Filipino American Artists Network

This coming Saturday, August 23th, 2008, East West Players will be having a musical treat for the audience featuring the The Three Filipino Tenors – Antoine Reynaldo Diel, Randy Guiaya, Lito Villareal, with Ethan Le Phong, Kerry K. Carnahan, Maegan McConnell, Jenni Selma, Kathy Villanueva. The show is called, “One Night Only: Divas vs. Tenors, A Face-Off for Tim’s Fifteenth!”

There would be a hosted bar & buffet reception at 6:00PM, performance AT 7:30PM and dessert reception and raffle drawing after the performance at the David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John John Aiso St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Ticket prices: $250 – VIP – Seating in the First 5 Rows in Theater and Table Seating at Courtyard Reception; $100 – Orchestra, $60 – Balcony.

One Night Only

This show celebrates Tim Dang’s 15 years as Producing Artistic Director of East West Players and will also benefit EWP’s year-round mainstage productions and educational programs. For more information check out http://eastwestplayers.org/special_events/onenightonly.htm

Tim Dang has been with the nation’s premiere Asian-American theater company for 28 years, since he graduated from USC in 1980. Back in 1980, the theater company was located at a 99-seat black box, Dang and the other actors in the ensemble did everything from sell tickets to build sets and work the lights during productions. Dang helped the theater through its most significant transition in 1998, when it moved from a church in Silver Lake into the 240-seat David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts in Little Tokyo.

Dang made the decision to become a director when controversy erupted in 1989 about Jonathan Price being cast in an Asian role in Miss Saigon on Broadway. Dang wanted to be able to lead the way in giving more opportunities to Asian American artists. In 2006, East West Players hosted a conference with representatives from the 60 Asian American theaters in the United States and Canada to explore ways in which “Asian Pacific American work could be a leader in the arts” and get more visibility in the mainstream theater world.

In his interview with downtownlascene.com, he looks forward to “ continue this anime, hip-hop thematic that we started with Pippin and do an original show from the ground up.” Last season’s Pippin was the highest-grossing musical in East West Players’ history.

Regarding the artists that are performing:

Antoine Reynaldo Diel: earned a Master’s degree in Vocal Arts at USC. He recently originated the role of Lupus del Mar in Meryl Friedmans’ TUG OF WAR (Getty Villa), performed as Romeo Rosales inDOGEATERS (Kirk Douglas and SIPA/Playwright’s Arena), Horton the Elephant, Mayor Who and Wickersham Brother SEUSSICAL (Mainstreet Theatre), Bashful and Grumpy SNOW WHITE: AN ENCHANTING MUSICAL (Disneyland) Pirelli SWEENEY TODD and ‘Ninoy’ Aquino in IMELDA: A New Musical (Garland Award Honorable Mention, EWP). Antoine can currently be seen performing as part of the group, Vaud and the Villains at Fais Do Do.

Randy Guiaya: also earned his Music degree in USC. He has been an East Westie since 1995. His credits include: VISIONS (LATC), STEEL: JOHN HENRY AND THE SHAKER ([INSIDE] the Ford), BED, BOYS AND BEYOND (Hudson Theater), GODSPELL (Knightsbridge Theater), Lun Tha in THE KING AND I (never telling where).

Lito Villareal: was born hearing impaired but in 1979 God healed him completely. He is the composer of two of the Philippines’ biggest musical hits: 2001 Aliw Awards winner for Best Musical Little Mermaid and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. As an actor Lito has performed in Les Miserables, Passion, Joseph the Dreamer, Chang and Eng, Godspell, The Wiz The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and most recently Sweeney Todd. In 2002 Lito won the Grand Prize for the International Urban Song of the Year Award at the Gospel Music Association’s Seminar in the Rockies. After receiving a personal invitation from Grammy award winning songwriter/producers David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager, Lito decided to make the big move from the Philippines to the United States. He soon started working on East West Players’ musicals.

Ethan Le Phong: was recently seen at the Hollywood Bowl’s, “Les Miserable In Concert,” the lead role of Pippin in East West Players’ updated and unique version of “Pippin.” He was also part of the cast in Pasadena Playhouse’s world premiere musical Mask (based on the 1985 Cher/Eric Stolz movie), and having recently come to national attention via his starring role in the long-awaited film version of the international hit Naked Boys Singing.

Kerry K. Carnahan: has appeared to EWP’s numerous musicals like in “Follies,” as Gussie in EWP’s 1995 production of “Merrily We Roll Along.” She credits Tim Dang and the EWP family for having given her the tools to continue pursuing theater. She has appeared as Lady Thang, “The King and I,” and “The First Picture Show” with Estelle Parsons and Ellen Green. Regional credits include “A Chorus Line” (Connie Wong), and “The Wizard of Oz” with Cathy Rigby. On television she has appeared in ABC’s “General Hospital.” Born in Tokyo and raised in Los Angeles, Kerry is a graduate of the University of California at Irvine with a degree in Fine Arts, Dance.

Maegan McConnell: has been seen nationwide in musical theatre, opera, classical and contemporary theatre. She recently reprised the role of Catherine in “Pippin” and Maria in “West Side Story.” Recent appearances have been Mabel in the Pirates of Penzance starring Rex Smith, world premiere’s of Andak Stage Co., A Magic Christmas and Don Juan the Trickster of Seville by Dakin Matthews, the Off-Broadway production of Naughty Marietta with Musicals Tonight and West Side Story at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle.

Jenni Selma: a regular of EWP’s musicals. She had reprised the role of Kim in “Miss Saigon” on Broadway and on tour; She was also in “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Imelda,” “Aladdin,” among other musicals.

Kathy Villanueva: was nominated as Best Supporting Actress In A Musical for her work in EWP’s, “Sweeney Todd” during the 16TH Annual Ticketholders Awards in Los Angeles, she’s also a regular of EWP’s musicals and concerts.

Sources:

http://eastwestplayers.org, http://www.downtownlascene.com/index.php/scene/news_item/31970/