East West Players, the nation’s premier Asian American theatre, presents the world premiere of “On This Side of the World,” created with and directed by Noam Shapiro with music and lyrics by Paulo K Tiról, from May 11 to June 4 at the David Henry Hwang Theater, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Little Tokyo.
A woman flies from the Philippines to America with a one-way ticket and a suitcase full of stories collected from immigrants who came before her — tales of overseas workers, young lovers, and gossipy church ladies; snapshots of undocumented immigrants, millennial princesses and first-generation Americans. Suspended above the ocean, she replays these stories in her mind as she searches for the courage to embrace her future.
This soaring musical gives voices to Filipino immigrants navigating old lives and new beginnings, 8,000 miles from home. “On This Side of the World” was workshopped with East West Players July 2022.
The cast: Steven-Adam Agdeppa, Zandi De Jesus, Michael C. Palma, Cassie Simone, Andrea Somera, Shaun Tuazon, Melvin Biteng, Justine Rafael.
Crew: ViVi Le, assistant director; Jennifer Lin, music director; Marc Macalintal, music director and conductor; Allen Lucky Weaver, choreographer; Ian Miller, orchestrator; Yi-Chien Lee, scenic designer; David Murakami, projections designer; Sam Clevenger, assistant projections designer; Jaymee Ngernwichit, costume designer; Glenn Michael Baker, properties designer; Szu-Yun Wang, lighting designer; David Zahacewski, assistant lighting designer; Maddi Deckard, sound designer; Edward Khris Fernandez, stage manager; Mikayla Bettner, assistant stage manager; Eden Treiman, COVID safety manager; Amber Dettmers, company manager.
Previews: Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m.; Friday, May 12, 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 13, 8 p.m. (Filipino Community Night with FilAm Arts)
Opening: Sunday, May 14, 5 p.m. Pre-show cocktails, post-show VIP reception with dinner and auction hosted by AJ and Alyssa Rafael and Kristina Wong at Doubletree by Hilton DTLA, Thousand Cranes Ballroom and Kyoto Gardens
Friday, May 19, 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 20, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, May 21, 5 p.m.; Monday, May 22, 8 p.m. (pay-what-you-can); Friday, May 26, 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 27, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, May 28, 5 p.m. (artist talkback); Monday, May 29, 8 p.m.; Friday, June 2, 8 p.m. (pre-show panel); Saturday, June 3, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, June 4, 5 p.m.
For tickets and biographies of cast and creatives: https://eastwestplayers.org/ewpworld/