Asian American actor, designer, film maker, director and screen/playwright? Connect with your peers! Become a part of the National Asian American Theatre network! Join the aa-drama list, now hosted at Yahoogroups.com. Just email aa-drama-subscribe AT yahoogroups.com.
Also, check out Amazon and Asians, a web-based column that covers Asian American theatre, primarily on the East Coast, written by Marilyn Abalos.
Also should add Back Stage Pass with Lia Chang.
By the way, it's not Asian American, but check out the Internet Broadway Database (http://www.ibdb.com/). Lots of goodies there...
May 2013
- Here Lies Love gets up and cleans up
David Byrne and Fatboy Slim have won the 2013 Village Voice Obie for Here Lies Love, the new musical about former Filipino First Lady Imelda Marcos. In addition, the musical won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off Broadway Musical. ANNNNNDDDD....the musical also won Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music, Lighting Design and Projection Design ANNNNNNNNDDDDDD Theatre World Awards for Ruthie Ann Miles (playing Imelda Marcos) and Conrad Ricamora.
For some strange reason, Here Lies Love has been extended for a FOURTH time, through the end of July. (posted 5/23/13)
- Tidbit and congrats!
Congrats to all the Obie recipients, but especially to Clint Ramos for Sustained Excellence of Costume Design, Eric Ting, for Directing, and Marsha Ginsberg and David Levine for HABIT. Bravo! (posted 5/23/13)
- Link collection! Read them!
A collection of very fine, very interested links
A3 Foundation guest blog for the NEA: Making Media More Diverse
A. Rey Pamatmat and christopher oscar peña discuss My Parents Were Tiger People
Mike Lew on Six Action Steps for Mainstream Theatres to Take (for survival)
and a viral blog, on yet another dispiriting
instance of brownface...
- Actors, directors wanted!
Ingenue Theater is currently accepting submissions for directors and actors to take part in an evening of work from South Asia, which will be taking place on June 30th at Public Assembly, in Brooklyn.
If you are interested in submitting yourself for this opportunity, please send a letter of interest, resume and headshot to ingenuetheatre@gmail.com.
We are particularly interested in artists of South Asian descent, though artists will, of course, be considered on their individual merit and the passion they might bring to the project. The deadline for this is June 1st- we look forward to hearing from you. Please do pass this information on to any parties who might be interested. (posted 5/23/13)
- Aurora, CO: TEA debuts Colorado's first Asian American theatre (posted 5/17/13)
- Vancouver, BC: VACT presents Etch-Your-Sketchoff 5 (posted 5/17/13)
- Minneapolis, MN: Mu Performing Arts announces 2013-14 season, first under Artistic Director Randy Reyes (posted 5/15/13)
- Sundance, UT: Qui Nguyen selected for Sundance Play Festival (linked 5/15/13)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua presents David Henry Hwang's Sound and Beauty (posted 5/15/13)
- Tidbit:
University of South Carolina Press to Publish Understanding David Henry Hwang December 2013 (posted 5/15/13)
- Well. That's cheeky...
The discount code for the all-white Around the World in 80 Days at The New Theatre in NYC — including a white lady playing Indian lady Aouda — is... (wait for it...)... : DELHI. (posted 5/8/13)
- Vancouver, BC: VACT presents Etch-YOUR-SketchOFF!#$%!! 5 ? The Last & De-Lirious (posted 5/18/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: Playwriter wanted (posted 5/8/13)
- Plays wanted!
Ingenue Theater is looking for plays by emerging playwrights of South Asian origin that have not had a previous run in New York City.
This is a great opportunity to workshop a piece in development. Ingenue would host a staged reading no more than 20-30 minutes in length, tentatively scheduled for the end of June in Brooklyn.
