Behind-the-Scenes: THREE YEAR SWIM CLUB

Set designed by Adam Flemming.

 

SNEAK PEEK! Here’s the mini version of the stage for our upcoming production THREE YEAR SWIM CLUB! It makes its Mainland Premiere here at East West Players in 2012!

THREE YEAR SWIM CLUB
By Lee Tonouchi
Directed & Choreographed by Keo Woolford

February 9 – March 11, 2012

THREE YEAR SWIM CLUB is inspired by the true life story of Soichi Sakamoto, who trained the youth of Maui to swim in the plantation irrigation ditches on their path to becoming Olympic champions. Set on the island of Maui in the 1930′s, this heartwarming play becomes transcendent as the art of hula becomes the metaphor for competitive swimming.

In association with Honolulu Theatre for Youth.

The East West Players mainstage production is sponsored in part by a grant fund from the National Endowment for the Arts.

To purchase your tickets in advance, click here.

“How Do You Save What is Dying?”

The Guardian UK recently posted an article titled, ”Language at risk of dying out – the last two speakers aren’t talking: Trouble in Tabasco for centuries-old Ayapaneco tongue as anthropologists race to compile dictionary of Nuumte Oote.” Maybe it is art imitating life, or the other way around.  But one can certainly draw multiple parallels to this reality and our very own stage production of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE, currently in it’s final week of its run.

The protagonist, George, is a linguist who is trying to record a dying language now only spoken by two people. An older married couple named Resten and Alta who prefer to bicker in English than in their native tongue, which George is finding rather difficult to record any dialogue.

Linguists in Mexico are trying to preserve the indigenous language of Ayapaneco now only spoken by 2 men, which is “…a race against time to revitalise [sic] the language before it is definitively too late.” However, there is no interaction between these two, which these linguists are finding difficulty in compiling a dictionary set to be published later this year.

Read The Guardian UK article in its entirety here.

Production Photos of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE

We’re glad to update that special preview performances were a success! Opening Night is this Wednesday, November 09 and we are anxiously waiting in anticipation! We all hope that you can watch this amazing production during its 4-week engagement.

Here are a few photos from the set of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE, which were beautifully shot by the amazing Michael Lamont.

Mary (Kimiko Gelman, right) describes to Emma (Jennifer Chang, left) the joy of all the delicious bread she makes in her bakery.

Alta (Jeanne Sakata, right) encourages her husband Resten (Nelson Mashita, left) to eat the traditional meal she has made.

(left to right - Nelson Mashita, Ryun Yu, Jennifer Chang, Jeanne Sakata) George and Emma record Alta and Resten in archiving their native language.

Emma (Jennifer Chang, right) confesses her love for her boss George (Ryun Yu, left) while he is passed out on the floor.

Language Instructor (Jeanne Sakata, right) encourages her student Emma (Jennifer Chang, left) to strongly express her love for her boss.

Mary (Kimiko Gelman, left) inspires Baker (Nelson Mashita, right) to take a stand and live life on his own terms.

Mary (Kimiko Gelman, left) finally leaves her husband George (Ryun Yu, right) after many years in an unhappy marriage.

*All photos are courtesy of Michael Lamont.

Special Preview Performances of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE Begin Tomorrow!

Special Preview Performances of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE begin tomorrow, Thursday, November 3 @ 8pm – Sunday, November 6 @ 2pm. All seats in the theater are $20; and $12 for students with a valid student ID. Tickets can be purchased online here, calling Box Office at (213) 625-7000 x 20, or in-person at the Box Office located in the Henry David Hwang Theater (Wed.-Sat. 6pm, Sun. 12pm).

Here are a few more behind-the-scenes photos of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE by costume designer E.B. Brooks before curtains go up tomorrow!

Behind-the-Scenes: THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE part deux

Here are a few more behind-the-scenes photos from the set of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE.  It’s amazing to see the progression of this production in such a short amount of time. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was only a miniature version of this set that could fit in a shoe box; and now the life size stage has come to life right before our eyes.

We all hope that our friends and community are able to come out and support our latest production of our 46th Season aptly named Languages Of Love. In less than one week, our cast will take the stage as previews begin on Wednesday, November 3, 2011. The New York Times has described THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE  as, “…mixture of lyricism and offbeat comedy…”

Tickets are still available for purchase at $20 for all seats; and $12 for students with a valid student ID. For more information and tickets, please visit our website here.

This is a 4-week run production, beginning Wednesday, November 3, 2011 – Sunday, December 4, 2011.

Behind-the-Scenes of: THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE

Behind-the-Scenes of: THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE. A sneak peek of the set for THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE, miniaturized! Show begins Thursday, November 03 – Sunday, December 04.

THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE  
By Julia Cho
Directed by Jessica Kubzansky

In association with Kaya Press and Libros Schmibros Lending Library and Bookshop.

Meet George, a linguist, a master of languages, who cannot express his love for his wife–and ends up losing her. Follow this whimsical and heartbreaking look at love and language that asks, “How do we save what is dying?”
Featuring: Jennifer Chang, Kimiko Gelman, Nelson Mashita, Jeanne Sakata, and Ryun Yu.

Winner of the 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVE is presented by special arrangement with Dramatist Play Service, Inc., New York.

Generous support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players.

For more information, please visit East West Players .

