This podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

Tasi Alabastro uncovered the definition of “flâneur,” a French word that describes a man of urban affluence who can wander and observe urban life, while working on a play called “Three Days of Rain.” In his own life, Tasi views being a flâneur as walking around his hometown of San Jose, being present, looking at murals, and occasionally running into people he knows. He uses walking as a way to process creative problems or gather thoughts. That ability to be an observer is reflected in his work as an actor, visual artist, writer, and director.

Tasi’s observant nature extends to his art as he drifts between roles as an actor, director, and photographer. However, his journey into the performing arts was anything but conventional. Originally a microbiology major at San Francisco State, Tasi left for Hawaii after a breakup to help with his brother’s business. By chance, he discovered acting when he walked into the dark black box theater, and something about the environment – the smell, the nervous energy of other students – intrigued him. He became drawn to the competitive aspect of the class, where everyone had a chance to perform. His curiosity and desire to “make something out of nothing” attracted him to acting. The class sparked his interest in performing arts and became a turning point in his creative journey.

Creating an atmosphere of connection and inclusion through performance has also become core to his work. Tasi traces his care for the audience back to growing up in American Samoa, where the island community must rely heavily on one another. He also notes that humor and performance can be ways of coping with challenging circumstances like natural disasters in Samoan culture. In contrast to feeling like an outsider during his school years, the culture of inclusion encourages Tasi to create experiences through his work where everyone feels welcome and can participate.

Tasi’s multifaceted career spans acting, directing, stage design, and photography. He was featured in “Yes, We’re Open,” a film on Prime Video where he worked with Perry Shen, an actor he had admired since his early blogging days. Another pivotal role was in a City Lights Theater Company production of “Three Days of Rain,” where he tackled the challenge of portraying two contrasting characters—a neurotic son and his reserved father. These roles were pivotal in helping Tasi grow as a performer and expand his understanding of his craft. Currently, Tasi is working toward creating a graphic novel that combines his interests in theater, illustration, and storytelling.

In this conversation, Tasi shares his unlikely transition from science to the stage, how his upbringing in American Samoa influenced his perspective on community, and his thoughts on fostering inclusion within the arts while embracing his identity as an occasional outsider.

Follow Tasi on his website, tasialabastro.com, and Instagram at tasialabastro

Join Tasi Alabastro on July 26, 2025, at San Jose Stage for The Contemporary Asian Theater Scene’s (CATS) second annual Playwright Festival. This year’s festival proudly features five newly commissioned 10-minute plays by a dynamic mix of emerging and established AAPI playwrights. Under the direction of Artistic Producer Jeffrey Lo, these staged readings are brought to life by AAPI actors and directors, including Tasi, committed to bold, authentic storytelling. Get Tickets.