NYC: Opening of HELLO, DOLLY! with National Asian Artists Project

For the past two weeks, I've been in NYC splitting my time between The Randy Report and rehearsals for a "staged concert" production of HELLO, DOLLY! for the National Asian Artists Project spearheaded by my long time friend Baayork Lee.

NAAP is a community of artists, educators, administrators, community leaders, and professionals. It is a not-for-profit organization that recognizes the need to build bridges between the work of artists of Asian descent, and the many communities that the work can serve, from underserved primary school students to seasoned arts patrons.

The National Asian Artists Project cast of HELLO, DOLLY! takes a bow

The show opened this past Monday (I've been recovering and catching up from the last minute rush of opening) and I have to post some of the pictures of the beautiful and talented cast from the show and the reception afterward.

One of the things I love about theater is we all seem to find each other again eventually. Hang out in the business long enough, we'll see one another again.

Take a look at the pic below - from left to right:

• Zoie Lam (founder of NAAP, who I performed in A CHORUS LINE with in the 80s)
• Baayork Lee (founder of NAAP, who cast me in 2 national touring companies of A CHORUS LINE in 1989 and 1991)
• Christine Toy Johnson (our "Dolly Levi" who performed with me in CATS from 1986-1988) 
• Lee Roy Reams (our director, who cast me in my first Broadway show and made me the "designated choreographer" for HELLO, DOLLY! all these years). 

So many people from so many different productions of my theater career, all of us coming together again for this great event.

Zoie Lam, Baayork Lee, me, Christine Toy Johnson, Lee Roy Reams
and music director Kevin Ferrell

A wonderful experience all around, here's a few more pictures from the evening...

"Dolly Levi" leads the company in 'Hello, Dolly!"
Photo by Eric Bondoc Photography

Alex Chester ("Minnie Fay") and the men of HELLO, DOLLY!
(JP Moraga, Daniel J. Edwards, Rommel Pierre O'Choa, Aaron Komo)
Photo by Eric Bondoc Photography

Christine Toy Johnson ("Dolly Levi") and me

Jaygee Macapugay ("Irene Malloy") and Karl Josef Ko ("Cornelius Hackl")

Karl Josef Ko ("Cornelius Hackl") and me

Me with 9 time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune, who was very gracious
in complimenting my choreography! Wow! An out of body experience...

My husband Michael Caprio, Christine Toy Johnson and I

Director Lee Roy Reams, Christine Toy Johnson and
9 time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune

For more information about The National Asian Artists Project and their mission, head to their official website by clicking here.