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2013 Works in Progress |
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Nakano Theatre
Torrance Cultural Arts Center 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance |
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Coming of Age |
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2013 Works in Progress ~ Celebrating the Korean American experience |
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The Golden Hour by Philip W. Chung |
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Wednesday, May 29, 7:00 PM |
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PHILIP W. CHUNG has written for film, TV and theater. He started his writing career on the TV series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and was the co-founder and co-artistic director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, an acclaimed Asian American theater based in Los Angeles, for ten years. His plays as writer include the critically-acclaimed The Golden Hour (which is currently being translated into Korean), Grace Kim & The Spiders From Mars and laughter joy & loneliness & sex & sex & sex & sex which will appear in the upcoming anthology Korean American Drama: Twelve Contemporary Plays from the Americas. Currently, he is working with film director Justin Lin (Better Luck Tomorrow, Fast & Furious franchise) and is also the creative director for the YOMYOMF Network (http://www.youtube.com/yomyomf) which is one of YouTube's new original channels founded by Lin and other partners including top YouTubers Ryan Higa, KevJumba and NY Knicks' Baron Davis. |
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JEFF LIU is currently the Literary Manager at East West Players and was the Resident Director for Lodestone Theatre Ensemble during its ten year run. His productions include the world premieres of Texas and Solve For X by Judy Soo Hoo, Murderobilia and Terminus Americana (Ovation Award nominee for Best World Premiere) by Matt Pelfrey, The Golden Hour and Grace Kim And The Spiders From Mars by Philip W. Chung, The Chinese Massacre (Annotated) by Tom Jacobson, Christmas In Hanoi by Eddie Borey, and Ixnay, Wrinkles and Slice by Paul Kikuchi. A feature he co-wrote, Charlotte Sometimes, was nominated for two independent Spirit Awards. And he recently finished adapting and directing the Obie Award winning play Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang for the YOMYOMF channel on YouTube. |
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Directed by Jeff Liu |
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Admission is FREE but reservations are required for early seating. RSVP to info@torrancelive.us |
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This stage reading is sponsored by Torrance City Council and Arts Council of Torrance |
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Laura Park is a young Korean American woman who appears to be on the cusp of a promising future. But after suffering a near-death experience and unable to shake the haunting memory of a stranger’s prayer, Laura is forced to examine what does it take to maintain faith in a world seemingly without hope. Trying to answer that question, she embarks on a journey that will challenge her fundamental beliefs. |
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Cast |
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For its 10th consecutive year, Works in Progress presents dramas of compelling contemporary events in the intimate Nakano Theatre at Torrance Cultural Arts Center. Reception will follow each event.
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Works in Progress, formerly a program of the Cultural Services Division of the Torrance Community Services Department, is now produced as a partnership between Torrance Historical Society & Museum and John Powers and is sponsored by Torrance City Council, APC Fine Arts & Graphics, Arts Council of Torrance, Torrance Historical Society & Museum, and Torrance Women’s Club. |
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EMILY KURODA has performed in over 25 shows/workshops at East West Players. Other theaters include the Kirk Douglas Theatre, South Coast Rep, Mark Taper Forum, New York’s Public Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, Seattle Rep, Singapore Repertory Theater, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Doolittle Theater, Huntington Theater (Boston), Los Angeles Theater Center, Zephyr Theater, LA Women’s Shakespeare Company, and the Los Angeles Shakespeare Festival. Her television credits include 7 years as Mrs. Kim in Gilmore Girls, Suho in Under One Roof with Flavor Flav. Margaret Cho’s mother in Drop Dead Diva, The Medium, Grey’s Anatomy, Six Feet Under, King Of Queens and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Feature films include Aussie & Ted, Hotel For Dogs, The Sensei, Shop Girl, Minority Report, Stranger Inside, Dad, Broken Words, About Love (Emmy nominated), Worth Winning, Peep World, Red, and the upcoming Justice Angel. She is the recipient of five Dramalogue Awards, a Garland Award for outstanding performance, an L.A. Ovation award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play, Playwrights Arena Award, the EWP Award for Outstanding Contribution to LA Theater, and the Entertainment Today Best Actress Award for Winter People. |
