Durango by Julia Cho opens East West Players’ 42nd Anniversary Season

East West Players launches its 42nd Anniversary mainstage season with the west coast premiere of Durango. Writer Julia Cho and director Chay Yew have been working together on this play since its first reading at the Ojai Playwrights Conference in 2005.

“We are very excited to start our season by welcoming a rising artist like Julia Cho into our theater as well as bringing back one of our favorite directors, Chay Yew,” announced Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang. “This play has a very honest story that so many people -Asian-American or not - can identify with, exploring issues ranging from family pressure to personal identity to a failed American dream. As each character’s story unfolds, you find yourself second guessing their actions and choices in hopes for a storybook ending. But, the final destination these characters reach will be surprising, yet unnervingly realistic and understandable.”

Durango tells the story of a Korean-American family struggling with the desire to reach the fabled American Dream, but fall short due to their own personal conflicts. When Boo Seng-Lee’s work environment takes a sudden shift, he is unable to deal with his rage and forces an unexpected road trip to Durango on his sons, Jimmy and Isaac. Young adult Isaac fights with his inability to meet expectations with med-school applications while teenager Jimmy faces his inner demons when confronted with issues of race and sexuality.

An alumnus of the Juilliard School and NYU’s Graduate Dramatic Writing Program, Julia Cho is no stranger to theatre in Southern California where her show The Winchester House was performed at The Theatre @ Boston Court and The Piano Teacher recently played at South Coast Repertory. She is a current member of New Dramatists and has received several honors including the Barrie Stavis Award, the Claire Tow Award for Emerging Artists, and the L. Arnold Weissberger Award.

Obie Award winning director Chay Yew returns to East West Players for the first time since the 2004 production of David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly starring Arye Gross and Alec Mapa. He has written and directed several plays at East West Players including Red (2001), Sisters Matsumoto (2001), Golden Child (1999), Big Hunk O’ Burnin’ Love (1998), Whitelands (1996), Porcelain (1996), and A Language of Their Own (1996). He has received numerous honors including the London Fringe Award for Best Playwright and Best Play, GLAAD Media Award, East West Players’ Made in America Award, and the Robert Chesley Award.

The cast of Durango includes members from its original reading in 2005 at the Ojai Playwrights Conference. Actor Nelson Mashita returns to the role of Boo Seng-Lee, as well as John Apicella revisiting his performance as Jerry. Jin Suh, will also be returning to the play but in the role of Isaac, instead of the role of the youngest son Jimmy. New to this play will be actors Ryan Cusino as Jimmy and Alex Klein as Angel and Bob.

The creative team includes: set designer Donna Marquet, costume designer Dori Quan, lighting designer Jose Lopez, prop master Ken Takemoto, projection designer Jason Thompson, and sound designer John Zalewski.

All performances of Durango will be held at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Durango opens Wednesday, September 19th, 2007 and closes on Sunday, October 14, 2007. Opening night will be accompanied by a pre-performance cocktail reception and a post show reception with the cast and creative team. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm. Previews are Thursday - Saturday, September 13th – 15th at 8 pm and Sunday, September 16th at 2 pm. An American Sign Language-interpreted performance is scheduled for Sunday, October 7th, at 2pm.

General ticket prices are $35 in the orchestra and $30 in the balcony. Preview tickets are $20 for all seats. Opening night tickets are $60 for all seats. Tickets are currently on sale and can also be purchased in a subscription package to East West Players’ 42nd Anniversary Season. For ticket purchases, subscription requests or more information, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or visit East West . Senior, student and group discounts are available. Dates and details are subject to change.