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Shuffled! is a new feature on BPRLive, in which we ask some of our favorite people on the scene to set their mp3 player of choice to random, and tell us about the first few songs that they hear.

Today’s Shuffler: Ova Saopeng

Ova Saopeng is an actor and writer from Los Angeles, he was born in Savannahket, Laos and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. He received his B.A. in Theater from the University of Southern California and since then has worked nationally with many theater companies from the Children’s Theater Company in Minneapolis on the production of “Dragonwings” based on the Newberry Award winning book by Laurence Yep, Mark Taper Forum/P.L.A.Y. production of “Wondrous Tales of Old Japan”, a kabuki American adaptation of Japanese folk tales written and directed by David Furumoto, and East West Players the premiere Asian American Theater Company in the nation.

He has toured colleges and universities with the Asian American Theater troupe hereandnow and is an active member of We Tell Stories and Water’s Edge Theater, children’s theater companies based in southern California.

He is also a roster artist with TeAda Productions led by founding artistic director Leilani Chan, who is also his wife. TeAda is a company dedicated to supporting, developing and incubating artist of color to create innovative theatrical performances to empower under-served communities. “Refugee Nation” a play written and performed by Leilani Chan and Ova Saopeng about the Lao-American experience, based on interviews and workshops in Lao communities throughout the U.S., is currently touring. You can also catch Ova in Pirates of the Caribbean 3: World’s End.

To find out more about Ova, you can visit him at his blog, his myspace, and TeAda Theater Company.

On to the shuffle…

S***, Damn, M**********
D’Angelo
The beats and the blues together intertwine in this song made of swear words as the title. The expression of these words in the storytelling aspect of the song sets up the scene and puts me in the place of the singer. The romantic drama. The fucked-up dilemma. The unanswerable questions. Shit, Damn, Mutha’fuckah is right! What more way to express the feelings of anger and resentment at a betrayal between lovers. Sounds too much like soap opera and it is, and yet you have to admit that it’s also part of life. We deal with loneliness, relationship, and happiness in songs all the time. Would this then be a love song? Or more aptly a lack of love song. I enjoy the slow paced, simple beats while the words brew in your mind. Listen to the song and it gives you time to contemplate. Why? What if? Should I? All the possible scenarios that could to take place from this one moment. I like that. It’s a sophisticated composition of thought using banal language.

You Give Me Something
James Morrison
Falsetto voices always pull me in. It’s cool. In this song it revs up in me a soulful big band brass sound. Again, another love song. I sway to the beat and emotions go deep when the brass instruments hit…the trumpet, the horns. It takes me back to my days as a student of Dole Intermediate School the heart of Kalihi a neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii. Yes, back then in my kid time days, as we would say in Hawaiian pidgin, I was a band geek but that was because I hadn’t found theater yet and not to mention it’s just a transitional period of your life. The teenage years. I played the alto sax cause I thought it was sexy. Young love…or lust whatever you want to call it at the time, makes me think this song would be perfect for the school dance or prom. It has that longing for love sensibility. Trying to figure out the opposite sex. What is this giddy feeling in me all about? And what does having a girlfriend or no girlfriend mean during this stage of your life. Sigh…ahhh those days at the dance when the slow music is played and the boys are on one side, the girls on another…who will dance with whom? To be young again. To be innocent again. You give me something to reminisce about.

Kop Jai
Supasang
http://myspace.com/supasang
This song came from the internet as we were searching for music to use in Refugee Nation. The collection of Lao-American hip-hop and rap is slowly emerging from coast to coast. The generation influenced by the rap and hip-hop music that we all enjoy and immerse ourselves in. This one particular song hit me because it had Lao lyrics about growing up and family. Kop jai in Lao means “thank you” and there is a lot to thank, especially our parents as refugees and immigrants for living the life they lived to get us this far. In this song it made me realize the impact of the 1st generation, my mother and father’s generation and how much sacrifice had to be made to create a future for my generation. As a Lao-American actor to find a hybrid Lao-English song really solidifies identity and understanding of one’s complex culture here in America. I’ve not met Supasang in person but through artistic expression we are brothers at arms. He resides here in Southern Cal yet the Lao community continues to struggle with cohesion and solidarity…I’m praying and hoping my generations and the next realize the importance of our roles to step up and find ways to bring the Lao community together.

They Don’t Want Music
BEP with James Brown
What can I say. This song just makes me want to dance but doesn’t every BEP beat do that to you. I visualize myself as James Brown moving and dancing and shaking and grooving. This is a fun song that just brings out individual expression. Movements that go crazy and just pure fun and joy. Who doesn’t want music? Everyone does! Only it may vary depending on taste. Well, this ones popcorn to me. Just a jovial, joyful romp of hip-hop pop.

Kupa’aina
Kupa’aina
http://www.kupaaina.com
Kevin Chang and I met a while back at the University of Oregon when we were still in college. I was touring colleges and universities with hereandnow, an Asian-American theater troupe that still tours today and I came upon a Lao sister, Soudary Kittivong from Anchorage, Alaska. Now, you maybe wondering how and why a Lao from Hawaii met up with a Lao from Alaska. How did that happen? Well, it’s a long story but serendipitous. Ok…let’s back track a little bit here as I’ve mentioned several states and it maybe confusing to y’all. So, Soudary from Alaska schooling at Oregon introduced me from Hawaii via California to Kevin who is also from Hawaii and attending U of Oregon. Got it. Oh forget it! If not don’t worry. What’s important is that there were two connections for me the Lao connection and the local Hawaiian connection. Kevin is an amazing musician and now leads Kupa’aina a really awesome Hawaii group…this song hearkens their truth and mission, sharing the complexity of Hawaii. Not many people know the true politics, struggles and pride of the islands. The native Hawaiians, the locals, the tourists, the United States. History tells of greatness in King Kamehameha, death of natives due to Captain Cooke, and the industrial revolution sugarcane and such. Hawaii is a very dynamic place to experience. This song just explains a lot about all of that. Kupa’aina truly is a movement. I am lucky to have grown up there. Always proud of you bruddah Kevin…much, much more success to you. ALOHA and IMUA! Love and progress.

Last 5 posts by shuffled

• Shuffled! Giles Li - August 7th, 2008
• Shuffled! Alexander Chee - July 31st, 2008
• Shuffled! Terry Park - July 24th, 2008
• Shuffled! Theresa Vu of Magnetic North - July 17th, 2008
• Shuffled! Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha - July 10th, 2008

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