CAA Amplify Town Hall To Address Surge Of Violence Against Asians; Kelly Marie Tran, Lisa Ling, Simu Liu, David Henry Hwang, H.E.R. and more Set To Make Appearances

At the top of the pandemic, when former reality show host Donald Trump referred to the coronavirus as the “China Virus” and “Kung Flu”, violence and harassment against Asians and Asian Americans started to surge. This all came to a head on March 16 when Xiaojie Tan, Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun Gonzalez, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Hyun Grant, Suncha Kim and Yong Ae Yue were senselessly murdered by a man who, according to authorities was “having a bad day” when it was clear as day that this was a hate crime.

Featured CAA Amplify Town Hall speakers and appearances, among others, will include:

• Actor and Co-Founder of RUN AAPI, Chloe Bennet

• President of Anthem of Us, Anurima Bhargava

• Writer and Cultural Strategist, Jeff Chang

• Founding Partner of Stop AAPI Hate and Co-Executive Director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, Cynthia Choi

• Academy Award-Nominated and Grammy Award-Winning singer and songwriter, H.E.R.

• Co-Founder of The Hundreds, Bobby Hundreds

• Playwright and Screenwriter, David Henry Hwang

• Co-Founder of RUN AAPI, Brad Jenkins

• Actor, Minari, Alan Kim

• Most Decorated U.S. Figure Skater, Michelle Kwan

• Artistic Director of The Young Vic, Kwame Kwei-Armah

• U.S. Congressman (D – Los Angeles County), Ted W. Lieu

• Journalist, Lisa Ling

• Actor, Author, and Activist, Simu Liu

• Founder and CEO of Rise, Amanda Nguyen

• Actor, Author, and Co-Founder of ActToChange.org, Maulik Pancholy

• Tony and Grammy Award-Nominated Actor, Emily in Paris, Ashley Park

• President and CEO of TIME’S UP Foundation and TIME’S UP Now, Tina Tchen

• Actor and Producer, Raya and the Last Dragon, Kelly Marie Tran

• Actor, Advocate, and Producer, DeWanda Wise

• Comedian, Writer, and Actor, Jenny Yang

Read more at Deadline

Actor George Takei, Playwright David Henry Hwang Discuss Fight For Change As Anti-Asian Attacks Spike In U.S.

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — There has been an alarming rise in attacks against Asian Americans over the past year.

As more people offer support for this diverse community, there are two high-profile celebrities who’ve been fighting for change for decades, CBS2’s Cindy Hsu reported Monday.

In the last year, nearly 4,000 Asian hate incidents were reported nationwide. But there’s a long history of anti-Asian violence in the U.S.

Hsu spoke with Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang, who was stabbed in the neck in Brooklyn five years ago while walking home from the grocery store.

“Turned out that the attacker had severed my vertebral artery. I’d lost about a third of my blood,” Hwang said. “But I was out of the hospital in about three or four days. So I was a lot more fortunate than many attack victims.”

Read more at CBS New York

Asian and Pacific Islander Theatre Artists Call for Unity and Strength in Anti-Hate PSA

The video includes dozens of Broadway alums, including David Henry Hwang and Lea Salonga.

A new PSA from the Consortium of Asian American Theatres & Artists (CAATA) calls for AAPI theatre artists to stay strong and unite against the hate faced by Asian Americans that is making headlines around the world. The video features over 50 theatre artists, including Ann Harada, Lea Salonga, Jenna Ushkowitz, Ruthie Ann Miles, Marc delaCruz, and Telly Leung. 

“As storytellers, we know the importance of representation on stage and in films and media. We speak our truths in the face of apathy and hatred,” the artists collectively say. “Whatever platform you have, use it.”

The video begins with a quote from Soft Power, the 2020 Pulitzer Prize finalist with a score co-written by David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori, that explores the Asian-American experience. Conrad Ricamora and Francis Jue, who starred in The Public's Off-Broadway premiere production of the musical, both appear in the PSA, as does Hwang.

Stop AAPI Hate: A Resource Guide to Support the Asian-American Community 

See more at Playbill

WATCH: Lea Salonga, David Henry Hwang and Hoon Lee Urge Support of #StopAsianHate in Digital Video Series

The video series also features Kelly Marie Tran, Constance Wu, MILCK,epresentative Grace Meng (D-NY), Isa Briones, Jon Jon Briones, Jake Choi, Midori Francis and more.

