TFP wants you all to know a few things:

  1. She missed you – she missed the blogging, but frankly…things seemed to be going pretty well and she didn’t feel she was ‘needed’ to point out ish. It has been 11 plus years since she began blogging and frankly, things seemed to be right where they needed to be, and people were addressing inequities and so on, she didn’t feel that her voice was needed.
  2. She needed to take time to work on her own writing – her short film, Queen Bessie’s Girl is currently screening in Rwanda in the WOMEN DELIVER Conference = as part of the larger work, ENTANGLEMENT by VOICES OF WOMEN out of Australia. The films and filmmakers have seen a tremendous response to their work all around the world at film festivals, and it is due to the outstanding work of the women behind this non for profit organization.
  3. It has been tremendously exciting to see the advancement of Asian American Pacific Islanders of all kinds succeed in the last few months the way they have – both here and abroad – the British Asians are killing it as well, and we love to see that progress.

This is TFP‘s first blog in a while, and it will be a ‘feel good’ one – because to quote Dreamgirls, ‘there has to be some good times’ – so let’s celebrate that, as well as acknowledging that there is definitely some things to talk about in the grand scheme of things – CTG you have been warned.

First of all – WARRIOR on HBO starts TODAY, THURS JUNE 29 on HBO Max.

TFP is delighted this series is back and highlighting the vision of Bruce Lee as interpreted by his daughter, Shannon – and it doesn’t hurt that about 90% of the AAPI Cast, she knows. Of particular interest to point out – many of these actors started in New York Theater – both Off Broadway and on Broadway. Actors like Perry Yung, Hoon Lee, Henry Yuk have roots in NY – and they join a solid international cast that includes Olivia Cheng, Dianne Doan, Chen Teng, Andrew Koji, Dustin Ngyuen, Joe Taslim, Mark Dacascos, and TFP’s Brother from Another Mother, Jason Tobin.

Added to the already stunning cast is TFP‘s favorite, Telly Leung – who many might remember from his lead roles in Allegiance, Aladdin, Godspell and many more – all on Broadway. Eight shows a week requires tremendous discipline and when TFP learned Telly was slated to be part of the show, her Grinchy heart grew a few sizes that day.

Besides, they have cool Crew Jackets – so…go check it out, you will not be sorry!

Next….we had the TONY Awards and there were folks nominated who happened to represent for us – and we had them in a lot of categories – so here they are, in case you were wondering…

A DOLL’S HOUSE– Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured role in a Play – Arian Moayed

SWEENEY TODD – Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical – Ruthie Ann Miles

SWEENEY TODD – Best Scenic Design of a Musical – Mimi Lien

KPOP – Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) Helen Park & Max Vernon

KPOP – Best Costume Design of a Musical – Clint Ramos & Sophia Choi

CAMELOT – Best Lighting Design of a Musical – Lap Chi Chu

CAMELOT – Best Costume Design of a Musical – Jennifer Moeller

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – Best Sound Design of a Musical – Kai Harada

Special Shout Out to LIFE OF PI, who recently announced their closing on Sunday July 23, 2023.

However they are not the only musical that ran which featured South Asians this season – Off Broadway had Mira Nair’s MONSOON WEDDING, the musical – which played at St. Anne’s Warehouse.

It is always sad when shows have both a scheduled close or an abruptly announced close – but do not forget currently scheduled to arrive on Broadway in the next year is the DDLJ Musical – or Come Fall in Love… which did VERY well at it’s pre-Broadway run at The Old Globe.

Directed by Aditya Chopra
Book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin
Music by Vishal Dadlani and Sheykhar Ravjiani
Choreography by Rob Ashford

So with that being said – it’s time for the GIANT Announcement that Broadway has it’s FIRST AAPI Directing/Choreographer Team helming a musical – and not JUST a musical, but the Britney Spears’s ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME – Husband and Wife Team – Keone & Mari Madrid!

They are an award winning choreo couple who have worked with pop stars and dance stars in all the mediums currently available, have been quietly working on Once Upon A One More Time for a while now. No strangers to New York Theater hey are past nominees for a Drama Desk Award for “Beyond Babel’.

Seems like they like Broadway and Broadway likes them for they are also working on “The Karate Kid” musical, as well as having been Academy Award shortlisted and won the NAACP Award for the Disney Animated Short Film “Us Again”.

Congratulations Mari and Keone – and all hail the FIRST Team of Asian Heritage – specifically Filipino American – to Direct a Broadway Musical!

Big Broadway Season for Fil-Ams, yeah?

Thanks to Ralph B. Peña and MaYi Theater Company for pointing it out.

Just amplifying!

TALAGA!

Finally, TFP wanted to acknowledge the GLORIOUS production that was LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA directed by Chay Yew and starring Ruthie Ann Miles. TFP saw it and her fondest wishes are that the show, as many Encore shows in the past, transfers to Broadway – and that Ruthie Ann Miles gets her second TONY Award, this time for Lead Actress in a Musical with Mr. Yew his first for Directing.

Having seen so many fantastic pieces over the years directed by Mr. Yew, TFP would be beyond thrilled to speak this into reality. Errr, type this into reality!

It must be noted that as somewhat of an inside joke – the speaking roles that were written to be Italian were played by Latinx and Middle Eastern descended people. TFP realized that was a subtle way of poking fun at the way showbusiness has always allowed actors of Italian heritage to play Latinx, Middle Eastern, and Indigenous American roles. Such is Chay Yew’s sense of balance and humor.

TFP was HERE FOR IT!!!!

See? All good stuff today!

TFP out!