All-Asian American Leads NAATCO's AWAKE AND SING!, Opening Tonight at The Public

The Public Theater presents NAATCO's acclaimed production of AWAKE AND SING! this summer for a limited engagement opening tonight, July 13, and running through August 1 at The Public's Shiva Theater (425 Lafayette Street). The National Asian American Theatre Company, under Artistic Producing Director Mia Katigbak and Associate Producer Peter Kim will kick off their 25th Season in residency at The Public with this classic Odets drama.

Stephen Brown-Fried directs an all-Asian American cast that includes Mia Katigbak recreating her OBIE Award-winning role as the matriarch Bessie along with Sanjit De Silva, Mel Duane Gionson, Teresa Avia Lim, James Saito, Jon Norman Schneider, David Shih, Alok Tewari, and Henry Yuk. AWAKE AND SING! will have scenic design by Anshuman Bhatia, costume design by Alexae Visel, lighting design by Gina Scherr, and sound design by Toby Jaguar Algya.

Considered Odets's finest play, AWAKE AND SING! premiered on Broadway in 1935, performed by the Group Theater. It is the story of the Bergers, a lower middle class, three-generation Jewish family living in a Bronx apartment during the Depression. Odets described it as "a struggle for life amid petty conditions," capturing the frenetic, pressured existence in this crowded dwelling with robust authenticity. The play recalls that this country was founded as the land of opportunity for immigrants who came with an enduring belief in the American dream. Odets's characters are all the parents, grandparents, and children who sought refuge and forged new lives. Families like these from around the world continue to make their way here every day, making Awake & Sing! as timely today as it was when it was first written.

Performances will be Mondays through Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. with matinees on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets for all seats for all performances are $45. To access tickets or for more information, visit www.publictheater.org or call 212-967-7555. You may also purchase tickets in person at the Taub Box Office at The Public Theater at 425 Lafayette Street.

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