East West Players & UCLA Presents CRIMES OF THE HEART, Previews 11/4

East West Players (EWP), the nation's premier Asian American theatre, continues to "Shake It Up" with its 45th Anniversary season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play CRIMES OF THE HEART by Beth Henley, directed by Leslie Ishii, presented in association with UCLA Department of Asian American Studies and Pacific Asian Counseling Services. The cast of this production includes Maya Erskine, Kimiko Gelman, Elizabeth Liang, Hiwa Bourne, Tim Chiou, and Jason Sino.

In CRIMES OF THE HEART we meet three delightfully dysfunctional sisters: Babe has just shot her husband, Meg is fresh from the loony bin, and Lenny celebrates her birthday alone by sticking a candle in a cookie. This Southern classic with an Asian American cast will be an unforgettable night of laughter and tears in East West Players style.

"We want theatre to be powerful a tool to heighten the awareness of vital issues and historical facts in our community," says Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang. "East West Players continues to participate on a deeper level to enlighten and educate our community of historic information of Asian communities living in the South provided by UCLA Department of Asian American Studies and the vital services available for domestic abuse and mental health provided by Pacific Asian Counseling Services."

UCLA Department of Asian American studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, their history, communities, and contemporary issues. It studies the experiences of immigrants and succeeding generations within the changing context of US society, politics and culture and illuminates our understanding of race relations, gender roles, labor, policy-making, and citizenship. As the largest Asian American Studies (AAS) program in the country, with more than 40 affiliated faculty, the department offers courses ranging from literature, history, cultural studies, sociology, and anthropology to film, journalism, and law.

Pacific Asian Counseling Services mission is to enrich the lives of children and families through counseling and caring. PACS provides culturally sensitive and language specific services with expertise in the immigrant Asian Pacific Islander populations. PACS has three offices located in Long Beach and the South Bay Cities, South Central and West Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley. Working collaboratively with other agencies serving APIs, PACS is involved in several programs that are countywide.

CRIMES OF THE HEART is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. Generous support for this production is provided by the California Community Foundation, Shubert Foundation, The LA Board of Supervisors through the LA County Arts Commission, City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.

All performances of CRIMES OF THE HEART will be staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. CRIMES OF THE HEART opens Wednesday, November 10, 2010 and closes on Sunday, December 5, 2010. Opening night will be accompanied by a pre-performance cocktail reception and a post show reception with the cast and creative team sponsored by Southern California Edison. Performances are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Previews are Thursday - Saturday, November 4 - November 6 at 8pm and Sunday, November 7 at 2pm. The Pay-What-You-Can Performance will be held Wednesday, November 24 at 8 pm with a suggested $5 minimum donation.

General Tickets range from $35 - $45. Preview tickets are $20 for all seats. Opening night tickets are $65 for all seats. Tickets are currently on sale. For ticket purchases or more information, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org. Senior, student and group discounts are available. Dates and details are subject to change.