Lodestone Theatre Ensemble
Encyclopedia
Lodestone Theatre Ensemble is a non-profit
Asian American theatre
organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1999. It is a membership-driven organization.
MISSION STATEMENT:
, veteran actor Soon-Tek Oh
created the Society of Heritage Performers (SHP), a Korean American
theatre ensemble. SHP evolved into Lodestone Theatre Ensemble in 1999, organized by original founders: actors Alexandra Bokyun Chun
, Tim Lounibos and Chil Kong
, and writer Philip W. Chung
. Their new focus was embracing a broader Asian Pacific American
identity. Chung and Kong remain as present co-artistic director
s.
.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
Asian American theatre
Asian American theatre
Asian American theater is theater written, directed or acted by Asian Americans.- Background :Asian American theater emerged in the 1960s and the 1970s with the foundation of four theatre companies: East West Players in Los Angeles, Asian American Theatre Workshop in San Francisco, Theatrical...
organization in Los Angeles, founded in 1999. It is a membership-driven organization.
MISSION STATEMENT:
To develop, create, promote and present edgy, compelling and impassioned works that bridge communities through truthful and entertaining artistry.
History
In 1995, following the 1992 Los Angeles riots1992 Los Angeles riots
The 1992 Los Angeles Riots or South Central Riots, also known as the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest were sparked on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted three white and one hispanic Los Angeles Police Department officers accused in the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King following a...
, veteran actor Soon-Tek Oh
Soon-Tek Oh
Soon-Tek Oh |M*A*S*H]], Charlie's Angels, Airwolf, Magnum, P. I., Hawaii Five-O, Kung-Fu, Zorro, and Touched By An Angel....
created the Society of Heritage Performers (SHP), a Korean American
Korean American
Korean Americans are Americans of Korean descent, mostly from South Korea, with a small minority from North Korea...
theatre ensemble. SHP evolved into Lodestone Theatre Ensemble in 1999, organized by original founders: actors Alexandra Bokyun Chun
Alexandra Bokyun Chun
Alexandra Chun is an actress and filmmaker of Korean ancestry living in Los Angeles.-Early life:She immigrated to the United States when she was seven years old. After attending a boarding school in Maryland, she pursued a study in Western Philosophy at St. John's College, U. S...
, Tim Lounibos and Chil Kong
Chil Kong
Chil Kong is a Korean American actor and director. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech with degrees in Marketing and Psychology. While at Virginia Tech he performed with The New Virginians a touring musical performance group. He also attended the master of fine arts Program at Boston Conservatory...
, and writer Philip W. Chung
Philip W. Chung
Philip W. Chung is a Korean American playwright, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and its current co-artistic director.- Career :...
. Their new focus was embracing a broader Asian Pacific American
Asian Pacific American
Asian-Pacific American or Asian-Pacific Islander is a term sometimes used in the United States to include both Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans....
identity. Chung and Kong remain as present co-artistic director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
s.
Programs
Lodestone Theatre Ensemble has presented over 75 mainstage productions, special events, and readings/workshops of both new and established works. New works are presented in the "Yellow Box" reading series. Theatre for Teens and Youth Outreach programs aid disadvantaged youth in partnership with Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Korean Youth Cultural Center and Asian Youth Center. Mainstage productions are done in residence at the GTC (Grove Theatre Center) in Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.
1999
- Texas by Judy Soo Hoo
- Laughter, Joy & Loneliness & Sex & Sex & Sex & Sex by Philip W. ChungPhilip W. ChungPhilip W. Chung is a Korean American playwright, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and its current co-artistic director.- Career :...
2001
- A Dirty Secret Between the Toes by Annette Lee
- Terminus Americana by Matt Pelfrey
2002
- Freak Storm by Matt Pelfrey
- Refrigerators by Judy Soo Hoo
- When Tigers Smoked Long Pipes by Angela KangAngela KangAngela Kang is an American television writer currently serving as a writer and story editor on the second season of the AMC horror/drama series The Walking Dead.- Education and early career :...
2005
- Solve For X by Judy Soo Hoo
- American Monsters 2 by Corinne Chooey, Isaac Ho, Angela KangAngela KangAngela Kang is an American television writer currently serving as a writer and story editor on the second season of the AMC horror/drama series The Walking Dead.- Education and early career :...
, Oanh Ly, Judy Soo Hoo
2006
- The Golden Hour by Philip W. ChungPhilip W. ChungPhilip W. Chung is a Korean American playwright, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and its current co-artistic director.- Career :...
- One Nation, Under God by Philip W. ChungPhilip W. ChungPhilip W. Chung is a Korean American playwright, co-founder of Los Angeles-based Lodestone Theatre Ensemble and its current co-artistic director.- Career :...
2007
- Telemongol
- The Mikado Project by Doris Baizley & Ken NarasakiKen NarasakiKen Narasaki is a Sansei playwright and actor. He is the former Literary Manager at East West Players theatre company in Los Angeles...
- The Trojan WomenThe Trojan WomenThe Trojan Women is a tragedy by the Greek playwright Euripides. Produced during the Peloponnesian War, it is often considered a commentary on the capture of the Aegean island of Melos and the subsequent slaughter and subjugation of its populace by the Athenians earlier in 415 BC , the same year...
by EuripidesEuripidesEuripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
, translated by Kenneth Cavender
2008
- Trapezoid by Nic Cha KimNic Cha KimNic Cha Kim is a Korean American playwright, art curator, and the Founder of Gallery Row in Downtown Los Angeles. Nic Cha Kim is also owner of Niche.LA Video Art, a digital and video art gallery based in Gallery Row.-Plays:* "a.l.a. "...
- Suddenly, Last SummerSuddenly, Last SummerSuddenly, Last Summer is a one-act play by Tennessee Williams. It opened off Broadway on January 7, 1958, as part of a double bill with another of Williams's one-acts, Something Unspoken. The presentation of the two plays was given the overall title Garden District, but Suddenly, Last Summer is...
by Tennessee WilliamsTennessee WilliamsThomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III was an American writer who worked principally as a playwright in the American theater. He also wrote short stories, novels, poetry, essays, screenplays and a volume of memoirs...
External links
- Lodestone Theatre Ensemble official site
- Lodestone Theatre Ensemble on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Lodestone Theatre Ensemble profiled on AsianWeekAsianWeekAsianWeek was a widely circulated publication of Asian American news, across all Asian ethnic groups, providing coverage of Asian-American issues such as the killing of Vincent Chin, Asian American college admissions, and quotas on Chinese students in competitive San Francisco examination schools...
.com (2002)