Zions Bank in partnership with Spike150, CRWDA and Ogden Musical Theatre presented Gold Mountain, written by 2017 ASCAP Foundation's Cole Porter Award recipient Jason Ma as a series of semi-staged concert performances at the Regent Street Black Box at The Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City and in partnership with Ogden Musical Theatre, at the historic Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden, May 8 - May 11.
A paper son’s journey to Gold Mountain /
The Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once wrote, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
My journey to Promontory Summit in Utah to attend the Golden Spike’s 150th Anniversary began with a flight from Sea-Tac airport to Salt Lake City. The Golden Spike’s 150th events celebrate the contributions of the nearly 20,000 immigrant workers from different continents and cultures who helped to complete the first Transcontinental Railroad, nearly 150 years ago. Among them, historians estimate over 15,000 Chinese worked on the railroad during construction. The conference celebrating the Golden Spike’s 150th Anniversary was organized by the president of the Chinese Railroad Workers Descendants Association, Hon. Michael Kwan.
The week-long conference consisted of lectures, field trips, plays, and concerts that tell the story of the Chinese railroad workers. We attended “The Dance and the Railroad,” a play written by David Henry Hwang; “Gold Mountain,” a play written by Jason Ma; and “Salute to the American Dream: 150th Anniversary of the Golden Spike,” with the Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony at Temple Square, conducted by Mack Wilberg and featuring Brian Stokes Mitchell and Megan Hilty.
My CinemAsianAmerica /
For a years, I’ve had the idea to publish a photo book with stills from my films. Finally, after making my 7th feature The Unbidden, I’ve decided to take the plunge. Because I wanted to have complete control of my publication and distribution, I decided to try to publish it on Blurb.
The majority of the creative work came in selecting the images and making them look good. I had a really fun and nostalgic time in digging out photos from my films with my first experimental feature Flow having made in 1995. The evolution of my feature films not only reminds me of my growth as a filmmaker but it reflects the technological evolution of filmmaking from analog to digital. I feel lucky to have gone through this 2-decade of artistic journey.
David Henry Hwang
Tony-winning author of M. Butterfly
“Director Quentin Lee has created cutting-edge artistic works that have been before their time, and Cinemasianamerica is a testament of his vision over the years. These images hold up in 2019 and document the expressive power of some of best-loved actors and writers in the Asian Pacific American community.”
Santa Fe Opera announces plans to stage world premiere of M BUTTERFLY /
SANTA FE, N.M. -- World-premiere operas derived from the gender-bending Broadway hit "M. Butterfly" and from meditations on Victorian-era repression in Bram Stroker's "Dracula" are coming to the Santa Fe Opera and its open-air stage in the high desert.
Photo Flash: David Henry Hwang, Ali Ewoldt & More Attend SLAC's Utah Premiere Of DANCE AND THE RAILROAD /
On May 6th and 7th, the Salt Lake Acting Company (SLAC), Utah's leading destination for brave, contemporary theatre, presented the Utah premiere of David Henry Hwang's 1981 play, THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD. The special event is being presented as part of statewide festivities organized by Utah's Transcontinental Railroad 150th Celebration Commission, also known as Spike 150, which was founded by the Utah State Legislature and Governor Gary Herbert.
Overhauled ‘Flower Drum Song’ hits Palo Alto /
“Flower Drum Song” is a San Francisco story, but it changed a lot on its way back to the Bay Area. Originally a 1957 novel by Chinese-American author C.Y. Lee and set in San Francisco, it quickly was turned into a 1958 Broadway musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. After being adapted into a 1961 film, the musical fell into disuse, considered condescending and stereotype-ridden despite the creators’ best intentions.
Producing Honcho Thomas Schumacher on Disney Theatrical discusses Aida /
AN AIDA REVIVAL IS COMING
“I love Aida. We’re in the middle of developing Aida. We are going to do a reading very soon. David Henry Hwang is doing some stuff with the script. The director is Schele Williams, who was Nehebka in the original production.
New-York Historical Society Presents Excerpts Of David Henry Hwang And Huang Ruo's Opera, AN AMERICAN SOLDIER /
On April 23rd, the New-York Historical Society's latest installment of the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Distinguished Speakers Series showcased An American Soldier, a two-act opera composed by Huang Ruo, featuring a libretto by David Henry Hwang, in the Robert H. Smith Auditorium at the New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024.
Louise Mirrer, Ph.D., president and CEO of the New-York Historical Society, introduced the program. Dr. Agnes Hsu-Tang moderated an intimate conversation with Huang Ruoand David Henry Hwang, exploring their highly acclaimed work, which was hailed by the New York Times as among the Best Classical Music of 2018.
Read more at Broadway World
BWW Review: AIDA at The Singapore Airlines Theatre, An eye-opening performance from the upcoming local gems. /
"Leave! Go back, it is not safe here!" shouts came from the sides of the foyer as we were collecting our tickets at the box office. " We want our Egypt back!" there were protesters holding posters and signs. Suddenly one hurriedly came up to me and my friend, and thrust in our hands a flyer and told us to join him in the revolution, the flyer reads - 25 Jan 2011, Tahrir Square
We found ourselves in the conflict zone of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, where protesters on stage were shouting "Down with Mubarak!" as we entered The Singapore Airlines Theatre of LASALLE College of the Arts. We settled down to watch the latest production of Aida, as part of The Lasalle Show, an annual graduation showcase.
