AAA Month: March 23, 2002

Stir-Friday Night! Cooks Up Comedy at UIC

by Pius Wong

A sign hangs in front of the UIC Theatre on March 14th advertising SFN!'s performance, and also answering the question some comedy-goers asked: "Where's the UIC Theatre?" Photo by Pius Wong

"What do you get when you throw Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Indian, and Korean with a pound of sketch and a dash of improv? No, not World War III... you get Stir Friday Night!, Chicago's premier Asian American sketch comedy troupe." So says the posters and ads that circulated around campus before the riotous Thursday, March 14th, evening performance of SFN! at the UIC Theatre.

SFN! rocked a full house of almost 200 students and guests to pre-written skits, improv comedy games, and a follow-up Q&A session about anything the audience wanted to know. When seats were full, some audience members sat on the back ledge and on tables to catch a good view. The Asian American Coalition Committee (AACC) and Student Trustee Noah Wolfe coordinated the event.

Decked out in a white feathered coat and a bright pink plastic hat, an SFN! cast member preaches to the energetic crowd about stereotyping. Photo by Pius Wong

"It was hilarious!" said Jeniann Yi, audience member who reflected the shared sentiments of the crowd after the show. "It was really good and very original. And even though it was really funny, there were a lot of serious messages in their skits."

The first half of SFN!'s act was made up of pre-written shorts, poking fun at topics ranging from embarrassing reunions to exaggerated stereotypes to martial arts movies. Rapping in a sari, AACC member Rabab Moolji was also a surprise performer in an opening skit. "Functify!" Moolji flowed to a laughing audience.

AACC member, outspoken Indian American rapper, and UIC student Rabab Moolji comes out of the crowd to take a bow for her surprise performance in SFN!'s comedy act. Photo by Pius Wong

The improv set proved just as funny as the pre-written stuff, if not more so. Other scenes explored a desert island, and the seductive romance of one cast member's mom's basement. In addition to receiving laughter, the nerdiest couple in the world received "aww"s from the crowd as Jennifer Liu and Ranjit Souri compared pinky sizes. Audience volunteers Santi Khairasame and Lizelle Din also played a game reminiscent of the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?

"Using comedy as a tool, Stir-Friday Night! attempts to dispel stereotypes and bridge understanding among the various social, racial and intergenerational groups within the community," according to the SFN! web site. Their performance proved funny and meaningful.

When asked during the Q&A session how long they thought it would be before more Asian Americans are seen in entertainment and the media, Ron Mok explained that they can only hope as soon as possible. He even informed that former SFN! cast member Choky Lim is currently in Los Angeles working with Hollywood. Another former member Rasika Mathur recently taped a comedy pilot for the FOX network.

Audience members laugh or shield their eyes to Stir-Friday Night!'s Ron Mok doing a mock striptease, during SFN!'s March 14th comedy act at the UIC theatre. Photo by Pius Wong

The SFN! cast made it clear that they wanted more Asian American young people to pursue careers in entertainment, so that there can be more positive images of Asian Americans in the media. Part of their effort to bring students into entertainment is by running a comedy training ground in Chicago's Second City comedy school. For more information about this opportunity, students can contact SFN! at 773-973-4533 or visit their web site for more information: www.stirfridaynight.org.

The troupe's pre- spring break show was their third annual performance at UIC. AACC Treasurer Wen Chen explained, "It's become pretty much a tradition to have them here during UIC's student-coordinated Asian American Awareness Month each year."

Stir-Friday Night!, Chicago's premier Asian American sketch comedy troupe, fires up a packed crowd during SFN!'s March 14th comedy act at the UIC Theatre. Photo by Rena Patel

"They're really funny and we're definitely looking to have them here next year -- in a bigger theater," Chen added, smiling.

The Asian American Coalition Committee is an umbrella organization of Asian American student organizations at UIC. It aims to unify Asian American students to strengthen their voice on campus, to educate the entire UIC community about issues concerning Asian Americans, and to empower Asian American students through their gaining visibility and representation.