Freshworks: Caroline Yoo and Davine Byon, April 5-6 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater.

The Kelly Strayhorn Theater will host "Freshworks: Caroline Yoo and Davine Byon" on April 5 and 6.

Prophecies & Soy Sauce Shots is an experimental performance with artists Caroline Yoo and Davine Byon. They dance together, rejecting the permanently aspirational future and reflecting on the consequences of ancestral dreamwork. The performance asks, are we dreaming in resistance of or within the confines of colonized standards of success? They move through three vignettes, using projections, sculpture, music, and the exchange of dreams. This new performance in process pieces together a messy, precious home in the diaspora, and asks whose dreams – past, present, and future – we are living for.

Freshworks is KST’s creative residency for Pittsburgh-based artists and collaborators. It supports playful exploration in performance through interdisciplinary work in contemporary dance, theater, music, and multimedia. The program provides artists with financial resources, studio space, production staff, lighting and sound design, professional development, and encouragement for creative risk-taking.

The shows run from 7:30 to 9:00 pm each night and include a post-show discussion. Tickets are available at "pay what moves you prices" online. The Kelly Strayhorn Theater is located at 5941 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map).

Taiwanese chain Wushiland Boba's first Pittsburgh location now open.

Wushiland Boba is now open in Pittsburgh, on S. Craig St. near the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon campuses. During this soft opening period it is open from 12 to 7 pm.  

Where It All Began

In 1994, Wu-Shih-Lan started its first “Hand-Shaken Tea” store in Tainan, one of the major cities in Southern Taiwan. The commitment of using the best and authentic ingredients led to an exponential popularity growth. Wu- Shih-Land soon successfully expanded its brand and became a leading beverage company in Taiwan. Across the Pacific Ocean- A Taste from Taiwan.

 

Across the Pacific Ocean- A Taste from Taiwan 

With the desire to share our classic Taiwanese taste to the world, we started our journey in North America. Today, we proudly serve our customers fresh hand-made tea everyday in five locations in Southern California. Our first store OO Tea opened in San Diego, California in 2016, followed by the second store, Wushiland Boba opened in San Gabriel, California in 2017. Recently, three stores were launched in Westfield shopping centers. Come visit us and enjoy a taste of Taiwan without needing to travel thousands of miles away. 

Signage first went up for the new bubble tea place in October. It is located at 300 S. Craig St. (map), where Fuku Tea opened its second location in July 2020. The operator of this Wushiland is the Director of Operations of Fuku Tea and Atarashi Sushi, the latter an offshoot of the Sushi Fuku that had a few locations in Oakland and that opened Fuku Tea in 2015.

via @WushilandBobaUSA

1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) at Row House Lawrenceville, from January 19.

The 1973 Japanese film Lady Snowblood (修羅雪姫) at Row House Lawrenceville as part of its Snow Week series, January 19 - 25.

One of the most influential action films of all time, this 1970s Japanese cult classic follows Yuki — who has been raised as an assassin since birth to avenge her family. It served as inspiration for countless revenge thriller films, including Tarantino’s Kill Bill series.

Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).

University of Pittsburgh East Asian Library Open House, February 7.

The University of Pittsburgh University Library System will host an East Asian Library Open House on February 7.

Come join the University Library System's East Asian Library for an open house featuring a selection of rare and unique East Asian materials from Library's Archives & Special Collections.

Librarians from the East Asian Library will also be onsite to share information and resources available to the Pitt community and beyond.

. . .

Alash Ensemble in Pittsburgh, February 10.

Alash returns to Pittsburgh on February 10, 2024.

Alash are masters of Tuvan throat singing, a remarkable technique for singing multiple pitches at the same time. Masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the art of throat singing, Alash are deeply committed to traditional Tuvan music and culture. At the same time, they are fans of western music. Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.

The group will perform at the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside (map) from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. Tickets are available for purchase at Jerry's Records, Vinyl Remains, Long Play Cafe, Government Center for $25, or for $30 at the door.

