Chen, Ho & More Lead THE NANJING RACE, Previews 10/29

Abingdon Theatre Company kicks off its 2010-2011 Season with the New York premiere of Reggie Cheong-Leen's award-winning play THE NANJING RACE, Directed by Brian Tom O'Connor

Previews begin October 29; Opening set for November 7.

Abingdon Theatre Company launches its 2010-2011 Season with Reggie Cheong-Leen's THE NANJING RACE, winner of a prestigious American Theatre Critics' Association Best Regional Play Award, set to begin previews October 29, prior to its official press opening November 7, at Abingdon Theatre Complex's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre (312 West 36th Street). Brian Tom O'Connor is set to direct.

In THE NANJING RACE, Philip, a gay Japanese-American businessman, visits Nanjing China in 1988. Yu Ahn, a hotel "floor-boy" befriends Philip in the hope of being sponsored to go to America. But it is Bao, another floor-boy, who intrigues Philip. Trapped in their social and racial identities, the three men struggle to come to terms with their desires and prejudices. THE NANJING RACE depicts an intimate culture-clash at an intriguing moment in recent Chinese history.

The cast of THE NANJING RACE includes James Chen (Pan Asian Rep's CHING CHONG CHINAMAN) as Bao; Marcus Ho (THE SHANGHAI GESTURE, Pan Asian Rep's SHOGUN MACBETH, NAATCO's THE SEAGULL) as Philip; and Ian Wen (Target Margin's DINNER PARTY, the feature film "Tie a Yellow
Ribbon") as Yu Ahn.

THE NANJING RACE features set and lighting design by Andrew Lu; costume design by Pam Prior; sound design by David Margolin Lawson; and fight choreography by Rick Sordelet.

Reggie Cheong-Leen's THE NANJING RACE is a recipient of the American Theatre Critics Association's Best Regional Play Award whose past honorees include Moises Kaufmann's 33 VARIATIONS, Lynn Nottage's INTIMATE APPAREL, and Nilo Cruz's ANNA IN THE TROPICS. THE NANJING RACE was first produced at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey. It has had staged readings at the Cleveland Public Theater and the Mark Taper Forum; and was presented in San Francisco at the New Conservatory Theatre.

Mr. Cheong-Leen's other works include CUT SLEEVES, SQUEEZE and ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS. He is currently working on OBSESSIONS, a new musical about a Chinese-American girl searching for her American father.

Director Brian Tom O'Connor helmed the first staged reading of THE NANJING RACE at Cleveland Public Theatre. New York credits: Jim Beggarly's SKELETON AT THE FEAST; Robert Cessna's DAVID AND ARTHUR, ARTHUR AND DAVID and FINAL VOWS; John Patrick Shanley's WOMEN OF
MANHATTAN and WELCOME TO THE MOON. He was artistic director of The New Moon Theatre Company in Vermont; and has collaborated with Debra Vogel on three revues, including GUY & DOLL and HOW TO BE PERFECT.

Since 1993, Abingdon Theatre Company has developed and produced new plays by American Playwrights exclusively. Our actors, directors, designers, producers and dramaturgs have collaborated with more than 200 playwrights to develop original plays. Under the guidance of Artistic Director Jan Buttram and Managing Director Sam Bellinger, the company provides a safe home in which playwrights collaborate with other theatre artists and receive audience feedback through the utilization of a four-step development process: Page 2 Stage, Staged Readings, and Workout Labs, which culminate in Studio and Mainstage Productions.

On Monday, October 18, Abingdon Theatre Company honors the acclaimed playwright (THE ENGLISH CHANNEL), producer and educator Robert Brustein during ABINGDON PLAYS TO WIN, its annual fundraising gala at Bridgewaters (11 Fulton Street, near South Street Seaport) in downtown
Manhattan, beginning at 7pm. The Monte Carlo-themed gala, which benefits Abingdon Theatre Company -- beginning its 18th season this fall with the New York premiere of Reggie Cheong-Leen's THE NANJING RACE (October 29-November 21) -- includes salutations to Mr. Brustein by his esteemed colleagues and the presentation of an "AB*IE Award" for his Excellence in Theatre.

In addition to THE NANJING RACE, Abingdon Theatre Company's current season of American plays includes the New York premieres of Joel Field's HOW I FELL IN LOVE, winner of the 2009 Christopher Brian Wolk Award, directed by Jules Ochoa (January 21-February 13, 2011); and Al Letson's SUMMER IN SANCTUARY, directed by Rob Urbinati (March 25-April 17, 2011).

Abingdon Theatre Company's 2010-11 Season productions are Equity Approved Showcases.

Reggie Cheong-Leen's THE NANJING RACE runs October 29 through November 21 at Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex's Dorothy Strelsin Theatre (312 West 36th Street): Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00pm; Fridays at 8:00pm; Saturdays at 2:00pm and 8:00pm; and Sundays at 2:00pm (with the following exception: special opening night performance, Sunday, November 7 at 5:00pm; no 2:00pm that day). Tickets are $25; www.abingdontheatre.org or 212-868-2055.

For more information, visit www.abingdontheatre.org