Conrad Ricamora on His Bumpy Road to ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ / January 23, 2022 by David Hwang

The actor reflects on continuing the Off Broadway revival’s hot streak, and fighting against the stereotypes facing Asian American actors.

Since it opened in October 2019, Michael Mayer’s well-received “Little Shop of Horrors” revival has drawn quite the handsome string of leading men: Jonathan Groff was the first to step into Seymour Krelborn’s Converse sneakers, and he was followed by Gideon Glick and Jeremy Jordan. This reflects the casting evolution of the character, a painfully shy plant geek. Not many roles have been played by both Rick Moranis (in the show’s 1986 movie adaptation) and Jake Gyllenhaal (in a 2015 concert production).

When asked about joining this, ahem, hot streak, Conrad Ricamora burst out laughing. “I played a nerdy IT guy for six years on ‘How to Get Away With Murder’ so I don’t know if there’s a full consensus that I’m in the Jake Gyllenhaal Hall of Fame of Hot Actors,” he said.

Kennedy Center & Washington National Opera Presents / January 16, 2022 by David Hwang

A surveyor ponders the meaning of memory and monuments. A young girl scout seeks a place for herself in history. A Black father and son find themselves on opposite sides of a same-sex marriage rally. And the vision of 22-year-old Asian American undergraduate Maya Lin is the catalyst for a reappraisal of the Vietnam War. Their stories come together on March 5-25, 2022, when the Kennedy Center presents the Washington National Opera (WNO)'s world premiere production of Written in Stone. A jewel in the crown of the center's landmark 50th anniversary season, this evening-length experience comprises a prologue and three short one-act operas, inspired by some of Washington, D.C.'s iconic monuments to ask timely questions about the ways we memorialize history, the stories we tell, the voices we amplify, and what our choices tell us. Commissioned by WNO from the creative pairings of Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran, Kamala Sankaram and A.M. Homes, Marc Bamuthi Joseph and Carlos Simon, and Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang, these compelling new works celebrate the diversity of contemporary America while confronting some of its most divisive fault lines and offering the hope of catharsis.

Read more at Broadway World

New Documentary Reveals Illuminating Perspectives On Asian American Theater Over The Past 20 Years / January 16, 2022 by David Hwang

In The First Twenty: 20 Years of Asian American Playwriting, the voices and perspectives of six Asian American theater luminaries are brought to life through a series of thoughtful and engaging interviews that move far beyond identity politics.

The First Twenty, an initiative from ALL ARTS, invites artists from diverse and traditionally underrepresented communities to create original content that reflects their insights, discoveries and hopes for the future after the shifts of the last 20 years.

A Ma-Yi Theater Company production under the direction of Ralph Peña, The First Twenty highlights the perspectives of David Henry Hwang, Young Jean Lee, Mike Lew, Rehana Lew Mirza, Qui Nguyen, Lauren Yee and Chay Yew.

Insightful throughout and at times disarming, this newest documentary illuminates the evolution of Asian American theater over the last two decades.

The film examines the shift in how Asian American plays are broadly perceived, as well as the widening scope of subjects tackled by Asian American writers that move far beyond identity politics.

At a time when Asian American representation in the creative arts is more important than ever, the artists featured in the documentary are presented with an opportunity to weigh in on personal experiences with racism and to provide valuable insight into why visibility matters.

David Henry Hwang: ‘Tick, Tick … Boom!’ is ‘Heart-Wrenching Love Letter’ to Follow Dreams Despite Rejection / December 25, 2021 by David Hwang

For Variety‘s Writers on Writers, David Henry Hwang pays tribute to “Tick, Tick … Boom!” (screenplay by Steven Levenson; based on the musical by Jonathan Larson).

Movies about writers are notoriously difficult, since the central action of the protagonist is largely cerebral. Here, that protagonist is composer-dramatist Jonathan Larson, whose musical “Rent” defined a generation.

However, this story is not about the making of “Rent,” which would build to a victorious if bittersweet ending (Larson tragically passed away before the show’s first performance). Instead, “Tick, Tick … Boom!” concerns an earlier show, “Superbia,” abandoned by its author after a disappointing developmental workshop.