Please send your work and a bio/c.v. to Isobel Bruce at ingenuetheatre (A)(T) gmail-dot-com and Vikas Menon at vikasmenon (A)(T) hotmail-dot-com ASAP but no later than 5/10/2013. (posted 5/8/13)
April 2013
- New York, NY: Here Lies Love snags 5 Drama Desk nominations, Joel de la Fuente snags nom as Gordon Hirabayashi in solo show written by Jeannie Sakata (linked 4/30/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West announces 2013-14 season (posted 4/30/13)

Tidbit!
The film, White Frog, is going to be released theatrically in LA on the weekend of May 10th…featuring a number of prominent Asian American theatre artists, including David Henry Hwang as exec. producer (and actor), actor B. D. Wong and playwright/actor Ellie Wen. Link to the facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/504014736332482/. It'll be playing at the following theatres starting May 10th:
Laemmle Playhouse 7
673 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 844-6500
TCL Chinese Theatre
6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 461-3331
- New York, NY: Imelda Marcos musical, Here Lies Love, nominated for Best Musical for 79th Annual Drama League Awards (linked 4/25/13)
- Tidbit!
Now in its 11th year, NewWorksofMeritPlaywritingContest.com is accepting scripts through June 30, 2013 (posted 4/21/13).
- United Solo nominates Alec Mapa's show, Baby Daddy (linked 4/21/13)
- Waterford, CT: Lauren Yee's Samsara selected for O'Neill National Playwrights conference (linked 4/21/13)
- New York, NY: Actors' Equity Association Names Christine Toy Johnson Winner of the 2013 Rosetta LeNoire Award (linked 4/14/13)
- New York, NY: Playwright Kimber Lee named PoNY Fellow (linked 4/14/13)
- Denver, CO: TEA opens shop as Colorado's first Asian American theatre (linked 4/14/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West offers summer internship (posted 4/7/13)
- Syracuse, NY: Syracuse Stage to present Chinglish (linked 4/7/13)
- Houston, TX: Black Lab Theatre and Asia Society Texas Center to present Chinglish (linked 4/7/13)
- New York, NY: Imelda Marcos musical, Here Lies Love, opens at the Public (linked 4/7/13)
- Portland, OR: Portland Center Stage to stage Chinglish (linked 4/7/13)
March 2013
- Los Angeles, CA: East West honors Steve Yeun and Cold Tofu! (posted 3/25/13)
- Vancouver, BC: VACT presents Deep Water (posted 3/25/13)
- London, England: David Henry Hwang's Yellow Face debuts in England (linked 3/21/13)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua Theatre Production and Actors' Workshop at Maui Arts & Cultural Center (posted 3/21/13)
- Berkeley, CA: A. Rey Pamatmat nabs Ground Floor Residency at Berkeley Rep (linked 3/21/13)
- Honoluli, HI: Kumu Kahua offers Young Playwrights Workshop (posted 3/21/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West presents Chess: The Musical (posted 3/21/13)
- Tidbit!
"The Central Region Equal Employment Opportunity Committee of Actor's Equity Association proudly presents the 2013 Kathryn V. Lamkey Award to Jamil Khoury [co-founder of Chicago's Silk Road Rising]. We salute your energy, courage, and tireless dedication to non-traditional casting and equal opportunity." (posted 3/19/13)
- Signature Theatre's production of David Henry Hwang's The Dance and the Railroad is headed to China! (linked 3/19/13)
- Tidbit: East West hosting Breaking into Network Television seminar
ABC Television Group in partnership with East West Players and Visual Communications will host an evening with Disney/ABC Director of Talent Development & Diversity Frank B. Gonzalez.
Gonzalez will lead a discussion around numerous topics including: How do you break into network & cable television, writing & directing for network TV, pilot season, and the highly prestigious Disney ABC Writing Program.
The evening will also include a Q & A in which current Program Writers will be on hand to answer questions. Be sure to come prepared to ask questions, this is a rare opportunity to do so, particularly when the deadline for the Writing Program application is approaching!
RSVP to Arts Education Director Marilyn Tokuda at mtokuda@eastwestplayers.org.
