Lia Chang Photos & Video: Celebrate Chinese New Year with David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish through January 29, 2012

Johnny Wu, Christine Lin, David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim, Angela Lin and Larry Lei Zhang at Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace in New York on January 20, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglish Playwright David Henry Hwang (photo by Lia Chang)

Tony Award-winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) is back on Broadway with CHINGLISH, a hilarious and sexy new comedy currently playing at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street) in New York.

CHINGLISH, recently named by TIME Magazine, Bloomberg Radio, NY1 and WNYC as one of the Top 10 Broadway shows of the year, will have its final performance on January 29, 2012, and will have played 128 performances. Tickets are available on Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

Yesterday, I met up with David and his cast members Jennifer Lim, Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Johnny Wu and Larry Lei Zhang at Ruby Foo’s Dim Sum Sushi Palace, where they were having a pre-show Year of the Dragon dinner.

Johnny Wu, Christine Lin, David Henry Hwang, Angela Lin, Jennifer Lim and Larry Lei Zhang at Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace in New York on January 20, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

CHINGLISH is featuring special audience post-show talkbacks on January 24th, 25th and 26th. After these evening shows, the cast will come out to answer audience questions. The mostly bi-lingual and multi-cultural cast will also be answering questions in Mandarin and maybe give a lesson or two. After the post-show talkbacks, head to the front of the orchestra and you’ll have the opportunity to meet the cast members.

An ad in the New York Times for David Henry Hwang's Chinglish, currently playing at the Longacre Theatre through January 29, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

The CHINGLISH cast features Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Stephen Pucci, Johnny Wu and Larry Lei Zhang. The play is directed by Leigh Silverman, who directed Lisa Kron’s Well on Broadway and won a 2011 OBIE for directing both Go Back To Where You Are and In The Wake, Chinglish had its world premiere this summer at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. In November, the production received two Jeff Awards – for Hwang (New Work-Play) and scenic designer David Korins (Scenic Design-Large), at the 43rd Annual Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook in Chicago.

The cast of David Henry Hwang's Chinglish at the Longacre Theatre during the opening night curtain call on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

CHINGLISH is Hwang’s new comedy about the misadventures of miscommunication. It is the story of an American businessman desperate to launch a new enterprise in China. There are only three things standing in his way: He can’t speak the language. He can’t learn the customs. And he’s falling in love with the one woman he absolutely can’t have.

The cast of Chinglish-Stephen Pucci, Angela Lin, Larry Lei Zhang, Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Christine Lin and Johnny Wu at their opening party at Brasserie 8 1/2 in New York on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

CHINGLISH is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Cathy Chernoff, Heni Koenigsberg/Lily Fan, Joe & Matt Deitch, Dasha Epstein, Ronald & Marc Frankel, Barry & Carole Kaye, Mary Lu Roffe, The Broadway Consortium, Ken Davenport, Filerman Bensinger, Herbert Goldsmith, Jam Theatricals, Olympus Theatricals, Playful Productions, David & Barbara Stoller, Roy Gottlieb, Mary Casey, Hunter Arnold in association with the Goodman Theatre.

Tickets are available on Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace Photo by Lia Chang

Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace Photo by Lia Chang

Johnny Wu, Christine Lin, David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim and Angela Lin at Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace in New York on January 20, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Johnny Wu, Christine Lin, David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim and Angela Lin at Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace in New York on January 20, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Christine Lin, Jennifer Lim and Angela Lin. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglish group hug with Christine Lin, David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim and Angela Lin at Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace in New York on January 20, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Johnny Wu, David Henry Hwang and Larry Lei Zhang at Ruby Foo's Dim Sum Sushi Palace in New York on January 20, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Other Articles by Lia Chang
Photos: David Henry Hwang, John C. Whitehead, Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Asia Society Awards Dinner in New York
Meet Museworks, Ltd.’s Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith, Chinglish Cultural Advisors and Co-authors of the Pocket Chinese Almanac
Asia Society Honors Chinglish Playwright David Henry Hwang and Former Deputy Secretary of State John C. Whitehead at the Waldorf Astoria
CHINGLISH Celebrates 100th Performance on January 5, 2012 – Meet David Henry Hwang & his Cast at the Lin Sing Association in NY Chinatown
Photos: Maya Lin, BD Wong, David Henry Hwang, Yeohlee, Oscar L. Tang and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at MOCA Legacy Awards Gala
Chinglish is Named in TIME Magazine’s Top 10 of the Year; Meet the Cast at Talkbacks after Select Performances in December
Playwright David Henry Hwang Reading and Book Signing at The Drama Book Shop on 12/15
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim, Leigh Silverman, Samuel L. Jackson, Kenny Leon, David Ives, Douglas Carter Beane and More at The Drama Desk & Fordham University Theatre Program’s “Anatomy of a Breakout” Panel
David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish Takes Home to 2 Jeff Awards
The ‘Chinglish’ Broadway Journal: Week 7 (Nov. 1, 2011)
Photos: Backstage with the Cast of Chinglish and David Henry Hwang at the Longacre Theatre
The ‘Chinglish’ Broadway Journal: Week 6 (Oct. 25, 2011)
Broadwaysbestshows.com: Learning to Speak Chinglish w/ David Henry Hwang (#14)
David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish Begins Previews at the Longacre Theatre on 10/11
David Henry Hwang to Receive 2012 William Inge Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre Award
Click here for more articles on David Henry Hwang.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Lia Chang and David Henry Hwang at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York on January 11, 2012. Hwang received the 2011 Asia Society Cultural Achievement Award at the Asia Society Gala Benefit. (Rachel Cooper)

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist.
All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com.

Lia Chang: Meet the authors of the Pocket Chinese Almanac, Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith, Museworks, Ltd.

I caught up with musicologist Joanna C. Lee and veteran music journalist Ken Smith at the Longacre Theatre in New York, after the post-show talkback following the 100th performance of Chinglish, by Tony Award-winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright David Henry Hwang, which was recently named by TIME Magazine, Bloomberg Radio, NY1 and WNYC as one of the Top 10 Broadway shows of the year.

Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang (center) is flanked by (l-r) his cultural advisors Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith, actors Johnny Wu, Christine Lin, Gary Wilmes, Angela Lin, Stephen Pucci, Jennifer Lim and Larry Lei Zhang after the 100th performance of Chinglish on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre in New York on January 5, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Smith and Lee were tapped as cultural advisors by the playwright when Chinglish, his play about an American businessman looking to land a deal in provincial China, had its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Smith writes about their participation as resident Chinglish cultural advisors here.

Chinglish cultural advisors Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith at the opening night party of David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish at Brasserie 8 ½ in New York on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

The husband and wife team are co-authors of the Pocket Chinese Almanac and co-directors of Museworks Ltd., a Hong Kong-based cultural consulting company offering wide-ranging support, from production to translation and media services, for artists and institutions seeking links to and from Asia. Their clients include Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, the New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Opera, the YouTube Symphony Orchestra, Holland Festival, Habitat for Humanity, the Hong Kong International Film Festival and Sotheby’s HK.

Ken Smith, Hong Kong-based composer Eli Marshall (Ashes of Time Redux) and Joanna C. Lee after the 100th performance of David Henry Hwang's Chinglish in New York on January 5, 2012. Photo by Lia Chang

Lee, a pianist with a doctorate in musicology from Columbia University, was an Honorary Research Fellow of the Centre for Asian Studies, Institute of the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong. Smith has covered arts and culture in Asia for the Financial Times since 2003. He is the author of Fate! Luck! Chance! Amy Tan, Stewart Wallace and the Making of The Bonesetter’s Daughter Opera. For the past seven years, he has served as advisor to the Western China Cultural Ecology Research Workshop, an NGO actively devoted to cultural preservation based in Guizhou province.

Goodman associate producer Steve Scott wrote an article entitled, “The Challenges of Chinglish,” that detailed Lee and Smith’s integral and invaluable contributions.

Translator Candace Chong (center) reviews the Chinese dialogue in the new script pages with Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith, Cultural Advisors for Chinglish in the Healy Room of the Goodman Theatre in Chicago on June 5, 2011. © 2011 Lia Chang

“Finally, to ensure that the complex social interactions of the play adhere to the rather more formal rules observed in China, consultants Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith became crucial members of the Chinglish production team. As the production’s “cultural consultants,” Lee and Smith were invaluable to the accurate creation of the world of Guiyang, China, and its inhabitants.

