William Finn and More Set for 'PLAYING JEWISH AT THE NAATCO' Panel, 6/8 at The Public

Racial representation on the American stage is incongruous with the heterogeneity of the United States. For the past twenty-five years, NAATCO has responded to this challenge by producing European and American classics with all-Asian American casts. This panel, "Playing Jewish at the National Asian American Theatre Company", examines the strategy behind, and the effectiveness of, NAATCO's mission through a case study of its productions of plays with all Jewish characters, including the upcoming remount of their production of AWAKE AND SING!

Join us on Monday, June 8 at 7:00pm for a conversation with a panel that includes: Dr. Lisa Silberman Brenner, moderator, William Finn, Stephen Brown-Fried and Mia Katigbak. This event will take place at on the Levin Mezzanine of The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street. Admission is free, but seating is limited! Click here to reserve a seat.

About The Panelists:

Lisa Silberman Brenner is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Drew University, where she received the 2013 President's Award for Distinguished Teaching. Brenner received her Ph.D. in Theatre from Columbia University.

William Finn is a lyricist and composer whose musical, Falsettos, received the 1992 Tony Award for Best Music and Lyrics and for Best Book. Other works include A New Brain, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Little Miss Sunshine.

Stephen Brown-Fried is the director of NAATCO's Awake and Sing! by Clifford Odets. He is the Artistic Associate and Casting Director at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and is an Associate Artist at Trinity Shakespeare Festival.

Mia Katigbak is the co-founder and Artistic Producing Director of NAATCO. She received an Obie for her performance of Bessie in Awake and Sing!

AWAKE AND SING will run July 6 - August 1, 2015. The story of the Bergers, a lower middle class, three-generation Jewish family living in a Bronx apartment during the Depression, AWAKE AND SING recalls that this country was founded as the land of opportunity for immigrants who came with an enduring belief in the American dream. Odets's characters are all the parents, grandparents, and children who sought refuge and forged new lives.

The National Asian American Theatre Company will kick off its 25th Season in residency at The Public with this classic Odets drama. Stephen Brown-Fried directs an all-Asian American cast that includes Mia Katigbak recreating her OBIE Award-winning role as matriarch Bessie along with Sanjit De Silva, Mel Duane Gionson, Teresa Avia Lim, James Saito, Jon Norman Schneider, David Shih, Alok Tewari, and Henry Yuk. Tickets $45 (Members $35).

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