Today, Jess McLeod (Resident Director, Hamilton Chicago), Arianna Afsar (Singer/Actor, Hamilton/Netflix's Wedding Season), Eric Keen-Louie (Producing Director - La Jolla Playhouse), and Lauren Yee (Playwright, Cambodian Rock Band) announced the launch of a celebrity digital video campaign aimed at raising awareness about the dramatic rise in hate crimes against the Asian American community. The series was coordinated in collaboration with Parag Parikh (Director, South Asians for Biden) and playwright Stefani Kuo.

Watch videos at Broadway World

AAPI Broadway Unites on Stars in the House- Live at 8pm!

Stars in the House continues tonight (8pm ET) with #AAPI Broadway with Ann Harada, David Henry Hwang, Jose Llana, Ruthie Anne Miles and Pearl Sun joined by a special guest from the National Immigration Law Center.

Stars in the House, which officially kicked off on March 16, 2020 is a daily series that features stars of stage and screen singing or performing plays live (from home!) to promote support for charitable services for those most vulnerable to the effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Joining Seth and James for the shows is Dr. Jon LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News.

Thanks to YOU Stars In The House has raised over $750,000 for The Actors Fund and over $203,000 for other organizations including: The Trevor Project, You Gotta Believe, NAACP LDF, Cats4CovidRelief, The Humane Society of New York, Broadway at CBST, Greater Orlando Performing Arts Relief, Cancer Support Community, New York Gay Men's Chorus, Youth Pride Chorus, and Tonewall and Bullets to Books (The Jüdische Kulturbund Project).

Read more at Broadway World

Representation isn’t just about visibility. Shootings remind us it’s about life and death

Francis Jue as DHH in David Henry Hwang’s “Soft Power” at the Ahmanson Theater in 2018.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“Who lives, who dies, who tells your story?” In a single line from the final song of “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda nails the cultural struggle of our age. 

The battles of #OscarsSoWhite, #MeToo, Black Lives Matter and cancel culture are part of the escalating war over the American narrative. The conflict isn’t only about who tells the story but also how it is being told. What are the assumptions of the storyteller? Whose experience is being prioritized? And, most important, which audience is being addressed?

In the last week, I’ve been thinking about the immigrant workers in Martyna Majok’s plays, the house cleaners, caregivers and sweatshop drones of “Ironbound,” “Cost of Living” and “Queens.” And I’ve been haunted by what happened to playwright David Henry Hwang, who included in his book for “Soft Power” (the musical he wrote with Jeanine Tesori that had its premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in 2018) his experience of being stabbed while carrying groceries near his Brooklyn home.

Read more at Los Angeles Times

May Adrales Named Next Artistic Director of the Lark

NEW YORK CITY: The Lark, an international play development laboratory dedicated to amplifying the voices of playwrights, has announced that May Adrales, the acclaimed director of Vietgone and Luce, will serve as its new artistic director. After an inclusive search process led by ALJP Consulting, Adrales was selected by a committee composed of Lark artists, staff, and board members to succeed founding artistic director John Clinton Eisner, who announced his departure after 27 years last week. Adrales will lead the organization alongside executive director Stacy Waring.

Adrales has a long history with the Lark, having first come to the company through the New Generations Future Leaders Fellowship from TCG, and later serving as the its director of artistic programs.

“The Lark…by creating a dynamic, radically supportive and inclusive space for living theatremakers, has influenced and shaped me to be the artist I am today,” said Adrales in a statement. “My vision for the Lark is to wholly empower artists and encourage their fullest potential by providing artistic, financial, and career-building support. My hope is that the work created under the wing of the Lark reveals the widest range of human experience and works towards an equitable, compassionate, and imaginative world.”

As the Lark’s director of artistic programs, Adrales played a leading role in designing artistic programs that continue to be core to the Lark’s play development process, including Monthly Meeting of the Minds, Winter Writers’ Retreat, and Playground. In her acclaimed career as a director, Adrales has also directed numerous world premieres and productions of Lark-affiliated writers, including Katori Hall, David Henry Hwang, Rajiv Joseph, including Katori Hall, Rajiv Joseph, David Henry Hwang, A. Rey Pamatmat, Idris Goodwin, Chisa Hutchinson, Lloyd Suh, Thomas Bradshaw, and Lauren Yee.

Read more at American Theatre

“Soft Power” was inspired by playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang’s experience of being stabbed

“Soft Power” was inspired by playwright and librettist David Henry Hwang’s experience of being stabbed near his Brooklyn home in 2015.

