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Asian American Theatre

This section features conversations about or videos of work created by Asian American theatre artists, as well as discussions about issues Asian American artists face. Jane Jung and Victor Maog’s 2014 series Asian American Theatre is a great place to start, or check out the videos in the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists ConFest Virtual Series.

The Latest

Everything Everywhere: Perspectives from “Third-Culture” Theatremakers in the Sinophone Community
Essay
Everything Everywhere: Perspectives from “Third-Culture” Theatremakers in the Sinophone Community
by Livian Yeh
8 September 2022
"The Molecules Changed in the Room": Creating a Play from Real Asian Women’s Desires, Dreams, and Heartaches
Essay
"The Molecules Changed in the Room": Creating a Play from Real Asian Women’s Desires, Dreams, and Heartaches
by Amy Zhang, Danielle Iwata
3 May 2022
National Institute for Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC)
Video
National Institute for Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC)
A virtual weekend of conversations and workshops
Friday 3 December to Sunday 5 December 2021
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Two actors in sunglasses lounge together in a bathtub.
Everything Everywhere: Perspectives from “Third-Culture” Theatremakers in the Sinophone Community
Essay

Everything Everywhere: Perspectives from “Third-Culture” Theatremakers in the Sinophone Community

8 September 2022

Writer and translator Livian Yeh examines the complexities of Asian identity within American theatre and gives her take on what it means to be a “third-culture” theatremaker.

Six people standing together for a photo.
"The Molecules Changed in the Room": Creating a Play from Real Asian Women’s Desires, Dreams, and Heartaches
Essay

"The Molecules Changed in the Room": Creating a Play from Real Asian Women’s Desires, Dreams, and Heartaches

3 May 2022

Danielle Iwata sits down with Amy Zhang to discuss the creation and significance of her show Ascend!, which featured a cast and crew entirely made up of Asian women.

Event poster for the National Institute for Directing and Ensemble Creation.
National Institute for Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC)
pangea world theater's logo
Pangea
Art to Action logo.
Art2Action
Video

National Institute for Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC)

A virtual weekend of conversations and workshops

Friday 3 December to Sunday 5 December 2021
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The National Institute for Directing and Ensemble Creation (NIDEC) invited you to join us for our annual virtual convening. This program is produced by Art2Action and Pangea World Theater. Based on the in-person institute in Minneapolis, we are offering virtual masterclasses, panels and plenary sessions in 2021 to a wider audience during the pandemic. Livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer-produced HowlRound TV network Friday 3 December to Sunday 5 December 2021.

artist headshots on red background with wu tang clan logo and text mu tang clan.
Mu Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing to F### With
Theater Mu Logo.
Theater Mu
Video

Mu Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing to F### With

Asian American Playwrights on Craft

Monday 30 August 2021
United States

Theater Mu presented a conversation: Mu Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing to F### With livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 30 August 2021.

Them's Ponies! by Rebekah Chang
LA Writers Center (LAWC)
Video

Them's Ponies! by Rebekah Chang

With Home: Asian Voices Reading Series

Saturday 7 August 2021
United States

LA Writers Center presented a performance of Them's Ponies! by Rebekah Chang as a part of Home: Asian Voices Reading Series on Saturday 7 August 2021 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

A headshot of the guest, Kyoung Park, against a space-designed background.
Peacemaking Theatre
Podcast

Peacemaking Theatre

With Kyoung Park of Kyoung's Pacific Beat

28 July 2021

Yura Sapi sits down with Kyoung H. Park of Kyoung’s Pacific Beat, a peacemaking theatre collective dedicated to working with artists, non-artists, and local communities to transform experiences of oppression into peace messages through public performance.

 
 
YLO by Dru Park
LA Writers Center (LAWC)
Video

YLO by Dru Park

With Home: Asian Voices Reading Series

Saturday 10 July 2021
United States

LA Writers Center presented a performance of YLO by Dru Park as a part of Home: Asian Voices Reading Series on Saturday 10 July 2021 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

event poster with artist headshots and text for inflections.
Second Generation Productions (2g) presents INFLECTIONS
CAATA
red hand-drawn graphic with 2 g.
Second Generation Productions
Video

Second Generation Productions (2g) presents INFLECTIONS

Healing Over Hate Episode Three: Featuring new works by Philip Kan Gotanda & Shinji Eshima, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Ren Dara Santiago, Jade Wu and Max Yu