After a sold-out extended run at the Goodman Theatre last July, Chinglish, featuring Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Stephen Pucci, Johnny Wu and Larry Lei Zhang, opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on October 27, 2011. Hwang received Chicago’s 2011 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Play.

Asia Society Cultural Achievement Award winner David Henry Hwang (L) his cultural advisors for Chinglish Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith. (Lia Chang)

Meet Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith in Ann Arbor, Michigan, San Francisco, CA and in New York as they make a number of personal appearances for their Pocket Chinese Almanac 2012, and with Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang.

ANN ARBOR,MICHIGAN
On Friday, January 13, 2012, the Confucius Institute at the University of Michigan is presenting CHINGLISH: A New Comedy on the Misadventures of Cross-cultural Communication, at the Michigan League – Vandenberg Room, 911 N. University in Ann Arbor, Michigan from 4pm-5:30pm. Playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) will discuss his latest Broadway hit, with Joanna C. Lee and Kenneth Smith. Free and open to the public. All are invited to a reception following the talk.

NEW YORK,NY
On Saturday, January 21, 2012, the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) is presenting Lunar New Year Talk: Decoding the Chinese Almanac’s Predictions for 2012, at 215 Centre Street in New York, from 2:30pm – 3:30pm. To usher in the Year of the Dragon, co-authors Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith will decode the almanac’s predictions for 2012 and share a range of New Year’s traditions designed to protect your household. Admission is $15/adult, $12/student, free for children, MOCA members and seniors (65+). Each participant will receive a free copy of the Pocket Chinese Almanac (valued at $7). RSVP required to programs@mocanyc.org or 212-619-4785.

SAN FRANCISCO,CA
On Thursday, January 26, 2012, the co-authors will talk about the Pocket Chinese Almanac 2012, The Pocket Confucius, and The Pocket Tao at Book Passage, 1 Ferry Building in San Francisco at 6 p.m. Lee and Smith will translate and decode predictions for 2012. They’ll also dig beneath both the pop philosophy of Confucius and the scholarly interpretations to rediscover what the Master actually said about moral character and social order.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Financial Times Critic Ken Smith Discusses Western Opera’s Recent Success in China with the Three Chinese Tenors at The China Institute in New York on January 21, 2012
Asia Society Honors Chinglish Playwright David Henry Hwang and Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John C. Whitehead at the Waldorf Astoria on January 11, 2012
CHINGLISH Celebrates 100th Performance on 1/5/12 – Meet David Henry Hwang & the Cast After Post-Show Talkback
Photos: Maya Lin, BD Wong, David Henry Hwang, Yeohlee, Oscar L. Tang and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at MOCA Legacy Awards Gala
Click here for more articles on David Henry Hwang.
AALDEF Honors Parkin Lee, Jean Koh Peters, and CNN’s Fareed Zakaria with 2012 Justice in Action Awards in New York on February 8, 2012
Remembering Civil Rights Leader Gordon Hirabayashi,1918- 2012</a
Cindy Cheung Debuts SPEAK UP CONNIE…Her Solo Show at Stage Left Studio, January 17-25, 2012
Mu Daiko 15th Anniversary Concert and Minnesota Tour, February 9-19, 2012
Aaron Lazar, Kate Baldwin, P.J. Griffith, Raul Aranas Set for the Dallas Theater Center/Public Theater Co-Production of Giant at the Wyly Theatre, January 18 – February 19, 2012
Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast
DOGS LIE, Starring Samrat Chakrabarti, Frank Boyd and Ewa Da Cruz, Nabs ”Best Film (USA)” and ”Feature Film Audience Award” at 2011 ITN Distribution Film and New Media Festival
Photos: “How To Succeed” stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rose Hemingway and John Larroquette at Lord & Taylor for Windows Unveiling
Multimedia: Promises, Promises’ Stars Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes at Lord & Taylor Fifth Ave
Broadwayworld.com Photo Flash: Library of Congress’ IN REHEARSAL Exhibit
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet, Tracee Chimo at Opening Night Party of Neil LaBute’s Break of Noon
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Subscribe to Backstage Pass with Lia Chang

Joanna C. Lee and Lia Chang at the Broadway opening night party of David Henry Hwang's Chinglish at Brasserie 8 1/2 in New York on October 27, 2011.

