Pan Asian Rep Presents SHANGHAI LIL’S

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, the East Coast's premier producer of Asian-American theatre, will launch their 35th season this fall with a new production of Shanghai Lil's. Tisa Chang who directed and created the dances in 1997 has re-envisioned a new production to introduce Chinese musical history of the 40's for a new generation of audiences. Pan Asian Rep commissioned Shanghai Lil's with book and lyrics by Lilah Kan, music by Louis Stewart, directed by Tisa Chang, and now adds choreography by Susan Ancheta, who portrayed the dancing lead in the 1997 premiere. The production runs November 11th - 27th at the West End Theatre (263 W. 86th Street between Broadway & West End Avenue in the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew, 2nd floor). Opening night is Wednesday November 16th at 7:00PM.

Shanghai Lil's is set in a 1940's San Francisco nightclub. In a world where the American musical embodies the optimism of boy-meets-girl romance and the American Dream, a cast of Asian American performers charm their audience with song, dance and comedy in spite of the looming specter of WWII and internment.

For the world premiere production in 1997, The New York Times wrote "Shanghai Lil's takes the old let's-put-on-a-show idea with Carmen Miranda numbers and a Groucho-like master of ceremonies, then puts intelligence to work by exploring the American Dreams of Asian Americans. It's a pleasure to report Shanghai Lil's mingles brains, heart and romance in an admirable package of entertainment."

Shanghai Lil's, the hit musical, stars Jaygee Macapugay (last seen in Pan Asian Rep's Imelda) and Broadway veteran Christine Toy Johnson (The Music Man, Grease!) with Leanne Cabrera, Whitney Kam Lee, Rebecca Lee Lerman, Timothy Ng, and Lisa Villamaria. Musical direction is by Sarah Brett England; set design by Gian Marco Lo Forte; costume design by Kate Mincer; and lighting design by Jiyoun Chang.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Tisa Chang (Director) has a lifetime love for the musical theatre form, having danced at an early age and in Broadway musical classics in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, King and I, Flower Drum Song, Sweet Charity, Pacific Overtures, which has informed her directing career at Ellen Stewart's La Mama Chinese Theatre Group with bilingual premieres of Return of the Phoenix, A Servant of Two Masters, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Thunderstorm and highlights at Pan Asian Rep including: The Joy Luck Club, Cambodia Agonistes, Rashomon which was invited to the Havana Theatre Festival in September 2003. Tisa will celebrate 35 years at Pan Asian Rep with a Gala Benefit on March 19, 2012 at the glamorous Edison Ballroom.

Lilah Kan (Book and Lyrics) acted with San Francisco's Inter Players in the 50's and made her New York acting debut in Frank Chin's Year of the Dragon at American Place Theatre (televised for PBS's "Theatre in America") and had a longtime association with Pan Asian Rep as an actor- Legend of Wu Chang, Flowers and Household Gods, Sunrise, Monkey Music- and also acted in Paper Angels directed by John Lone.

Louis Stewart (Composer) Specializing in New Music, he has conducted and played premieres in New York, Seattle, Boston and Baltimore, and has guest conducted in the US and Southeast Asia. One of his many acclaimed compositions is Ballet Beat Café, which was premiered by American Concert Ballet. His recordings include Sleepwalking In Singapore, in collaboration with the Baltimore Improvisation Ensemble, and scores for two documentary films aired on PBS. Shanghai Lil's renews a series of collaborations with Tisa Chang, which began in 1973 with the musical compostion for The Return of the Phoenix, and includes Cambodia Agonistes. He currently teaches at Berkelee College.

PAN ASIAN REPERTORY THEATRE, founded in 1977, is the East Coast's most veteran producer of Asian American theatre. For 35 years, Pan Asian Rep has celebrated the artistic expressiveness of Asian and American theatre artists under the highest standards of professional excellence creating Asian classics and new works. Under the direction of Tisa Chang, the company's renowned Masterpieces from China, Japan, India, Korea, Cambodia, Tibet, and Asian America, bring underrepresented themes to American audiences while deepening their understanding of Asian American cultural heritage. Pan Asian is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, celebrating 50 years of building strong, creative communities in New York State's 62 counties; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; City Council members Peter Koo and Gale Brewer; Shubert and Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundations; and The New York Community Trust and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Educational programs are supported, in part, by MetLife Foundation and Con Edison.

GENERAL LISTING INFORMATION:

Pan Asian Rep's Shanghai Lil's runs November 11th - 27th at the West End Theatre (263 W. 86th Street between Broadway & West End Avenue in the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew, 2nd floor). Via Subway, take the 1 train to 86th Street. Performances are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2:30 pm. (Additional performance Monday November 14th at 7:30 pm; Wednesday November 23rd performance at 2:30 pm only.) Tickets are $39 with discounts available for seniors and students, call OvationTix at 212-352-3101. Group discounts are available by calling 212-868-4030. For more information about Shanghai Lil's, Pan Asian Rep and a schedule of weekday student matinee performances for middle and high school students, visit www.PanAsianRep.org.

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