For address and parking information, visit http://www.eastwestplayers.org/about_us/address.htm. (posted 3/10/13)
- Honolulu, HI: Auditions for Kumu Kahua's Sound and Beauty (posted 3/10/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: Artists At Play presents staged readings (posted 3/10/13)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua premieres All That Remains (posted 3/5/13)
February 2013
- Vancouver, BC: Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre hires new Artistic Associate (posted 2/26/13)
- Vancouver, BC: VACT offers Teen Sketch Comedy Camp (posted 2/26/13)
- Vancouver, BC: VACT seeks plays for MSG Theatre Lab (posted 2/26/13)
- Tidbit!
East West Players welcomes new Production Manager, Andy Lowe.
Lowe, a native of San Diego, has most recently come from La Jolla Playhouse. From 1995-2005, he was Co-founder and Producing Artistic Director of the San Diego Asian American Repertory Theatre. He has produced countless theatrical productions and special events in San Diego, including the city¹s first API Heritage Month Festival ('01-'03). From 2007-2012, Lowe developed the "Theatre-in-Residence Program" for the La Jolla Playhouse, while independently developing special events & theatrical projects as a producer and/or director through ChinesePirateProductions.com including Woman In The Mirror (2012), John Doe-The Musical (2012), The Musical Paul Gauguin (2011), Dear Miss Breed (2007) and a 2011 stage adaptation of Joss Whedon¹s Dr.Horrible's Sing Along Blog.
Previously, Lowe was a Finalist of the California Young Playwrights (1994) and has received two official mayoral commendations and was recognized as one of the "Top 30 most influential Asian Americans Under the age of 30" by Political Circus Magazine. Andy also serves on the Board of Directors for Gam3rCon, an event that celebrates the history and advancement of interactive entertainment (www.Gam3rCon.com) (posted 2/26/13).
- Minneapolis, MN: Mu names Randy Reyes new Artistic Director to succeed Rick Shiomi (posted 2/19/13)
- Tidbit!
A-Squared Theatre Workshop is seeking submissions of 10 minute one act plays, scenes, or monologues inspired by any aspect of "Asian Mom-ness" for the second installment of My Asian Mom. Called My Asian Mom 2.0.1.3, this is a follow up to the company's 2012 hit production, My Asian Mom, which ran for ten weeks to large Asian and non Asian American audiences in Chicago, IL. This devised show was the brainchild of Mia Park, who is also a founding member of the company.
Please email submissions to mamscript (AT gmail-com and list on the subject line, MAM 2013 Submission.
Pieces longer than 10 minutes will not be considered.
- New York, NY: AAPAC releases 2012 figures on minority casting in New York (and it's grim, folks; Signature ranks highly, but only because David Henry Hwang is in residence there)(posted 2/12/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West offers new playwrighting classes (posted 2/12/13)
January 2013
- Los Angeles, CA: East West announces Community Partners for Christmas in Hanoi (posted 1/30/13)
- Tidbit!
Christopher Chen's The Hundred Flowers Project was won The Glickman Award, The Bay Area's prize that goes each year to the best play that had its world premiere in the Bay Area. The Award, which in the past has gone to Tony Kushner, Denis Johnson and Octavio Solis, comes with a $4,000 cash prize. A co-production of Crowded Fire and Playwrights Foundation. The Hundred Flowers Project was directed by Desdemona Chiang (posted 1/30/13).
- Chicago, IL: Silk Road Rising announces 2013 season (posted 1/30/13)
- Tidbit!
Kristina Wong has named one of the recipients of the 2012 Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation Playwright Commissioning Award for her new show The Wong Street Journal, which will premiere in the Bay Area in 2015! Thank you to the grant panelists! Wong joins other playwrights who received this award: Lauren D. Yee, Luis Alfaro, Ariel Luckey, Chinaka Hodge, and Torange Yeghiazarian. (posted 1/13/13)
- Los Angeles: East West opening admissions for 2013 Actors Conservatory (posted 1/30/13)
- Tidbit!
