Lia Chang Photos: BD Wong, Cindy Cheung, Brooke Ishibashi, Thom Sesma, Manna Nichols, Steven Eng, Ariel Estrada, Lori Tan Chinn at Leviathan Lab’s Ghost Stories

Ghost Stories curator Robert Lee and director BD Wong. Photo by Lia Chang

Leviathan Lab, in collaboration with The Performance Project @ University Settlement presented GHOST STORIES, two evenings of staged readings of three original new short musicals inspired by Asian ghost stories, at University Settlement Speyer Hall, 184 Eldridge Street at Rivington Street in New York to sold-out houses, November 21-22, 2014.

“I’m so very proud of the work Leviathan did in this inaugural project for our New Musicals Initiative, supporting the work and development process of writers/composers Sam Chanse, Yan Li, Katie Baldwin Eng, Jason Purdy, and Bob Kelly,” said Ariel Estrada, Executive Director of Leviathan Lab. “Under the guidance of project Leader Robert Lee, director BD Wong, music director Andrew Wheeler and Leviathan Lab Dramaturg-in-Residence Donatella Galella, the writers and composers took the containing structure of Asian ghost stories, and used it to facilitate the writers/composers creation of creepy, funny, quirky short musicals that reflect true horrors of our time. It was a wonderful, unusual theatre experience, and important part of an artist’s process, beautifully and expertly performed by Cindy Cheung, Brooke Ishibashi, Thom Sesma, Steven Eng, and Manna Nichols.”

Ghost Stories Musical Director Andrew Wheeler, Director BD Wong, Curator Robert Lee and Leviathan Lab Executive Director Ariel Estrada. Photo by Lia Chang

quietus
Music by Jeff Tang, Words by Katie Baldwin Eng
with Brooke Ishibashi, Steven Eng and Thom Sesma

the puzzling disappearance of jinxing villa
Music by Yan Li, Words and Music by Yan Li and Jason Purdy
Productions designed by Jason Purdy, Jeremy Smith, Percussionist
with Cindy Cheung, Manna Nichols and Thom Sesma

lobsters live forever
Music by Bob Kelly, Words by Sam Chanse
Loosely adapted from and inspired by the Inuit Tale of Skeleton Woman, and Chinese and Tibetan Stories of Hungry Ghosts
with Cindy Cheung and Brooke Ishibashi

Top Row: Thom Sesma, Cindy Cheung, Jeff Tang, Yan Li; Second Row: Manna Nichols, Sam Chanse; Bottom Row: Steven Eng, Brooke Ishibashi, Katie Baldwin Eng, Bob Kelly. Photo by Lia Chang

The musical readings were curated by bookwriter/lyricist Robert Lee (TAKEAWAY, HEADING EAST; faculty, NYU Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program) and directed by Tony Award-winner BD Wong (Broadway: M. BUTTERFLY; Law & Order: SVU, Oz, Jurassic World). With musical director Andrew Wheeler on piano, percussionist Jeremy Smith and stage manager Kelly Clark.

BD Wong and Robert Lee. Photo by Lia Chang

Leviathan Lab’s GHOST STORIES is made possible in part with public funds from the Manhattan Community Arts Fund, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and by the Artists-in Residency Program at University Settlement.

Top Row: Jeremy Smith, Andrew Wheeler, Thom Sesma, Sam Chanse, Yan Li, Jeff Tang; Second Row: Manna Nichols, Brooke Ishibashi, BD Wong, Cindy Cheung, Bob Kelly; Bottom Row: Ariel Estrada, Robert Lee, Steven Eng, Kelly Stark, Katie Baldwin Eng. Photo by Lia Chang

About Leviathan Lab
Founded in 2009, Leviathan Lab is a creative studio that invests in the advancement of Asian American performing artists. Leviathan was founded with the goals of expanding the reach of Asian American artistic voices, and telling our stories to communities who haven’t yet had the joy of experiencing them. Our projects – online, on film, and on stage – strive to show Asian Americans in innovative and dynamic ways: sexy, powerful, vital, and fun. Leviathan’s projects include readings and main stage productions of classical theatre, new plays, and musical theatre, community-based and children’s theatre, and productions for film and online.

Click here to contribute to Leviathan Lab’s Fall Fundraiser Indiegogo campaign.

M Butterfly reunion- BD Wong and Lori Tan Chinn appeared together in the Broadway production. Photo by Lia Chang

About The Performance Project @ University Settlement
The Performance Project @ University Settlement provides established, emerging and young artists and local audiences with opportunities to connect and enrich each other’s lives. Our aim is to encourage greater participation in the live arts and to help cultivate diverse creative communities on the Lower East Side.

BD Wong is flanked by his pals award winning sound designer Mark Bennett and award winning composer and music director Wayne Barker. Photo by Lia Chang

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BD Wong, Lia Chang and Robert Lee. Photo by GK

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Crafting a Career
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.

Lia Chang Photo by GK

Lia Chang is an actor, a performance and fine art botanical photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia starred as Carole Barbara in Lorey Hayes’ Power Play at the 2013 National Black Theatre Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C., with Pauletta Pearson Washington, Roscoe Orman, and made her jazz vocalist debut in Rome Neal’s Banana Puddin’ Jazz “LADY” at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in New York. She is profiled in Jade Magazine.

All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2014 Lia Chang Multimedia. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at liachangpr@gmail.com

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