His assailant was never apprehended, and some believe the incident was an anti-Asian hate crime. “All the Asian Americans I know, we’re very conscious of feeling a more hostile environment,” Hwang says of the recent rise in anti-Asian violence. “It started last spring. You would just get a different vibe from people. I got yelled at in a doctor’s office. I was having a regular checkup, and someone in the waiting room yelled, ‘Have you been to China?’” Hwang is hopeful that the success of filmmakers like Jon M. Chu, Lulu Wang, Chloé Zhao and Lee Isaac Chung is a sign that Hollywood finally has “the willingness to look at Asian American stories as not only marginalized stories but as stories that have universal appeal.”

Read more at Variety

David Henry Hwang, Eva Noblezada Join Asian- American Focused EMPATHY CONCERT

Broadway artists will focus on how we can confront fear and racism with empathy and understanding.

Hosts Elliott Masie and Telly Leunginvite you, to spend an hour with amazing Broadway talents and learning leaders as they provide an uplifting set of perspectives on the role of Empathy in our lives on Monday, March 1st.

The 29th Empathy Concert will feature artists from the Asian American community, performing and discussing how we can confront fear and racism with empathy and understanding.

This week's concert will feature prominent Asian artists including Tony nominee Eva Noblezada, Raymond J. Lee, and Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang.

Read more at Broadway World

John Clinton Eisner Retires After 27 Years as The Lark's Artistic Director

The Lark Founder John Clinton Eisner is retiring after 27 years as the artistic director of the international play development laboratory. His replacement, selected last month, will be announced in March.

During Eisner’s tenure, The Lark established new initiatives and programs to support the development of new plays and the playwrights who author them. The company, founded in 1994 as a counterpoint to a commodity-based culture of theatre, currently prioritizes voices that have been historically under-resourced and marginalized through fellowships that support artists at all stages of their careers, including the Apothetae and Lark Playwriting Fellowship and Initiative, which supports Disabled playwrights, the Van Lier New Voices Fellowship, which supports playwrights of color aged 30 and under, and the Venturous Fellowship, supporting risk-taking plays.

"John Eisner created and guided the Lark to become a vanguard organization, empowering playwrights when our plays were in danger of being over-developed by theatres and facilitating international exchange when few other organizations supported this work,” added Lark board member and playwright David Henry Hwang. “Now, The Lark is transforming to meet the needs of today, by welcoming exciting new leadership which will help guide post-pandemic theatre to greater artistic excellence through equity, diversity, and inclusion. We are deeply grateful to John for his service, vision, and hard work, and wish him well on his next creative chapter. He remains an inspiration to us all."

Read more at Playbill

Humberto Leon, Carol Lim, and 9 of Their Closest Friends on Celebrating Lunar New Year Through Food

Back in January of last year, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim made the announcement that Opening Ceremony was to be acquired by Italy’s New Guards Group, marking a bold new chapter in the now 18-year-old history of one of New York’s most dynamic and agenda-setting brands. Of course, it was only a matter of weeks until the industry all but shut down—but it’s testament to Lim and Leon’s sense of purpose and strength of vision that even as the world around them shifted beyond recognition, their outlook on this new iteration of Opening Ceremony has never faltered. 

The first collection under the brand’s new guise was released just earlier today, instantly proving that the events of the past year have done nothing to dampen their signature eye for graphic prints, bold color, and street-ready silhouettes. “This is the start of a new beginning for Opening Ceremony,” says Leon. “We are venturing into new territory with our entire collection made in Italy, we have a new President and our first female Vice President who is like us, a person of color—it’s time to celebrate this amazing achievement.”

So what exactly will Lim and Leon be doing to ring in this new chapter? Under normal circumstances, the pair would be fêting the Lunar New Year surrounded by friends and family—but of course, with the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, things will be looking a little different this year. “During this time period, we always celebrate Lunar New Year with friends and enjoy a delicious meal with multiple courses ranging from a variety of meat and seafood, soups to noodles and a delicious nian gou for dessert,” says Leon. “We wanted to continue that regardless of COVID.” Adds Lim: “If we were in Los Angeles, we would drive to other family members’ houses and all bow to our elders and say to them: 새해 복 많이 받으세요 (saehae bok mani badeuseyo), which means, I wish you a lot of luck in this new year. This year especially we will be wishing everyone a healthy 2021.”

In the spirit of family that underpins both the Lunar New Year celebrations and the Opening Ceremony brand philosophy more broadly, Lim and Leon brought together nine of their closest friends and collaborators for Vogue to share their New Year traditions, their favorite festive dishes, and how they’re adapting to celebrate this year. Here’s to bringing in the Year of the Ox in style.

David Henry Hwang, playwright and screenwriter

How will you be celebrating the Lunar New Year differently this year?
We won’t be able to throw our usual dumpling-making party with friends and neighbors, but still plan to make dumplings for two at home.

