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Kristina Wong brings one-woman show to Emporia State

An entertainer described as “brutal but hilarious” will perform April 19 at Emporia State University.

Kristina Wong’s one-woman show, “Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” looks at the high incidence of anxiety, depression and mental illness among Asian-American women. Although the context looks at one population, Wong uses what she knows to talk about larger themes: mental health issues in marginalized communities, public resources — and lack of — for mental health services, moving past oppression into healthy futures and art as a healing element.

“Tangling, spinning and mixing yarns, I ask, ‘Which came first — the sky-high suicides of Asian-American women or the maddening world?” Wong said. “And when the heck do we get to climax?”

Yarn and knitting needles are part of Wong’s presentation that combines sharp humor with incisive psychology, and she invites audience members to knit during the show.

Presented by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, “Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 19, at the Colonial Ballroom of the Memorial Union. A question-and-answer session follows the performance. Admission is free.