East West Players presents the world premiere of “Unbroken Blossoms” by Philip W. Chung, directed by Jeff Liu, from June 27 to July 21 at the David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 N. Judge John Aiso St. in Little Tokyo.
An idealistic family man and a cynical, aspiring filmmaker are hired as the Chinese American consultants for “Broken Blossoms,” Hollywood’s first onscreen interracial love story… between a white actress and a white actor in yellowface makeup. If the circumstances weren’t already questionable enough, the consultants must contend with the outsized ego of the film’s director, D.W. Griffith, who is attempting to belie criticisms of racism after the release of his controversial film “The Birth of a Nation.”
Chung’s play is a historical reimagining of the making of a boundary-breaking Hollywood classic that shines a light on the collateral damage in the search for “authentic” representation, and asks what price we pay for our art.
Originally presented in 2015 by Visual Communications in partnership with East West Players.
Cast: Gavin Kawin Lee, Ron Song, Arye Gross, Alexandra Hellquist, Conlan Ledwith, Paul Dateh, Valerie Rose Lohman, T Aldridge.
Credits: Shinshin Yuder Tsai, intimacy director; Cesar Cipriano, fight choreographer; Mina Kinukawa, scenic designer; Sam Clevenger, projection designer; Michael O’Hara, properties designer; Jaymee Ngernwichit, costume designer; Wes Charles Chew, lighting designer; Kelly Rodriguez, assistant lighting designer; Cinthia Nava, sound designer; Brandon Hong Cheng, stage manager; Irene DH Lee, assistant stage manager.
Previews: Thursday, June 27, to Saturday, June 29, at 8 p.m. Opening night: Sunday, June 30, at 5 p.m.
Regular shows:
Friday, July 5, at 8 p.m. (pre-show performance by Justine Rafael and David Galvan)
Saturday, July 6, at 2 and 8 p.m. Sunday, July 7, at 5 p.m. (followed by AAPI playwrights panel)
Monday, July 8, at 8 p.m. (pay-what-you-can)
Friday, July 12, at 8 p.m. (followed by AAPI pioneer filmmakers panel)
Saturday, July 13, at 2 p.m. (masked matinee performance) and 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 14, at 5 p.m. (“Jury Duty” cast and crew reunion in honor of Ron Song);
Monday, July 15, at 8 p.m. Friday, July 19, at 8 p.m. (post-show artist talkback)
Saturday, July 20, at 2 and 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 21, at 5 p.m.
Info/tickets: (213) 625-7000, [email protected], www.eastwestplayers.org/unbroken