Pan Asian Repertory Theatre Unveils "My Man Kono"
- Details
- Category: Theatre, Music
- Published on Saturday, 30 November 2024 11:13
- Written by A&E Contributing Editor
The Pan Asian Repertory Theatre proudly announces the cast for the world premiere of MY MAN KONO. This highly anticipated production, written by Philip W. Chung, and directed by Jeff Liu, will run from February 6 – March 9, 2025.
The show explores the life and struggles of Toraichi Kono, a Japanese émigré navigating the complexities of the American Dream during the silent film era. The narrative takes a poignant turn as Kono, once closely associated with the legendary Charlie Chaplin, finds himself ensnared in the anti-Japanese hysteria that erupted with the onset of World War II.
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The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded a prestigious grant to MY MAN KONO. Tisa Chang, Founding Artistic Director, says " MMK seeks justice to honor the life of Toraichi KONO born in 1895 - who in pursuit of the American Dream and became a target of anti-Asian hate reverberating today."
The cast features Brian Lee Huynh as Toraichi Kono and Kiyo Takami as Isami Kono. Along with Emma Kikue as Paulette Goddard, Conlan Ledwith as Charlie Chaplin, Robert Meskin as Wayne Collins, James Patrick Nelson as FBI Agent R. Horn, Cody LeRoy Wilson as Alva Blake, and Jae Woo as Itaru Tachibana. This diverse cast brings depth and authenticity to the characters, enhancing the emotional resonance of the production.
MY MAN KONO serves as a significant reflection of the historical challenges faced by Asian Americans, particularly during times of national crisis. The story not only captivates with its engaging plot but also aims to foster important conversations about representation and cultural understanding within the arts.
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Tickets will be on sale starting November 25th, to purchase please visit https://ci.ovationtix.com/252/production/1219657. To learn more about the production, visit https://www.panasianrep.org/my-man-kono .
Philip W. Chung (Playwright)
Philip W. Chung is a writer and producer based in Los Angeles. He was the co-founder/co-Artistic Director for Lodestone Theatre Ensemble where he wrote/produced/directed almost 100 mainstage productions, workshops, readings, and other theatrical events. His Lodestone world premiere plays include The Golden Hour and Grace Kim & The Spiders From Mars. He was the creative director at YOMYOMF, founded by the Fast & Furious franchise director Justin Lin to tell stories from Asian American and other underrepresented voices. At YOMYOMF, Chung oversaw the hybrid production of David Henry Hwang's Pulitzer Prize-finalist play, Yellow Face, which was adapted by My Man Kono director Jeff Liu (and is available to watch on YouTube). My Man Kono placed second in East West Players' Pacific Century Playwriting Competition and had previous readings/workshops at East West Players, The Autry Museum of the American West (as part of the L.A. History project), and the Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood.
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Jeff Liu (Director)
Jeff Liu is a writer and director for theater, film and web, also an Artistic Producer for the Ojai Playwrights Conference. His productions include the LA premiere of Chinglish by David Henry Hwang (LA Times Critics Choice), as well as the world premieres of Unbroken Blossoms and The Golden Hour by Philip W. Chung, Warrior Sisters of Wu by Damon Chua (2 Drama Desk nominations), Memorial by Livian Yeh (NYT Critics Pick), Paletas de Coco by Franky D. Gonzalez (Ars Nova ANTFest), The Brothers Paranormal by Prince Gomolvilas, Two Mile Hollow by Leah Nanako Winkler, The Chinese Massacre (Annotated) by Tom Jacobson, Terminus Americana (Ovation Award nominee for Best World Premiere) by Matt Pelfrey, and Texas and Solve for X by Judy Soo Hoo. He also adapted the Pulitzer nominated Yellow Face by DHH for the YOMYOMF Network on YouTube, where it is still available to watch for free.
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Pan Asian Repertory Theatre
Now celebrating its 48th season, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, located at the Art-NY Mezzanine Theatre, at 502 West 53rd Street, was founded in 1977 by Tisa Chang and core artists at La Mama, with the help of the late Ellen Stewart, as a platform to break stereotyped casting and to broaden the theatrical vocabulary of American theatre.
The company is a pioneer for artistic excellence and service – with annual Off-Broadway seasons, training, and play development – and praised by press, diverse communities, and the American theatre mainstream.
Daniel Dae Kim, Yellow Face, recalls in a New York Times article, "After graduation, Kim did more theater, including a stint as Torvald Helmer, the suffocating patriarch in Ibsen's "A Doll's House," at New York's Pan Asian Repertory Theater. "I was 22, playing Torvald," Kim said. "I was too young, but it was a valuable opportunity for me, because where else would I ever get to play that role, especially at that time?" Mel Gussow of the New York Times described it as, "A Stage For All the World of Asian-Americans," and wrote that, "before Pan Asian Rep, Asian-Americans had severely limited opportunities in the theater." The company has nurtured thousands of artists and is a veritable "who's who" of Asian American theatre history. Learn more at www.panasianrep.org.
Pan Asian Repertory Theatre is grateful for the support of its funders: National Endowment for the Arts, New York State of Opportunity: Council on the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Howard Gilman Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuel Foundation, Lucille Lortel Foundation.
