Pan Asian Rep Includes SHANGHAI LIL'S, RANGOON, et al. in 35th Season

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre, the East Coast's largest producer of Asian-American theatre, has announced it's 35th season which will include a newly re-envisioned production of one of their most successful original musicals, a world premiere of a new play, two new productions showcasing the talents of veteran Asian American artists and a developmental reading series of three new plays focusing on multi-cultural themes.

SHANGHAI LIL'S
Pan Asian Rep will launch their 35th season this fall with a new production of Shanghai Lil's. Re-conceived and directed by Pan Asian Rep's Artistic Producing Director Tisa Chang, and choreographed by Susan Ancheta, Shanghai Lil's features original book and lyrics by Lilah Kan and music by Louis Stewart. The production runs November 10th - 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 Monday, November 14th at 7:00PM.

First presented by Pan Asian Rep 14 years ago, 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.

When first presented 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."

Tickets on sale soon, for more information about Shanghai Lil's, visit www.PanAsianRep.org.

RANGOON
This May, Pan Asian Rep will present the world premiere of Rangoon, a new play by Mayank Keshaviah. Rangoon centers on the Patel family, who having lost wealth after a political coup in Burma, emigrates to the rural American south, and run a 7-11 store while in pursuit of the American Dream. This family of Indian immigrants must deal with seductions of American life, while trying to keep its heritage alive. This funny, tragic and quintessentially 21st century American story examines issues of cultural heritage, and social justice.

Rangoon is supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Specific performance dates and venue TBA. For more information, visit www.PanAsianRep.org.

PLAY DEVELOPMENT SERIES
Pan Asian continues its tradition of fostering emerging Asian American writers and new works with their play development series. Pan Asian Rep has selected three plays which will be under the oversight of Artistic Associates Ron Nakahara and Ernest Abuba, culminating in staged public readings.

Window Shadows by Faizul Khan
October 2011 in the Bruce Mitchell Room (520 8th Ave, 3rd floor)
An inter-racial couple struggle to come to terms with their fears and their lives. Sharon wants a baby before its too late and Daniel wants his academic degree but what eventually ensues neither is prepared for.

A Dream of Red Pavilions by Jeremy Tiang
December 2011 in the Bruce Mitchell Room (520 8th Ave, 3rd floor)
A tragic love story of two beings from the spirit world based on the classic Chinese novel by Cao Xueqin, Dream of the Red Chamber. Set in pre-Revolution 18th-Century China it traces the rise and fall of the aristocratic Jia family, exploring wealth, poverty, corruption and guilt, steeped in Buddhism.

Three Trees by Alvin Eng
December 2011 in the Bruce Mitchell Room (520 8th Ave, 3rd floor)
Three Trees is a poetic, philosophical rumination about the relationship between sculptor Alberto Giacometti, his muse/model, Japanese existential philosopher Isaku Yanaihara, and Giacometti's wife Annette. Alvin Eng was last seen at Pan Asian Rep's 2005 Two Nights Only series with The Last Emperor of Flushing.

The three play readings are free and open to the public. For reservations and more information visit www.PanAsianRep.org or call 212-868-4030.

NEWWORKS 2012
This spring, Pan Asian Rep expands its successful NEWWORKS series. In March 8 - April 8, 2012, Pan Asian will once again celebrate exciting new Asian American artistry with two unique productions featuring some of the most accomplished veteran talent in the theatre community and beyond:

Stella Rising
Created and performed by Napua Davoy
March 8- 18, 2012 at West End Theatre (263 W. 86th Street)
A one-woman show, with 10 characters and original music ranging from jazz to opera. A mother/daughter story of conflict, reconciliation, and loss to dementia spanning from the 60's to the present. "Hawaiian paradise meets The Grapes of Wrath."

Baudelaire: La Mort
Conceived by Ernest Abuba, Shigeko Suga, Minouche
Directed by Shigeko Suga and assisted by Minouche
March 23- April 8, 2012 at West End Theatre (263 W. 86th Street)
A tri-lingual adaptation from Baudelaire's poems, segmented from his masterpiece Les Fleur du Mal, Baudelaire is a theatrical staging fusing Butoh, Flamenco and French poetry featuring Ernest Abuba, Anna Gheesling, Minouche and Shigeko Suga and original music created and performed by Yukio Tsuji

For more information about the productions in Pan Asian Rep's NEWORKS series, visit www.PanAsianRep.org.

Founded in 1977, Pan Asian Repertory Theatre is the East Coast's largest producer of Asian American theatre. For 34 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.

 

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