Monday 28 June 2021
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented Inflections, the third episode of its ongoing monthly ConFest Virtual Series, Healing Over Hate on Monday 28 June at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC -10), 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC -8), 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7), 5 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC -6), 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5), 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

Community Organizations and Partnerships
Podcast

Community Organizations and Partnerships

With Samson Syharath and Dmae Lo Roberts of Theatre Diaspora

23 June 2021

In this episode of Building Our Own Tables, host Yura Sapi discusses Theatre Diaspora with co-founders Samson Syharath and Dmae Lo Roberts.

yellow poster with event details for 2021 originally from china event.
B·O·N·D 2021 Opening Panel: Originally from China
CHUANG Stage logo.
CHUANG Stage
Video

B·O·N·D 2021 Opening Panel: Originally from China

Makings of a New Theatermaker Identity

Saturday 19 June 2021
United States

Chuang Stage presented the B·O·N·D 2021 Opening Panel: Originally from China livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Saturday 19 June 2021 at 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

illustrations of freedom fighters yuri and malcolm x.
Yuri and Malcolm X by Timothy Toyama
LA Writers Center (LAWC)
Video

Yuri and Malcolm X by Timothy Toyama

With Home: Asian Voices Reading Series

Saturday 5 June 2021
United States

LA Writers Center presented a performance of Yuri and Malcolm X by Timothy Toyama as a part of Home: Asian Voices Reading Series on Saturday 5 June 2021 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

L to R: headshots of Adriana Li, Program Coordinator & Instructor, Impact Boston and Dax Valdes, Senior Trainer, Hollaback!.
Responding to Anti-Asian Race-Based Harassment
CAATA
Video

Responding to Anti-Asian Race-Based Harassment

Healing Over Hate Episode Two: Bystander intervention and safety awareness trainings to combat anti-AAPI harassment and xenophobia

Monday 10 May 2021
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the second episode of its ongoing monthly ConFest Virtual Series, Healing Over Hate on Monday 10 May at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC -10), 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC -8), 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7), 5 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC -6), 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5), 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

actors on stage looking at a newspaper.
Introducing a New Ongoing Virtual Series: Healing Over Hate
CAATA
Generic Ensemble Company
Perseverance
Theatre
Video

Introducing a New Ongoing Virtual Series: Healing Over Hate

Responding to the Rise of Anti-Asian Violence

Monday 12 April 2021
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) introduced a new ongoing virtual series: Healing Over Hate: Responding to the Rise of Anti-Asian Violence livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 12 April 2021 at 1 p.m. HDT (Honolulu, UTC -9), 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC -8), 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7), 5 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC -6), 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5), 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

Asian American Directors in Conversation and Practice event poster.
Asian American Directors in Conversation & Practice
CAATA
Video

Asian American Directors in Conversation & Practice

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 8 March 2021
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the conversation Asian American Directors in Conversation & Practice livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 8 March 2021 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10), 2 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-9), 3 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8), 4 p.m. MST (Denver, UTC-7), 5 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6), 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

What do the Women Say? Celebrating 25 Years of Centering Women Artists
Golden Thread Logo.
Golden Thread
Video

What do the Women Say? Celebrating 25 Years of Centering Women Artists

Golden Thread’s annual celebration of International Women’s Day

Monday 8 March 2021
United States

Golden Thread presents the conversation What do the Women Say? Celebrating 25 Years of Centering Women Artists livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 8 March 2021 at 11 a.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC -8) / 1 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC -6) / 2 p.m. EST (New York, UTC -5).

a person looking to their right, a projection of a photograph covers their face.
Return to Our Stories: Festival Artists Showcase
CAATA
drawings of faces with text CAMPO SANTO
Campo Santo
Youth Speaks
Video

Return to Our Stories: Festival Artists Showcase

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 8 February 2021
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the conversation Virtual Series to Discuss COVID-19 and Its Effects on the Work of APA Artists livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 8 February 2021 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10), 2 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-9), 3 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8), 4 p.m. MST (Denver, UTC-7), 5 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6), 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

Where We’re At: COVID-19 and the Community
CAATA
Generic Ensemble Company
Video

Where We’re At: COVID-19 and the Community

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 11 January 2021
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the conversationWhere We’re At: COVID-19 and the Community livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 11 January 2021 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10), 2 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-9), 3 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8), 4 p.m. MST (Denver, UTC-7), 5 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6), 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

