East West Players presents the West Coast premiere of MASHA NO HOME
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 second selection of its 38th Anniversary Season, the West Coast premiere production of MASHA NO HOME by Lloyd Suh, directed by Henry Chan.
MASHA NO HOME is a family drama with finely crafted characters that go on a journey of discovery. Masha and Whitman mourn the death of their mother but the strength of the family is challenged when $30,000 cash is found. A community fund for Korean immigrants to use to build their lives in America called a kae, the money becomes a hot potato – and a test of character – as it passes through the hands of everyone in the play.
“This is our third Korean American-themed piece since our historic move in 1998 from a 99-seat theater to our current mid-size venue in the Union Center for the Arts. The Korean American community is becoming more visible in the fabric of American society and we wanted to explore that growth and experience from the point of view of a new generation of playwrights with MASHA NO HOME. At 27, Lloyd Suh is one of the youngest playwright East West Players has ever produced,” said Tim Dang, East West Players’ producing artistic director.
Playwright Lloyd Suh is a second-generation Korean American who was born in southern Indiana and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. Suh is the author of THE GARDEN VARIETY and THE CHILDREN OF VONDERLY, as well as several shorter plays, including WITH A HAMMER & A NAIL (EST/Thicker Than Water 2002) and HE CRY BOY SEE HE SAD (a finalist for the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Heideman Award). Winner of both the Dasha Epstein Next Step Fellowship and the Dramatists Guild of America Playwriting Fellowship, his work has been produced and workshopped severally with Second Generation Productions and EST, at venues including the New York Shakespeare Festival/Joseph Papp Public Theater, the Asian-American Writers’ Workshop, Expanded Arts, and the New York International Fringe Festival.
Henry Chan is a director of film and television. He recently finished an independent feature film “Gas,” starring Flex Alexander, Kahlil Kane and Jo Marie Payton. For six years, he was the principal director for “Moesha,” a popular comedy, starring singer Brandy on UPN. His other television credits include “Scrubs,” “The King of Queens,” “Lizzie McQuire,” “Soul Food,” “Brothers Garcia,” “Girlfriends” and “The Parkers.” Henry began his career in television as an editor and won a Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding editing on “The Cosby Show.”
The creative team for MASHA NO HOME is set designer Evan Bartoletti, costume designer Dori Quan, lighting designer Rand Ryan, sound designer Dennis Yen, property master Ken Takemoto and stage manager Victoria A. Gathe.
The cast includes Esther Chae, Teddy Chen Culver, Dennis Dun, Molly Mickelson, Julia Morizawa, Randall Park and Eddie Shin.
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. (formerly San Pedro St. between Temple and First streets). Opening night is November 12, 2003 (includes gala reception with the director, cast and crew) and closing is on December 7, 2003. Previews are November 6-9, 2003. Regular performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm (no Saturday matinee on November 8 and 15). An American Sign Language-interpreted performance is scheduled for December 6 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. Senior, student and group discounts are available.
MASHA NO HOME is supported in part by the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and The James Irvine Foundation.
MASHA NO HOME is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. www.playscripts.com
Questions? Email gwangung@u.washington.edu