Five Star Arts brings you a series of brief discussions with members of the independent theatre community prior to the openings of their works this fall. Here is

Jason Lee, appearing in FORT DICKS the MUSICAL.

 

Tell us about yourself as an artist.

Being born and raised in Taiwan, where different cultures have met and blended throughout history, I’ve immersed in a diverse environment and had a strong interest in learning knowledges from different realms. I believe that as human beings, we share same values of pursuing a life of dedication and elevation, and art is a form for us to communicate with each other beyond the boundaries. I aspire to work with people from every kind of background and those who have the will of moving forward. “Simple but powerful” is my ultimate goal of creation.

Thanks to the director Jeffrey, I have such a pleasure to play different roles, and Inmate Wang is the most impressive character for me. At the beginning he is very pissed off at being sentenced in jail. He truly feels out of place and doesn’t get along with other inmates well. However, the audience will see that he makes a difference at the end.

I’ve been blessed to watch a bunch of diverse stage productions from the first day I came here. I truly believe independent theatre is crucial for a city. Not only it provides a place for artists to express their opinions and communicate with the audience, but it  also makes an influence on people and enhances the vitality. Different performing groups with decent thoughts have the right to speak for themselves, and for me that is what makes NYC a city where abundant arts live in every corner.