The Fairy Princess wishes you a Happy New Year – whether you call it Lunar, Chinese, Tet, or Seollal (Japan does not celebrate Lunar New Year since 1873) – have some noodles, dance with a lion, and let’s just be glad that pesky bunny is gone in favor of the Wood Dragon. TFP had an pretty awful 2023, so 2024 does not need to do any heavy lifting, per se – just not be as awful as 2023. The bar, as they say, is low.
Speaking of which, she is doing a concert at 54 Below on March 16 at 9:30pm- day before St. Patrick’s Day called Mom’s Night Out, where your favorite musical theater Mama’s dazzle audiences with their songs and stories about the journey that is motherhood. Megan Minutillo is the producing mama puttin’ it all together, so a thanks for the invite, and TFP will see you in March. (Use the code MOM5 for $ off your dining and bar tab) Tix here.
Now, there have been some kind of amazing things happening for AAPI’s in Musical Theater around the globe, as well as in Mid town Manhattan, and TFP wanted to discuss.
First off – Congratulations to Shannon Tyo, who won at the 67th OBIE Awards for Sustained Performance in Achievement for her role as Mora in Lloyd Suh‘s THE FAR COUNTRY at The Atlantic Theater Company.
Congrats on their OBIE to Hansol Jung for The Wolf Play, who won for playwriting here is their acceptance speech.
The King & I is playing in London for a limited time, and starring Darren Lee as The King!
He plays opposite Call The Midwife‘s star, Helen George – and frankly, TFP is down for it – reports from friends are great and reviews are better. Only for 6 weeks – if you are popping across the pond, here is your ticket link.
Let’s start with the most recent of events in New York City – last evening at HADESTOWN on Broadway, TIMOTHY H. LEE went on for Orpheus for the first time – meaning he is the FIRST Orpheus of Asian heritage to play the role.
TFP is including the Artist’s Instagram posts- these moments, though huge globally, remains personal.
Is this huge? Yes. Does TFP get tired of counting firsts? Also yes. When we stop needing to count in order to justify our existence on stage and screen TFP will be fully satisfied.
TFP extends hearty congratulations to Mr. Lee – who immigrated from Korea, and considers English to be his second language. This is an enormous accomplishment by any standard, and it is fitting, that Hadestown, which has always been an inclusive and diverse cast under the direction of Rachel Chavkin, crossed this barrier willingly.
Likewise attention must be turned to CHICAGO on Broadway where Kristen Faith Oei became the first Asian American to play Velma Kelly. She also goes on for Miss Katlin Hunyak in addition to covering the role of Velma. Currently CHICAGO has Lili Thomas playing Matron Mama Morton, and Fil-Am Red Concepciòn as Mr. Amos Hart aka Mr. Cellophane. They also had Japanese star Ryoko Yonekura as Roxie Hart in 2012. CHICAGO is combining ‘old’ Broadway with some much needed upgrades. Bravo!
Also, many salutations to Courtney Reed, who is currently starring as Satine in Moulin Rogue. You likely know her from her long running role as Princess Jasmine in ALADDIN on Broadway, and as one of the stars of Lauren Yee‘s CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND, but she has been holding down Satine first on tour in 2022, and now on Broadway since August of 2023. Go see her, she is delightful – and hey – Boy George is there too.
Some celebrate Lunar New Year by eating and hanging with family, while others take their families to see theater at Pan Asian Rep in New York City. (The others is TFP) Now in it’s almost unheard of 47th Season under the Artistic Direction of NY legend, Tisa Chang – they premiered their latest play – Warrior Sisters of Wu yesterday, Superbowl Sunday.
Adapted from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ one of the most famous Chinese classic tales, it has very few English language adaptations, which is of course, why Playwright Damon Chua chose it as his next project. (Why pick easy?) He paired that with a framework in his head of the English classic, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
The result is a Family friendly Rom Com from 200 A.D., with swords. TFP‘s son really enjoyed this – and as a parent, it is beyond a relief to be able to take him to the theater, have a genuine story be told, and to hear his responses, again, TFP wants to stress, her son really enjoyed this.
We follow the Qiao sisters, best known nowadays in their modern avatars as characters in the Dynasty Warriors video game series, as they fall in love and kick ass against the backdrop of impending war. Ably directed by LA staple, Jeff Liu paired with deft fight choreography by Michael G. Chin – it is one to see.
One only hopes that the impending snow storm takes it easy on New York so they get the crowd they deserve.
Pictured in the photo, Director Jeff Liu, Liam Kong, and Damon Chua.
It is hard, as a New York based actor, to truly have words about what the steadiness of Pan Asian Rep has done for the New York AAPI Actor. Much as East West Players in Los Angeles has been sometimes the lone flag waving in the distance to give us hope – Pan Asian has – for 47 seasons – been there. Telling AAPI stories, encouraging them, commissioning them, holding workshops, and helping shape the ways ‘we’ get to be seen. Over the years they have offered classes, mentorship, and hope – Tisa was on Broadway in a show, and used her own money to start Pan Asian – and 47 seasons later, she is still there.
(If this were a Marvel show, we’d be calling her The Hand of AAPI Theater. It is a compliment.)
Warrior Sisters of Wu is a specifically Chinese story, told entirely in English, with modern sensibilities. Many of the questions TFP‘s 11 year old whispered in her ear, were answered seconds later in the dialogue and actions – he was seeing part of his own story told on a stage in front of him for 100 minutes.
When TFP was a child, the best her parents were able to show her in terms of a Chinese story starring Asian people, was taking her to see a troupe of martial artists and acrobats from China.
Did she still love it? Of course. However we cannot underestimate the value of younger minds at the theater, seeing versions of themselves that are ‘allowed’ to play different characters who have just as much dignity and gravitas as is often only allowed with white stories.
All stories can be told specifically and deliberately- it is that which makes the understanding of it universal.
TFP really hopes that the story told, that of two woman warriors who battle gender norms, gets butts in the seats, and gets the Lortels to sit up and notice.
The show is playing at the A.R.T./NY Mezzanine Theater – 502 W. 53RD STREET – go see it – running until MARCH 10th.
Tix link here
Ok, ok, ok – go Lion Dance and watch some fireworks – Happy Year of the Wood Dragon!
Hope you get rich!
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