PBS highlights the Chinatown-based cabaret troupe of 11 spirited grandmothers keeping local history alive.
By Dorothy Odonnell
April 20, 2024
Gangway for granny glamor: The Grant Avenue Follies, a Chinatown-based cabaret troupe comprised of 11 spirited Asian American grandmothers, will be featured in the first episode of a new PBS series, The Express Way with Dule´Hill. Actor Hill is perhaps best known for his roles in The West Wing and The Wonder Years. In his new four-part series airing April 23—May 14, Hill explores how a variety of artists in different parts of the country use their creativity for expression and positive change.
It’s not surprising that in California, his quest for inspiring, creative seniors led him to the Follies. Ranging in age from 67 to 88, the group led by Cynthia Yee stays busy performing at various organizations and events throughout the Bay Area. They also take their act on the road and have entertained folks in cities such as Houston, Las Vegas, Honolulu and Seattle. Outside of the US, they’ve performed in Cuba and China.
When 48 Hills asked Yee—known as The Empress by her friends—what she hopes viewers will take away from their segment of The Expressway, she didn’t hesitate to respond: “I want them to know it’s never too late to start anything. Eighty percent of our dancers were at least 70 when they started.”
https://48hills.org/2024/04/grant-avenue-follies-chinatown-grandmothers-cabaret-dance-tv-pbs/
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