Chay Yew News

Joshua Piper is no stranger to the stage, whether it be performing or writing, the Junior at Wagner can give a piece or two of advice. Read in on my chat with him on advice for writers ranging from those waiting to get started and those anxious to get produced!

George Mason University's School of Theater has announced the Spring 2023 dates for its Guest Artist Series: Creating Anti-Racist Theater with leading voices from the theatrical industry discussing the logistics of making and cultivating Anti-Racist Theater.

Kristina Wong’s Pulitzer Prize finalist “Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord” will open at The Kirk Douglas February 15, 2023 (with previews beginning February 12th). Chay Yew directs this coproduction of Center Theatre Group and East West Players, with additional support from the Skirball Cultural Center. I managed to catch the ever-in-motion Kristina in Tempe, Arizona where she is the ASU Gammage Artist-in-Residence for three years.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre presents Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, a Signature Theatre production, performing at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre (2015 Addison St., Berkeley) beginning Saturday, February 25 and continuing through Sunday, April 2, 2023.

The Magic Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for the World Premiere of Luis Alfaro’s The Travelers. Directed by Catherine Castellanos, The Travelers will perform from February 15 – March 5, 2023 at Magic Theatre’s Fort Mason location.

Los Angeles based writer/actor Kristina Wong will kick off the 2023 Kirk Douglas season with her hilarious and heartfelt one-person play, “Kristina Wong, Sweatshop Overlord'.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation announced that the 2022 Joe A. Callaway Awards will be awarded to Saheem Ali for excellence in directing for Fat Ham (The Public Theater) and Josh Prince for excellence in choreography for Trevor: the Musical (Stage 42).

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for Lauren Yee’s Cambodian Rock Band, a Signature Theatre production, performing at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre beginning Saturday, February 25 and continuing through Sunday, April 2, 2023. 

TheFrontOffice Foundation is awarding a $25,000 mid-career grant to Mina Morita, the Director of Artistic & Artist Development at Crowded Fire Theater Company, that will serve as one of the largest financial awards to an individual director. 

Ars Nova has announced 13 new artists and groups selected for 2023 residencies. Ars Nova’s dynamic slate of artist residencies and commissions supports outside-the-box thinking and encourages innovative, genre-bending work.

East West Players, the nation’s longest-running Asian American theater and the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works, is launching its 57th anniversary season.

Good Night, Oscar starring Sean Hayes, announced that Marchánt Davis (Ain’t No Mo’), Alex Wyse (Waitress), Sam Bell-Gurwitz (Good Night, Oscar in Chicago), Postell Pringle (A Free Man of Color), and Max Roll (Mrs. Warren’s Profession) will be joining the company on Broadway.

Written by acclaimed Singaporean-born playwright and director Chay Yew (A Language of their Own, Wonderland), Porcelain is an examination of a young man's crime of passion. Triply scorned — as an Asian, a homosexual, and now a murderer — Chinese 19 year-old John Lee has confessed to shooting his Caucasian lover in a public lavatory in London. The play dissects the crime through a prism of conflicting voices: newscasts, flashbacks, and John's own recollections to a prison psychiatrist.

The Tony Award-winning Alley Theatre and Artistic Director Rob Melrose announced the cast and creative team of Cambodian Rock Band. The Signature Theatre Production of Cambodian Rock Band is co-produced with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, ACT Theatre/5th Avenue, and Center Theatre Group.

Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Youngblood program has announced new members for the 2022-2023 season: Lyndsey Bourne, K'yana Faulkner-Smith, Renae Jarrett, kl, Charlie Oh, Holly Settoon, Danny Tejera, and Susan Yassky.

At this evening’s performance of Good Enemy, due to an unexpected film commitment, Michael Urie will step in to cover the role usually played by Ryan Spahn.

wild project's F*ck7thGrade, with music, lyrics, and concept by Jill Sobule, book by Liza Birkenmeier and directed by Lisa Peterson with music direction by Julie Wolf, has extended through November 19. F*ck7thGrade began performances on Wednesday, October 12.

East West Players conclude their 56th season with Prince Gomolvilas’ The Brothers Paranormal opening November 20, 2022 (with previews beginning November 17th).  Jeff Lui directs the cast of David Huynh, Roy Vongtama, Tamika Simpkins, Jasper Louis, Emily Kuroda and Pearrie Hammie. Prince found some time before his lunch to answer a few of my queries.

Audible Theater is presenting the world premiere production of Good Enemy, written by Audible Theater Emerging Playwright Yilong Liu and directed by Obie Award winner Chay Yew. See photos from opening night below!

Audible Theater presents the world premiere production of Good Enemy. Read our interview with the show's author, Audible Theater Emerging Playwright Yilong Liu and its Obie Award-winning director, Chay Yew.