Seattle, WA: Seattle Theatre Writers, the area's consortium of active drama critics, are proud to announce a Special Award of Recognition for Ms. Kathy Hsieh for Excellence in Playwriting for her 10 plus years and roughly 40 hours of theatrical production time, either alone or with partners, on the long-running serial, Sex In Seattle, which culminated in Episode 20 in 2012. STW honor her achievement and her contribution to her company, SIS Productions, and the Seattle artistic community. (posted 1/27/13)
- Tidbit!
Los Angeles, CA: Artists at Play is proud to announce that their production of Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in the category of Outstanding Los Angeles Theater! The GLAAD Media Awards recognize works for their "fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives." This production was also Ovation Recommended as voted upon by Los Angeles theatre professionals. (posted 1/23/12)
- Chicago, IL: Silk Rising to host Building a Theatre of Inclusion: Perspectives on Asian American Casting and Producing (posted 1/14/13).
- Los Angeles, CA: Immediate job opening for Production Manager at East West! (posted 1/14/13)
- Los Angeles, CA: Call for submissions East West's Evoke!
East West Players' EVOKE New Works Festival seeks submissions from artists to present the diverse stories and voices of the South Asian American Diaspora. Artists (solo, duets or trios) from a variety of performance genres and multi-disciplinary intersections are invited to explore EWP's 47th Season, Spirited Away. Evoke Artists should consider the notion of being spirited away by something or someone.
For more information, visit http://www.eastwestplayers.org/pdf/evoke_submissionscall.pdf.
Application Submission: January 21, 2013 February 4, 2013.
For additional information and inquiries, contact Alison De La Cruz, Director, EVOKE New Works Festival at 213-625-7000 x16 or by emailing evoke (at) eastwestplayers-dot-org (posted 1/14/13).
- Bay Area, CA: Deadline January 16! Call for submissions for United States of Asian America Festival! (posted 1/14/13)
- Claremont, CA:

posted 1/14/12
- Submissions wanted, deadline January 10!
Seeking Writing Submissions for a new piece exploring War, Family, Grief, Anger and Love in the legacy of the Vietnam War Poetic Theater Productions and Project Agent Orange are looking for writers to collaborate on a new poetic theater movement piece for a reading in Poetic Theater Productions' second annual festival of new poetic theater, Poetic License, January 21-27, 2013 at Wild Project located in the East Village in NYC. Particularly looking for writers who identify as one of the following: Vietnamese, Asian diaspora, veterans of the Vietnam War or their descendants. Please send a short 3-12 minute script written as a monologue, dialogue, ensemble told story, a poem, or narrative aligned with the description of the show below to submit (at) poetetictheater-dot-com by 3PM, January 10, 2013. (posted 1/9/13)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua premieres A Cage of Fireflies (posted 1/9/13)
- Asian American playwrights receive fellowships from Mellon Foundation (Qui Nguyen in MN and Andrew Saito in SF)(posted 1/9/13)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua offers free audition workshop (posted 1/9/13)
- Submissions wanted!
A-Squared Theatre Workshop is seeking submissions of 10 minute one act plays, scenes, or monologues inspired by any aspect of "Asian Mom-ness" for the second installment of My Asian Mom. Called My Asian Mom 2.0.1.3, this is a follow up to the company¹s 2012 hit production, My Asian Mom, which ran for ten weeks to large Asian and non Asian American audiences in Chicago, IL. This devised show was the brainchild of Mia Park, who is also a founding member of the company. Please email submissions to mamscript (at) gmail-dot-com and list on the subject line, MAM 2013 Submission. Pieces longer than 10 minutes will not be considered. Submission deadline is January 31, 2013. (posted 1/8/13)

Siblings Winnie (Elizabeth Liang) and Lou (Joseph Daugherty) share a kind moment in the world premiere of East West Players’ CHRISTMAS IN HANOI. Photo by MICHAEL LAMONT
Los Angeles, CA: East West debuts Christmas in Hanoi (posted 1/3/13)
- Minneapolis, MN: Mu premieres Tiger Among Us (posted 1/3/13)
December 2012
- Vancouver, BC: VACT presents Theory of Everything (posted 12/14/12)
- Seattle, WA: Pork Filled Players present a new Spam*O*Rama (posted 12/4/12)
- Tidbit!
