t misunderstand me, we don’t mean it’s important like we’re trying to “educate non-theatergoers on the power of live performance” or anything as pretentious as that. We’re not there to save the world or the world of theatre for that matter. We do it because we honestly believe that the shit we’re brewing is, in the truest essence of nerd-pop, the kinda stuff nerds would dig. We cater to a geek audiences because we’re all geeks ourselves. We do it because this is the shit we love. We love summer blockblusters, graphic novels, and we have all been in our fair share obnoxiously long lines to wait on anything as killer as a big midnight movie premiere to as small as an iphone release. This is who we are and our work joyously reflects that. Our shows are about superheroes, zombies, vampires, samurai, and ninjas. Our girls are hot. Our guys are hunky. And our stories mix in real emotion with total action adventure. It’s the sorta stuff that appeals to every fiber of our geeky hearts. So simply put, we're here at Comic Con to proudly exclaim “Hey! Come see our shows. We think you'll love them."

There is, of course, that part of us that is there also because we all hope that one day folks will speak of VC the same way they speak of Image Comics, Mutant Entertainment, or Stoopid Monkey. That instead of getting the raised eyebrow as they pass our booth, we get a nod. That maybe there's enough room amongst all the Hollywood flashing lights and colorful comic book splash pages for a bit of live Vampire Cowboys theatre to join the ranks of geeky geekdom. That's definitely our dream, that's why we show up even when the majority thinks we're crazy for doing it - because standing in the middle of those hundreds and hundreds of booths, we feel like we got a shot - we go there not because it's logical, we go there because it's another chance to attack the impossible. We go because we're nerds and nerds never say die (or was that Goonies?).

The encouraging news is there's definite progress being made. After three years of consistently being New York Comic Con’s oddest oddballs, we’re now being sponsored by the NYCC itself. Yes, the majority of attendants still pass our booth not understanding what the heck we are. But nowadays, instead of completely ignoring us, they at least stop and ask "What the heck is this all about?" And, sometimes, yeah sometimes, we do get to hear the best thing ever. We sometimes get to hear this: “Hey, we saw your show last year. It rocked!” And that, my friends, feels like a million bucks. That, by itself, let's us know that this is all well worth it. That is the reason we keep fighting this brutal fight. No, there's still no fansites up as of yet, but there are a few number of Vampire Cowboys fans slowly accumulating out there somewhere and those Vamp Fans are the whole reason why as long as there is a New York Comic Con happening, the Vampire Cowboys will always be there to shake things up. Believe that.

So come check us out at this year’s NEW YORK COMIC CON. We’ll be at booth 969. We’ll also be performing some fights (including a sneak peek throw-down from our upcoming “Soul Samurai”) on Saturday, February 7^th at 11am, 1:15pm, and 4pm on the Variant Stage. If you’re there, come check us out and say hi! We'd love to see ya.

From last year's NYCC featuring Alexis Black, Jon Hoche, Tim O'Leary, Bonnie Sherman, Andrea Marie Smith, & Christopher Yustin

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Interview with Bonnie Sherman

Continuing our look at the cast and crew of “Soul Samurai”, our attention now goes to one of the newest members of Vampire Cowboys, the badass Bonnie Sherman. We first met Bonnie last Autumn when she signed up for our Rabid Vamps Fight Studio. A recent graduate from Rutgers, she immediately caught our attention with her skills as both a fighter and performer. With a stunning look, a quirky sense of humor, and an amazing high kick, Bonnie seemed to be the perfect Vampire Cowboys actor. So without hesitation, we immediately casted her in our monthly Saturday Night Saloon show, “Jimmy Starshooter Must Get Laid” where she rocked the role of Vinsie Hotstar, the lady love of our main character. Shortly afterwards, she also appeared in our First Bite workshop of “Fight Girl Battle World” and then thrilled audiences at the following New York Comic Con. In “Soul Samurai”, Bonnie will play three different roles including the big bad Lady Snowflake, tough teen Sally December, and Grandmaster Mack’s number one girl, White Chocolate. “Soul Samurai” marks her Off-Broadway debut.

In your own words, what is "Soul Samurai" about?
"Soul Samurai" is about sticking to your guns and using them with power to fight for whatever it is you believe in. Whether you are looking for revenge for your best friend and only real love, power to rule, a sidekick and a laugh, a friend, a fight, power over all of NYC or even simply, as far as my character White Chocolate is concerned, sex and a whole lotta drugs. It's about the follow through.

This play excites my every nerve, every kick my legs can stand, every breath that is forced from my body when one of my cast mates (or Qui for that matter) throws an unexpected punch my way.

The world that Qui has created is hot, steamy, rough and tough, dark and dirty - yet- the light that is created when such a thing comes alive- the beauty and magic that happens is what I live for!

Bonnie, in "Soul Samurai", you play the role of Lady Snowflake. What can you tell us about your character?
Lady Snowflake is an absolute tornado of focused power, seduction, fresh knowledge and is blessed with a brand new sense of spirit that is one of a higher level of living. She is sexy, sassy, and simply one badass bitch that you do not want to step to. She's definitely gots da glow.

What do you anticipate to be some of the challenges in creating such a role?
I anticipate some challenges for me might lie in creating the role of Sally December. I have never really had a voice in politics, a solid understanding and knowledge that a lot of people are very passionate about. Sally December is one of these go get’em girls and will do everything in her will to help turn the world around and make everyone see the hurt that the community is creating. I’m really excited to play two characters with such complete opposite ways of expressing themselves; Sally December lives through her verbal intuitions and Lady Snowflake through her actions. A thinker versus a doer. Perfect.

