NOT WORKING is the journey of a young American-born woman named Anqa, returning to America for the first time since her family was deported 12 years ago. She’s back to prove to herself and her still-exiled parents that she has the talent to succeed in America or anywhere else, and the lost opportunity of growing up in America was insignificant. By a random (?) coincidence, she arrives in America at the same time as COVID, and is swept up in the pandemic whirlwind. By the end of the play Anqa has begun to see her personal quest as more selfish than important, and finds empathy for new friends facing much more emergent questions of loss and finding their way home from the devastating impact of the virus.
The all-original songs of NOT WORKING are from songwriting teams invited by co-producers Asian Story Theater, Teatro Mascara Magica, and San Diego Black Ensemble Theatre, from each company’s collaborators and friends based in San Diego and Los Angeles. The musical styles and perspectives are as varied as COVID’s symptoms, ranging from singer-songwriter irony to angry rock, big band to powerful ballads, all performed live. And despite the serious subject—of COVID’s inescapable, mysterious, and transformative effect on all of our careers and lives—NOT WORKING confronts the subject with honesty, energy, humor, and hope.
Post-show forums
| PERFORMANCE | HOST | SUBJECT |
| Friday, October 28 @ 7:30pm El Salon Theatre, 114 W. Hall, San Ysidro | Ron Baza, PhD University of California San Diego | COVID LOST & FOUND. Lisa Cuestas with Casa Familiar, and XXX from YYY school district will speak on strategies for non-profits and public service agencies impacted by Covid-19: employees, students, families, funding, clients, education, et al. Additional panelist/s TBA |
| Saturday, October 29 @ 2:00pm El Salon Theatre, 114 W. Hall, San Ysidro | Susan Hasegawa, writer and professor of US and Asian American History, San Diego City College | DON’T STAB ME PLEASE, I’M NOT CHINESE. Violence against Asian Americans. Guest panelist Michael Yee, CSU San Marcos and San Diego Chinese Historical Museum |
| Saturday, October 29 @ 7:30pm El Salon Theatre, 114 W. Hall, San Ysidro | Luis Aragon, President of Border Angels, former Deputy District Attorney, President of La Raza Lawyers | Immigration during and after Covid–if there is any such time. Guest panelist/s TBA. |
| Sunday, October 30 @ 2pm El Salon Theatre, 114 W. Hall, San Ysidro | Open | ? |
| Friday, November 4 @ 7:30pm Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd, San Diego | Frankie (and/or Matt), Diversionary Theatre | THE NEW NORMAL: real and virtual life as a performing artist during and post-Covid. Guest panelist/s TBA. |
| Saturday, November 5 @ 2pm Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd, San Diego | Open | ? |
| Saturday, November 5 @ 7:30pm Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd, San Diego | William BJ Robinson | TBA |
| Sunday, November 6 @ 2pm Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd, San Diego | Open | ? |
| Saturday, November 12 @ 11am Chula Vista Library, 565 F St, Chula Vista | Erwin Magabua, Chula Vista Central Library | PUBLIC HELP, PUBLIC CRISES Theme and guest panelists TBA |
| Saturday, November 12 @ 2pm Chula Vista Library, 565 F St, Chula Vista | Carlos Morton, PhD UC Santa Barbara, Playwright with San Francisco Mime Troupe, New York Shakespeare Festival, La Companía Nacionál de México. | SECRET AGENT. Theater as an agent of political action, and an architect of recorded history. Guest panelist/s TBA |
| Sunday, November 12 @ 2pm Chula Vista Library, 565 F St, Chula Vista | Delores Fisher, Africana Studies, San Diego State University, African American Music in US socio-cultural history | ESSENTIAL: FIRST RESPONDERS. Panel guests: Law Enforcement officer, Medical/nurse, Mental Health pro |
rehearsal schedule, in progress…
| 8/4/22 | 7-9pm Open call | Community Actors Theatre at 54th and College Grove |
| 8/5/22, Friday | 12: Dwight Love | Music |
| 8/6/22, Saturday | 10:00: Suanne, OJ 10:30 Add Rhys, Delores, Belle. 11: Nick 12 (or before): add Dwight 11am-2pm: Rhys, Dwight, Delores, Belle, Kent | Music, scratch recordings (1250 Weaver St) |
| 8/8/22, Monday | 7-10pm: all performers, directors | Reading with some music (1250 Weaver St) |
| 8/13/22, Saturday | 10-2: TBA | Music |
| 8/14/22, Sunday | 10-2: TBA | Music |
| 8/20/22, Saturday | 10-2: TBA | Music |
| 8/21/22, Sunday | 10-2: TBA | Music |
| 8/27/22, Saturday | 10-2: TBA | Music |
| 8/28/22, Sunday | 10-2: TBA | Music |
| 9/3/22, Saturday | 9am-12pm: Actors [Kent out at 1] | Blocking |
| 9/4/22, Sunday | 12-5: Actors and musicians | Walk through with music |
| 9/10/22, Saturday | 10-2: TBA | |
| 9/11/22, Sunday | 10-2: TBA | |
| 9/17/22, Saturday | 10-2: TBA | |
| 9/18/22, Sunday | 10-2: TBA | |
| 9/24/22, Saturday | 10-2: TBA | |
| 9/25/22, Sunday | [no Ginger, Kent] | |
| 10/1/22, Saturday | [Belle tech 12-9] | |
| 10/2/22, Sunday | 10-6: Full company | Runthrough w/ music |
| 10/3/22, Monday | [no Belle 10/3-10/7] | |
| 10/4/22, Tuesday | [no Belle] | |
| 10/8/22, Saturday | [Belle evening show] | |
| 10/9/22, Sunday | [Belle matinee] | |
| 10/15/22, Saturday | [Belle closing matinee] | |
| 10/16/22, Sunday | 11-5: Full company | Run/workthrough |
| 10/22/22, Saturday | 11-2: Load in, TBA [Delores conference] | Tech at El Salon in San Ysidro |
| 10/23/22, Sunday | 10-7: Full company | Tech |
| 10/24/22, Monday | Off | |
| 10/25/22, Tuesday | Tech, 6:30-10 performers | Run, work notes |
| 10/26/22, Wednesday | 6:30-10 performers | Final Dress |
| 10/27/22, Thursday | 6:30-10 performers | Preview |
| 10/28/22, Friday | 6:30 call, 7:30 curtain | Performance #1 |
| 10/29/22, Saturday | 1:00 call, 2:00 show 7:00 call, 7:30 show | Performance #2 Performance #3 |
| 10/30/22, Sunday | 1:00 call, 2:00 show | Performance #4 |
| 11/3/22, Thursday | 1:00 tech 6:30 actors call | Tech in Diversionary |
| 11/4/22, Friday | 6:30 call, 7:30 curtain | Performance #5 |
| 11/5/22, Saturday | 1:00 call, 2:00 show 7:00 call, 7:30 show | Performance #6 Performance #7 |
| 11/6/22, Sunday | 1:00 call, 2:00 show | Performance #8 |
| 11/10/22, THURSDAY | Tech, then 6:00: Actors call | Tech at Chula Vista Library (8pm exit) |
| 11/11/22, Friday | Off | |
| 11/12/22, Saturday | 10:00am call, 11am show 1:30 call, 2:00 show | Performance #9 Performance #10 |
| 11/13/22, Sunday | 1:00 call, 2:00 show | Performance #11 |