East West Players to Be Honored By City Leaders For Pride Month

East West Players, the nation's largest producer of Asian American theatrical works, along with EWP Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai, will be honored by city leaders on Wednesday, June 30th at 3:30pm at a LA CityView Channel 35 program, broadcast live as part of the virtual celebrations for the annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Heritage Month, commonly known as "Pride Month," in the City of Los Angeles.

Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell, one of the City's three openly gay elected officials, has organized this year's LGBT Heritage Month programming. He will join Mayor Eric Garcetti, Controller Ron Galperin, City Council President Nury Martinez, and Councilmember Mike Bonin for this virtual ceremony honoring LGBT advocates who have been on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous honorees were OUTreach at UFCW Local 770 and Black LGBTQ+ Activists for Change (B.L.A.C.).

The live broadcast on LA CityView Channel 35 will also be streamed simultaneously on Facebook: @CouncilmemberMitchOFarrell.

East West Players, the nation's longest running theatre of color, has long been a resource and champion for the LGBTQIA+ community in Los Angeles. Recent EWP productions focused on LGBTQIA+ content includeAs We Babble On (2018), written by Nathan Ramos Park - the winner of EWP's 2042: See Change Playwriting Competition. In 2016, previous EWP Artistic Director Tim Dang's production of La Cage Aux Folles (2016) was produced in partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

Madhuri Shekar's A Nice Indian Boy (2014) was East West Players Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai's first directorial effort at EWP. It told the story of a gay Indian man who dreams of a Bollywood wedding for himself and his partner.

Desai is also the author and performer of Finding Ways to Prove You're NOT an al-Qaeda Terrorist When You're Brown (and other stories of the gIndian). As Desai related to The Bay Area Reporter when he mounted the production in 2008, "I wanted to do work that speaks to the South Asian community as well as the gay community, and I wasn't finding the playwrights out there, so I started to write these monologues, and they began to take shape into a show."

Most recently, EWP was the first to revoke its membership in the LA Stage Alliance, following a terrible gaffe at its annual Ovation Awards ceremony. Larger exclusionary issues were brought to light by the incident in which a nominee, actor Jully Lee's name was mispronounced, while at the same time displaying a photo at the online ceremony of fellow cast member Monica Hong in her place.

EWP's swift action resulted in over 50 theaters in the region following suit as they joined EWP in solidarity, leading to the demise of the organization and the start of discussions for a new fully representational and responsive arts service organization.

"LGBT Heritage Month is an opportunity to honor the frontline heroes across our LGBTQ+ community -- the nurses and doctors saving lives, the activists marching for justice, the advocates lining up the voices of LGBTQ+ Angelenos struck by a spike in hate crimes and disproportionately impacted by COVID-19," said Mayor Eric Garcetti. "By their actions and leadership, these extraordinary Americans speak to the best of who we can be as a city and nation: a place where everyone can make a difference, everyone can know the blessings of safety and equity, and everybody belongs, no matter who you are, how you identify or who you love. Happy Pride Month."

"This year, we celebrate LGBT Heritage Month by recognizing our frontline advocates with a renewed appreciation for the sacrifices, courage, and tenacity necessary to keep fighting righteous fights in trying times," said Council President Nury Martinez. "I am proud to represent so many members of the LGBTQ+ community, and I am excited to continue to work and celebrate alongside them this year in our progress towards widespread inclusivity."

"The LGBTQ+ community embodies what it means to be resilient and persistent when faced with institutional barriers, and nowhere is that more apparent than with queer frontline activists and advocates," said Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell. "I am honored to know, represent, and work with the honorees we are celebrating during this year's LGBT Heritage Month. They have led with courage, resolve, and pride - and they are building a Los Angeles that is more just and equitable for all."

"After an incredibly challenging year for the LGBTQ+ community and so many others, we have good reason to be hopeful for the future ahead," said Controller Ron Galperin. "We have partnered with our advocates on the front lines of the struggle for equality and equity to make tangible and positive differences in people's lives - helping those in need during the pandemic, speaking out to stop anti-trans violence, and standing up to bigotry, discrimination and hate. LGBT Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to honor this work and celebrate how far our community has come."

"For generations, activists and allies have been living proof of how inclusivity can make a city stronger and more vibrant," said Councilmember Mike Bonin. "This year we celebrate frontline advocacy, and the people from every part of this city who work to make this tapestry of diversity and pride even stronger and more exciting. LA's legacy of championing pride and demanding equality is more alive than it ever has been before. While there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, I am proud to be a part of this fight, and to stand with you all to celebrate, resist, and march forward."

Snehal Desai is the Producing Artistic Director of East West Players (EWP), the nation's premier Asian-American theater company and one of the longest running theaters of color in the US. Snehal's inaugural season as Artistic Director, included the Los Angeles premiere of Allegiance starring George Takei, a revival of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yohen with Danny Glover and the world premiere of David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's Soft Power.

Before this time, Snehal was a freelance director working across the United States and the UK. He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC) and
serves on the boards of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) and Theater Communications Group (TCG). Snehal found a home at East West Players because he found it to uniquely stand at the intersection of artistry and social justice. As an artistic leader, he has sought to raise awareness on social issues that affect Angelenos by personalizing them through storytelling.

A Soros Fellow and the recipient of a Tanne Award, Desai was in the Inaugural Class of Theatre Communications Group's (TCG) "Spark" Leadership Program. He was also the Inaugural Recipient of the Drama League's Classical Directing Fellowship. Snehal is on the faculty of USC's graduate program in Arts Leadership where he teaches Executive Arts Leadership. Snehal is a graduate of Emory University and the Yale School of Drama.

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