Read more at Broadway World
Columbia University School Of The Arts Presents New Plays Festival 2019 /
Columbia University School of the Arts presents seven new plays written by the Columbia MFA Playwriting Students of 2019. The esteemed faculty who have nurtured these students, including Tony©, Pulitzer, and Obie Award winners such as Charles Mee, Lynn Nottage, and David Henry Hwang invite you to experience these innovative new playwrights.
Palo Alto Players Presents FLOWER DRUM SONG /
Palo Alto Players continues its 2018-19 season with FLOWER DRUM SONG, Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang's new adaptation of the 1958 Rodgers and Hammerstein classic musical. Based on the 1957 novel "The Flower Drum Song" by Chinese-American author C. Y. Lee, FLOWER DRUM SONG, set in San Francisco's Chinatown, features a completely new book by Hwang
"The Dance and the Railroad" at Salt Lake Acting Company /
Paisley Rekdal is Utah Poet Laureate and a professor of English at the University of Utah. On May 6 and 7, she'll be giving a reading of "West: A Poem of the Transcontinental Railroad," commissioned for the 150th anniversary of the railroad. That's at Salt Lake Acting Company in conjunction with David Henry Hwang's "The Dance and the Railroad". Tickets and more information are available at saltlakeactingcompany.org
CAJSHS Drama Club to Present Disney’s Tarzan /
Taken in and raised by a tribe of gorillas, the young boy strives for acceptance by his ape father while grappling with his uniqueness.
When a human expedition enters their territory, Tarzan – now a man – encounters strangers like himself for the first time.
With heart-pumping music by rock legend Phil Collins, a book by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang, Tarzan is a show for the entire family to enjoy.
Disney’s Live-Action Movies Release Schedule For 2019 And Beyond /
Alan Menken; Stephen Schwartz; David Henry Hwang; Josh Gad
It was announced in January by Deadline that Disney was planning for a live-action, musical version of the animated film. The outlet reported David Henry Hwang was brought on to write the script and that composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz were writing music for the project. Actor Josh Gad is producing and rumors suggest he “might play the lead character.”
Travel to 1950s Tibet in CTM's latest /
CHILDREN’S THEATER OF MADISON | “TIBET THROUGH THE RED BOX”
When the Seattle Children’s Theatre commissioned playwright David Henry Hwang (“M Butterfly,” “Golden Child,” “Flower Drum Song”) to adapt “Tibet Through the Red Box” for the stage, the playwright wove in “Tibetan stories, a little bit of history, culture, Buddhism, the Dalai Lama – it’s all sort of sprinkled in there,” Sheridan said.
Peter Sis’ father landed unintentionally in Tibet in the 1950s, and that is fact.
But the stories he brought home from that faraway land seem almost too fanciful to be true: How he survived an avalanche, for example, or got lost in a Tibetan forest of rhododendrons. How a boy wearing jingle bells came to his rescue or how, after he lost consciousness in a snowstorm, he was nursed back to health by giant fairy beings.
Divided Loyalty: Being Chinese in America /
What is it like to be Chinese in America these days?
As anti-China rhetoric rises, Chinese in this country – from long-time U.S. citizens to newly arrived students – are placed on the defensive, often having to publicly declare their political loyalties. At the same time, the Chinese government – playing on ethnic loyalty – pulls on their heartstrings, with messaging aimed at gaining support for China’s policies.
Wednesday, March 13, 6:00–7:30 PM
Speakers: David Henry Hwang, Huang Ruo, Xin Wang, Nancy Yao Maasbach
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
David Henry Hwang on Theatre, Trump, and Asian-American Identity /
American writers don’t get much bigger than David Henry Hwang. The award-winning playwright’s best-known works, which include “FOB,” “M. Butterfly,” “Yellow Face,” and “Chinglish,” are some of the most acclaimed works in the modern theatrical canon. Indeed, Hwang’s influence on the American dramatic arts has been so profound that a society was established in 2016 for the scholarly examination of his works.
Palo Alto Players Announces 4th Annual Gala EAST MEETS WEST /
Palo Alto Players, the first theatre company on the Peninsula, will hold its fourth annual gala fundraiser on Sunday, March 17, 2019 at the University Club of Palo Alto, 3277 Miranda Avenue, Palo Alto. The evening, entitled EAST MEETS WEST, is inspired by the company's upcoming production of FLOWER DRUM SONG and will include selected songs from the David Henry Hwang revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, a guest performance by the Grant Avenue Follies dancers, exciting silent and live auctions, and the second annual Dessert Dash.
Opening Ceremony Designers Honor Asian Pioneers In Fashion Week Lookbook /
“The message we are saying is that community is everything, love yourself, and assimilation is passé.” — Humberto Leon
These designers are paying homage to inspiring Asians and Asian-Americans while making a fashion statement along the way.
Fashion brand Opening Ceremony, helmed by creative directors Humberto Leon and Carol Lim, released their look book, coinciding with February’s New York Fashion Week.
While the pieces in the catalogue are vibrantly stunning on their own, they’re even more striking because of those modeling them ― a cast of Asian and Asian-American pioneers, including the likes of renowned playwright David Henry Hwang, designer and actor Waris Ahluwalia, and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before author Jenny Han.
CBBC sitcom about British Chinese family accused of racism /
More than 100 Beats members have signed an open letter to the BBC and the production company Twenty Twenty to complain that the enlisting of a Chinese writer as a cultural consultant had been insufficient. “We do not accept the use of cultural consultants as replacements for British East Asian writers in a show where the raison d’etre pivots on the lives of a British Chinese family,” the letter says.
Signatories to the letter include the actors David Yip and Jessica Henwick and the American playwright David Henry Hwang.