Asian American Psycho: A Graphic Novel explores the outer limits of the U.S. fantasies of the Asian femme, from fetishized, exotic object to model minority subject. In dialogue with Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho (1991) and its satirical portrait of the Wall Street financier as a monster of capitalism, Asian American Psycho follows another monstrous figuration to gory ends. The narrative stars a medical student turned gig worker, who embodies both laborer and human commodity, as she sells the idea of herself to feed the repressed desires of the West that have been projected onto the Asian Other.
Respondents include Maggie Beeler from the Classics department + Mila Zuo, Associate Professor of Cinema Studies, University of British Columbia. This event will be hybrid, so you can attend it either in person in 602 CL or via Zoom as you prefer. Precirculated material for this colloquium are available here.
Ceremony for the first day of school in April.Located on the beautiful campus of Shady Side Academy, PJS is one of the three supplementary Japanese schools in Pennsylvania. We offer Japanese instruction for grades Pre-K - 12th in accordance with the guidelines and curriculum set by Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology of Japan.As detailed on its website, the Pittsburgh Japanese School has moved to increasingly large spaces after its formation, including Fox Chapel Area High School in 1994, before finally moving to Shady Side Academy in 2006. The present location offers classroom space for each grade level, a cafeteria, a Japanese-language library, a gymnasium, and outdoor spaces for classes and an annual sports day (運動会), and these amenities are expected to continue at the new campus.
The primary purpose of PJS is to provide a Japanese curriculum for children of Japanese families who have relocated to the Pittsburgh area so that their children may make a smooth transition back to the rigorous Japanese educational system upon their eventual return. The secondary purpose of PJS is to provide children who are fluent or proficient in Japanese with the opportunity to receive instruction in Japanese and to participate in the cultural traditions of Japan while residing in the Pittsburgh area on a long term basis.
The Pittsburgh Japanese School is grateful to the Japanese government and the Office of the Consulate General of Japan in New York for providing us with funding, invaluable advice, textbooks, and other educational materials which allow us to deliver quality education to our students. We are equally grateful for the continued support of our warm community, our dedicated teachers and staff, and our friends and families who all generously donate their time and energy into making our school a truly unique “home away from home”.
Femininity. Sexuality. Perception. Expectation. Dressed in Red explores these ideas and our shifting self and social identities through a blend of movement and video performance. Inspired by Classical Chinese dance and contemporary movement, Dressed in Red reflects on Lucy’s experience of the complex relationship between how we see ourselves, how we present ourselves, and how others see us.
Utilizing video media and a costume that transforms throughout the performance, the dancers explore self-expression and connection/tension with their communities, within the lens of what it means to be feminine. Audiences witness an evolving narrative of feminine identity and are encouraged to contemplate their own experiences with their image, and how we perform our gender and sexuality.
The performances run 7:30 to 9:00 pm and include a post-show discussion. Tickets are available online. The Kelly-Strayhorn Theater's Alloy Studios is located at 5530 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map).
WHERE, YOU ARE ALMOST CERTAINLY ASKING, HAS JAY SOM BEEN? …six years ago, in 2019, Melina Duterte released Anak Ko, the expansive third album from the project that had quickly grown far beyond its so-called bedroom pop origins into something resembling an actual band. But when a shuttered touring industry scrapped Jay Som’s ambitious 2020 plans, Duterte realized she had long needed a reset from the road after several years of constant pivots between touring and writing. She decided to splurge on herself and her lifelong interest in recording, funneling her government stimulus check into a piece of dream gear—a vintage Neve console. She committed herself to manuals and online tutorials. Five years later, a Grammy for her work on The Record by boygenius, the band she subsequently joined as a touring member. Yes, Jay Som itself has been on a bit of a break; Duterte, however, has perhaps been busier than ever.Jay Som will perform at Spirit Lounge, 242 51st St in Lawrenceville (map). TIckets for the 21+ show are now available online.
When Duterte reckoned the time had come to revisit Jay Som, she did not pretend to be hidebound by the project’s past. Instead, she let the half-decade of life she’d lived and work she’d done since releasing Anak Ko filter not only into her songs but also her process. But she also opened up her music to herself and her memories, writing songs that revisited the sounds of her youth with the benefit of her experiences as a musician, producer, and performer. She was neither shy about her influences nor limited about where they might lead her. And so no previous Jay Som album sounds quite like the new Belong, a gripping 11-song set about self-definition and, well, belonging, that floats between supercharged power-pop hits and hazy ballads, between electronic curiosities and lighters-up anthems. It is a map of the first 31 years of Duterte’s life, all leading to the present that is Belong.