David Henry Hwang and Adrienne Kennedy are among the legit creatives to make the list of this year's recipients of the USA Fellowships from United States Artists, the nonprofit with a mission to support artists in multiple disciplines.
Playwright Marcus Gardley, downtown choreographer-director Annie-B Parson, scribe-thesp-helmer Robbie McCauley and performance artists Guillermo Gomez-Pena and John Kelly also are among the stage artists to be named USA Fellows, which sees recipient receive $50,000 in unrestricted funds. USA awards a total of $2.5 million each year to a roster of 50 artists, with this year the number of creatives bumped up to 54 including collaborators. (posted 12/4/12)
Hwang is having something of a valedictory year. He's currently the focus of a season-long slate of his work at Off Broadway's Signature Theater (where his 1996 outing "Golden Child" is now playing), and this fall he was awarded the Steinberg Playwright Award, which comes with a hefty check of $200,000.
November 2012
- New York, NY: Golden Child receives second extension at Signature Theatre (linked 11/10/12)
- San Diego, CA: George Takei musical, Allegiance, breaks box office records (linked 11/10/12)
- London, England: The Royal Shakespeare Company had its own Nightingale controversy with their casting of The Orphan of Zhao. Here is a statement from British East Asian actors (posted 11/10/12)
- Tidbit!
Felix Racelis' one-act comedy, Forever Fog, has just been published in a Kindle edition, and his monologue Eleanor Triumphant is included in the recently published anthology interJACtions: Monologues at the Heart of Human Nature (Vol. 2), in both Kindle and paperback editions.
Please check out Felix's Amazon Author page.
- Los Angeles, CA: East West presents Tea, With Music (posted 11/10/12)
October 2012
- Seattle, WA, Azeotrope nabs four Gregory Awards (posted 10/30/12)
- New York, NY: 2g names new Artsitic Director (posted 10/26/12)
- Vancouver, BC: VACT presents MSG Lab (posted 10/26/12)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West presents Tea, With Music (posted 10/26/12)

Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua premieres new Sakamoto play, Fishing for Wives (posted 10/26/12)
- Tidbit:
Toronto: fu-GEN announces that Ravi Jain is their 2012 Artist-in-Residence! Ravi is a Toronto-based theatre-maker, producer, educator, and arts-activist. Currently, he is Artistic Director of Why Not Theatre, which produces a wide range of acclaimed local and international shows, and just closed a double-header of plays featuring film star Naseeruddin Shah at Daniels Spectrum. Ravi is the recipient of the 2012 Pauline McGibbon Award, honouring his work as a theatre creator and activist. Selected acting and directing credits include Iceland (winner of the NOW Audience Choice Award at Summerworks 2012), Civility (workshop with Daniel Brooks), the Dora Award winning SPENT, A Brimful of Asha (remounting at Tarragon Theatre in November 2012), The Prince Hamlet (2007), Winter Soldiers (2008), Streetscape: Living Space (2008), Greenland (winner of the top two prizes SummerWorks 2009) and No Entry (2011).
fu-GEN also announces their 10th Kitchen playwriting unit (K10) participants! Welcome Jenny Alexander, Qasim Khan, Gary Mok, Liam Morris and Vivian Or to the fu-GEN family. They continue our proud tradition of supporting emerging playwrights and navigating them through the minefield of play creation. The Kitchen has seen 62 writers through its doors in the last 10 years, and we¹ll be highlighting some of those works and artists throughout the season.