Jonathan Castanien and The Sống Collective
Podcast

Jonathan Castanien and The Sống Collective

Building Our Own Tables Episode #3

23 December 2020

In the third episode of Build Our Own Tables podcast, host Viviana Vargas interviews Jonathan Castanien co-founder and co-producing artistic leader of The Sống Collective, which uplifts work that pushes against preconceptions of Asian Americans and reclaims the Vietnamese American narrative. Your donation to Advancing Arts Forward supports liberated spaces that uplift, heal and encourage us to change the world.

actors on stage
From the Source, Seeds for a Myriad of Worlds
CAATA
text teAda productions theater of color
TeAda Productions
Video

From the Source, Seeds for a Myriad of Worlds

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 14 December 2020
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the conversation and performance From the Source, Seeds for a Myriad of Worlds livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 14 December 2020 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10), 2 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-9), 3 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8), 4 p.m. MST (Denver, UTC-7), 5 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6), 6 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

Nomadic Imagination: Transnational Homelands & Cultural Return
CAATA
text teAda productions theater of color
TeAda Productions
Art to Action logo.
Art2Action
silk road rising with orange sun illustration
Silk Road Rising
Hypokrit Theatre Company
Video

Nomadic Imagination: Transnational Homelands & Cultural Return

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 9 November 2020
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented Nomadic Imagination: Transnational Homelands & Cultural Return livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 9 November at 2 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10), 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-9), 4 p.m. PST (San Francisco, UTC-8), 5 p.m. MST (Denver, UTC-7), 6 p.m. CST (Chicago, UTC-6), 7 p.m. EST (New York, UTC-5).

Artists on the Frontlines: Creativity and Change During COVID-19
CAATA
Video

Artists on the Frontlines: Creativity and Change During COVID-19

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 12 October 2020
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) presented the third episode of its ongoing monthly ConFest Virtual Series, “Artists on the Frontlines: Creativity & Change During COVID-19” livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday, October 12, 2020 at 1 p.m. HST (Hawai'i, UTC -10) / 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC -8) / 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 5 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC -6) / 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / and 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC -4).

four actors onstage
Jubilee for the Future
Essay

Jubilee for the Future

AAPI Theatre and the Promise of Solidarity

30 September 2020

Sophia Skiles talks about the momentum of unprecedented acclaim and agency for Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) theatremakers this spring, which quickly transformed into an inverse rise of AAPI-directed bigotry and bias for the global pandemic.

actors onstage
Modeling Solidarity: Theater As Political Action
CAATA
ltc logo
Latinx theatre Commons
National Black Theatre logo.
National Black Theatre
Perseverance
Theatre
letters H T Y
Honolulu Theatre for Youth
headshot of actor moses goods
Moses Goods
Video

Modeling Solidarity: Theater As Political Action

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 14 September 2020
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists presented a panel discussion Modeling Solidarity: Theater As Political Action livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 14 September 2020 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-), 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-), 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7), 5 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC-6), 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5), 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).

Event title and time in a red box, on top of an image of grains of rice.
The AAPC PlayFestival of Food Plays
text: Asian American Playwright Collective, AAPC
AAPC
Video

The AAPC PlayFestival of Food Plays

The Asian American Playwright Collective presents PlayFestival 3

Thursday 20 August 2020
Boston MA, United States

The Asian American Playwrights Collective presented The AAPC PlayFestival of Food Plays livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 20 August 2020 at 7:00 p.m. EDT (Boston, UTC -4) / 6:00 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC -5) / 5:00 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC -6) / 2:00 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC -7) / 1 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC -8) / 11 a.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC -10).

actors performing onstage.
“Kuʻu ʻĀina, Kuʻu Piko, Kuʻu Kahua - Return to the Source”
CAATA
text teAda productions theater of color
TeAda Productions
text Hana Keaka @ the university of hawaii at manoa
Ka Hālau Hanakeaka
Video

“Kuʻu ʻĀina, Kuʻu Piko, Kuʻu Kahua - Return to the Source”

Part of Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists’ ConFest Virtual Series

Monday 10 August 2020
United States

Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists presented a panel discussion Kuʻu ʻĀina, Kuʻu Piko, Kuʻu Kahua - Return to the Source livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 10 August 2020 at 1 p.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-), 3 p.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-), 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7), 5 p.m. MDT (Denver, UTC-6), 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5), 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).