More than 30 Asian American performers will take the stage at Theatre Off Jackson starting Tuesday, June 16, when Pork Filled Productions launches Seattle's first Summer Asian ArtsFest in the Chinatown-International District.

The five-night festival runs through Saturday, June 20, with shows nightly from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at the 140-seat venue at 409 7th Ave S. Every performance operates on a "pay what you can" basis, supported by grants from 4Culture, King County's cultural funding agency, and the CID Visioning Group, a coalition formed in 2019 to advocate for community self-determination in the neighborhood. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named the CID one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2023.

Each night has its own focus. Tuesday opens with a screening of Nabra Nelson's new play "What to Expect," directed by Alanah Pascual. Wednesday is open mic night, with online sign-ups available starting Thursday, June 11, at porkfilled.com. Thursday features stand-up comedy and improv troupe Joy Market. Friday is music night, and Saturday closes with a musical theater cabaret.

Matt Dela Cruz, a senior producer with Pork Filled Productions who has worked in theater for more than 15 years, is organizing Friday's music lineup. He told the Seattle Times that Asian Americans rarely appear in mainstream theater productions despite making up nearly 25% of King County's population.

"It gives a sense of community, and it gives a sense of pride for artists who want to show off their craft, especially who they are as people," Dela Cruz said.

Among the performers: Vincent Bantasan, who goes by Beatbox Panda, will play Friday's music night. Bantasan grew up in Los Angeles and started beatboxing in 2001 after his parents refused to buy him a drum set or turntable. Now a Seattle resident, his set will feature electronic music with drum solos and beatbox performed without a backing track. He told the Seattle Times he hopes the performance shows other Filipino Americans that "he's not scared" to get up and try something new.

Comedian Cindy Su, a mental health therapist by day, performs Thursday's comedy night with material drawn from culture clashes she experienced as an immigrant from Taiwan living in the U.S.

Senior producer Kendall Uyeji said Saturday's cabaret is meant to spotlight artists who don't often get main roles in traditional productions.

This is Pork Filled Productions' first multi-day showcase. Previous events were single-night community nights using the same pay-what-you-can model. Theatre Off Jackson, a nonprofit that has operated since 2005 as a hub for small arts groups and independent artists, is a six-minute walk from the International District/Chinatown Light Rail stop. Tickets are available at click4tix.net.