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NIKKI SOOHOO is best known for her roles in the Peter Jackson film The Lovely Bones, playing the role of Holly, the gymnastics film Stick It, playing the role of Wei Wei, and the cheerleading movie Bring It On: Fight to the Finish playing the role of Christina. She has also guest starred on TV shows such as: Private Practice, No Ordinary Family, The War at Home, Drake and Josh, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, and Phil of the Future. She graduated UCLA in 2010 with a B.A. in World Arts and Cultures with an emphasis in Dance. Most recently, she received her Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing from Chapman University. She has a web series coming out soon on Justin Lin's YouTube channel, YOMYOMF, and a few independent films that are in post production. Just a few days ago, she was also featured as a celebrity guest on Fox's hit chef show, Hell's Kitchen. |
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ROY VONGTAMA is currently recurring as ‘Dr.Landrum’ on the daytime drama Days of Our Lives. His previous acting credits include The Bucket List starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, CSI, and Private Practice. He acted and produced the soon-to-be-released feature, Reach, premiering this Monday, June 3, at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood (see the trailer at www.reachmovie.com). He recently directed his first film, Crows, currently on the festival circuit. Roy is in development on his next feature, Ivy, with writer/producer David Singer. In addition to his creative pursuits, Roy is a holistic cancer doctor with an MD from the University of Buffalo. For more please see www.RoyV.com . |
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GARETH YUEN hails from Melbourne, Australia and has more than a decade of experience on stage, television, and film. Early stage credits include the title role in Sabat Jesus (Melbourne International Festival), productions with the Victorian State Opera, and as actor and assistant director with the Chinese Theatre Group. Previous credits in numerous TV series include playing ‘Loc’ in ABC/Foxtel’s Headstart, ‘Hop Sing’ in The Ponderosa (PAX TVs prequel to “Bonanza”), and guest roles on MDA, Kath & Kim, and Neighbours. He studied and graduated at Australia's premier acting school in Sydney, the National Institute of Dramatic Art. Since graduating, he has been seen in Underbelly, City Homicide, and worldwide on such shows as the TV mini-series Tripping Over, as ‘Dax’, the ‘Blue Ranger,’ in the 15th season of the inimitable U.S. children’s TV series, Power Rangers: Operation Verdrive, and as ‘Lai’ in the acclaimed feature film, The Jammed. Returning to the theatre, Gareth took on three vastly differing roles in White Whale Theatre’s Melburnalia. Other film and television credits include: acclaimed TV movie Saved; Bed Of Roses (ABC); Matching Jack; New Zealand Feature Film My Wedding and Other Secrets. Since 2009, Gareth has been a constant in Melbourne Theatre Company's Public Cybec Playreadings playing a variety of roles, and last year he played the object of desire in Melbourne Theatre Company’s comedy Happy Ending by Melissa Reeves. |
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LINDA PARK is a television veteran having been a series regular on numerous shows. She is most well known for her role as ‘Hoshi Sato’ in Star Trek’s Enterprise. She went on to star in NBC’s Raines, ABC’s Women’s Murder Club and Starz’s original Crash with Dennis Hopper. She has guest starred on a number of hit shows including House and The Mentalist. She recently shot a CBS pilot called The Ordained with Sam Neill and Hope Davis. She also has a supporting part in the upcoming film Face of Love with Annette Benning and Ed Harris. She can be seen in the upcoming YOMYOMF film adaption of David Henry Hwang’s Yellowface. Linda is a seasoned stage actress and a member of the prestigious Antaeus Theatre Company in Los Angeles. She has performed at the Getty Villa in Carey Perloff’s production of Elektra along with Oscar-winning Olympia Dukakis. She starred in Philip Kan Gotanda’s world premiere of Love in American Times at San Jose Repertory Theatre for which she was nominated San Francisco Drama Critic’s Circle best female lead. She played ‘Anne’ in the NAACP-winning All My Sons at The Matrix Theatre. She most recently played ‘Vivie Warren’ in Antaeus production of Mrs. Warren’s Profession. |
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GRAYSON BERRY has worked as an actor and host for the better part of 10 years, and he is excited to be a part of The Golden Hour. This native Houstonian and a graduate of the University of San Diego is currently in pre-production for a feature thriller, Dead Wrong, that will shoot in Big Bear, CA later this year. Grayson just celebrated the premiere of Prescribed-The Web Series at LA Web Fest, a comedy that he co-produced, directed, wrote, and performed. The former sports anchor would like to thank his good friend Roy Vongtama for the referral, Jeff Liu, and writer Philip Chung for such a moving play. |