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com.

Lia Chang: CHINGLISH Celebrates 100th Performance on 1/5/12 – Meet David Henry Hwang & the Cast After Post-Show Talkback

Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang with his stars Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes at the MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Tony Award-winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) is back on Broadway with CHINGLISH, a hilarious and sexy new comedy currently playing at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street) in New York, recently named by TIME Magazine, Bloomberg Radio, NY1 and WNYC as one of the Top 10 Broadway shows of the year. The playwright, along with his cast and creative team will celebrate their 100th performance at 3pm in Chinatown at the Lin Sing Association, a prominent Chinese American community organization established in 1900, located at 47-49 Mott Street in New York. www.lin-sing.org.

The cast of Chinglish-Stephen Pucci, Angela Lin, Larry Lei Zhang, Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Christine Lin and Johnny Wu at their opening party at Brasserie 8 1/2 in New York on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

CHINGLISH is also featuring special audience post-show talkbacks on January 3rd, 4th and 5th. After these evening shows, the cast will come out to answer audience questions. The mostly bi-lingual and multi-cultural cast will also be answering questions in Mandarin and maybe give a lesson or two. After the post-show talkbacks, head to the front of the orchestra and you’ll have the opportunity to meet the cast members.

The cast of David Henry Hwang's Chinglish at the Longacre Theatre during the opening night curtain call on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

The CHINGLISH cast features Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Stephen Pucci, Johnny Wu and Larry Lei Zhang. The play is directed by Leigh Silverman, who directed Lisa Kron’s Well on Broadway and won a 2011 OBIE for directing both Go Back To Where You Are and In The Wake, Chinglish had its world premiere this summer at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. In November, the production received two Jeff Awards – for Hwang (New Work-Play) and scenic designer David Korins (Scenic Design-Large), at the 43rd Annual Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook in Chicago.

Here’s what the critics had to say:

“A TRIUMPH IN ANY LANGUAGE.
Chinglish is sexy, fun and hilarious!”
-Scott Brown, New York Magazine

“A lethal comedy about business, sex and
the failure to communicate that bristles with intelligence.”
-Jeremy Gerard, Bloomberg

“Riveting, funny and highly entertaining!”
-Roma Torre, New York One
—

CHINGLISH is the new comedy about the misadventures of miscommunication. It is the story of an American businessman desperate to launch a new enterprise in China. There are only three things standing in his way: He can’t speak the language. He can’t learn the customs. And he’s falling in love with the one woman he absolutely can’t have.

CHINGLISH is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Cathy Chernoff, Heni Koenigsberg/Lily Fan, Joe & Matt Deitch, Dasha Epstein, Ronald & Marc Frankel, Barry & Carole Kaye, Mary Lu Roffe, The Broadway Consortium, Ken Davenport, Filerman Bensinger, Herbert Goldsmith, Jam Theatricals, Olympus Theatricals, Playful Productions, David & Barbara Stoller, Roy Gottlieb, Mary Casey, Hunter Arnold in association with the Goodman Theatre.

