Welcome to East West Players (EWP) and the world premiere of Man of God by Anna Moench, directed by Jesca Prudencio. The best art shifts our perceptions and allows us to see the world through someone else’s eyes. The fi rst time I read Man of God, the play led me to consider what it is like to be constantly subjected to the male gaze. Over the last two years, we have Photo by Mike Palma. seen global movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp challenge institutionalized sexism and pave the way for engaging and meaningful conversations about the devastating impact of sexual violence, particularly towards women. These movements feel like a watershed moment, but there is still much work to be done. Man of God is wildly funny, shocking, and harrowing. Like the best works of art, it challenges us to do better. Thank you to the amazing cast and crew that have helped bring this production to life. It’s rare to have an entire cast making their EWP debuts, and it is my honor to introduce you to Katherine, Michele, Roy, SunHee, and Sandy. WELCOME Many thanks to director Jesca Prudencio; the talented design team of Justin, Rebecca, Howard, Alexis, and Allison; fi ght director Andy; and a special thanks to our stage management team of Brandon and Lydia. For fi ve decades, EWP has created opportunities for Asian American artists to tell their stories. We are the longest- running professional theater of color in the United States, and the largest creator of Asian American performance work. No other theater has featured more Asian Pacifi c Islander (API) talent center stage than EWP. We could not have done it without your support. On behalf of the EWP Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers, thank you for joining us. Welcome to East West Players’ 53rd season. Welcome to Culture Shock! Sincerely, Snehal Desai Producing Artistic Director DAVID LEE FOUNDATION East West Players Presents the World Premiere of MAN OF GOD January 31 - February 24, 2019 Written by Anna Moench Directed by Jesca Prudencio+ Fight Director Andy Lowe Scenic Design by Justin Humphres Lighting Design by Rebecca Bonebrake Costume Design by Alexis Carrie Sound Design by Howard Ho Properties Master Allison Mamann Stage Manager Brandon Hong Cheng* Assistant Stage Manager Lydia Runge CAST Kyung-Hwa..................................................................Katherine Ko* Jen....................................................................Michele Selene Ang* Pastor..........................................................................Roy Vongtama Samantha.......................................................................SunHee Seo Mimi...........................................................................Sandy Nguyen *Member of Actors Equity Association +SDC Member The show is performed without an intermission. The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited. This theatre operates under an agreement with the Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors, and Stage Managers in the United States. Ticketing and CRM Technology provided by PatronManager. CAST Katherine Ko* fight cancer as an integrative radiation (Kyung-Hwa) was oncologist, publishing his first book born and raised in Healing Before You’re Cured, as well as Southern California. producing films, most recently After the She received her Rain on Amazon Prime. MFA from UC San Diego in 2017. Man of God is Currently filming SunHee Seo’s a recurring role in (Samantha, Fight The Morning Show and this past year Captain) first theatre had a guest role in the television pilot production since The Fix, played Tong in Qui Nguyen's coming to L.A. She Vietgone directed by Jesca Prudencio was an inaugural at San Diego Rep, and Hermia in A member of Theatre Midsummer Night's Dream with the Esprit Asia, the first LA Philharmonic. Katherine is also Asian American theatre company in a trained dancer and runs a Korean Colorado and the Rocky Mountain dance studio with her mother in Region. She has played Viola (Twelfth Koreatown. Night), Marcy (25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Girl/Young Michele Selene Sah-jin (99 Histories), and Yu-na (Half- Ang* (Jen) is an Vanilla, winner of Best Web Series/TV actor and writer Pilot at the London Independent Film currently based in Los Awards). She studies film and theatre Angeles, California. at USC. She graduated from Fordham University Sandy Nguyen in New York with a (Mimi) is extremely degree in Theatre proud to make her Performance, and can be seen on the debut with East hit Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, and West Players in the on the CBS show Elementary. cast of Man of God. She is a current Roy Vongtama student in Theater (Pastor) is a Thai and Critical Theory American actor, & Social Justice at Occidental College. doctor, writer, and Sandy originally hails from Chicago, producer, whose where she has worked with the About credits include the Face Theatre and American Theater Ovation Award- Company. She would like to thank winning Watching everyone who has given their love and OJ, as well as the support