The Obie and Drama Desk Award-winning MA-YI THEATER COMPANY – one of the country’s leading producers of new works for the stage by Asian-American writers – will present two new plays- Nandita Shenoy‘s WASHER/DRYER and A. Rey Pamatmat‘s HOUSE RULES– during the company’s 2015-16 season, it has been announced by Ralph Peña, Ma-Yi’s Artistic Director.
Ma-Yi’s season will also include a return engagement of its hit play THE WONG KIDS IN THE SECRET OF THE SPACE CHUPACABRA GO! — written by Lloyd Suh and directed by Ralph Peña — at Boston’s Paramount Theatre as part of ArtsEmerson’s World on Stage series in February 2016.
In addition, Ma-Yi undertakes a new partnership this season with Fordham University, where Mr. Pena is set to direct a new English adaptation of Ji Junxiang’s 13th Century play, THE ORPHAN OF ZHAO– adapted by Matthew Maguire and Ralph B. Peña-as part of Fordham University’s Main Stage Season. The production runs November 11-13 and November 19-21st.
Ma-Yi’s season Off-Broadway begins in January with the New York premiere of WASHER/DRYER, Nandita Shenoy‘s play about modern-day marriage, with previews starting January 26 prior to an official opening night on February 2. The production runs through February 21 at the Beckett Theater on Theater Row (410 W. 42 St.) in New York City.
Directed by Benjamin Kamine, WASHER/DRYER is a hilarious new farce that examines the pressures of modern-day marriage against the backdrop of New York City. Sonya and Michael’s recent elopement in Vegas seemed like a dream come true for both of them until they try living together in Sonya’s Manhattan studio apartment. As they discover that they haven’t been entirely honest with each other or themselves, their secrets come home to roost along with an intrusive mother, the co-op’s strict Board president, a harsh best friend, and a fabulous washer-dryer. Mayhem ensues as the couple is forced to re-evaluate their relationship and decide whether all really is fair in love and real estate.
Casting for WASHER/DRYER to be announced.
In March, Ma-Yi will present the world-premiere of A. Rey Pamatmat‘s HOUSE RULES at HERE (145 Ave. of the Americas), previews beginning March 22 prior to an opening night March 29. Directed by Ralph Peña, HOUSE RULES is scheduled to run through April 17.
HOUSE RULES is about what happens when members of two families – and a guy named Henry – gather for a game of cards. Rod thinks the game is fixed. Momo’s still learning the rules. Twee doesn’t think winning is enough. JJ hates his hand. And why the hell is Henry still playing? Two families (and some guy named Henry) panic with hilarious and heart-breaking results when they realize their parents won’t be around forever. Can anybody prepare for the inevitable moment when they’re the ones left holding all the cards?
Casting for HOUSE RULES to be announced.
The plot of THE ORPHAN OF ZAO follows the ambitions of the courtier Tu’an Gu, who kills his rival Zhao Dun and every member of the Zhao clan in a bid to become sole ruler. But Zhao Dun’s son survives under a new identity and is unwittingly adopted by Tu-an Gu himself. The Orphan eventually finds out his real identity and confronts his adoptive father to exact revenge.
MA-YI THEATER COMPANY recently enjoyed great critical and popular success with its double-bill last fall of LIVIN’ LA VIDA IMELDA and CHAIRS AND A LONG TABLE, and this past spring’s world premiere of SOLDIER X. The company won the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for its critically-acclaimed production of THE WONG KIDS IN THE SECRET OF THE SPACE CHUPACABRA GO! last season. Founded in 1989 and now celebrating its 27th season, MA-YI is a Drama Desk and OBIE Award-winning, Off-Broadway not-for-profit organization whose primary mission is to develop and produce new and innovative plays by Asian American writers.
Since its founding, Ma-Yi has distinguished itself as one of the country’s leading incubators of new work shaping the national discourse about what it means to be Asian American today. Its numerous acclaimed productions include Mike Lew’s BIKE AMERICA, Qui Nguyen’s THE INEXPLICABLE REDEMPTION OF AGENT G and SOUL SAMURAI (with Vampire Cowboys), Mike Lew’s MICROCRISIS and the revival of Ralph B. Peña’s FLIPZOIDS. Other productions include: RESCUE ME by Michi Barall, Lloyd Suh’s AMERICAN HWANGAP and THE CHILDREN OF VONDERLY and THE ROMANCE OF MAGNO RUBIO. 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. New works developed at the Writers Lab have gone on to successful productions around the country, at such theaters as Victory Gardens, Laguna Playhouse, Long Wharf Theater, Woolly Mammoth, and the Actors Theater of Louisville, to name a few. Ma-Yi Theater Company productions have earned 10 OBIE Awards, numerous Henry Hewes Award nominations, a Drama Desk nomination for Best Play 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.”
Ma-Yi Theater is under the leadership of Artistic Director Ralph B. Peña and Executive Director Jorge Ortoll.
Lia Chang
Lia Chang is an award-winning filmmaker, a Best Actress nominee, a photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in FebOne1960.com Blog, Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
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