Tickets are available on Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

Other Articles on David Henry Hwang
Mu Daiko 15th Anniversary Concert and Minnesota Tour, February 9-19, 2012
Aaron Lazar, Kate Baldwin, P.J. Griffith, Raul Aranas Set for the Dallas Theater Center/Public Theater Co-Production of Giant at the Wyly Theatre, 1/18-2/19/12
Photos: Maya Lin, BD Wong, David Henry Hwang, Yeohlee, Oscar L. Tang and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at MOCA Legacy Awards Gala
Chinglish is Named in TIME Magazine’s Top 10 of the Year; Meet the Cast at Talkbacks after Select Performances in December
Playwright David Henry Hwang Reading and Book Signing at The Drama Book Shop on 12/15
Oscar L. Tang, David Liu, Dominic Ng, Pichet Ong to Receive 2011 MOCA Legacy Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on 12/12; Performances by Chinglish’s Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim, Leigh Silverman, Samuel L. Jackson, Kenny Leon, David Ives, Douglas Carter Beane and More at The Drama Desk & Fordham University Theatre Program’s “Anatomy of a Breakout” Panel
David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish Takes Home to 2 Jeff Awards
The ‘Chinglish’ Broadway Journal: Week 7 (Nov. 1, 2011)
Photos: Backstage with the Cast of Chinglish and David Henry Hwang at the Longacre Theatre
The ‘Chinglish’ Broadway Journal: Week 6 (Oct. 25, 2011)
Yellow Face Reading & Book Signing w/ David Henry Hwang, Kathryn Layng, Francis Jue, w/ guest Edward Albee David Henry Hwang, Francis Jue, Kathryn Layng and Edward Albee: YELLOW FACE Reading Book Signing at The Drama Book Shop on 12/10
David Henry Hwang’s YELLOW FACE Starring Francis Jue, Pun Bandu and Thomas Azar at Theatreworks through 9/20
Nothing is Sacred in David Henry Hwang’s Comedy of Mistaken Racial Identity
Francis Jue, At Home on the Stage
Click here for more articles on David Henry Hwang.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Christine Lin and Lia Chang celebrate New Year's Eve in New York on December 31, 2011.

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com.

Lia Chang Photos: Maya Lin, BD Wong, David Henry Hwang, Yeohlee, Oscar L. Tang and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at MOCA Legacy Awards Gala

Photo by Lia Chang

The Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) held its 32nd annual Legacy Awards Gala Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street in New York on December 12, 2011.

32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

This year’s Gala highlighted MOCA’s educational role in fostering understanding and bridging gaps between cultures and generations, while recognizing extraordinary individuals who have made substantial contributions to the legacy of Chinese Americans.

Actor BD Wong, artist and architect Maya Lin and Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Artist and architect Maya Lin, a Co-Chair of MOCA’s Board of Trustees, welcomed MOCA’s 2011 honorees, and special guests actor BD Wong, Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang, fashion designer Yeohlee and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.

Fashion Designer Yeohlee and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

The elegant soiree was hosted by CNBC correspondent Melissa Lee.

2011 Legacy Award honoree Pichet Ong, Mei-Mei Tuan and CNBC correspondent Melissa Lee at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

At the podium, Mayor Bloomberg said he wanted to attend the gala to personally congratulate his friend, philanthropist Oscar L. Tang, this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.

Sara Judge McCalpin,President, China Institute, 2011 Lifetime Achievement honoree Oscar L. Tang and MOCA Trustee Anla Cheng, Partner, Sino-Century China Private Equity, L.L.C. at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Mayor Bloomberg introduced Ms. Lin, the architect/designer who transformed the site at 215 Centre Street in New York, a 14,000-square-foot former machine shop, into a bi-level exhibit and administrative center for the Museum of Chinese in America, a museum that celebrates the living history of the Chinese experience in America.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and artist and architect Maya Lin at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

“The move into our new home at 215 Centre Street just two years ago has inspired a burst of creative activity,” said Maya Lin, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees. “And MOCA’s success relies on our growing circle of friends who contribute their time, money, and talent to strengthen our mission.”

2011 MOCA Legacy Honorees Pichet Ong, pastry chef and author of The Sweet Spot, Dominic Ng, Chairman, President & CEO of East West Bank, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient philanthropist Oscar L. Tang & David Liu, co-founder and CEO of XO Group Inc. at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Carley Roney, Co-Founder, Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, XO Group Inc. (formerly The Knot.com) presented the Legacy Award to her husband David Liu, Co-founder and CEO of XO Group Inc.

2011 Legacy Award honoree Dominic Ng and Lulu Wang. Photo by Lia Chang

Lulu C. Wang, Chief Executive Officer of Tupelo Capital Management L.L.C., presented the Legacy Award to Dominic Ng, Chairman, President & CEO of East West Bank.

