East West Players Extends ON THIS SIDE OF THE WORLD

Snehal Desai, Producing Artistic Director of East West Players (EWP) the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater and the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works, has announced the extension of the world premiere musical On This Side of the World. With music & lyrics by Paulo K Tirol and created with & directed by Noam Shapiro, this currently running production originally set to close June 4 adds four more performances and will close June 10, 2023. 
 
In addition to the previously scheduled performances of On This Side of the World, East West Players adds the following performances to the production’s run:
 
Thursday, June 8 at 8pm
Friday, June 9 at 8pm
Saturday, June 10 at 2pm
Saturday, June 10 at 8pm
 
In On This Side of the World, a woman flies from the Philippines to America with a one-way ticket and a suitcase full of stories. Each story is collected from immigrants who came before her. Suspended above the ocean, she replays these stories in her mind as she searches for the courage to embrace her future. This world premiere musical gives voices to Filipino immigrants navigating old lives and new beginnings, eight-thousand miles from home. 
 
East West Players producing artistic director Snehal Desai says “We are so grateful for how readily and enthusiastically our community has embraced On This Side of the World. It’s so great that this musical has struck a chord with the children of immigrant parents like myself–this is not a story that we often see on our stages. The response has been overwhelming, and we wanted to make sure that everyone who wants to see the show gets the opportunity to.”
 
The cast of On This Side of the World comprises Steven-Adam Agdeppa* (EWP’s Crazy Talented Asians, The Wallis’ Invincible: The Musical, La Mirada Theatre’s Grease! & In the Heights), Zandi de Jesus (Miss Saigon, La Jolla Playhouse’s Most Wanted, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Nat’l Tour), Michael C. Palma* (EWP’s Mamma Mia! & Imelda: A New Musical, Cold Tofu Improv), Cassie Simone* (La Mirada Theatre’s Hunchback of Notre Dame & RENT, A Noise Within’s Man of La Mancha), Andrea Somera (EWP’s Assassins, A Noise Within’s A Christmas Carol), Shaun Tuazon* (EWP’s Mamma Mia!, San Diego Rep’s Vietgone). Melvin Biteng (Disney Jr. Live: Costume Palooza Nat’l Tour, Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!) and Justine Rafael (EWP’s Crazy Talented Asians, Paris Las Vegas’ Bat Out Of Hell) understudy this production.
 
The creative team includes direction by Noam Shapiro, music direction by Jennifer Lin and Marc Macalintal, choreography by Allen Lucky Weaver, orchestration by Ian Miller, scenic design by Yi-Chien Lee, sound design by Maddi Deckard,  projection design by David Murakami, costume design by Jaymee Ngernwichit, properties design by Glenn Michael Baker, lighting design by Szu-Yun Wang, and stage management by Edward Khris Fernandez*.