Photos: SLAVE PLAY Celebrates Re-Opening Night on Broadway / December 9, 2021 by David Hwang

Slave Play, the ground-breaking work by Tony Award nominee Jeremy O. Harris under the direction of Tony Award nominee Robert O'Hara, re-opened just last night at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street).

Following the run at the August Wilson Theatre, the Broadway production, under the direction of O'Hara, will travel to Los Angeles as part of Center Theatre Group's upcoming Mark Taper Forum season. Casting for the CTG run of Slave Play will be announced shortly.

Slave Play received 12 Tony Award nominations, the most for any play in Broadway history and the 2019 production was the best reviewed play of the year.

Among those in the reopening audience were Dominique Morisseau and David Henry Hwang.

Read more at Broadway World

Guggenheim Works & Process’ 2022 Spring Season / December 9, 2021 by David Hwang

“Works & Process,” the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, has announced the spring 2022 season. Here is a look at the operatic workshops that the Guggenheim will offer.

The Washington National Opera will present “Written in Stone” with Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang, and Kamala Sankaram and A.M. Homes. The work is inspired by iconic monuments in Washington, D.C., and the ideals embodied by President Kennedy. “Written in Stone” is a series of intimate short works interwoven into a single evening celebrating the Kennedy Center’s 50th anniversary. For one night only, prior to the March world premiere, select creators of “Written in Stone” will discuss their creative process with Artistic Director Francesca Zambello. Cast members will also perform highlights illuminating the intimate stories that celebrate diversity and acknowledge the struggles of today’s America.

Workshop Date: Feb. 6, 2022

Works & Process At The Guggenheim Announces Spring 2022 Season / December 5, 2021 by David Hwang

Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, has announced its spring 2022 season Featuring Commissions Celebrating New York's Modern, Street, and Vernacular Dance and Beatbox artists, and World Premiere of Third Bird by Isaac Mizrahi, Nico Muhly, and John Heginbotham. Throughout the pandemic, Works & Process continued to provide opportunities for artists and pioneered the bubble residency to support their work safely.

Season at a Glance:

New York City Ballet: Silas Farley

Alethea Pace and Yin Yue

Washington National Opera: Written in Stone with Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang and Kamala Sankaram and A.M. Homes

Read more at Broadway World

Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Sergio Trujillo, David Henry Hwang and More Will Take Part in EPIC / December 5, 2021 by David Hwang

Other speakers will include Misty Copeland, Paul Tazewell and more.

The Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry Conference (EPIC) is thrilled to announce some of Broadway's best to join a multi-national and highly regarded group of entertainment industry leaders to participate in the first-ever, 24-hour global online event for everyone working in, aspiring to work in, or wishing to explore the arts and entertainment sector.

A diverse and dynamic group of more than 100 speakers and panelists are coming to EPIC to share their stories and perspectives in 50 unique sessions, representing four pillars: CREATE, PERFORM, DESIGN, and PRODUCE. Never before have these leaders come together on one platform and in one conference for interviews, panels, and discussions about the evolution of the arts and entertainment industry.

Read more at Broadway World

‘Billion Dollar Whale’ Series Adaptation in the Works From SK Global, Westward / November 29, 2021 by David Hwang

“House of Cards” creator and showrunner Beau Willimon and his Westward producing partner Jordan Tappis will work with “Crazy Rich Asians” co-financier SK Global to develop a TV series based on the blockbuster novel “Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World.”

SK Global and Willimon’s independent film, TV and music studio Westward will independently finance and oversee all stages of development and production.

David Henry Hwang — the three-time Pulitzer finalist and playwright, librettist, screenwriter and Columbia University professor, known for his works “M. Butterfly,” “Yellow Face” and “Soft Power” — will write and executive produce. Other executive producers include Willimon, Tappis, SK Global co-CEOs John Penotti and Charlie Corwin and SK Global president of TV Marcy Ross. Actor Michelle Yeoh will also be a producer on the series.