(LtoR) 2011 Legacy Award honoree Pichet Ong, celebrated pastry chef and author of The Sweet Spot with Mei-Mei Tuan at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Mei-Mei Tuan, MOCA Co-Chair and Founding Partner, Notch Partner L.L.C., presented the award to Pichet Ong, celebrated pastry chef and author of “The Sweet Spot.”

2011 Legacy Award honoree Pichet Ong and his mom at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

2011 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient with co-presenters Sara Judge McCalpin and Anla Cheng at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Sara Judge McCalpin, President, China Institute, and MOCA Trustee Anla Cheng, Partner, Sino-Century China Private Equity, L.L.C., presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to philanthropist Oscar L. Tang.

2011 MOCA Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Oscar L. Tang, his sister-in-law Jean Young and daughter Dana Tang at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Actor BD Wong and Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang, at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Actor BD Wong, just back from shooting an episode of his new television show “Awake” in LA, was at the Gala to introduce Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Wong raved about Hwang’s sexy and hilarious new comedy now playing on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre, and recommended that everyone go see the play which has been named 3rd in Time Magazine’s list of Top 10 Plays and Musicals. As a teaser, Chinglish stars Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes performed an excerpt from the show.

Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes perform an excerpt from David Henry Hwang's new Broadway play Chinglish at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes perform an excerpt from David Henry Hwang's new Broadway play Chinglish at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes perform an excerpt from David Henry Hwang's new Broadway play Chinglish at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang, and his wife actress Kathryn Layng at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Team Chinglish cultural advisor Ken Smith, projections designer Shawn Duan and cultural advisor Joanna C. Lee at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglish star Jennifer Lim and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

All proceeds go to advance MOCA’s vision and services, including the sponsorship of new exhibitions and the Trending Asian America Public Program series, the expansion of educational programs in partnership with local schools, and the preservation of the Collection and Digital MOCA.

(LtoR) MOCA Board of Trustee Co-Chairs Mei-Mei Tuan, Founding Partner, Notch Partner L.L.C. and artist and architect Maya Lin at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Paul Huang, CJ Huang Foundation and Cao O, Executive Director of AAFNY at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

American diplomat Nicholas Platt and his wife Sheila Maynard Platt at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

2011 MOCA Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Oscar L. Tang at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

About the Museum of Chinese in America
MOCA was founded in 1980 as the community-based New York Chinatown History Project, and has since grown to encompass the journeys of a wide range of Chinese American communities from around the corner and across the globe. Since late 2009, when MOCA moved into the newly designed space by Maya Lin, located at the crossroads of SoHo and Chinatown, its exhibitions, programs, and audiences have expanded considerably. This was made possible by a public-private partnership to rebuild Lower Manhattan in the aftermath of 9/11 as well as MOCA’s growing community of donors led by its Board of Trustees.

Museum of Chinese in America is located at 215 Centre Street. For further information about the Museum, please call (212) 619-4785 or online at http://www.mocanyc.org.

Actor BD Wong, at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Today, MOCA’s mission is to celebrate the living history of the Chinese experience in America, to inspire our diverse communities to contribute to America’s evolving cultural narrative and civil society, and to empower and bridge our communities across generations, ethnicities, and geography through our dynamic stories.

(L-R) Committee of 100 Members Arthur Liu, 2011 Legacy Award Honoree Dominic Ng, Maya Lin, Jenny Ming, Ted Wang, Lulu Wang, 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree Oscar L. Tang, Calvin Tsao, Alice Young and Anla Cheng at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Subscribe to Backstage Pass with Lia Chang

Chinglish playwright David Henry Hwang and Lia Chang at the 32nd Annual MOCA Legacy Awards Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, 55 Wall St in New York on December 12, 2011.

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist.