Slanted follows Joan Huang, a Chinese-American teen in the 2010s South, as she battles racism and cultural clashes. As an 8-year-old, she’s bullied for her differences. At 17, obsessed with popularity, she pursues prom queen and undergoes extreme changes, including dyeing her hair and considering racial modification surgery, to achieve a “white” ideal. Her quest alienates her from family and friends, satirizing assimilation and white worship while focusing on her tragicomic struggle for self-worth.
If you loved The Substance and Mean Girls, this one’s for you!
It plays at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map), and tickets are available online.
Kelly Strayhorn Theater and the Center for New Work Development at Carnegie Mellon University invite you to an intimate work-in-progress showing of Maree ReMalia’s forthcoming solo WITH OURSELVES, WITH EACH OTHER (WOWEO). Set in a karaoke-funeral-lounge, ReMalia welcomes audiences into an evening-length solo blending dance, text, and pop music as a way to grieve a parent who raised her and a parent she never met. Co-directed by Adil Mansoor, this performance explores how a solo body can become a meeting place for others and how a mic becomes a lifeline. Come experience the process of developing an original work right here in Pittsburgh!
WITH OURSELVES, WITH EACH OTHER is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST), Bates Dance Festival (BDF), Hatch Arts Collective (Hatch), and NPN. More information: www.npnweb.org. The development of WOWEO has been supported by Carnegie Mellon University Center for New Work Development in partnership with KST.
This is in addition to "Acts of Remembrance: Moving, Writing, Making" with Maree ReMalia on November 4. WITH OURSELVES, WITH EACH OTHER starts at 7:00 pm and is held at Three Stories in downtown's Cultural District (map). Tickets are available online.
In 1975, Hoa Thi Lê and Hue Nguyen Che fled from Vietnam by boat and docked in the Philippines, where they were utilized as background extras during the filming of Apocalypse Now. This documentary short film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2025 and won the Short Film Jury Prize: Nonfiction, the Special Jury Prize for Short Documentary Film at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Best International Short Documentary Film at Galway Film Fleadh, Best International Short Dox at DokuFest, and the Excellence in Short Filmmaking Documentary and Audience Award at the Asian American International Film Festival.The event runs from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in 501 Cathedral of Learning and is free and open to the public.
Slanted follows Joan Huang, a Chinese-American teen in the 2010s South, as she battles racism and cultural clashes. As an 8-year-old, she’s bullied for her differences. At 17, obsessed with popularity, she pursues prom queen and undergoes extreme changes, including dyeing her hair and considering racial modification surgery, to achieve a “white” ideal. Her quest alienates her from family and friends, satirizing assimilation and white worship while focusing on her tragicomic struggle for self-worth.
If you loved The Substance and Mean Girls, this one’s for you!
It plays at the Harris Theater in downtown's Cultural District (map), and tickets are available online.
Join choreographer Maree ReMalia and collaborators for an interdisciplinary dance workshop. The workshop will begin with a guided movement warm-up, shifting through meditative gestures, full-bodied expressions, and playful, game-like interactions in ways that honor the richness of our diverse physicalities and lived experiences. Following the warm-up, the group will explore themes of remembrance through experimentation with movement, writing, vocalization, collage, and altar creation. This workshop is inspired by ReMalia’s forthcoming work WITH OURSELVES, WITH EACH OTHER, a solo that invites us to collectively grieve and celebrate against all odds. No prior experience is necessary! Please wear clothing comfortable for movement and bring a special memory object, photograph, or token to contribute to the shared altar (all personal belongings will be returned; this is also optional). Attendees are encouraged to also bring a water bottle, journal, and sneakers.The event starts at 7:00 pm and is held at Three Stories in downtown's Cultural District (map). Tickets are available online.
Maree ReMalia (creator/performer/co-director) is a dance-maker, performer, and teaching artist. An adoptee born in South Korea and raised in Ohio, she uses her artistic practice to foster connection while welcoming and honoring diverse bodies, expressions, and lived experiences. Her projects have been presented at venues including La MaMa, Gibney, and Dance Place. She has performed with slowdanger and STAYCEE PEARL dance project and taught at Bates, Brown, and CMU.
Publishers, book clubs, and bookstores alike are abuzz with rave reviews for one of the season’s hottest books: Yueran Zhang’s Women, Seated. The riveting story shines a spotlight on a powerful Chinese family’s fall from grace, detailing a world of luxury, wealth, and around-the-clock service, with secrets hidden in every shadow. Full of drama and intrigue most American audiences are chomping at the bit for, one could almost forget that this bestseller likely wouldn’t have made it to a front-of-store display without the work of editor Han Zhang and translator Jeremy Tiang.
