Pan Asian Repertory Theatre has announced its 46th season, which will kick off with the world premiere of Livian Yeh's Memorial. Previews will begin January 19 ahead of opening January 22 at 2:30 PM on the Lunar New Year. The run at Off-Broadway's Mezzanine Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres is set through February 19.
Jeff Liu directs the play which follows Maya Lin, a 21-year-old architect selected to design a memorial for Vietnam veterans on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. But when her "untraditional" design is questioned by veterans and the United States Congress, forcing Lin to defend herself, the question becomes "Is democracy about compromise and working together, no matter how painful?"
“At its heart, Memorial is a play about stories. What is considered an American story, and who gets to tell it?" said Yeh in a statement. “Most importantly, the play captures democracy in action, dramatizing the often painful nature of negotiation and compromise, which in this case resulted in one of the great works of American art," adds Liu.
Following the new play, Pan Asian Rep will celebrate Asian Heritage Month in May with "the return of a Pan Asian classic for a limited benefit engagement," as well as a memorial for co-founding artistic director and actor Ernest Aduba in the spring. Dates and further information for both events will be announced at a later date.
The season will close with the theatre company's annual play festival NuWorks 2023. The 2-week festival of self-created works exploring a range of genres will be held June 2-June 18, 2023 at Theatre Row.
For tickets and more information, visit PanAsianRep.org.
