East West Players presents the Los Angeles premiere of THE WIND CRIES MARY
East West Players, the nation's premier Asian American theatre, builds on its mission to give voice to the Asian Pacific American community with the third selection of its 38th Anniversary Season, the Los Angeles premiere of THE WIND CRIES MARY by Philip Kan Gotanda, directed by Lisa Peterson.
Loosley based on Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, the time is 1968 and history is changing as the United States experiences the height of the Vietnam War, Civil Rights Movement and Women's Liberation. Across the nation, young Orientals are coming into consciousness over their ethnic identities and Asian America is born. But in San Francisco, Eiko Hanabi's burden of gender and tradition still keep her from expressing her true strength and spirit.
"THE WIND CRIES MARY is East West Players&Mac226; eighth production of a Philip Kan Gotanda play and we're excited to present its Los Angeles premiere," said Tim Dang, East West Players&Mac226; producing artistic director. "This piece gave us a unique opportunity to produce an adaptation of a literary classic and tell the story of Asian American involvement during the Civil Rights Movement when we saw the birth of ethnic studies and community organizations such as East West Players."
Playwright Philip Kan Gotanda is one of the most produced American playwrights, having worked with culturally specific organizations such as Asian American Theatre Company, Northwest Asian American Theater, Pan Asian Repertory, as well as mainstream institutions such as Berkeley Repertory Theatre, South Coast Repertory, New York Shakespeare Festival and the Mark Taper Forum. Gotanda is also working internationally. A Japanese translation of A SONG FOR A NISEI FISHERMAN was recently produced in Japan, and his play BALLAD OF YACHIYO was staged at London's Gate Theatre in co-production with the Royal National Theatre.
Director Lisa Peterson has been the Resident Director at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles since 1995 where her mainstage productions included CHAVEZ RAVINE, THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA and THE BODY OF BOURNE, and dozens of workshops and readings in the New Work Festival. A graduate of Yale College, Peterson has directed in New York at Public Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop and Primary Stages. Other Regional credits include La Jolla Playhouse, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Dallas Theatre Center and California Shakespeare Festival. She is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Drama Dept. in NYC, and serves on the executive board of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers.
The creative team for THE WIND CRIES MARY is set designer Rachel Hauck, costume designer Christopher Acebo, lighting designer Rand Ryan, sound designer Robbin Broad, property master Andrea Finn and stage manager Victoria A. Gathe.
The cast includes Jamila Abdullayeva, Diana Kay Cameron, Thomas Vincent Kelly, Jodi Long, Sab Shimono and Kelvin Han Yee.
All performances are in the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts, located in Little Tokyo at 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Opening night is February 4, 2004 (includes gala reception with the director, cast and crew) and closing is on February 29, 2004. Previews are January 29 February 1, 2004. Regular performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm. There are no Saturday matinee performances on January 31 and February 7. A discussion with playwright Philip Kan Gotanda will be held after the 2 pm performance on February 22, 2004. An American Sign Language-interpreted performance is scheduled for February 28, 2004 at 2 pm.
Ticket prices are $58 for Opening Night; $20 for Previews; regular performances are $33 in the orchestra and $28 for the balcony. Tickets can be purchased Monday through Saturday, 11 am 5 pm by calling (213) 625-7000 x20 or visiting www.eastwestplayers.org . Senior, student and group discounts are available.
THE WIND CRIES MARY is supported in part by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through a grant from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.
THE WIND CRIES MARY by Philip Kan Gotanda is presented by arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., in New York.
Questions? Email gwangung@u.washington.edu