Lia Chang News

2019 Tony Award winner André De Shields spent his day off from HADESTOWN at The National Black Theatre Festival® (NBTF) in Winston-Salem, NC.

Asian CineVision opened The 42nd Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF42) with the timely immigration drama YELLOW ROSE on Thursday night at Asia Society in New York.

The Asian American arts community turned out for Wu Assassins stars Tzi Ma, Li Jun Li and Celia Au who were celebrating the release of the trailer for their new Netflix action series at The Concept, located in the cellar of Hotel 50 Bowery in New York's Chinatown on Tuesday, July 23rd. Assassins' themed Papo J's vodka cocktails and miniature cupcakes, created by Roger Yeh of YehCakes Custom Cakes, were served.

On Sunday night, Broadway veteran Elizabeth Ward Land debuted her new show, STILL WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE: THE SONGS OF LINDA RONSTADT at The Green Room 42, with Alan Muraoka ('Sesame Street') at the helm. Scroll down for complete coverage.

Prior to Thursday night's performance of Anais Mitchell's Hadestown, Tony and Emmy Award winner André De Shields was being honored at the annual Harlem Week kick-off reception at Gracie Mansion in New York.

On Sunday night, Iris Productions and Broadway Barkada presented the CRAZY FIERCE ASIANS concert at The Green Room 42 in New York.

Doug Nevin and Michael Urie, in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater closed out the Pride Plays' festival of play readings commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, with a benefit reading of Terrence McNally's Some Men, helmed by Logan Reed, on June 24 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater.

Doug Nevin and Michael Urie, in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater presented a reading of Chay Yew's A Language of Their Own on June 23rd as part of Pride Plays, a festival of play readings commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York. Nick Mayo serves as Festival Director.

Doug Nevin and Michael Urie, in partnership with Rattlestick Playwrights Theater presented a reading of Jonathan Tolins' The Last Sunday in June on June 23rd as part of Pride Plays, a festival of play readings commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York. Nick Mayo serves as Festival Director.

Now in rehearsals, Leviathan Lab presents a workshop production of FULL CONTACT, a new solo performance work written and performed by Ariel Estrada (Producing Artistic Director, Leviathan Lab; 2019 New York Foundation for the Arts, Arts Leadership Cohort; 2018 Theatre Communications Group, Rising Leader of Color).

Newly anointed Tony winner Andre De Shields capped off the theater award season by receiving the 2019 Richard Seff Award at Equity's Eastern Regional Board meeting on June 11th at Equity's office in New York.

Two River Theater presents Oo-Bla-Dee, written by Regina Taylor, featuring original lyrics by Taylor and original music by composer/orchestrator Diedre L. Murray, directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson. The choreography is by Kenneth L. Roberson and the music direction is by George Caldwell, with vocal arrangements by Carol Maillard.

Zhu Yi's YOU NEVER TOUCHED THE DIRT opened at The Wild Project (195 E 3rd Street) in Manhattan on June 6 as part of SUMMERWORKS, Clubbed Thumb's annual series of new plays. The limited run ends on Thursday, June 13 and due to popular demand, an additional 3:00 p.m. matinee has been added on June 13. Single tickets are on sale for $25 ($20 for students) here.

SUMMERWORKS, Clubbed Thumb's annual series of new plays is presenting YOU NEVER TOUCHED THE DIRT by Zhu Yi at The Wild Project (195 E 3rd Street) in Manhattan for a limited run through June 13. Opening night is tonight at 8:00 p.m.

Joel de la Fuente (Amazon's 'The Man in the High Castle,' 'Hemlock Grove') is reprising his Drama Desk nominated role as Gordon Hirabayashi and 30 other characters in Jeanne Sakata's powerful and timely award-winning play Hold These Truths for a limited run on the St Germain Stage at The Sydelle and Lee Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden Street, Pittsfield, MA through June 8.

Zions Bank in partnership with Spike150, CRWDA and Ogden Musical Theatre presented Gold Mountain, written by 2017 ASCAP Foundation's Cole Porter Award recipient Jason Ma as a series of semi-staged concert performances at the Regent Street Black Box at The Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City and in partnership with Ogden Musical Theatre, at the historic Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden, May 8 - May 11.

On This Side of the World, now playing at Access Theatre, has a cast that would make any production green with envy. From song to song they deliver both a technical high gloss and a go for broke sincerity. They perform with the conviction of actors who know that what they're undertaking is important and, indeed, it is. What is offered by this hour and a half long song cycle is a rare ground floor view of the lives of the Filipino community. However, this gloss doesn't just describe the technical quality of the musicianship of both the cast and orchestra, but also the manufactured sheen of the musical composition, which investigates little.

On May 6th and 7th, the Salt Lake Acting Company (SLAC), Utah's leading destination for brave, contemporary theatre, presented the Utah premiere of David Henry Hwang's 1981 play, THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD. The special event is being presented as part of statewide festivities organized by Utah's Transcontinental Railroad 150th Celebration Commission, also known as Spike 150, which was founded by the Utah State Legislature and Governor Gary Herbert.

Jason Ma and his company of Asian American actors are currently in rehearsal at different venues around Salt Lake City for the upcoming semi-staged concert presentations of his new musical Gold Mountain, which has sold out its Salt Lake City run. Those hoping to catch one of the Spike 150 celebration performances can see this original musical in nearby Ogden.

NYC-based theatre collective Three Hares is presenting a new song cycle with music and lyrics by Paulo K Tirol titled, 'On This Side of the World,' running May 2 - May 12 at Access Theater in Tribeca, New York. The team is a recipient of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's 2019 Creative Engagement grant, which is awarded to artists with 'diverse artistic experiences' whose work 'contributes to the vibrancy and sustainability of our communities' - and that can certainly be expected this Spring. Scroll down to meet the cast and creatives.