Lia made her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden, and has since documented her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism as a photographer and videographer, collaborating with other artists, organizations and companies to establish their documentary photo archive and social media presence. Lia was featured as Joy in the Signature Theater Company’s revival of Sam Shepard’s 1965 Obie award winning play, Chicago directed by Joseph Chaikin at the Public Theater. She has appeared in Wolf, New Jack City, Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, “As the World Turns,” “Another World,” and “New York Undercover”. Lia currently plays Nurse Lia on “One Life to Live”.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, Smartmoney.com The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

Other Articles by Lia Chang:
Chinglish is Named in TIME Magazine’s Top 10 of the Year; Meet the Cast at Talkbacks after Select Performances in December
Photos: Yellow Fever Playwright Rick Shiomi Explores New Territory with An All-Female Cast
Photos: Kathie Lee Gifford at the 2011 Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue Christmas Windows Unveiling in New York
Photos: Fall Foliage at Devil’s Lake State Park
Portraits of New York Chinatown After 9/11 Featured in “Post 9/11”: Commemorative Display at Library of Congress Asian Reading Room, 8/30-9/15
Coming to America through The Angel Island Immigration Station
Broadwayworld.com Photo Flash: Library of Congress’ IN REHEARSAL Exhibit
Photos: A.B. Cruz III and Lillian Kimura Receive 2011 AALDEF Justice in Action Awards
Photos: David Duchovny, John Earl Jelks, Amanda Peet, Tracee Chimo at Opening Night Party of Neil LaBute’s Break of Noon
Museum of Chinese in America Programs in Jan.to Celebrate the Lunar New Year in NYC
AAJA & MOCA FREE Panel & Town Hall on covering Chinatown: “CHINATOWN, UNCOVERED”
Multimedia: AALDEF Celebrates 35 Years of Protecting and Promoting the Civil Rights of Asian Americans
Fred Korematsu, American Hero and Civil Rights Activist Dies at 86
Celebrating my mom – AN ACTIVE VISION: BEVERLY UMEHARA…LABOR ACTIVIST…1945-1999
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2012 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at lia@backstagepasswithliachang.com

Lia Chang: Chinglish is Named in TIME Magazine’s Top 10 of the Year; Meet the Cast at Talkbacks after Select Performances in December

The cast of David Henry Hwang's Chinglish at the Longacre Theatre during the opening night curtain call on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

David Henry Hwang’s sexy and hilarious new play Chinglish, which was named by TIME Magazine as the number three show out of the Top 10 Broadway shows of the year, will feature special audience post-show talkbacks with the cast and creative team members at the Longacre Theatre in New York. Beginning Wednesday, December 14th after the evening show, the cast will come out to answer audience questions. The mostly bi-lingual and multi-cultural cast will also be answering questions in Mandarin and maybe give a lesson or two. In addition to the 14th, talkbacks will be held after the show on December 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, 29th. After the post-show talkbacks, head to the front of the orchestra and you’ll have the opportunity to meet the cast members.

Playwright David Henry Hwang in front of the Longacre Theatre in New York, where his new comedy Chinglish is currently playing on Broadway. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglish is a new comedy about the misadventures of miscommunication. It is the story of an American businessman desperate to launch a new enterprise in China. There are only three things standing in his way: He can’t speak the language. He can’t learn the customs. And he’s falling in love with the one woman he absolutely can’t have.

The Chinglish cast features Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Stephen Pucci, Johnny Wu and Larry Lei Zhang. The play is directed by Leigh Silverman, who directed Lisa Kron’s Well on Broadway and won a 2011 OBIE for directing both Go Back To Where You Are and In The Wake, Chinglish had its world premiere this summer at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. In November, the production received two Jeff Awards – for Hwang (New Work-Play) and scenic designer David Korins (Scenic Design-Large), at the 43rd Annual Jeff Awards held at Drury Lane Oakbrook in Chicago.

The cast of Chinglish-Stephen Pucci, Angela Lin, Larry Lei Zhang, Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Christine Lin and Johnny Wu at their opening party at Brasserie 8 1/2 in New York on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

On New York Magazine’s The Year in Theater list, “David Henry Hwang, after a long stretch of smallish works and writing librettos for musicals like Aida, debuted a play on Broadway (Chinglish) for the first time since 1998,” and named Jennifer Lim as “Most Exciting Newcomer”.

Chinglish, by Tony Award-winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly), is playing at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th Street). Tickets are available on Telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200.