‘Billion Dollar Whale’ Series Adaptation In Works From SK Global & Westward / November 29, 2021 by David Hwang

House Of Cards creator and showrunner Beau Willimon and his Westwardproducing partner Jordan Tappis have teamed with Crazy Rich Asians’ co-financier SK Global to develop a television series based on Tom Wright and Bradley Hope’s bestseller Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World. Tony Award-winning M. Butterflyplaywright David Henry Hwang is attached to write the adaptation and executive produce.

SK Global and Westward will finance and oversee all stages of development and production.

Join the Global EPIC Event Now! / November 20, 2021 by David Hwang

The Entertainment and Performing Arts Industry Conference (EPIC) is a 24-hour Global Event for everyone working in, aspiring to work in, or wishing to explore the arts and entertainment sector. Misty Copeland (Principal Dancer at ABT) Michael Curry (Visionary Puppet Designer), Natasha Katz (6 time Tony Award Winning Lighting Designer), David Henry Hwang (Playwright, Librettist, and Screenwriter, Tony Award Winner and three-time nominee, three-time OBIE Award Winner, and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist), Patti Murin (Broadway & TV Actor, Singer, Dancer), Tara Rubin (Casting Agent), Gilles Ste-Croix (Co-Founder of Cirque du Soleil), Paul Tazewell (Tony Award Winning Costume Designer), and Sergio Trujillo (Tony & Olivier Award Winning Choreographer) are all speakers at EPIC.

The National Arts Centre and Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Television Special on CBC/Radio-Canada / November 19, 2021 by David Hwang

Star-studded lineup includes Lorne Cardinal, Elisapie, Pura Fé, David Henry Hwang, Hugh Jackman, Blake Lively, Karen Kain, Tina Keeper, Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Annie Murphy, Steven Page, Cobie Smulders, and many more

The National Arts Centre (NAC), in partnership with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation (GGPAAF) and Vérité Films, is delighted to announce the star-studded lineup and new details about the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards one-hour television special that will air on CBC/Radio-Canada on CBC TV, ICI TÉLÉ and the free CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV streaming services on Friday, November 26 at 7 p.m. | 7:30 NT. The program will also be available on demand for a limited time on both CBC Gem and ICI TOU.TV.

HE LINEUP

The many special guests paying tribute to the laureates are a remarkable group who represent the diversity, breadth and excellence of the performing arts in Canada. They include:

For Alexina Louie: Radio host, author and musician Tom Allen; composer David Henry Hwang; pianist Jon Kimura Parker; composer and conductor Alex Pauk; radio host, producer, writer and musician Paolo Pietropaolo; and writer and actor Dan Redican and film director Larry Weinstein; with a performance by Vania Chan and Justin Cho;

‘The First Twenty’ highlights Asian American playwrights with Bay Area ties / November 9, 2021 by David Hwang

“People of color are used to watching stories about white people and empathizing with them,” says playwright David Henry Hwang in the documentary “The First Twenty: 20 Years of Asian American Playwriting.” “And the reverse has to happen as well.”

The 30-minute film, a production of Ma-Yi Theater Company, surveys how Asian American drama has evolved in the first 20 years of our new millennium. Many interviewees have strong Bay Area ties, including Hwang (Stanford grad), Lauren Yee (San Francisco native) and Young Jean Lee (Stanford professor). And others are hardly strangers; Lloyd Suh’s “The Chinese Lady” was produced at Magic Theatre in 2019, and ACT mounted Qui Nguyen’s “Vietgone” the previous year.

The film — which premieres online Tuesday, Nov. 9, via All Arts, an arm of New York’s PBS stations — offers theater fans a chance to meet some of the voices behind a vital, dynamic branch of American storytelling.

20 Years of Asian American Playwriting / November 9, 2021 by David Hwang

Luminaries explore Asian American playwriting, including David Henry Hwang, Young Jean Lee, Mike Lew, Rehana Lew Mirza, Lauren Yee, Chay Yew, Qui Nguyen and Lloyd Suh. Created by Ralph B. Peña of Ma-Yi Theater Company. Audio description, captions.

See more at Thirteen PBS

Isabel Leonard, Michael Fabiano, Quinn Kelsey, Kangmin Justin Kim, Jamie Barton Headline Santa Fe Opera’s 2022 Season / November 7, 2021 by David Hwang

Santa Fe Opera has announced its 2022 festival, which will run between July 1 through August 27, 2022.

