Sierra Madre Playhouse Celebrates Lunar New Year With Multi-Week Festival

Sierra Madre Playhouse (SMP) pulls out the stops to present a multi-week Lunar New Year festival running from January 25 through March 9, 2025 featuring eight compelling theater, music, dance, film, and family programs that embrace a wide range of themes.

Featured artists include Broadway star Joan Almedilla, theater director Tim Dang, violinists YuEun Kim, Etienne Gara, and cellist Stella Cho, and jazz drummer Eric Ching. The festival also showcases work by such esteemed organizations as East West Players, Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts, the East Wind Foundation, Asia / America New Music Institute, and Bob Baker Marionette Theater.

SMP Artistic and Executive Director Matt Cook says, “Sierra Madre Playhouse takes pride in offering a rich tapestry of programming for Lunar New Year that embraces the diversity within Asian cultures and experiences. While Lunar New Year is traditionally observed in countries like China, Vietnam, and Korea, our festival highlights how the themes of renewal, unity, and cultural heritage resonate across the broader Asian and Asian American communities. Through this festival, we aim to honor the unique stories and traditions within the Asian American community while also inviting audiences to reflect upon the shared values that unite us all.”

Lunar New Year festivities at Sierra Madre Playhouse kick off with the East West Players' production of Patsy, a heartwarming play about the enduring legacy of trailblazer Patsy Mink, the first Asian American congresswoman, on Saturday, January 25, at 11 am. In this inspiring story about resilience and determination, Kailani, an 18-year-old star athlete at Maui High School, anxiously awaits news of her college acceptance when she is visited by the spirit of Mink, a former Maui High valedictorian. As Mink shares the trials and triumphs of her groundbreaking political career, Kailani gains valuable lessons about overcoming setbacks and embracing perseverance. This heartwarming play celebrates the enduring legacy of a true trailblazer. East West Players is the nation's longest-running Asian American theater and the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works. Founded in 1965, East West Players is committed to raising the visibility of the Asian American experience by presenting inventive world-class theatrical productions, developing artists of color, and providing impactful youth education programs. Tickets are $12.

The Curse of Quon Gwon, the earliest known Chinese American feature film, directed by Marion E. Wong in 1916, lights up the Sierra Madre Playhouse's fabled silver screen on Friday, January 31, at 8 pm. Accompanied by live piano, the recently rediscovered silent film tells a poignant story of cultural conflict within a Chinese American family as they navigate Westernization and traditional values. Long thought to be lost, two reels of this groundbreaking film survived and were restored in 2005, earning a place in the National Film Registry for its historical and cultural significance. This is a rare opportunity to experience a significant piece of early Asian American filmmaking. Tickets are $20.

An enthralling Lion Dance performed by the East Wind Foundation, a Chinatown-based non-profit organization that empowers at-risk youth through martial and performance arts, is the centerpiece of a special family program on Saturday, February 1, at 11 am. Following the performance, Bob Baker Marionette Theater hosts a hands-on dragon puppet-building workshop for children of all ages. Participants create their own puppets and learn to perform with them alongside professional puppeteers. The event offers families the chance to explore creativity, culture, and community in an interactive and engaging way. Tickets are $12.

Sierra Madre Playhouse's Lunar New Year festival continues with “Lunar Harmonies,” a concert by Asia / America New Music Institute (AANMI) featuring new classical works inspired by the moon by such composers as LA-based Chad Cannon, Korea's SunYoung Sunny Park, and Angel Lam, who hails from Hong Kong and New York, on Saturday, February 1, at 7:30 pm. The evocative and immersive evening of music celebrates the beauty of the Lunar New Year and explores the intersections of Asian and American cultures through music. AANMI, based in Pasadena, promotes cultural exchange through performances that connect traditions, narratives, and contemporary experiences from both cultures. Tickets are $12 - $35.

Kayamanan Ng Lahi Philippine Folk Arts, in the first of two Sierra Madre Playhouse appearances this season, presents "Pagdiriwang - A Celebration of Philippine Culture,” which welcomes the Year of the Snake with a fusion of lively folk dances and time-honored traditions that reflect the festive spirit of the season, on Saturday, February 8, at 11 am. The performance weaves together stories of renewal, hope, prosperity, and abundance, drawing on the diverse influences of Filipino and Filipino American heritage. Included on the program are several Filipino dances celebrating Lunar New Year from the post-Colonial-era, when the holiday was introduced to the country. Through the expressive language of dance, the artists of Kayamanan Ng Lahi honor their roots and embrace new beginnings. Tickets are $12.

Chinese American jazz drummer and composer Eric Ching lays it down with his captivating drumming and innovative musical storytelling on Sunday, February 9, at 7:30 pm. Ching, whose performances blend color and rhythm with playful exploration, is noted for compositions filled with unexpected twists and musical narratives reminiscent of a Tarantino film. The LA-based musician studied under Akira Tana in the Bay Area and honed his skills at New York University. Tickets are $12 - $35.

MusiKaravan, a dynamic string trio blending pop and classical styles, drives into the Sierra Madre Playhouse on Wednesday, February 12, at 7:30 pm. The trio delivers French chansons, Monti's Czardas, Korean pop tunes, and Vivaldi classics with aplomb. Featuring Korean American violinist YuEun Kim, South Korean cellist Stella Cho, and violinist Etienne Gara, MusiKaravan's performances are filled with surprises, stories, and visual highlights from their fabled road journeys in their beloved 1971 VW bus, which they named Boris. Each of their shows is a unique, heartfelt experience that connects audiences of all ages through music and storytelling. Tickets are $12 - $35.

The Playhouse's Lunar New Year celebration wraps with Tim Dang directing Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning Master Class, a gripping theatrical production inspired by the legendary masterclasses given by opera icon Maria Callas at Juilliard, that runs from February 14 through March 9. Filipino-born Broadway star Joan Almedilla (Miss Saigon, Les Miserable, The King and I) stars as Maria Callas. Almedilla, hailed as a “phenomenal diva” (Deadline), has also appeared in such films as Shatter Belt, Pam & Tommy, and Commencement. Dang, of Chinese American descent and originally from Hawaii, served as the artistic director of East West Players from 1993 to 2016. He has also directed productions at Singapore Repertory Theatre, San Francisco's Asian American Theater Company, and the Mark Taper Forum, among others.

The show times are Fridays, at 8 pm; Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm; and Sundays at 4 pm. (Full schedule: Friday, February 14, 8 pm; Saturday, February 15, 2 pm and 8 pm; Sunday, February 16, 4 pm; Friday, February 21, 8 pm; Saturday, February 22, 2 pm and 8 pm; Sunday, February 23, 4 pm; Friday, February 28, 8 pm; Saturday, March 1, 2 pm and 8 pm; Sunday, March 2, 4 pm; Friday, March 7, 8 pm; Saturday, March 8, 2 pm and 8 pm; Sunday, March 9, 4 pm.) Tickets are $12 - $45.

Tickets and Information

Tickets to the Lunar New Year programs at Sierra Madre Playhouse are on sale now. For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

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