Emil Guillermo’s comedy at St. Marks from Feb 16

Journalist, podcaster, and former NPR host Emil Guillermo – winner of an American Book Award – takes his truth to the stage in a comic one-man show about race, the media, Asian American Filipino history, Harvard/affirmative action, and PETA. Yes, PETA, including an ending you won’t forget. As his Filipino father might say, “It’s all pucked up.”

Emil Guillermo tells the tale of his father who was undocumented. He didn’t need any. Documents, that is. Not in 1928.  Willie Guillermo was born in Ilocos Norte in the Philippines an American national. He was colonized and arrived on a steamer from Manila with one good suit and a dream.

It’s part of the story Emil weaves with his own in a new one-man play on Asian American Filipino life, “Emil Amok: Lost NPR Host Found Under St. Marks,” running February 16 for just seven performances until March 4 at the Frigid Fringe Festival of New York.

Emil describes his journey that takes us through the media, affirmative action/Harvard and America, and how it was shaped by the history of Filipinos like his father.

“Trying to overcome history makes American Filipino life is absurd,” Guillermo says, in a show that’s both funny and tragic. “It’s our history. And it makes me go amok.”

Emil  was born in San Francisco. He is an alumnus of Harvard University, where he studied history and film, and was a member of the Harvard Lampoon. He has performed his “Amok Monologues” at Fringe Festivals around the country. He’s studied storytelling at the Berkeley Rep, the Marsh, and with Mike Daisey. His shows are inspired by his weekly “Emil Amok” columns in the Asian American ethnic media since 1995. Read them at www.aaldef.org/blog.

He hosts “The PETA Podcast,” and “Emil Amok’s Takeout” at www.amok.com. After the fringe, he appears in “The Conductor” at Theater for the New City in March. 

Here’s what people are saying about his shows.

“Stand-up, monologue, rant? …Enjoy trying to keep pace with Guillermo’s brilliant mind…Funny, poignant.” – The Orlando Weekly

“Charismatic…Guillermo’s life is one worth exploring.” — DC Metro Theater Arts

“Excellent…Emil Guillermo knows how to tell a story and that ability sets his “Amok Monologues” above other solo shows.” — San Diego Story

Tickets: In person/$20; livestreaming/$15; student, senior, military/$12.

Available for advance purchase at www.frigid.nyc. Venue:  94 St. Marks Place (Basement level, no elevator or wheelchair access)

Performance schedules:

Thur. Feb. 16th at 8:10pm

Sat. Feb. 18th at 5:20 pm

Thur. Feb. 23rd at 6:30pm

Sat. Feb 25th at 12:20pm

Sun Feb.26th at 7pm

Fri March 3rd at 8:10pm

Sat. March 4th at 10:20pm