Emmy and Obie-winning actor John Leguizamo hosted this year’s ceremony, celebrating Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theatre. Unlike most theatre awards, the Obies do not announce formal nominees or categories, instead recognizing all works and artists deemed worthy of distinction by a panel chaired by Village Voice critic Michael Feingold.
Presenters included Tony winners Matthew Broderick, David Henry Hwang, Natasha Katz, William Ivey Long, Rebecca Taichman, and David Zinn.
The American Theatre Wing (Heather Hitchens, President and CEO) and The Village Voice (Peter Barbey, President and CEO) announced the winners of the 63rd Annual Obie Awards® last night, May 21 at Terminal 5. Presenters included: Tony Award and three-time Obie Award winner David Henry Hwang.
China’s growing influence and the state of American politics are providing the backdrop for a new production called “Soft Power”.
It comes from the mind of playwright David Henry Hwang. He’s the first Asian-American to win a Tony award.
CGTN’s May Lee spoke to him about the show and his prolific career.
Seeing David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori jaywalk across Geary Street unencumbered by an entourage, you might not peg them as the creators of the most anticipated new show on the West Coast. Their play, “Soft Power,” opened the night before in Los Angeles to raves, and the two seemed giddy at this affirmation of four years of toil, with Hwang supplying the book and lyrics and Tesori the music.
Ask any Asian-American what their favorite problematic musical is and they are likely to name one of these three: The King and I, Miss Saigon, or Flower Drum Song. For me—and I feel some shame admitting it—it’s The King and I. I swooned when I saw the recent revival at Lincoln Center, directed by Bartlett Sher, featuring Kelli O’Hara’s soaring soprano and Ken Watanabe’s sexiness. As soon as the boat carrying Anna Leonowens sailed onstage (literally), I was hooked despite myself.
So was playwright and diversity advocate David Henry Hwang.
The world premiere of David Henry Hwang's musical play “Soft Power” brought droves of Asian-Americans to the Ahmanson in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Ming-Na Wen; Jeff Yang, his son Hudson and his fellow “Fresh Off the Boat” cast members, Forrest Wheeler, Evan Chen and Lucille Soong; “Silicon Valley’s” Tzi Ma; and Parvesh Cheema were among guests at the opening.
With a tip of the hat to “The King and I,” “Soft Power,” with music by Jeanine Tesori, is a bit of a fantasy that shifts the balance of global power from the U.S. to China after Hillary Clinton loses the 2016 presidential election.
Throughout his career as an actor and a singer, Conrad Ricamora says, he has always aimed to “combine my American-ness with my Asian-ness.” It wasn’t until he began work on his latest project, however, that he felt like he’d fully succeeded.
The “How to Get Away With Murder” star returns to the stage in “Soft Power,” which opened Wednesday at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Billed as a “play with a musical,” the satirical show features the Tony Award-winning talents of playwright David Henry Hwang and composer Jeanine Tesori.
Raymond Francisco (then known in theater circles as RS Francisco) became the toast of the Manila theater scene in 1990 when he portrayed the role of Song Liling in David Henry Hwang’s Tony Award-winning play, “M. Butterfly,” in a production by Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. The role of the French diplomat Gallimard was played by the late firebrand director Behn Cervantes.
The world premiere of "Soft Power" by David Henry Hwang (play and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori opened last night at the Ahmanson Theatre. Check out photos from opening night below!
This play with a musical, produced by Center Theatre Group, directed by Leigh Silverman and choreographed by Sam Pinkleton, is currently in previews and continues through June 10, 2018. Following its run at the Ahmanson, "Soft Power" will play San Francisco's Curran from June 20 through July 8, 2018.
Playwright David Henry Hwang won a Tony Award in 1988 for his play, “M. Butterfly.” Composer Jeanine Tesori won a Tony in 2015 for writing the music for “Fun Home.”
They are two of the most respected and sought-after theater artists working today. And now they’ve collaborated on a new show called “Soft Power.”
Yet there was there was something about their musical “The King and I” that had rankled him for years — and he knew he wanted to do something about it.
Two and a half years ago, Mr. Hwang, the only Asian-American playwright to win a Tony, approached another Tony winner, the composer Jeanine Tesori, with an idea. (Mr. Hwang won for “M. Butterfly,” and Ms. Tesori won for “Fun Home.”)
He's a heavy breather, he snuffles like a piglet and he's an incorrigible face-licker. His name is Wilbur, and he's actor Conrad Ricamora's French bulldog. He's also a regular presence on set during rehearsals for Ricamora's show "Soft Power," which opens Wednesday at the Ahmanson Theatre.
The hair and make-up department keeps treats for Wilbur, and the cast and crew have come to rely on him for emotional support and comic relief. Workshopping a new musical from a powerhouse creative team at L.A.'s highest profile theater is not exactly easy.
The 2016 Election, China and Romance Come Together in David Henry Hwang’s World Premiere ‘Soft Power’
DTLA - The 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I is known for lavish dance numbers and heartbreaking songs, such as “Shall We Dance,” about the burgeoning romance between Western tutor Anna and the King of Siam. In the decades since its debut, however, it’s been criticized for patronizing, Western-centric politics and a history of casting white actors as Asian figures.
ST. LOUIS - Opera Theatre St. Louis continues to make opera fun and approachable to all. There are pre-show picnics and post-show cocktails with the casts. Plus, the 2018 Festival Season includes the world premiere of the two-act version of Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s "An American Soldier."
By some strange coincidence, white people visiting exotic lands in movies often wind up counselors to local leaders, ultimately introducing civilizing principles that help pave the way to a better future. It occurs in The King and I, The Last Emperor, Seven Years in Tibet and others; often enough to raise suspicions. It’s an example of “soft power,” strong U.S. cultural and intellectual influences delivered via popular entertainment.
When playwright David Henry Hwang saw Broadway’s recent revival of The King and I, in which the recalcitrant King of Siam is made amenable through his relationship with an English tutor, the ending moved him nearly to tears, even though many of the show’s narrative elements struck him as factually inaccurate.
It's almost here: Opera Theatre of St Louis presents its 27th world premiere, the two-act version of “An American Soldier” by Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang.
Center Theatre Group hosted a teen youth summit for high school students on May 4. Students had the opportunity to participate in workshops, interview American playwright David Henry Hwang, and watch the premiere of Hwang’s latest play, “Soft Power” at the Ahmanson Theatre.
Columbia University School of the Arts is thrilled to announce its inaugural International Play Reading Festival, set to take place in the new Lenfest Center for the Arts from June 15 to 17, 2018. Organized by Dean Carol Becker and David Henry Hwang, the festival will present readings of three plays by living international playwrights that were not originally written in English:
SOFT POWER, the first collective creation of Tony Award winners David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, will world premiere at the Ahmanson under the auspices of Center Theatre Group, in association with East West Players and the Curran, opening May 16, 2018. A look back from the future, SOFT POWER rewinds our current political events and presents it through the eyes of a visiting Chinese executive.
Center Theatre Group recently invited donors, board members and press to a luncheon and talkback with David Henry Hwang in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion ballroom overlooking downtown Los Angeles. After lunch, Center Theatre Group Artistic Director, Michael Ritchie, moderated a conversation with Hwang on his collaboration with Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home), a new play with a musical called Soft Power.
