In 2006, the first Asian American theater conference took place in Los Angeles and the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) was at the heart of a growing movement to connect and empower Asian American theaters communities across the country. On the eve of CAATA’s 20th anniversary as an organization, join CAATA co-founders Leilani Chan, Tim Dang, and Stefanie Lau in a conversation moderated by East West Players’ Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal to reflect on the progress, challenges, and hopes of Asian American theater today.

With a South Asian cast and direction by Hypokrit Live Arts NYC co-founder Arpita Mukherjee, this whirlwind comedy travels from 16th-century France to 1920s India and 1960s Idaho, turning the spotlight on the overlooked voices who shaped the world. WIVES lands at a pivotal cultural moment—just after the 2024 election that saw South Asian American women make history in both parties, and as Los Angeles’s own Nithya Raman advances to the 2026 mayoral race. Instead of simply retelling the past, WIVES unravels it, reminding us that history is made by many, not just the few who make the headlines.