TripMasterMonkey Interview
Get to Know: Mia Park. Meet Chicago-based actress, musican and TV personality Mia Park
By Bryan Thao Worra
Date posted: September 26, 2006
MEET MIA PARK—Chicago-based actress, musican and ebullient host of “Chic-A-Go-Go,” a local children’s TV dance show. Since its 1996 debut, “Chic-A-Go-Go” has become one of the most entertaining shows on Chicago television, plus it doubles as an eclectic showcase for musical performers. Besides teaching kids about dance and movement—with the help of a rat puppet named Ratso—Park also writes, performs and occasionally drums with jazz musician Tatsu Aoki and the Miyumi Big Band. Here, she shares her thoughts on living the artistic life and how she almost met Keanu Reeves.
Tell us about one of your first gigs. I did a solo puppet show in my living room while my landlord played Van Halen’s “Jump!” on a pump organ.
Okay. How about one of your recent gigs? Well, there was a raunchy Marquis de Sade play the other week…
And you work with children? Awesome!
So, do you have a stalker? A guy fan once wrote to Kim [the Website of her all-girl band, now defunct] and asked each of us to wear the same marshmallow in our shoes—one at a time—then mail it back to him!
How do you answer the question, “What do you do for a living?” I’m mainly acting now, more than playing music. “Chic-A-Go-Go” is the best! I enjoyed playing a lion tamer on the show this summer. I carried an imaginary whip in my pants for 45 minutes.
Who got you involved in the arts in the first place? I got myself into it as an escape from a nutty Korean American family life. Maybe my mom, ‘cuz she sings in church choir.
So, have your folks gotten used to your artistic path yet? Sure. [Laughs] They had no choice.
A lot of people are combining Asian American activism with the arts. What are some of the issues that are really important to you these days? It’s important that people expect the same quality of art from Asian Americans than from everyone else, no better or worse. I guess I’m saying that AA’s deserve an open-minded audience, and with time and constant AA exposure to the masses, it won’t be surprising to see Asian rockers on tour or Asian faces on major TV and film or see Asian actors onstage. It’ll take time and we’re getting there.
So you’re in “The Lakehouse” with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock for a full 30 seconds. What was that like? Sandy Bullock is a real person and I appreciated that—especially when she and the director argued in front of me about how to shoot a scene. I missed Keanu, though. He left the set a few days earlier so I have yet to meet Neo. “Whoah.”
What should we know about your project “The Minx”? It’s a great DIY effort by Mike Smith. It’s his first feature film and he worked extremely hard on it. I loved the martial arts scenes I help coordinate. I split my cat-burglar suit when I ass-kicked someone in the head who was standing behind me. Pink undies? Sure!
Last question, how do you feel about monkeys? They rule my mind and heart. I had a boyfriend who used to give me stuffed monkeys and gorillas. The world’s a better place with monkeys!