What are some of the Lunar New Year traditions that you always stick to, and why?
I was born in Los Angeles, where I grew up as part of an extended family of evangelical Christians. We didn’t celebrate Lunar New Year; in fact, I never even knew when the holiday was happening, except that sometimes, my relatives would say, “We can’t go to Chinatown today because it's New Year's and the place is going to be so noisy with fireworks!” In high school, my Chinese American girlfriend and her family did celebrate Lunar New Year, so I started to learn some traditions. She taught me that you're not supposed to wash your hair on New Year’s, a practice I still tend to follow ... unless I forget.

What’s your favorite Lunar New Year dish? Do you have any quirks or tips for preparing it?

Read more at Vogue

American Lyric Theater Announces Opera Writers Symposium

The American Lyric Theater has announced a free Opera Writers Symposium scheduled between Feb. 27- April 24, 2021.

The course aims to offer artists an opportunity to check out the American Lyric Theater’s Composer Librettist Development Program. The Symposium is open to all artists in all genres of music and literature. Artists with no previous experience in opera are encouraged to participate.

The Symposium will feature ATL’s founder Lawrence Edelson alongside Associate Artistic Director Kelly Kuo, who will lead the symposium course “From Erased to Self-Empowered: Celebrating BIPOC Opera Composers and Librettists.”

Other course topics include “Opera, Technology, and Innovation” which will be taught by composers Kamala Sankaram and Jorge Sosa, as well as “The Architecture of Opera,” presented by composer / librettist Mark Adamo. Other presentations include “How to Have a Happy Marriage: Collaboration Best Practices,”  and “Writing Opera and the Law.”Other guest speakers will include Missy Mazzoli, Huang Ruo, Anthony Davis, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Errollyn Wallen, Mark Campbell, Thulani Davis, Andrea Davis Pinkney, and David Henry Hwang.

Read more at Operawire

Carly Hughes to Host Theatre Forward Gala, With Guests George Salazar, Anika Noni Rose

Theatre Forward, the nonprofit organization that supports a network of 19 prominent regional theaters across the country, will host its annual gala on February 8 at 8pm ET.

Carly Hughes (Pippin) will host the event, which will have performances and appearances by Jason Robert Brown, Kate Baldwin, George Salazar, Anika Noni Rose, Shaina Taub, Taylor Iman Jones, the Bengsons, Branden Noel Thomas, David Henry Hwang, Ashley Park, Taylor Louderman, Richard Thomas, Regina Taylor, Kathleen Chalfant, Will Power, and more.

Read more at Theatremania

Theatre Forward 2021 Virtual Gala

On February 8, 2021, Theatre Forward, a non-profit arts organization based in New York City, will hold its annual Gala virtually, celebrating regional theatre and its champions. The festivities will begin at 8:00 pm ET and will include mixed-media performances from regional and Broadway stars across the country, a silent online auction, and special guest appearances from Theatre Forward's national network of theatres in a celebration of the champions of regional theatre.

Performers and special guests will include Jason Robert Brown (The Last Five Years); Kate Baldwin (Hello, Dolly!); George Salazar (Be More Chill); Anika Noni Rose (Caroline, or Change, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG); Shaina Taub (Public Works' Twelfth Night); Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels); The Bengsons (Hundred Days); Branden Noel Thomas; David Henry Hwang (Soft Power); Ashley Park (Mean Girls); Taylor Louderman (Mean Girls); Richard Thomas (The Little Foxes, THE WALTONS); Regina Taylor (I'LL FLY AWAY); Kathleen Chalfant (Wit); Will Power (Fetch Clay Make Man) and others. Theatre representatives will include Joseph Haj (Guthrie Theater); Robert BarryFleming (Actors Theatre of Louisville); and Jennifer Bielstein (American Conservatory Theater). The night will be hosted by stage and screen actor Carly Hughes (Pippin, AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE).

Read more at Broadway World

Over 160 Asian American Leaders Unite Behind Goodwin Liu for California Attorney General

In a joint letter submitted today (1/26/21), prominent Asian Americans in the arts, entertainment, law, business, nonprofits, academia, medicine, and philanthropy urged Governor Gavin Newsom to appoint California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu as the state’s next Attorney General.

The over 160 signatories include luminaries such as civil rights leaders Dale Minami, Stewart Kwoh, and Karen Korematsu; former Hawai‘i Attorney General David Louie; LGBTQ+ rights advocates Helen Zia and Mia Yamamoto; YouTube co-founder Steven Chen and founding Google board member Ram Shriram; award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang; bestselling author Amy Tan; famed architect Maya Lin; AIDS researcher and former TIME Person of the Year Dr. David Ho; award-winning filmmakers Janet Yang, Richard Chew, and Freida Lee Mock; and actor and social justice activist George Takei.