Here’s what the critics had to say:

“A TRIUMPH IN ANY LANGUAGE. Chinglish is sexy, fun and hilarious!” -Scott Brown, New York Magazine

“A lethal comedy about business, sex and the failure to communicate that bristles with intelligence.” -Jeremy Gerard, Bloomberg

“Riveting, funny and highly entertaining!” -Roma Torre, New York One —

Kathryn Layng, producer Lily Fan, playwright David Henry Hwang and director Leigh Silverman backstage at the Longacre Theatre before the opening night performance of Chinglish on October 27, 2011. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglish is produced by Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel,Jay & Cindy Gutterman/Cathy Chernoff, Heni Koenigsberg/Lily Fan, Joe & Matt Deitch, Dasha Epstein, Ronald & Marc Frankel, Barry & Carole Kaye, Mary Lu Roffe, The Broadway Consortium, Ken Davenport, Filerman Bensinger, Herbert Goldsmith, Jam Theatricals, Olympus Theatricals, Playful Productions, David & Barbara Stoller, Roy Gottlieb, Mary Casey, Hunter Arnold in association with the Goodman Theatre.

Other Articles on David Henry Hwang
Playwright David Henry Hwang Reading and Book Signing at The Drama Book Shop on 12/15
Oscar L. Tang, David Liu, Dominic Ng, Pichet Ong to Receive 2011 MOCA Legacy Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on 12/12; Performances by Chinglish’s Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes
Photos: David Henry Hwang, Jennifer Lim, Leigh Silverman, Samuel L. Jackson, Kenny Leon, David Ives, Douglas Carter Beane and More at The Drama Desk & Fordham University Theatre Program’s “Anatomy of a Breakout” Panel
David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish Takes Home to 2 Jeff Awards
The ‘Chinglish’ Broadway Journal: Week 7 (Nov. 1, 2011)
Photos: Backstage with the Cast of Chinglish and David Henry Hwang at the Longacre Theatre
The ‘Chinglish’ Broadway Journal: Week 6 (Oct. 25, 2011)
Yellow Face Reading & Book Signing w/ David Henry Hwang, Kathryn Layng, Francis Jue, w/ guest Edward Albee David Henry Hwang, Francis Jue, Kathryn Layng and Edward Albee: YELLOW FACE Reading Book Signing at The Drama Book Shop on 12/10
David Henry Hwang’s YELLOW FACE Starring Francis Jue, Pun Bandu and Thomas Azar at Theatreworks through 9/20
Nothing is Sacred in David Henry Hwang’s Comedy of Mistaken Racial Identity
Francis Jue, At Home on the Stage
Click here for more articles on David Henry Hwang.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Lia Chang as Sam Shikaze in Rick Shiomi's Yellow Fever Photo by Lia Chang

Lia Chang is an actor, performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multimedia journalist.

Lia made her stage debut as Liat in the National Tour of South Pacific, with Robert Goulet and Barbara Eden, and has since documented her colleagues and contemporaries in the arts, fashion and journalism as a photographer and videographer, collaborating with other artists, organizations and companies to establish their documentary photo archive and social media presence. Lia was featured as Joy in the Signature Theater Company’s revival of Sam Shepard’s 1965 Obie award winning play, Chicago directed by Joseph Chaikin at the Public Theater. She has appeared in em>Wolf, New Jack City, Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman, “As the World Turns,” “Another World,” and “New York Undercover”. Lia currently plays Nurse Lia on “One Life to Live”.

Selections of Lia’s archive of Asian Pacific Americans in the arts, fashion, journalism, politics and space are now in the newly created LIA CHANG THEATER PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO in the ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTION housed in the Library of Congress Asian Division’s Asian American Pacific Islander Collection.

Lia’s portraits and performance photos have appeared in Vanity Fair, Gourmet, German Elle, Women’s Wear Daily, The Paris Review, TV Guide, Daily Variety, Interior Design, American Theatre, Broadwayworld.com, Life & Style, OUT, New York Magazine, InStyle, Timeout.com, Villagevoice.com, Playbill.com, Theatermania.com, thelmagazine.com, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, The Boston Globe, New York Times and Washington Post. A former syndicated arts and entertainment columnist for KYODO News, Lia is the New York Bureau Chief for AsianConnections.com. She writes about culture, style and Asian American issues for a variety of publications and this Backstage Pass with Lia Chang blog.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2011 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com.