to her in her journey thus far. lead role in Ezekiel Theater’s musical Son of Man, with film credits including Anna Moench (Playwright) Awards The Bucket List with Jack Nicholson. include fellowships from the New York In his non-acting life, he helps people Foundation of the Arts, the Jerome 4 EAST WEST PLAYERS - CULTURE SHOCK 53rd Anniversary Season CREATIVE TEAM Foundation, and the State University. BFA: NYU, MFA: Van Lier Foundation, UCSD. jescaprudencio.com the Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Andy Lowe (Fight Director) Founding Award from the Artistic Director of San Diego’s Kennedy Center, Asian American Repertory Theater Boulder Ensemble for 10 seasons 1995-2005. Program Theater Company’s Coordinator at La Jolla Playhouse 2017 Generations 2007-2012. Continues to freelance Award, and East West Players' "2042: independently as an acting coach; See Change" Playwriting Competition and director of plays, musicals, and Award. Anna is an alumna of UCSD’s immersive entertainment. Fight MFA Playwriting program, the choreography credits: Asian Story Emerging Writers Group at The Public Theater performing on and off as “the Theater, Youngblood at Ensemble Monkey King” for 9 years, AART- DHH’s Studio Theatre, and The Jam at Fresh off the Boat (2000), Linda Faigao New Georges. Current/upcoming Hall’s Women From the Other Side productions: Man of God at East of the World (2004), Sledgehammer West Players, Birds of North America Theatre's Chrysalis: Rape-Child (2006), at Thrown Stone Theatre Company. and stunts for film and TV. Anna is currently adapting a book to the screen for Universal and Michael Justin Humphres (Scenic Design) is DeLuca Productions. a scenic and video designer based in San Diego, CA. His design work has Jesca Prudencio+ been seen internationally in both the (Director) is a theater United States and Asia. As a video director focused designer, he has created content for on highly physical numerous concert tours, corporate work regionally events, and Las Vegas shows. As an and internationally. assistant/associate, he has worked She has directed on various commercial, regional, and critically-acclaimed Broadway projects. Recent Southern productions of Qui Nguyen’s Vietgone California scenic design credits include: and Anna Ziegler’s Actually at San This Beautiful City (Diversionary), Diego Rep, and was twice nominated Actually and Vietgone (San Diego for Outstanding Director by SD Critic's Rep). Broadway credits: SUMMER: The Circle. Favorite works: Will Snider's Donna Summer Musical (Associate How To Use a Knife (Mixed Blood), Designer), Ain't Too Proud: The Calling (Ping Chong + Company, NYC), Life and Times of the Temptations and FAN: stories from the brothels of (Associate Designer). Justin holds a Bangkok (Thailand). She is a recipient BFA from Western Michigan University of The Drama League Fellowship, and an MFA from University of and the inaugural Julie Taymor World California, San Diego. Theater Fellowship. Jesca is Artistic justinhumphres.com Director/Founder of People Of Interest, and Head of Directing at San Diego EAST WEST PLAYERS - CULTURE SHOCK 53rd Anniversary Season 5 CREATIVE TEAM Howard Ho (Sound Designer) is a Allison Mamann (Property Designer) playwright, composer, and Ovation- has been the Prop Master at the Long nominated sound designer. He has Beach Playhouse’s MainStage theatre sound designed at Center Theatre for the past three seasons, and has Group (CTG), TheatreWorks Silicon worked with the Geffen Theatre, Valley, JACCC, East West Players, Children’s Theatre of Long Beach, Playwrights’ Arena, Native Voices, and The Norris Theatre in the Props Sierra Madre Playhouse, and Company department. She also works at the of Angels. As a writer, his play Various James R. Armstrong Theatre as a stage Emporia was a 2017 O'Neill National manager and deck hand, and just Playwrights Finalist, and his musical began working at Chapman University’s Pretendo was featured in CTG’s theatre department. Library Reading Series. He makes popular Youtube videos analyzing Brandon Hong Cheng* (Stage the music of Hamilton (Youtube.com/ Manager) is excited to help bring HowardHoMusic). Man of God to the East West Players stage. He is a graduate of California Rebecca Bonebrake (Lighting State University, Long Beach, with a BA Designer) is excited to be returning to in Technical Theatre. Premiere credits EWP for her second show. Past credits include Two Mile Hollow (Artists at include productions at the Malibu Play), Tartuffe Lab (California Repertory Playhouse, USC, and San Diego Ballet. Company), and Antigone in Space She is also a member of the Artistic (CSULB University Players). Other Circle at Chalk Repertory and has credits include Allegiance (JACCC/ designed many productions with them, EWP), Vampire Lesbians of Sodom most recently Death and Cockroaches. (Door Ajar Theatre), 2012-The Musical She holds an MFA from UCSD and (San Francisco Mime Troupe), and spends her days as an architectural Conf(USED) (Youth for Asian Theater). lighting designer, primarily working Enjoy the show! on themed entertainment projects.