David Henry Hwang, BD Wong, Francis Jue, Jennifer Lim, Brian d’Arcy James, Oskar Eustis, and Leigh Silverman at WNYC’s The Greene Space
On Monday, May 7, 2012 at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York, Tony award-winning Playwright David Henry Hwang celebrated the release of his newly published play from TCG Books, Chinglish, which received its Broadway premiere in Fall 2011 and was named “Best American Play of 2011” by TIME magazine, and by Bloomberg Radio, NY1 and WNYC as one of the Top 10 Broadway shows of the year.
David Henry Hwang at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
The critically acclaimed Chinglish is set for the silver screen, and a tour which kicks off in the Fall at Berkeley Rep. Fast and Furioushelmer Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow, Finishing the Game), recently acquired the film rights toChinglish and is set to begin shooting in 2013, with a screenplay by Hwang.
Filmmaker Justin Lin Acquires Film Rights to David Henry Hwang’s Critically Acclaimed Broadway Comedy Chinglish
WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
The play has been nominated for 3 Drama Desk Awards including – Outstanding Play for Hwang, Outstanding Actress in a Play for Jennifer Lim and Outstanding Set Design for David Korins. Chinglish opened at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago in the summer of 2011, winning two Jeff Awards – for Hwang (New Work-Play) and scenic designer David Korins (Scenic Design-Large), before moving to Broadway.
Brian d’Arcy James, Leigh Silverman, David Henry Hwang, Oskar Eustis, BD Wong, Jennifer Lim and Francis Jue at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
This Fall, Hwang succeeds Athol Fugard as Signature Theatre’s Residency One playwright for the 2012-2013 season at the company’s new home, The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between Dyer and 10th Avenues). Residency One is Signature’s core one-year playwright-in-residence program that produces a series of plays from the body of work of one accomplished writer. The Residency One: David Henry Hwang Series will feature revivals of Golden Child, directed by Leigh Silverman;The Dance and the Railroad, directed by May Adrales; and the world premiere of Kung Fu, directed by Silverman. David Henry Hwang Set as Signature Theatre’s Residency One Playwright for the 2012-2013 Season
Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater interviews David Henry Hwang at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater interviews David Henry Hwang at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
WNYC lived streamed the conversation with Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater in New York and Hwang. Click here to view the video.
Leigh Silverman and David Henry Hwang at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Obie award winning director Leigh Silverman, who directed Chinglish andYellow Face, helmed the theatrical segment of the program, which featured excerpts of M. Butterfly read by BD Wong and Brian d’Arcy James; of Yellow Face read by Hwang and Francis Jue; and of Chinglishread by Brian d’Arcy James and Jennifer Lim, who received a Theatre World Award on May 8, for her breakout Broadway debut.
BD Wong and Brian d’Arcy James read a scene from M. Butterfly at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
BD Wong and Brian d’Arcy James read a scene from M. Butterfly at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
BD Wong and Brian d’Arcy James read a scene from M. Butterfly at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Hwang’s plays often explore the Asian American experience and multiculturalism in contemporary society. He is the author of M. Butterfly(1988 Tony Award, 1989 Pulitzer Finalist), Golden Child (1996 Obie Award, 1998 Tony Nomination), Yellow Face (2008 Obie Award and Pulitzer Finalist), The Dance and the Railroad, Family Devotions and FOB(1981 Obie Award). His Broadway musicals include the books for Elton John & Tim Rice’s Aida (co-author), Flower Drum Song (revival, 2002 Tony Nomination), and Disney’s Tarzan. As America’s most-produced living opera librettist, he has written four works with composer Philip Glass, as well as Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar (two 2007 Grammy Awards), Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland, and Bright Sheng’s The Silver River. He penned the feature films M. Butterfly, Golden Gate, and Possession (co-writer), and co-wrote the song “Solo” with pop star Prince. Hwang attended Stanford University and the Yale School of Drama, and sits on the boards of the Dramatists Guild, the American Theatre Wing, and the Lark Play Development Center. From 1994-2001, he served by appointment of President Clinton on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.
David Henry Hwang as D.H.H. and Francis Jue as H.Y.H. in a scene from Yellow Face
at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang as D.H.H. and Francis Jue as H.Y.H. in a scene from Yellow Face
at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang as D.H.H. and Francis Jue as H.Y.H. in a scene from Yellow Face
at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
On May 11, 2012, Hwang will receive the 2012 China Institute Blue Cloud Award at the China Institute Gala Benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York. His recently accolades include the 2012 William Inge Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre Award, the 2011 Asia Society Cultural Achievement Award, and the 2011 PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award for a Master American Dramatist.
David Henry Hwang to Receive 2012 William Inge Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre Award
Photos: David Henry Hwang, John C. Whitehead, Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Asia Society Awards Dinner in New York
David Henry Hwang watches Brian d’Arcy James and Jennifer Lim in a scene from Chinglish at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang watches Brian d’Arcy James and Jennifer Lim in a scene from Chinglish at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang watches Brian d’Arcy James and Jennifer Lim in a scene from Chinglish at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang watches Brian d’Arcy James and Jennifer Lim in a scene from Chinglish at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
After the program, Hwang signed copies of Chinglish, Yellow Face, Flower Drum Song, Golden Child, and his anthology of selected plays, Trying to Find Chinatown, for a line of people which stretched the length of WNYC’s The Greene Space studio.
David Henry Hwang at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater interviews David Henry Hwang at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Brian d’Arcy James, Francis Jue, BD Wong and Jennifer Lim
at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang and Oskar Eustis at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
David Henry Hwang and BD Wong at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Chinglish cultural advisors Joanna C. Lee and Ken Smith at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
Brian D’Arcy James, Leigh Silverman and BD Wong at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
BD Wong at WNYC’s The Greene Space in New York on May 7, 2012, courtesy New York Public Radio. © 2012 Lia Chang
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