Photos: AAPI: PLAYLIST VOLUME 2 Celebrates Heritage Month at The Green Room 42

Presented in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, AAPI: Playlist Volume 2 - Behind the Playlist transformed The Green Room 42 into a space for personal storytelling through music. Co-produced by Sooyeon Yoon and Chaeyeon Kim, the concert invited performers to share songs connected to memories, aspirations, relationships, and experiences that have shaped their lives.

The evening began with a hopeful rendition of Found/Tonight, performed by Karlo Siriban and Steven Dao. Combining themes of belonging and resilience, the opening number established the reflective tone that would carry throughout the concert.

Monica Ligh followed with Alicia Keys' If I Ain’t Got You, bringing warmth and sincerity to the classic ballad. Karlo Siriban returned alongside Chaeyeon Kim for All I Ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera, while Kim later offered a heartfelt performance of Oh My Beloved from Anna Karenina, highlighting both vulnerability and emotional depth.

One of the evening’s most personal moments came from co-producer Sooyeon Yoon, who shared how The Light in the Piazza helped inspire her journey into musical theatre. Her performance of The Beauty Is reflected that connection, exploring themes of wonder, love, and self-discovery. Later in the evening, Yoon joined Lav Raman for Let Me Be Your Star from Smash, a fitting tribute to the hopes and ambitions that often accompany a life in the performing arts.

Original work also found a place in the program. Joo Won Shin presented an original composition inspired by HBO series Euphoria, utilizing synthesizers, drum pads, and live looping to create one of the night's most distinctive musical experiences. The performance added a contemporary and experimental element to the concert's otherwise theatre-and-pop-driven repertoire.

Elsewhere in the program, Alice Kim Yu delivered Lea Salonga’s Two Words with grace and sincerity, while Minji Kim brought strength and conviction to Woman from The Pirate Queen. Jen Chia’s performance of Flying Away from Real Women Have Curves offered a sense of optimism and possibility, embracing the musical’s themes of growth and self-confidence.

Steven Dao’s interpretation of How Glory Goes from Floyd Collins provided one of the evening’s most reflective moments, balancing quiet storytelling with emotional honesty. Karlo Siriban later took the stage for the iconic anthem I Am What I Am from La Cage aux Folles, delivering a performance centered on self-acceptance and authenticity. Lav Raman continued that theme with Jazmine Sullivan’s Masterpiece, a celebration of confidence, individuality, and self-worth.

As the evening drew to a close, the entire company gathered for Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror. After a concert built around personal memories and defining life experiences, the finale served as a natural conclusion—reminding audiences that growth often begins with reflection and that every story shared throughout the evening ultimately leads back to understanding ourselves a little more deeply.

Through a blend of musical theatre, pop, and original music, AAPI: Playlist continued the series’ mission of highlighting AAPI performers while creating space for artists to share not only their voices, but the stories behind them.

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