- Los Angeles, CA: Artists At Play premieres for LA Edith Can Shoot Things (posted 10/26/12)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West premieres Evoke (posted 10/7/12)
- Los Angeles, CA: Teada offering free Master Classes (posted 10/7/12)

Minneapolis, MN: Mu's Rick Shiomi wins Lifetime Achievement Award at the Ivey Awards (posted 10/3/12)
- Well, I almost forgot...
Seven Contemporary Plays from the Korean Diaspora in the Americas
ed. by Esther Kim Lee
• ISBN 978-0-8223-5274-7
A welcome new addition to the Asian American theatre library, this collection focusses on Korean American writers, who now seem to be the artistic leaders of this generation of Asian American artists.
This is an interesting collection, not only including the usual suspects like Julia Cho and Diana Son (who are represented by some offbeat but still appropriate selections), but including some criminally under-produced writers like Lloyd Suh and Sung Rno. The complete line up i
Edward Bok Lee • History K
Julia Cho • 99 Histories
Lloyd Suh • American Hwangap
Jean Yoon • Hongbu and Nolbu: The Tale of the Magic Pumpkins
Sung Rno • Yi Counts to Thirteen
Diana Son • Satellites
Hyoung H. Park • Mina
- Los Angeles, CA: Ovation nominated Brahmin and the Tiger returns from hereandnow (posted 10/3/12)
- New York, NY: NY Actress Christine Toy Johnson to Receive Wai Look Award (posted 10/3/12)
September 2012
August 2012
- New York, NY: David Henry Hwang wins Steinberg Award (posted 8/30/12)
- Los Angeles, CA: TeADA offers Fall classes (posted 8/30/12)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West offers fall playwriting classes (posted 8/30/12)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua presents One Comedy of Erras (posted 8/20/12)
- Tidbit! Vancouver, BC
Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre announces new board members:
Tetsuro Shigematsu, President
Tom Chin, Vice President
Belle Cheung, Director
Ray Hsu, Director
Wilfred Victoria, Director
Donna Yamamoto, Director
Winnie Chan, Treasurer
(posted 8/20/12)
- Los Angeles, CA: East West Players teams with Navarasa Dance Theatre for Encounter (posted 8/20/12)
- Seattle, WA: Pratidhwani presents The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) (posted 8/10/12)
- Honolulu, HI: Kumu Kahua presents Co-Lab Kaka'Ako (posted 8/10/12)
- San Diego, CA: La Jolla Playhouse (!) calls for Asian American actors (but no young Asian males---no doubt they'll make good use of Moroccan puppets). Posted 8/7/12
- Los Angeles, CA: East West remounts Three Years Swim Club (posted 8/6/12)
- Toronto, Canada: fu-GEN announces 10th Season! (posted 8/6/12)
- Tidbit!
fu-GEN is a resident company of the new studio space at the Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre, opening in September 2012. The space is managed by Native Earth Performing Arts, and is shared with us, Cahoots Theatre, and Kaha:wi Dance Company. It is the first space of its kind in Toronto to be managed by culturally diverse artists.
- Tidbit!
New anthology of Asian American short plays just published! Yellow Lens, edited by KS Stevens, is now available for purchase. Yellow Lens: Asian American Short Plays is an anthology of contemporary Asian American short plays. The plot for each short is rich and breaks apart stereotypes in the theatre. Not all characters are Asian American, but what makes the plays Asian American is the commitment to give each of her characters and the actors fresh voices that are not normally written for Asian American actors to perform. The characters and situations range from a teenage girl asking her grandmother (who collects cans for a living) for money to attend a concert, to two college students discussing the impact of recently having an abortion just weeks before they graduate from college, to a sorority pledge befriending a childhood friend. The plays include those that were in the original 2009 production, "The Relative," "Came To Believe," "Beauty and the Geek," "Twenty Dollars," "The Dinner Party," "The Breakup," as well as the bonus play "The Bonsai Tree."
July 2012
Old News
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