“A Widow of No Importance” Preview Begins Today!

The 46th season of East West Players is here!

The first show of our 2011 – 2012 season LANGUAGES OF LOVE begins TODAY with special previews of  ”A Widow of No Importance,” by Shane Sakhran and directed by Shaheen Vaaz.

In association with South Asian Network and USC School of Theatre.

The show will run from September 08 – October 09, 2011.

Deepa has been a widow for two years. Her only desire now is to see her daughter married so that she can die in peace. But when her recently divorced neighbor, also her son’s best friend, professes his love for her, her inner-cougar emerges to break tradition and start living again. A smart and sexy comedy about carving new paths and leaping for the stars.

(This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.)

Featuring:
Anjali Bhimani (Bombay Dreams, Outsourced)
Parvesh Cheena (Outsourced)
Sunil Malhotra (House, West Wing)
Puja Mohindra (Three Rivers)
Lina Patel (24, CSI :Crime Scene Investigation)

Understudies:
Kamil Haque
Rachna Khatau

Here are a couple photos we snapped yesterday:

The marquee is up!

The production crew is madly dashing to finish the stage.

Be the first to watch it with our preview dates running from Thursday, Sept. 08 – Sunday, Sept. 11. This sneak peak before Opening Night (Wednesday, Sept. 14) also includes a special discounted price at only $20! Be sure to purchase your ticket as soon as possible before they sell out. Purchases can be made with 3 options:

1. Box Office located in the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts in Little Tokyo, Downtown LA

2. Online at http://www.eastwestplayers.org/tickets/tickets.htm,

3. Phone at (213) 625 – 7000 x 10

See you soon!

Our 46th Season Brochures Are In!

If you don’t receive one of our beautiful 46th Anniversary Season brochures in the mail, you can pick one up from the lobby on the 2nd floor of the theater.

Here is a glimpse inside the brochure, our Welcome letter from Artistic Director Tim Dang:

Welcome!

East West Players celebrates our 46th Anniversary with our upcoming 2011-2012 season, Languages of Love. As the nation’s longest running theatre of color AND the largest producer of Asian American artistic work, we continue to tell our stories with relevance, vitality, and style that EWP has been known for all these years. In this ever-expanding world of ours with technology moving us faster than ever before, it is still the personal way we communicate that is vital to our lives.

The plays we have chosen for this season appeal to the various ways we communicate our passion. Whether it is a passion toward one another, toward our career, a cause or a passion for excellence, the amount of emotion and commitment we utilize in our lives is unimaginable. When our passion is so powerful, we forget how impactful and influential we can be. Our season is also transnational on many levels, delving deep into diverse cultures.

This season, we share with you the world premiere of A WIDOW OF NO IMPORTANCE by Shane Sakhrani, the Los Angeles premiere of THE LANGUAGE ARCHIVES by Julia Cho, the world premiere of THREE YEAR SWIM CLUB by Lee Tonouchi and the return of the Sondheim musical to our stage with A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC with book by Hugh Wheeler and the music and lyrics by master composer Stephen Sondheim.

We hope you will experience the languages of love through these wonderful stories and support East West Players.

We are your ticket to Asian Pacific American theatre. We’ll save a seat for you.

Tim Dang
Producing Artistic Director
East West Players

Our 46th Season is upon us! See you in the theater soon (perhaps as a subscriber).

From Upstage to Backstage – Saya Tomioka

In 2008, we produced a play about Bruce Lee called “Be Like Water,” written by Dan Kwong. In that play, there was a girl.  That girl was Saya Tomioka:

Three years later, she called us for an internship. And she looked more like this:

Let’s learn a little more about the gal.

Your Name?

My name is Saya Tomioka (Sighhh-uhh To-mi-oh-ka)

When did you first hear about East West Players?
I first discovered this lovely theater company when I was called in to audition for “Be Like Water” two years ago!

What have you been up to since Be Like Water?
Well after “Be Like Water,” I guest starred in a CBS sitcom, filmed a commercial with Shaquille O’Neal, transferred to the new arts school in Downtown, became 1st in my class, and adopted my child (aka my cat, Smokey).

Has Meg been working you to the bone?
Has Meg worked me to my bone? Pshhh, nooooo…. not yet.

Do you have a favorite play?
My favorite play… ha! “Be Like Water”! (I also used to be obsessed with Wicked)

Have any hobbies/passions/obsessions?
I LOVE CATS. End of story. Just kidding, there’s more; I also enjoy dancing, karate, and gun shooting, but I do love cats more than anything in the whole wide world.

Where are you headed to after the internship?
After this internship, I am off to focus on my senior year in high school (and possibly save cats’ lives).

One random fun fact about you, please!
In the future, I plan on having four children, in boy-girl-girl-boy order.

And anything else you’d like to add?
I’d like to end this interview with a love poem I wrote for my cat, Smokey. Just kidding. I LOVE YOU ALL AT EWP!

Thanks, Saya! We love you, too. Especially Meg.

We all love interns. Give us a ring if you’re interested. We’ll find a place for you, too. We promise.

A Peek at the WIDOW Set

 

In honor of it being the first day of rehearsal for A WIDOW OF NO IMPORTANCE, we offer you this glimpse at this Scenic Study by John Iacovelli:

Amazing that something that looks like that is going to come from something that looked like this just a couple of months ago, no? Theatre is amazing.