Asian Americans are raising their visibility in all areas of the
entertainment industry, from behind the scenes to in front of the cameras,"
says EWP's Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang. "I am proud that East West
Players has helped to provide opportunities for Asian American artists and
at the same time provide a growing voice for the Asian American Community.
With all this talent, this is a must-see event."
Emcees
Lea Salonga and Tamlyn
Tomita will co-emcee the event. Salonga performed at EWP's Visionary
Awards in 2009 and was a recipient of EWP's Visionary Award in 2002. She is
best known for her role of Kim in the Broadway hit MISS SAIGON for which she
won a Tony Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Musical. She
has been the lead singing voice in several Disney movies including Mulan
and Aladdin.
Tamlyn Tomita
was a recipient of EWP's Visionary Award in 2006 and has hosted East West
Players' Visionary Awards Dinner on several occasions. She has appeared in a
number of television shows including 24, Heroes, General
Hospital, CSI Miami, and Eureka. Major movie credits
include The Joy Luck Club and The Day After Tomorrow.
Performers
Joan Almedilla's
career took off when she landed the role of Kim in the Broadway production
of MISS SAIGON. She then moved on to portray the role of Fontine on the
Third National Tour of LES MISERABLES. Her other credits include the
Broadway National Tour of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD
at the Rubicon Theatre Company, which has been nominated for several Ovation
Awards including Best Ensemble Cast.
Jennifer Paz has played the
title role of MISS SAIGON with several companies, most recently receiving
the 2008 Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress. She was again nominated for a
2009 Ovation Award for her work in THE LAST FIVE YEARS with EWP. A Seattle
native, her Broadway and regional highlights include LES MISERABLES, BEAUTY
AND THE BEAST, THE WHO’S TOMMY, EVITA, and David Henry Hwang's adapted
FLOWER DRUM SONG.
Jenni Selma has appeared on
Broadway as the understudy to Kim in MISS SAIGON, as well as the first
national tour. She has also appeared on CBS' Star Search and many
national commercials and is actively involved with East West Players, having
sung at numerous events and earning rave reviews as a standout performer in
EWP's LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.
Vocalist Ethan Le Phong's last appearance with East West Players was
in the title character in the anime, hip-hop, martial arts production of
Pippin. He also starred in the London production of THE KING AND I which
also starred past East West Players Visionary Award honoree Daniel Dae Kim
(ABC's Lost).
Additional event sponsors include: Southern California Edison (Titanium
Circle Sponsor); CBS Corporation, FOX, NBC Universal, The Walt Disney
Company (Platinum Circle Sponsors); and T. Rodd Bancroft (Gold Circle
Sponsor). The Honorary Chair is Erwin Furukawa, Vice President of Customer
Programs and Services of Southern California Edison.
East West Players' 44th Anniversary Visionary Awards Dinner and
Silent Auction will be held on Monday, April 19, 2010 at the Hilton
Universal City, 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, CA 91608. The
no-host reception and silent auction will start at 6pm. The dinner and
awards program will start at 7pm. Tickets are $175 - $1,250. For more
information on East West Players' 44th Anniversary Visionary
Awards Dinner and Silent Auction please visit www.EastWestPlayers.org or
contact Development Manager Lisa Tang at (213) 625.7000 x17 or LTang@EastWestPlayers.org.
Additional celebrity talent and honorees to be announced.
