dueEast Theatre Company

Dedicated to Performing Arts which highlight the talents of Asian-American performing artists be they playwrights, actors, dancers, choreographers in the Chicago area. DueEast will dedicate its seasons to the presentation and performance of stories that chronicle the Asian-American experience past and present, histories in Asian culture, and through the performing arts, reach out to the Chicago community in the hopes of dispelling stereotypes about Asian-Americans.

About due East Theatre company—

In 1997, Allen Hope Sermonia, had moved from North Carolina to start an inclusive Asian-American company in Chicago. The time seemed right because so many young companies were beginning to see some regional recognition including Lookingglass, Roadworks, and Defiant. All of these companies were diverse in nature and somehow had found a their niche in a community that would support them in their endeavors. The theatrescape was rife with artistic growth. In the spirit of the time, Allen joined an up-and-coming theatre company, Wing and Groove Theatre company and soon after that, he would join TriArts, Inc. With Wing and Groove, he became a company manager and performer. Eventually, TriArts would make Allen its Marketing director. The all-inclusive Asian-American theatre company would be put on the back burner for the time being.

Fast forward to 2000, co-Artistic Director of TriArts ,Troy Fujimura, and Allen begn talking about the feasibility of an all-inclusive Asian-American theatre company in Chicago. The inherent problem was this: there are many different diverse cultures and how can one theatre organization possibly service them all?

The answer is: work backwards. Address the needs of the modern Asian-American through Art. The commonality of experience that American-born Asians face is the idea of Identity. As children, they are taught assimilate into the new culture at the cost of often losing touch with the culture from which they came. In order to go forward in the new culture, in order to go forward effectively, it seems to reason, that we must know where the journey started, who the people were who started it for us, and which direction we, as Asian-Americans, want to go.

Due East wishes to present or produce stories on stage that speak on this subject.

Therefore, the Performing Arts, might act as a catalyst to self-discovery pointing its audience in a new direction: due East.

Future Projects:

Oral histories—

The idea is to link the past with the present through the telling of personal oral histories. dueEast invites an older first generation Asian-American to come in and tell the audience their story. The interviewee is asked questions about their American experience, their trials as well as their triumphs as they made their way to this country in search of their goals.

Questions? Email gwangung@u.washington.edu