FLIPZOIDS Set For Off-Broadway Run In January

The Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Ma-Yi Theater Company - one of the country's leading Asian-American theater companies and whose most recent production was Michael Lew's play MICROCRISIS directed by Ralph B. Pena - will continue its 2010-11 season with FLIPZOIDS, a play written by Mr. Pena, with previews set to begin January 11 prior to an official opening on January 18 at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre (416 W. 42 St.) in Manhattan.

The play is directed by Loy Arcenas, who previously directed Ma-Yi's internationally-acclaimed, the multiple Obie-winning production of THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO.

In FLIPZOIDS, a 70-year-old woman -- a recent immigrant from the Philippines - crosses paths with a young Filipino man on a deserted beach in Southern California. Far from their native land, a cautious friendship ensues as they attempt to reconcile their very different understandings of their old home, and try to fit in to their new one.

The cast of FLIPZOIDS features the beloved Filipino-American actress Ching Valdes-Aran (Bway's WILD PARTY, Off-Bway's AN ORESTEIA and DOG EATERS), Carlo Alban (a regular on TV's "Prison Break" and "Sesame Street" and the film "Whip It" with Drew Barrymore), and Tina Chilip (GOLDEN CHILD and JOY LUCK CLUB).

FLIPZOIDS has lighting design by James Vermeulen (Ma-Yi's "The Romance of Magno Rubio"; Bway: "Design for Living"; Off Broadway: "Mr. Fox: A Rumination"); sound design by Fabian Obispo (Ma-Yi's "The Romance of Magno Rubio," "No Foreigners Beyond This Point"), and scenic design by Mr. Arcenas.

FLIPZOIDS will perform at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater (416 W. 42 St.) Janaury 11 to February 6. Performances Tuesdays to Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with matinees at 3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $30 and $40 and can be reserved by calling Ticket Central at 212 279 4200.

A playwright and director, Ralph B. Pena is the current Artistic Director of Ma-Yi Theater Company. Plays written include: "Cinema Verite," "This End Up:A User's Manual for Lovers of Asians," and "Dead Man's Socks." Recent directing credits include the world premiere of "Microcrisis" by Michael Lew, "The Children of Vonderly by Lloyd Suh," and "Savage Acts" for Ma-Yi Theater, along with Nicky Paraiso's "House/Boy" at LaMama ETC, Dublin and Singapore Theater Festivals, and "Will, Sing!" for the Philadelphia Shakespeare Theater. He is from the Philippines.

Loy Arcenas is a director and scenic and costume designer. His directing credits include David Henry Hwang's "Golden Child," "Hedda Gabler," "Stop Kiss," and "Blind Mouth Singing." He received an OBIE Award for his direction for The Romance Of Magno Rubio which he collaborated on with playwright Lonnie Carter. It was created for the Ma-Yi Theater Company and has subsequently been staged for the Victory Gardens, Laguna Playhouse, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He directed the Ma-Yi's productions of Michi Barall's "Rescue Me," Warren Leight's "No Foreigners Beyond This Point," Han Ong's "Watcher" and "Middle Finger." Design credits include Broadway's "Chita Rivera:The Dancer's Life," the American/and or New York premieres of "Dessa
Rose," "Love! Valour! Compassion!," "Prelude To A Kiss," "Once On This Island," "High Society," "A Man Of No Importance," "Corpus Christi," "The Baltimore Waltz," and "The Long Christmas Ride Home." He is a recipient of the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award, the Bay Area Critics Circle Award, two Drama Desk nominations, the Jefferson Award, the Michael Merritt Award for design collaboration, and the OBIE AWARD for Sustained Excellence of Scenic Design. He is from the Philippines.

Founded in 1989, MA-YI THEATRE COMPANY is a the Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning, Off-Broadway not-for-profit organization whose primary mission is to develop new plays and performance works that depict Asian American experiences. Its numerous acclaimed productions include last season's hit production of RESCUE ME by Michi Barall, Lloyd Suh's AMERICAN HWANGAP, SOUL SAMURAI, THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO, THE CHILDREN OF VONDERLY and wAve. Through successful programs such as the Writers Lab, Ma-Yi emboldens a new generation of Asian American artists to voice their experiences, while developing a steady stream of quality new works by Asian American Playwrights for its own performing repertory. Ma-Yi Theater Company productions have earned nine Obie Awards, numerous Henry Hewes Award nominations, a Drama Desk nomination and the Special Drama Desk Award for more than two decades of excellence and for nurturing Asian-American voices in stylistically varied and engaging theater.

For more info, visit www.ma-yitheatre.org

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