David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish Takes Home 2 Jeff Awards

October 27, 2011. Tony-award winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright David Henry Hwang backstage at the Longacre Theatre on the opening night of his new play Chinglish. Photo by Lia Chang

Tony-award winning and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish, which has its world premiere at the Goodman Theatre last summer and opened on Broadway at the Longacre Theatre on October 27, 2011, scored 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 on November 7, 2011. Visit the Jeff Awards website for all of the winners.

Hwang’s sexy, stylish and hilarious new play stars Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes, and features Angela Lin, Christine Lin, Stephen Pucci, Johnny Wu and Larry Lei Zhang.

The Cast of David Henry Hwang’s Chinglish at their opening night party held at Brasserie 81/2 in New York on October 27, 2011. (L-R) Stephen Pucci, Angela Lin, Larry Lei Zhang, Jennifer Lim, Gary Wilmes, Christine Lin and Johnny Wu. Photo by Lia Chang

Chinglishis about the challenges of doing business in a culture whose language—and ways of communicating—are worlds apart from our own. An American businessman arrives in a bustling Chinese province looking to score a lucrative contact for his family’s sign-making firm. He soon finds that the complexities of such a venture far outstrip the expected differences in language, customs and manners – and calls into questions even the most basic assumptions of human conduct.

Tickets are available for purchase on Telecharge.com or 212-239-6200. For more information, visit chinglishbroadway.com.

Longacre Theatre
220 W. 48th St
New York

DAVID HENRY HWANG (Playwright) Hwang’s plays include M. Butterfly (1988 Tony Award, 1989 Pulitzer Prize Finalist), Golden Child (1998 Tony Award nomination, 1997 OBIE Award), Yellow Face (2008 OBIE Award, 2008 Pulitzer Prize Finalist), FOB (1981 OBIE Award), The Dance and the Railroad (1982 Drama Desk Award nomination), Family Devotions (1982 Drama Desk Award nomination) and Bondage. He wrote the libretti for the Broadway musicals Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida (co-author), Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song (revival, 2002 Tony Award nomination) and Disney’s Tarzan. In opera, his libretti include four works with composer Philip Glass: The Voyage (Metropolitan Opera), 1000 Airplanes on the Roof, Sound and Beauty (seen in Chicago at the Court Theatre), and Icarus at the Edge of Time; as well as Osvaldo Golijov’s Ainadamar (two 2007 Grammy Awards), Unsuk Chin’s Alice in Wonderland (Opernwelt 2007 “World Premiere of the Year”) and Howard Shore’s The Fly. Hwang penned the feature films M. Butterfly, Golden Gate and Possession (co-author), and co-wrote the song “Solo” with Prince. He sits on the Council of the Dramatists Guild, and served by appointment of President Clinton on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

The Jeff Awards has been honoring outstanding theatre artists annually since it was established in 1968. With up to 50 members representing a wide variety of backgrounds in theatre, the Jeff Awards is committed to celebrating the vitality of Chicago area theatre by recognizing excellence through its recommendations, awards, and honors. The Jeff Awards fosters the artistic growth of area theatres and theatre artists and promotes educational opportunities, audience appreciation, and civic pride in the achievements of the theatre community. Each year the Jeff Awards evaluates over 250 theatrical productions and holds two awards ceremonies. Originally chartered to recognize only Equity productions, the Jeff Awards established the Non-Equity Wing in 1973 to celebrate outstanding achievement in non-union theatre.

Other Articles on David Henry Hwang
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
H I R O S H I M A in Benefit Concert for Japan on September 21 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York
Goodman Theatre World Premiere of David Henry Hwang’s Broadway Bound “Chinglish” Scores 5 Jeff Award Nods