In 1975, Hoa Thi Lê and Hue Nguyen Che fled from Vietnam by boat and docked in the Philippines, where they were utilized as background extras during the filming of Apocalypse Now. This documentary short film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2025 and won the Short Film Jury Prize: Nonfiction, the Special Jury Prize for Short Documentary Film at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, Best International Short Documentary Film at Galway Film Fleadh, Best International Short Dox at DokuFest, and the Excellence in Short Filmmaking Documentary and Audience Award at the Asian American International Film Festival.The event runs from 2:00 to 3:00 pm in 501 Cathedral of Learning and is free and open to the public.
Publishers, book clubs, and bookstores alike are abuzz with rave reviews for one of the season’s hottest books: Yueran Zhang’s Women, Seated. The riveting story shines a spotlight on a powerful Chinese family’s fall from grace, detailing a world of luxury, wealth, and around-the-clock service, with secrets hidden in every shadow. Full of drama and intrigue most American audiences are chomping at the bit for, one could almost forget that this bestseller likely wouldn’t have made it to a front-of-store display without the work of editor Han Zhang and translator Jeremy Tiang.
中秋快乐!It will be held at the Global Hub, located on the 1st floor of Posvar Hall (map).
추석 잘 보내세요!
Chúc Mừng Tết Trung thu!
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Come celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival with the Asian Studies Center! Enjoy snacks and crafts during this cultural holiday. Event is open to the Pitt community and the public.
Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books, and playful experiences. This program is designed for kids in grades preschool - 2nd grade with their caregivers. This program occurs on the first Saturday of the month. Please register for all dates you plan to attend.The event runs from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in the Verne C. Koch Program Room. Future sessions are scheduled for November 1, December 6, January 3, and beyond. (There are also Chinese-English Storytimes scheduled for October 18, November 15, December 20, January 17, and beyond, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, at the Sharpsburg Community Library.) Registration is required and can be completed online for each session. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).
In Blue Sun Palace’s Chinese-speaking Queens, Cheung is a migrant laborer and Didi works at a massage parlor with other Chinese immigrants. Among them is Amy (Ke-Xi Wu), a gifted cook who dreams of opening her own restaurant. When Didi is tragically killed, Cheung and Amy form an unexpected bond as they navigate their grief and search for connection. Blue Sun Palace offers a quiet, realistic portrayal of immigrant life in New York, where English is rarely spoken and interactions with non-immigrant Americans are largely commodified. While there are daily indignities foisted upon the immigrants, Blue Sun Palace is no misery showcase. Intimacy and warmth co-exist with economic anxieties and deep grief that are articulated with uncommon intelligence and understanding of how adults endure any given day. Director Constance Tsang gives us confident direction in her debut feature, bringing a fresh exploration to how American newcomers might find comfort and solace in one another in an otherwise alienating land.
Content warning: Violence, sexual scenarios
Tickets are free to everyone with a PITT ID, $5 for all other students, and $11 for General Admission. To purchase or reserve tickets, click buy now on the front page next to the film, or click here.
The movie plays in room 343 Alumni Hall on the University of Pittsburgh campus (map) from 1:30 pm and tickets are available online.
The 10th Pittsburgh Chinese Culture Festival will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at Mellon Park (1047 Shady Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15232). As the largest outdoor celebration of Chinese heritage in Western Pennsylvania, the festival will feature authentic cuisine, spectacular stage performances, cultural exhibits, interactive workshops, and family-friendly activities. From traditional dance and martial arts to calligraphy, crafts, and kids’ fun with ice cream and bounce houses, this free event offers something for everyone.The event runs from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm in the southern half of Mellon Park (map, not the half with the spray park and baseball fields).
Subtle and moving, Greta Lee stars in Celine Song’s deeply human story of two childhood friends who are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.Tickets are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler St. (map).
Are you, or someone you know, a Chinese speaker in the Pittsburgh area who always loved the tale of Chang’e flying to the moon as a kid? Are you interested in acting in a student film and trying your hand at calligraphy? Are you prone to melancholic musings and enjoy sharing mooncakes?
There are three roles:
Chang’e 嫦娥: 18-22, female, Chinese, the immortal woman on the moon from Chinese legend, Chinese speaking role (long undyed hair preferable)
Leah: 20-23, female, a half-Chinese college senior split between enjoying time with her friends and missing her family afar, English and Chinese speaking role
Jiejie 姐姐: 20-25, female, Chinese, the playful but imperious older sister of Chang’e, Chinese speaking role (undyed long hair preferable)
Those interested should apply via this Google Form.
