I Land Plays as Part of Asian American Theater Fest

I Land -- a play about playwright and performer Keo Woolford's moving search for the meaning of heritage in the post-modern world -- returns to Off-Broadway, June 20-24, for five performances only, presented by Ma-Yi Theater Company as part of the first-ever National Asian American Theater Festival at The Culture Project (55 Mercer Street) in Manhattan.
 
Performed and written by acclaimed actor (who co-starred opposite Josie Lawrence, as the King in the long-running West End revival of The King and I at the London Palladium), former star of the boy band Brownskin, and Merrie Monarch Award-winning hula dancer Keo Woolford, I Land weaves together hula, hip-hop, traditional Hawaiian talk story, and spoken word.
 
Directed by Roberta Uno, "Woolford's semi-autobiographical journey navigates the many worlds where hula lives: from backyard parties to Hollywood kitsch to the realm of the sacred. Along the way, islands -- separated by geography and culture -- collide: a hotel hula show and conservatory audition; a Catholic high school and an evangelical church service; a moment of pop stardom and the opportunity to learn from a hula master," state press notes.
 
Produced by Ma-Yi Theater Company, I Land is co-commissioned in cooperation with Asia Society and Diverse Works Art Space. I LAND features the choreography of hip-hop star "Rokafella" and the legendary kumu hula Robert Cazimero. The production has set and costume design by Clint Ramos, lighting design by Josh Bradford, sound design by Elton Lin, video design by Zachary Borovay, and dramaturgy by Ralph B. Peña.

The play follows Ma-Yi Theater Company's acclaimed revival of its Obie Award-winning production of Lonnie Carter's The Romance of Magno Rubio. It concludes the 18th season for Ma-Yi, described in press notes as "the leading company in the U.S. devoted to presenting work about the Asian-American experience." Ma-Yi Theater Company is under the guidance of Ralph B. Peña, Artistic Director, and Jorge Z. Ortoll, Executive Director.
 
Performances run June 20-24 at The Culture Project-SoHo (55 Mercer Street), Wednesday-Saturday at 8pm; Sundays at 3pm Tickets are $38-20. For tickets, call TheaterMania.com at 212-352-3101 or online at www.ma-yitheatre.org. For more information, visit www.ma-yitheatre.org or www.NAATF.org.

Photo of Keo Woolford by Matt Zugale
 

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