NYC: OLIVER! presented by the National Asian Artists Project starts tonight

My uber-talented friends at the National Asian Artists Project in NYC will be presenting a terrific production of the Broadway classic OLIVER! starting tonight for only four performances at the Pershing Square Signature Theater on 42nd Street.

Via press release:

National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) will present the classic Charles Dickens musical, OLIVER! this June as part of the Re-Discover Series.

With book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, OLIVER! has become one of the most popular musicals in the world.

NAAP will be presenting the London version of this show under the direction of Steven Eng, choreography by Baayork Lee and musical direction by Kevin Farrell.

Last year I teamed up once again with my HELLO, DOLLY! collaborator (and partner in crime) Lee Roy Reams to help create a beautiful production of DOLLY! with the folks from NAAP, which exceeded my wildest dreams.

The work these artists do is Broadway caliber. And these projects showcase Asian-American actors in roles they might not normally get the opportunity to bring to life. And they should.

Performances are tonight, tomorrow and Saturday at 7:30pm plus a matinee on Saturday at 2pm.

I really urge you to go celebrate the great work these folks do. Click here for ticket info.

Big hugs to all my peeps there, especially dear Baayork Lee and Zoie Lam. Break a leg tonight!

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.

National Asian Artists Project presents HELLO, DOLLY!

I'm very excited to be asked by Baayork Lee to be part of an upcoming staging of HELLO, DOLLY! in New York City with my partner in DOLLY crime, Lee Roy Reams. As we always say at the beginning of each production "It's an adventure, Barnaby!"

Plus, I'll be working with my former CATS cast mate, Christine Toy Johnson, AND my fab Production Stage Manager from two national tours of A CHORUS LINE.

Here's a little more info on the production:

National Asian Artists Project presents a Rediscover Series production of the Broadway classic, HELLO, DOLLY!, by Jerry Herman (music/lyrics) and Michael Stewart (book). This fully-staged fully-costumed presentation is directed by Lee Roy Reams, director of Carol Channing's last Broadway revival in 1995, when it was last seen in New York (which was my Broadway debut).

This limited two-nights-only event will take place at the brand new Frank Gehry-designed Pershing Square Signature Center on 42nd Street in the heart of New York City's theatre district.

The evening is a benefit fundraiser for National Asian Artists Project (NAAP), whose mission is to bridge the work of professional theatre artists of Asian descent with the many communities they can serve, from minority communities and primary schools to seasoned arts patrons, as well as providing opportunities for professional theatre artists to grow. Founded by theatre artists Baayork Lee, Steven Eng, and Nina Zoie Lam, NAAP strives to be a leader in this often unheard community. For more info on NAAP, go to: www.NAAProject.org

Click here for ticket info.