2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) in Pittsburgh, January 21 - 23 as part of Satoshi Kon Fest.

The 2001 film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters from January 21 through 23 as part of the Satoshi Kon Fest spanning a few months in 2023-2024.

Anime Expo Cinema Nights presents COWBOY BEBOP: THE MOVIE. Caught up in a world of dreams, lost in the cruelty of reality. What should have been an easy bounty turns into biological war after a terrorist gets hold of a deadly virus. Drawn in by the pretty price on the mastermind's head, Spike and the Bebop crew are ready to collect a much-needed reward. Unfortunately, the gang's about to find themselves in more trouble than money when the terrorist threatens to unleash the virus on Halloween--effectively killing everyone on Mars. With little time and leads that seem more dreamy than helpful, they'll have to use their own bag of tricks to stop a dangerous plot.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark in Robinson (January 21-22 only) and tickets are available online.

New Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか) remains in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 17.

The 2023 Hayao Miyazaki film The Boy and the Heron (君たちはどう生きるか), which opened across Pittsburgh-area theaters on December 7, will remain here through (at least) January 17. A synopsis of the movie, from the distributor:

Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and the Heron is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award®-winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki's long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film "Spinning Globe" was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.

. . .

A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end,
and life finds a new beginning.


A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death, and creation,
 in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets are available online for shows at the AMC Loews Waterfront. Please note, some shows are in Japanese with English subtitles while others are dubbed in English.

Asian Granite & Cabinet in the North Hills hiring bilingual (preferred) Mandarin-English office assistant.

Asian Granite & Cabinet in the North Hills is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English office assistant.

Our Granite & Cabinet shop needs an additional sales associate.

We are looking for vibrant, energetic friendly people to join our team!

Sales/customer service experience preferred, but we are willing to train.

Skill: Basic excel, typing.

Education: High school diploma or GED.

Language skills: Bilingual , Mandarin speaking is ideal but not necessary.

Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0) to remain in Pittsburgh-area theaters through (at least) January 17.

The latest Godzilla movie, Godzilla Minus One (ゴジラ-1.0), which opened in Pittsburgh on November 30, will remain in local theaters through at least January 17.

Japan, devastated after the war, faces a new threat in the form of Godzilla. How will the country confront this impossible situation?

It plays locally in Japanese with English subtitles at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online.

2009 Gurren Lagann movies in Pittsburgh, January 16-17 and 23-24.

Two Japanese animated movies, Gurren Lagann the Movie: Childhood's End (劇場版 天元突破グレンラガン 紅蓮篇) and Gurren Lagann The Movie: The Lights in the Sky are Stars (劇場版 天元突破グレンラガン 螺巌篇) will play in Pittsburgh-area theaters in January. A synopsis of Childhood's End, playing January 16 and 17, from the distributor:

In the distant future, Simon, a shy boy, and Kamina, a man who dreams of another life up on the surface live a quiet and restless life deep underground in Giha Village. One day, their destinies are forever changed when a gigantic “Gunmen” along with a beautiful girl named Yoko come falling through their village ceiling! Kamina, Simon, and Yoko break through to the surface riding the mysterious “Lagann” but the surface is nothing like Kamina imagined. Now, Kamina and Simon along with their comrades must challenge the evil Spiral King with the Gurren Lagann to bring hope to this desperate world

And The Lights in the Sky are Stars, playing here on January 23 and 24:

Seven Years have passed since the battle of Teepelin…

Humans have successfully rebuilt civilization under Simon’s leadership and enjoyed an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity. However, humanity’s increasing population triggers the emergence of a powerful enemy. This fearsome Anti-Spiral proves too overwhelming for humanity to fight back. In these desperate times, the members of Team Dai-Gurren reunite to fight once again. In this high-stakes battle, can Simon and his team pierce the heavens with the Gurren Lagann to save mankind one last time?

The movis are scheduled to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemarks in McCandless, Monaca, Monroeville, and Robinson, and tickets for the first weekend and the second are available onilne.