What are some of the music you're listening to prepare for this role?
I will be so kind to offer a fraction of my music playlist with the world because, well, I’m just really really nice like that.

Coyotes - Jason Mraz
Life is Beautiful - Sixx:A.M.
Heat of the Moment - Asia
Ninety Nine and One Half - Buddy Guy
Hold On Loosely - .38 Special

And then we have the obvious...
Kill Bill: Battle without Honour or Humanity - The city of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) – Parliament
And the funky waiting music that is sadly interrupted by a voice recording that notes "please hold until one of our agents are available" when you call up Air Tran Airways. So good.

That’s just a sampler.

What are some of the books you're looking at to prepare for this role?
I’ve been studying up on "Real Ultimate Power; The Official Ninja Book" by Robert Hamburger, just so I’m prepared at any time. Not necessarily so much preparing for the show but more for preparations against the random punches I receive while minding my own business at any time during this rehearsal process. Seriously, don't mess with me. My ninja skills are sharp.

What are some of your favorite films of this genre?
Sugar Hill
Black Mama, White Mama
SuperFly
Across 110^th St
Black Belt Jones
Death Journey
Blacula
Ebony, Ivory and Jade
Bare Knuckles
Foxy Brown
Black Samurai
Cleopatra Jones
The Casino of Gold

Since you’ve worked with them before, what’s it like to work with Qui and Robert?
Working with Qui and Robert is like taking myself back to the elementary school playground. The simplicity that they bring to the work is one of a kind. Robert's direction is brilliant and to the point and Qui's words and choreography are genius and ahead of the game. It’s like working with a brilliant man and a genius. When I first started playing with VC my brain was fresh out of college and complicated. Doing theatre with Robert and Qui reminded me how much fun this life is supposed to be and took me back to the schoolyard. When I was younger I was a total weirdo, always a new character popping up, I would annoy the shit out of my family, my brother and sister in particular. Now I get to act the same, but on stage, with the same amount of fighting too, except then it was with my brother and sister and they kicked my ass for reals.

What's it like to do fights onstage?
Fighting onstage is like no other feeling in the world. The concentration and strength it takes to follow the choreography, make it look completely real and work at a high level of safety takes a certain amount of dedication and selflessness. To have your cast mates life in your hands, literally, especially when weapons are involved, puts you on a certain level where you leave yourself behind and have a happy dance. Fighting is like happy dancing to really awesome music with a lot of screaming and grunting involved, and way more kicking then you would ever want to do in any actual dance. It definitely tests your concentration and stamina. What excites me about fighting in this show is the wonderment I have for what kind of choreography Qui could possibly come up with next. I can’t wait to make his vision a kick ass reality. His choreography is always fresh and has such a high sense of danger, I can't wait to capture that and bring it to life. The fighting in this show will definitely be like no other. All of the people in this cast are such incredible actors and I am so honored to be working with them. The amount of talent they hold is an absolute treasure trove that I cannot wait to explore.

Is there anything from any past role you've played that will help you to create Lady Snowflake?
I can say with all honesty that this is a dream role for me. Since I was a little girl (and this information was obviously withheld from Qui and Robert until now - long after the show was cast) I have wanted to play a character of this caliber. My entire life I have dreamed of playing a role just like this one, oh my dear Lady Snowflake, a powerful, charismatic and sophisticated dominant figure with a dark edge. I have yet to play a part on stage like this one but I can tell you that I have found ways to play this kind of character off stage, Halloween, costume parties, in my backyard of my home in Miami Beach, FL making up my own Tai Chi routines above the calm waters of the Canal. Thank you to VC and Ma-Yi for letting me finally check one character off of my “must play” list. I feel very lucky to have this opportunity at such a young age as well.

What are some of the personal influences that have helped you most onstage?
My training at Mason Gross School of the Arts has changed my life forever. Whenever I get stuck in a role or face a road block in my acting I can always thank the amazing Kevin Kittle for planting these words in my body. "Leave yourself alone and get out of your own way." When I do this not-so-simple thing, the reality that I create for myself is truthful and alive. Kevin Kittle has made an everlasting impression on all of the work that I do and I thank him from the bottom of my creative being for this.

Another huge influence in my acting is the one and only, Jay Jensen. A huge icon in the theater world. He is the one who made this all a reality for me. I started my training with this powerhouse at the age of 6 and worked with him privately until my acceptance to the performing arts high school in Miami, New World School of the Arts. He called me Bonnie Peacock and never let me forget that as long as I stay true to my art and myself I will go far. Sadly, Mr Jensen passed on a couple years ago, however, his legend lives on in many and his spirit will always be in my heart. To see a documentary on this amazing man, see "Class Act" by Sara Sackner w/ Andy Garcia. I miss you dearly, your legend will always live on.

Finally, why should people come see "Soul Samurai"?
Because if they don't come and see it they will be missing the most amazing Vampire Cowboys show yet. Usually I would say something like, “If you don’t come, I will hunt you down and hurt you”, but honestly missing this show is a punishment in and of itself, so thusly my pain inflicting energy is not needed.

Seriously, this is a show you do not want to miss. Qui Nguyen's fresh approach to this world is one of a kind, and with the fabulous direction of Robert Ross Parker leading the way, they’re creating a show that should not and will not be taken for granted.

Plus, you will be a much cooler person when you leave the theater. And who doesn’t want that?

Countdown to SOUL SAMURAI: Actor Video Journal (Week 3)

For more on "Soul Samurai", CLICK HERE!