When hanging out in a sauna, most men choose to keep their gaze firmly planted on the ceiling or the floor. But Wayland Quintero, Rick Ebihara, and Perry Yung — three New York actors who make up the Slant Performance Group — were taking a collective sweat several years back and just couldn’t keep their eyes to themselves. Conversation ensued, a mental light bulb sparked, and thus was born Big Dicks, Asian Men, the Asian-American man’s answer to The Vagina Monologues. You can take your own peek today and tomorrow, when the trio performs its provocatively titled piece at Northeastern University as part of the weekend sendoff for the school’s 10-day-long Artstuff Festival, an interdisciplinary cross-cultural arts event.

Though it may sound out of bounds, Quintero tells us that Big Dicks, which Slant has been performing around the country for six years, is rated PG. The multimedia event includes live amplified percussion and flute, shadow work, puppetry, and satirical monologues, all aimed at debunking common myths about Asian men. He says that the three men, who are all Asian-American, hope to use their performance to say, " This is who we are; we’re three different people. " " The media stereotypes and the pop stereotypes put out there in TV, film, and print about Asian men are somewhat derogatory sometimes and negative, " Quintero explains. To punctuate their point, the men will finish their playful hourlong performance by " strapping on big props " for a ballet titled The Big Penis.

Although Quintero is the first to admit that " the title might be perceived as a little risqué by some, " he adds that he hopes " when people come to see the content of the show, they find that it’s really not about dick size; it’s really about stereotypes and pop images. " One hopes The Big Penis will drive that home.

Catch Big Dicks, Asian Men at Northeastern’s Ell Hall, 360 Huntington Avenue, at 8 p.m. this Thursday, August 23, and Friday, August 24. Tickets cost $10. Call (617) 373-2247.

Issue Date: August 23 - 30, 2001