Studio Theatre Extends US Premiere of WHITE PEARL

Due to popular demand, Studio Theatre is extending the US premiere of White Pearl, playwright Anchuli Felicia King's teardown of toxic corporate culture, rebuke of international beauty standards, and raw portrayal of intra-Asian racism. Six performances have been added to the production, which now runs through December 15, 2019. In White Pearl, Singapore-based cosmetics startup Clearday is in full-on damage control-a leaked ad for the company's new skin-whitening cream is going viral for all the wrong reasons and the all-female executive team is hustling to contain the internet fallout before US media picks up the story.

King was inspired to write the play after several racist advertisements-two for skin-whitening creams, another for laundry detergent-went viral in 2016. These ads became an entry point for a critique of global capitalism and corporate culture. She also wanted to create roles for women that she hadn't seen on stage before-the women powering Clearday are from varying Asian backgrounds and all under 35.

White Pearl had its world premiere at The Royal Court Theatre in London in May 2019. This fall, White Pearl had its Australian premiere in a co-production between Sydney Theatre Company and The National Theatre of Parramatta. Studio is presenting the play's US premiere.

About White Pearl

Cleardaya??is a cosmetics company on the rise: Based in Singapore, launching a global skincare line, and bringing a start-up mentality to the big leagues. Buta??a draft ada??for their latest skin whitening cream surfaces on YouTube, gathering views and outrage. As morning nears in the U.S. market-19,643 views. 467,327. 654,398.-Clearday'sa??all-female team hustlesa??to contain the damage before Buzzfeed weighs in. Someone's definitely gettinga??fired.a??A comedy from rising Thai-Australian writer Anchuli Felicia King about toxic corporate culture, selling whiteness, and shame as both a cultural commodity and canny marketing strategy.

Praise for White Pearl

"[White Pearl] raises complex, important questions with humor, honesty, and nuance"
-DCist

"Incredible cast...Each actress is more formidable than the next"
-DC Theatre Scene

"Smartly takes a scalpel to issues like class and cultural authenticity"
-Maryland Theatre Guide

"Hilarious, explosive"
-DC Metro Theater Arts

About Anchuli Felicia King

Anchuli Felicia King is a multidisciplinary artist of Thai-Australian descent who works primarily in live theatre. Felicia has worked as a writer, dramaturg, sound designer, projection designer and creative consultant with a wide range of companies including Punchdrunk, PlayCo, Roundabout Theater, 59E59, Ars Nova, the Obie Awards, The Builders Association, Ensemble Studio Theater, and Red Bull Theater. The Royal Court Theatre in London's mainstage production of White Pearl marked her professional debut in May 2019. White Pearl also had its Australian premiere at Sydney Theatre Company in October and will have its US premiere at Studio Theatre in November 2019. Her play Golden Shield premiered at Melbourne Theatre Company in August 2019, making her the first writer to have their NEXTSTAGE commission produced. Felicia's play Slaughterhouse was selected as part of Melbourne Theatre Company's Cyber Electric 2018 readings. Slaughterhouse had its premiere in October 2019 at 25A at Belvoir Theatre. In 2019 Felicia's play Keene was the recipient of the American Shakespeare Centre's Shakespeare's New Contemporaries Award and will be produced in 2020. Felicia explores linguistic hybrids, digital cultures, and issues of global urgency, and is a member of EST's Youngblood Group, Ars Nova's Play Group, and Roundabout's Space Jam Program. Areas of interest include emerging technologies, 2D animation, VFX and projection design, music production, and writing for performance. Felicia works globally with companies such as Playwriting Australia (Sydney), Yellow Earth Theatre (London), House of North (Berlin), and SHIFT Festival (Shanghai).

Photo Credit: Teresa Wood

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