East West Players presents Solo Show I LAND

East West Players continues its exciting 41st Anniversary Season with I Land, a solo performance written and performed by Keo Woolford and directed by Roberta Uno. Generous support for this production is provided by the S. Mark Taper Foundation Endowment for East West Players. This production is co-commissioned  by the Ma-Yi Theater Company and the Asia Society in New York City.

At once hilarious, defiant and transcendent, I Land weaves together traditional Hawaiian hula, Hip-Hop, Hawaiian talk story and spoken word. I Land is acclaimed actor and hula dancer Keo Woolford's moving search for the meaning of heritage in a post-modern world. In this semi-autobiographical journey, Woolford navigates the many worlds where hula lives, from backyard parties, to Hollywood kitsch, to the realm of the sacred. Along the way islands separated by geography and culture collide: a hotel hula show and a conservatory audition, Catholic high school and an evangelical church service, a moment of pop stardom and the opportunity to learn from a hula master.

“We are very excited to have Keo Woolford on our stage once again,” comments East West Players’ artistic director, Tim Dang. “East West Players is very excited to bring this new solo piece to the stage. The fusion of bringing different elements of what it is to be Native Hawaiian and American is what EWP is all about. Keo’s charming personality and talent will draw in any audience members. It’s great to be collaborating with our fellow Asian American art organization on the east coast.”

Keo returns to the East West Players stage after his performance in Stew Rice which garnered rave reviews by numerous critics. Other previous East West Players productions include Pacific Ovetures, Heading East, and Big Hunk O’ Burning’ Love.

He has appeared on the stage nationally including the London Palladium, IMUA! Theater Company, Red Room, and the Morgan-Wixson.

Directed by Roberta Uno, she is currently the Program Officer for Arts, Media and Culture at the Ford Foundation. Roberta is also the one of the co founders and the founding artistic director of the New World Theater at University of Massachusetts. Some books she has worked on include: Unbroken Thread: An Anthology of Plays by Asian American Women, Roberta Uno Asian American Women Playwrights' Scripts Collection, 1924-, and Monologues for Actors of Color.

Choreographed by Robert Cazimero and Rokafella. Cazimero is one of the most respected kumu (teachers) of Hawaiian dance today. Ana “Rokafella” Garcia is a Spanish Harlem–born hip hop dancer and choreographer and dances with The Transformers and The Breeze Team.

The creative team for I Land includes scenic and costume designer Clint Ramos, lighting designer Josh Bradford, sound designer Elton Lin, video designer and Zachary Borovay.

I Land recently performed at the Asia Society and Museum for one weekend in November. After it’s run at East West Players it will return to the east coast in performance with the Ma Yi Theater Company from April 20 – May 13.

All performances will be held 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.  I Land opens on March 21, 2007 and closes on April 8, 2007.  Opening night will be accompanied by a pre-performance cocktail reception and a post show reception with the cast and creative team.

Performances are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm.  Previews are Saturday, March 17th at 8 pm and Sunday, March 18th at 2 pm.  An American Sign Language-interpreted performance is scheduled for Sunday, April 1st at 2 pm.