East West Players Writers' Gallery Hosts A Workshop Presentation Of An Original Anime Hip-hop Martial Arts Musical

East West Players (EWP), the nation's premier Asian American theatre, has gathered a creative team to develop a new musical that utilizes anime, hip-hop and martial arts. A 25 minute presentation of this work in progress will be performed on Friday, November 20 , 7:30pm at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy. Q & A discussion will follow.

"When East West Players produced PIPPIN in 2008, which utilized anime, hip-hop and martial arts, it was a huge success," says Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang. "It showed to us at EWP that there is an interest by audiences to see pop culture aesthetics incorporated and presented with a more traditional theatrical form. We are assembling our best artistic minds to put this piece together and I hope the chemistry and creatively will evolve into a new form appealing to everyone."

The working title for the production is KRUNK-FU BATTLE BATTLE. Description: The heart of hip-hop is in the battle. Young Norman Lee must learn this if he hopes to survive his new high school life as an Upper Westside import now transported to Bushwick, Brooklyn, after his Mom loses her 6-figure salary job. After being bullied, beat-down, and watching his Mom swallow her pride by accepting a job as a fast food fry cook, young Norman Lee enlists the guidance of Sir Master Cert to help him learn the ways of b-boy to compete against the baddest crew in Bushwick for respect, honor, and a chance to prove to his Mom that this life away from material wealth can and will work.

THE CREATIVE TEAM

The creative team includes: bookwriter Qui Nguyen, lyricist Beau Sia, composer Marc Macalintal, hip-hop choreographer Jason Tyler Chong and anime consultant Jane Wu. The presentation is directed by East West Players' artistic director Tim Dang.

This project reunites Tim Dang, Jason Tyler Chong and Marc Macalintal after their successful collaboration of the 2008 hit run of PIPPIN.

Qui Nguyen is a Brooklyn-based writer, fight director and Co-Artistic Director of the award-winning Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company. His scripts include the Off-Broadway productions of SOUL SAMURAI (Vampire Cowboys/Ma-Yi Theater) and TRIAL BY WATER (Ma-Yi Theater/Queens Theatre in the Park), BIKE WRECK (Youngblood/Ensemble Studio Theatre); and the critically acclaimed Vampire Cowboys productions of FIGHT GIRL BATTLE WORLD (nominated for Best Full Length Script by the 2008 NY Innovative Theatre Awards); MEN OF STEEL (Cited as 2007's Best Adaptation of Comics into Other Media by ComicCritique.com); LIVING DEAD IN DENMARK; STAINED GLASS UGLY; A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO DEICIDE; and VAMPIRE COWBOY TRILOGY.

Beau Sia is an original cast member and writer for the Tony Award winning DEF POETRY JAM on Broadway. He has also appeared on all seasons of the HBO version of the show. He co-wrote and performed for Declare Yourself in Norman Lear's Declaration of Independence Road Trip, and recently in the Jonathan Demme film Rachel Getting Married. Numerous additional credits can be found on-line.

GENERAL INFORMATION
The Writers' Gallery offers public readings of works that are being considered for the mainstage at East West Players and are presented in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum and The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy.
This workshop is made possible in part by The James Irvine Foundation and The National Endowment for the Arts which believes that a great nation deserves great art; and by the support of individual donors.

The Writers' Gallery will be staged at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at 111 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012. The Writers' Gallery presentation will be on Thursday, November 19th at 7:30pm. Admission is free.

For more information, please call East West Players at (213) 625-7000 or visit www.eastwestplayers.org. Dates and details are subject to change.

ABOUT EAST WEST PLAYERS
As the nation's premier Asian American theatre organization, East West Players produces outstanding works and educational programs that give voice to the Asian Pacific American experience.
Established in 1965, East West Players began with nine artists who wanted a theatre where they could strive for artistic excellence have control over their own careers as Asian American artists and to tell stories of their own community.
East West Players started at a small 99-seat theater in Silverlake before moving to its current 240-seat home, the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts in Downtown Los Angeles' Little Tokyo District.
For over 40 years East West Players has provided opportunities to Asian Pacific American artists by producing classic plays, Broadway musicals and stories specific to the Asian American experience.

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