East West Players Announce 54th Season

East West Players (EWP), the nation’s longest-running professional theatre of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, is pleased to announce its 54th Season, We Are the Ones We Are Waiting For. After a highly successful 53rd Anniversary Season, EWP’s upcoming 2019/2020 season takes place from Summer 2019 through Spring 2020 and consists of four productions, including a Los Angeles Premiere, a West Coast Premiere, and co-productions with The Fountain Theatre and Pasadena Playhouse.

“For our 54th season, I reflected on the these interesting times we live in where there has both been a democratization of storytelling and a rise in authoritarian minded leaders.  It all begs the question of what do we do, who do we turn to times where we as individuals are caught against a larger backdrop of political turmoil and uncertainty. And that unpredictable as these times seem to be, we need to to not diminish, shy away from, or be afraid of joy.  That by being able to laugh our ourselves we open ourselves to new ideas, perspectives and experiences. And through collective laughter we eliminate fear of those things that are unknown or different. Our 54th season is one of laughter and change often in the face of loss. A season of works all by Asian American women playwrights.  We started with the questions: Where do we the look in these troubling times? To whom? And our response is a season where we discover that we are the ones we are waiting for, and should accept nothing less.” says EWP Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai.

EWP’s 54th season, all works by Asian American playwrights, commences with the Los Angeles premiere of Hannah and the Dread Gazebo, written by Jiehae Park, directed by Jennifer Chang, and co-produced with The Fountain Theatre. Hannah and her family travel back to South and North Korea to recover their grandmother’s body in the DMZ after her flamboyant suicide. Division and duality play into the mythology that drives this amusingly surreal play forward. Performances run from August – September 29th, 2019 at The Fountain Theatre.

Up next is a co-production with Pasadena Playhouse The Great Leap, written by award-winning playwright Lauren Yee and directed by Emmy-nominated BD Wong. An American basketball team travels to Beijing for an exhibition game, finding themselves in a conflict running deeper than the strain between two countries. Performances run from October 8 – December 1, 2019 at The Pasadena Playhouse.

For some holiday fun, EWP will present Sandra Tsing Loh’s Sugar Plum Fairy, which follows the dreams of a 12-year-old girl and her ambition to dance the lead in The Nutcracker. Exploring a holiday classic through an offbeat comedic lens, audiences of all ages can enjoy this absurd and relatable coming of age story. Performances run from December 5 – December 22, 2019 at the David Henry Hwang Theater.

EWP’s 54th season closes with another Los Angeles Premiere of The Korean Drama Addict’s Guide to Losing Your Virginity, written by May Lee-Yang. A Hmong personality coach addicted to Korean Dramas awaits her fate with her 30th birthday swiftly approaching. Performances run from March 19 – April 5, 2020at the David Henry Hwang Theater.

Throughout the year, East West Players will continue its Counter Culture Series, presenting a series of community conversations and readings of new works that are free and open to the public.

Single ticket sales will be announced in early Summer 2019. Season subscription options are available at www.eastwestplayers.org. For forthcoming information about the 54th season, please visit www.eastwestplayers.org or call (213) 625-7000 x 0. Dates, details, and ticket prices are subject to change.

As the nation’s premier Asian American theatre organization, East West Players produces artistic work and educational programs that foster dialogue exploring Asian Pacific Islander (API) experiences. Founded in 1965, at a time when APIs faced limited or no opportunities to see their experiences reflected outside of stereotypical and demeaning caricatures in the American landscape, EWP not only ensures that API stories are told, but works to increase access, inclusion, and representation in the economy.

For more information about East West Players, please visit www.eastwestplayers.org.