The season will include five new productions, 38 performances, one world premiere, one company premiere, and an international co-production. In sum, there will be 26 artists making their debuts and another 29 returning to the company.

Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s “M. Butterfly” will world premiere in a production by James Robinson. Carolyn Kuan conducts a cast headlined by Mark Stone, Kangmin Justin Kim, Hongni Wu, Kevin Burdette, and Joshua Dennis.

Performance Dates: July 30 – August 24, 2022

SF Opera plans return to five productions in 2022 / November 7, 2021 by David Hwang

After going dark in 2020 and offering only four operas and reduced seating this summer, the Santa Fe Opera plans to be back in 2022 with postponed programming and a standard five-opera season.

There will be 36 performances of the operas, all in new productions, as well as two evenings of scenes by the apprentice singers and technicians, General Director Robert Meya announced in a virtual event Thursday.

The season opens July 1, with Georges Bizet’s Carmen, followed the next evening by Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff on July 16, Richard Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde on July 23, and the world premiere of Huang Ruo’s and David Henry Hwang’s M. Butterfly on July 30.

“Yellow Face” Opens the Conversation with Satire – Nov. 4th -7th / November 7, 2021 by David Hwang

Continuing Culver City High School’s Academy of Visual and Performing Arts tradition of thoughtful, relevant theater, the AVPA/CTE Theatre has the immense honor of putting on “Yellow Face” by David Henry Hwang. Debuting Thursday evening, November 4 and running through Sunday, November 7, 2021, the production is a collaboration with East West Players Theatre Company, and Stephanie Lee as guest director. Professional actor Christopher Chen will be onstage with the theater students as David Henry Hwang’s father, Henry Hwang.

For technical theatre students, AVPA has partnered with professional designers from the industry to come in as design mentors for each department within the production team.

“Yellow Face” is a wonderful satire that uses comedy to discuss important and difficult issues such as race in America, representation in the arts, and cultural appropriation. The theatre staff, and guest producers and directors created a series of professional development opportunities to accompany the play, so CCUSD teachers can use the themes and issues to educate and empower other students to learn from Yellow Face.

Curtain Calls: East Bay company to premiere romantic comedy ‘Chinglish’ / November 7, 2021 by David Hwang

Story showing in Castro Valley highlights importance of having your own interpreter as cultures collide

It’s red-carpet-premiere time for Plethos Productions as it presents David Henry Hwang’s “Chinglish” in Castro Valley, starting Nov. 6.

Showing at the Chabot Theatre, 2853 Castro Valley Blvd., this romantic comedy highlights the importance of having your own interpreter as cultures collide in a hilarious way as the story revolves around Daniel, an American businessman trying to land the deal of a lifetime in China. The show features Will Livingston as Daniel and Lan Zhong as the woman across the negotiating table. The cast also includes Tony Cardoza as Daniel’s unhinged consultant, Xun Zhang as the powerful Chinese minister, with Byron Guo, Bingcong Zhu and Skyler Riordan as an assortment of terrible translators who add mayhem to this comedy of errors.

Applications are now open for Columbia University's MFA in Theatre / November 7, 2021 by David Hwang

Columbia University School of the Arts MFA in Theatre CONCENTRATIONS Acting, Directing, Playwriting, Dramaturgy, Stage Management, and Theatre Management & Producing, Theatre JD/MFA INFORMATION SESSION: Saturday, November 6 at 11am ET REGISTER.

APPLICATION DEADLINES Directing: December 1, 2021 All other Concentrations: January 5, 2022

Composer Huang Ruo and Writer David Henry Hwang Talk M. BUTTERFLY in New Panel / November 3, 2021 by David Hwang

In a new panel hosted by Works and Process at the Guggenheim, composer Huang Ruo and writer David Henry Hwang discussed their newest collaboration, "M. Butterfly” opera.

Inspired by the true story of a French diplomat who carried on a twenty-year love affair with a star of the Peking Opera, "M. Butterfly” opera is based on Hwang's 1988 Pulitzer Prize finalist and Tony Award-winning Broadway play of the same name.

Read more at Broadway World