Pan Asian Rep's 37th Season Dinner- Nov 7 Salutes Ming Cho Lee, Elizabeth R. Ouyang and OCA-NY

This fall, PAN ASIAN REPERTORY THEATRE will celebrate the start of its 37th season with a benefit dinner to be held Thursday, November 7 at the Golden Unicorn (18 E Broadway at Catherine Street) in Chinatown. Tickets are $125, tables begin at $1,250, and sponsorship begins at $2,500. Call 212-868-4030 or visit www.panasianrep.org to purchase.

PAN ASIAN REP will salute Ming Cho Lee, one of the foremost set designers in America today whose awards include the National Medal of Arts, the highest national award given in the arts; the Mayor's Award for Arts and Culture; a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre; Outer Critic's Circle; and Drama Desk Awards. He has taught for more than 40 years at the Yale Drama School, nurturing generations of students who have gone on to award-winning design careers. The company will also salute Elizabeth R. OuYang and OCA-NY, for activism on behalf of Private Danny Chen. OuYang has served as President of OCA-New York for the last four years. With 27 years experience as a civil rights attorney, her expertise is in immigration, voter rights protection, and combating hate crimes. Founded in 1976, the New York Chapter of OCA is one of over 100 chapters and affiliates across the country dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. The evening will be emceed by veteran artist, Ron Nakahara, director of PAN ASIAN's spring production, the comedy FISHING FOR WIVES.

The evening's entertainment will include Hula dances and songs helmed by Marina Celander, as well as photo tributes and remembrances of past productions.

The evening opens at 6pm with cocktail hour and appetizers, and continues with traditional Chinese banquet and presentation to salutees. It will benefit PAN ASIAN REPERTORY's 37th milestone season that will focus on migration and social justice, and include the world premiere production, FISHING FOR WIVES by Edward Sakamoto, which is set in Hawaii in 1913, to be presented April 2014, and special performances of NO-NO BOY adapted from the John Okada novel, written by Ken Narasaki. Pan Asian's season will also include Staged Readings open to the public: KALAUPAPA (Nov 12 at 7pm) by Jon Shirota, about a family struggling to survive in the Hawaiian leper colony, and SAIGON SISTERS (Nov 15 at 7pm) by Daniel Le, inspired by Chekhov's masterpiece, and set in 1950's Vietnam. More information on 37th season programs at www.panasianrep.org.