Read more at Davis Vanguard

Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame Live-Action Remake Is Getting Closer Teases Josh Gad

Josh Gad offers a promising update on the status of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame live action remake.

A live action remake of The Hunchback of Notre Dame was first announced around two years ago, with the project expected to be take inspiration from the animated adventure, while adhering closer to Hugo's novel. The movie has tapped Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang to write the remake, with the legendary Alan Menken on board to produce the music alongside Stephen Schwartz.

Beauty and the Beast and Frozen star Josh Gad has now offered a succinct-yet-promising update on the live action remake of Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. Gad recently responded to a question from a fan on social media, who asked what is going on with the remake, and whether it had been postponed or cancelled as so many projects have been amid the ongoing global situation. Thankfully, that does not appear to be the case.

Read more at Movie Web

Chita Rivera, Andréa Burns, David Henry Hwang and More Feature in New Inclusive Education Series

Digital Theatre+ has brought together some of Broadway's leading talent for Musical Matters, a 5-episode conversation series exploring inclusivity and representation in musical theatre. Hosted by actor, writer, and advocate for inclusion Christine Toy Johnson, each episode of the series focuses on the lived experiences of the featured artists and how representation impacts the work they create and perform.

Talent includes:

• Andréa Burns - star of In The Heights and The Nance

• Nikki Renée Daniels - star of Hamilton and The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess

• David Henry Hwang - Tony Award winner and writer of M. Butterfly and Chinglish

• Lisa Kron - Tony Award winner and writer of Fun Home and 2.5 Minute Ride

• Jose Llana - star of The King and I and Here Lies Love

• Chita Rivera - Tony Award winner and star of West Side Story and Chicago

• Aneesh Sheth - star of Bombay Dreams and Southern Comfort

• Ali Stroker - Tony Award winner and star of Spring Awakening and Oklahoma!

• Alexandria Wailes - star of Spring Awakening and Big River

• George C. Wolfe - Tony Award winner and director of Jelly's Last Jam and Caroline, or Change

• Hosted by Christine Toy Johnson, star of Come From Away

At a time when conversations on inclusivity have never been more important, and as many academic institutions across the globe are still learning remotely, Musical Matters brings important discussions on race, gender and sexuality, and disability center stage through an accessible online format via the Digital Theatre+ website. 

Read more at Broadway World

2021 Grammy Awards Postponed; Take a Deep-Dive Into the Best Musical Theater Album Nominees

This year's nominees include cast members from Soft Power, Jagged Little Pill, and more.

Owing to the substantial uptick in Covid-19 cases in the Los Angeles area, the Recording Academy and CBS have pushed the 2021 Grammy Awards from January 31 to March 14.

With that in mind, we thought it was time to explore, in depth, the 2021 nominees in the category of Best Musical Theater Album. Those eligible for the award include the vocalists featured on 51 percent or more playing time of the album, lyricists and composers of a new score that makes up 51 percent or more playing time of the album, and the producers of, you guessed it, 51 percent or more playing time of the album.

So here's the lineup for who's actually eligible to win, as per the Grammy's website right now:

Soft Power (Original Cast Recording)
Principal soloists: Francis Jue, Austin Ku, Alyse Alan Louis, and Conrad Ricamora
Writers: Jeanine Tesori (composer and lyricist) and David Henry Hwang (lyricist)
Producer: Matt Stine

Read more at Theatremania

CAA Signs David Henry Hwang, Tony Award-Winning ‘M. Butterfly’ Playwright

EXCLUSIVE: David Henry Hwang, the Tony Award-winning M. Butterfly playwright currently writing the script for a live-action musical film adaptation of Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, has signed with CAA.

Hwang, the first and to-date only Asian American playwright to win the Tony Award for Best Play, is a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist. His most recent show, Soft Power, written with composer Jeanine Tesori and directed by Leigh Silverman, premiered at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and opened in New York at the Public Theater. A finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Drama,Soft Power won six Ovation Awards for the Los Angeles production. The cast album was recently nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

Read more at Deadline.

The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards Postponed as Coronavirus Cases Surge in California

The 63rd annual Grammy Awards, which was originally set to air on January 31 on CBS, are being postponed to March 14 due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 in California, Rolling Stone reports. As previously announced, Jagged Little Pill, American Utopia, Soft Power, Little Shop of Horrors, Amélie and The Prince of Egypt are in the running for Best Musical Theater Album.

Read more at Broadway.com