Pan Asian Rep to Honor Ako, Asian American Arts Alliance, & Lauren Yee

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre will honor actress Ako, service organization Asian American Arts Alliance (A4), and playwright Lauren Yee at its 2024 Art & Action Benefit Dinner. The festive event, which takes place on May 16 at the Golden Unicorn in Chinatown at 18 East Broadway, celebrates those who make a difference. Tickets are currently on sale. 

The benefit will be emceed by Erin Quill and Henry Yuk. Presenters include playwright Leah Nanako Winkler, who will salute Ako; Andrea Louie, former Executive Director of Asian American Arts Alliance, who will salute A4; and director May Adrales who will salute Lauren Yee.

Pan Asian Rep’s Art & Action Benefit dinner will begin at 6:00pm with wine and appetizers. A traditional Chinese banquet will follow at 7pm. The presentation of salutes will begin at 8pm. Proceeds from the event will support Pan Asian Rep’s 47th millstone season which included the world premiere of Warrior Sisters of Wu. Individual tickets begin at $300 with tables of ten starting at $5,000, which can be purchased online at www.panasianrep.org/47th-benefit-dinner.

Pan Asian Rep’s Benefit Committee includes Tisa Chang, Abby Felder, Lucy Kan, Victor Kan, Dora Lu, Patricia Malone Chin, Lu Yu, Erin Quill, Mel Young, and Henry Yuk.

Please visit www.panasianrep.org for additional information.

About the Honorees

Ako

Born in Japan and raised in Tokyo, Ako (honoree) is a former member of the world-famous Takarazuka Revue Company. Following a successful stage and television career in Japan, Ako moved to New York. She has appeared in films including SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS directed by Scott Hicks, a BBC-film called PRISONERS IN TIME with John Hurt, I ORIGIN, TOO TIRED TO DIE, SHADOW PLAY, DAITORYO NO CHRISTMAS TREE, NO RESERVATIONS and TWELVE directed by Joel Schumacher. Television work includes 30 ROCK, MERCY. New York Off Broadway productions include GOD SAID THIS,(Lucile Lortel award leading actress nomination), KENTUCKY, SUICIDE FORREST, SAYONARA, MOSCOWx6, SONG OF SONG OF SONGS, TAMAR OF THE RIVER, TEA WITH THE HAIKU GEISHA, TWO CITIES, TEA HOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON, A MAJORITY OF ONE, SHOGUN MACBETH, GASHRUM KOTWAL, Velina Hasu Houston’s plays TEA and KOKORO.She was an Oregon Shakespeare Festival acting company member in the 2010-2012 seasons; she played Lady Asaji (Lady Macbeth) in ‘THRONE OF BLOOD’ which transferred to BAM as a part of the Next Wave Festival, JULIUS CAESAR, LOVES LABOURS LOST, WHITE SNAKE and THE SEAGULL. Ako appears as Daiyoin in the popular FX series ‘SHOGUN.’

 

The Asian American Arts Alliance

(honoree) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring greater representation, equity, and opportunities for Asian American artists and cultural organizations through resource sharing, promotion, and community building. Since 1983, A4 has sought to unify, promote, and represent the artistic and cultural producers of one of New York City’s fastest-growing populations. They are a diverse alliance of artists, organizations, and arts supporters who believe that working together as a pan-ethnic, multidisciplinary community is essential to nurturing the development of artists and arts groups. A4 serves as a thoughtful convener of the Asian American cultural workforce around issues of race, identity, and artmaking and provides a critical voice for this community. They are the only service organization in the country dedicated to the professional development of Asian American artists in all disciplines. www.aaartsalliance.org
 

Lauren Yee

Lauren Yee’s (honoree) CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND, with music by Dengue Fever, premiered at South Coast Rep, subsequent productions at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, City Theatre, Merrimack Rep, Signature Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and Jungle Theatre/Theater Mu. Her play THE GREAT LEAP has been produced at the Denver Center, Steppenwolf, Seattle Repertory, Atlantic Theatre, the Guthrie Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre, Arts Club, InterAct Theatre, Portland Center Stage, and Asolo Rep. Honors include the Doris Duke Artists Award, Whiting Award, Steinberg/ATCA Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters literature award, Horton Foote Prize, Kesselring Prize, Primus Prize, a Hodder Fellowship at Princeton, and the #1 and #2 plays on the 2017 Kilroys List. She's a Residency 5 playwright at Signature Theatre, New Dramatists members, Ma-Yi Writers’ Lab member, and Playwrights Realm alumni playwright. TV credits: PACHINKO (Apple), INTERIOR CHINATOWN (Hulu), BILLIONS (Showtime), THE STERLING AFFAIRS (FX), SOUNDTRACK (Netflix). BA: Yale. MFA: UCSD. www.laurenyee.com

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