Photo Flash: Ali Ewoldt, Jonny Lee, Jr. And Alan Ariano Featured In Jason Ma's GOLD MOUNTAIN at MOCA's Lunar New Year Soiree

Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) presented the MOCA 2019 Lunar New Year Soirée at the famed Rice & Gold, a unique Asian Eatery in the Hotel 50 Bowery on February 20, 2019.

Excerpts from Jason Ma's Gold Mountain The Musical, starring Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera), Jonny Lee Jr. and Alan Ariano (LCT's The King and I) kicked off the festive evening with musical director Kristen Lee Rosenfeld on the keys. Scroll down for photos of the celebration.

Gold Mountain is a love story set against the backdrop of a pivotal event in America's history, the construction of the first transcontinental railroad. The original musical celebrates the striving immigrant spirit, the redemptive power of love and the ultimate nobility of self-sacrifice.

The MOCA 2019 Lunar New Year Soirée was the culminating event of MOCA's 8-week Lunar New Year Festival. The Gold Mountain performance during the champagne cocktail reception was followed by a delicious Asian fusion inspired menu and an after party at The Crown, Rooftop Bar.

"We wanted to do something nuanced and complex to celebrate the Lunar New Year. We wanted to move away from cliché - the lion dance, the red and gold and the stereotypical things that a lot of Chinese Americans end of defaulting to and non-Chinese Americans expect," shared MOCA President Nancy Yao Maasbach. "For the soirée, we chose to mix it up and chart a journey focusing on the past, present and future - from the gold mountain, from the railroads, bringing it all into present day, ending it with the energy of our Junior Board and the after party at The Crown upstairs. It's the best view of New York City and provides perspective."

In May, Ali Ewoldt (Phantom of the Opera) will star in concert presentations of Jason Ma's musical, Gold Mountain, with a cast that includes Jonny Lee Jr., Alan Ariano, Raymond J. Lee (Groundhog Day), Daniel J. Edwards (Anything Goes, 2011 revival), Lawrence-Michael Arias, Steven Eng (CSC's Pacific Overtures), Eric Bondoc (Pacific Overtures, 2004 revival), Daniel May (Soft Power), Alex Hsu, Eric Elizaga and Viet Vo, as part of the Spike 150 celebration of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

Direction will be provided by Alan Muraoka, choreography by Billy Bustamante, and music direction by Kristen Lee Rosenfeld. Performances in Salt Lake City are currently set for the Regent Street Black Box at The Eccles Theater on Wednesday, May 8 and Thursday, May 9, both at 8:00 p.m. Performances in Ogden will take place in partnership with Ogden Musical Theatre at Peery's Egyptian Theater. at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11.

Jason Ma is a son of an immigrant family, and a grateful descendant of a long line of those who were able to persist, overcome and succeed on their way to becoming Americans. He wrote the book, music and lyrics for Gold Mountain and is the 2017 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation's Cole Porter Award, given to an emerging composer/lyricist "whose work shows promise." Along with writing, he is an actor who has been seen on Broadway and Off-Broadway stages, in regional theaters and many international venues. Please visit: www.goldmountainthemusical.com

Photo Credit: Lia Chang

Alan Ariano, Ali Ewoldt, Jonny Lee, Jr.

Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Alan Ariano, Jonny Lee, Jr., Ali Ewoldt and Jason Ma

Nancy Yao Maasbach, Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Jason Ma, Alan Ariano, Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Jason Ma and Lia Chang. Photo by Garth Kravits

Nancy Yao Maasbach, MOCA President, Herb Tam, MOCA Curator and Director of Exhibitions

Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Jonny Lee, Jr., Alan Ariano, Ali Ewoldt and Jason Ma

Jason Ma, Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Jonny Lee, Jr.

Ali Ewoldt

Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Jason Ma, Kristen Lee Rosenfeld

Alan Ariano, Jonny Lee, Jr., Ali Ewoldt

Jason Ma, Nancy Yao Maasbach, Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Alan Ariano, Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Jason Ma, Alan Ariano, Jonny Lee, Jr. and Ali Ewoldt

Kristen Lee Rosenfeld, Jason Ma

Garth Kravits and Jason Ma

June Jee, Tony Jee, Ali Ewoldt, Jason Ma, Lia Chang and Alan Ariano. Photo by Garth Kravits

Back Row: Tony Jee, Linda Sanchez, Lucy Kan, Ben Wu, Victor Kan. Front Row: June Jee and Greg Ho

Ali Ewoldt, Lucy Kan, Alan Ariano, Jason Ma, Jonny Lee, Jr. Victor Kan

Guest at MOCA''s Lunar New Year Soiree

June Jee, Victor Kan, Lucy Kan, Jason Ma, Ali Ewoldt, Linda Sanchez, Greg Ho, Tony Jee

Guest at MOCA''s Lunar New Year Soiree