Artists at Play

09/19/2026

Rehearsals continue chugging along for THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD, with preview performances starting October 1! Want to support Artists at Play and the show AND get the tax deduction? Every $150 donation earns two (2) tickets to the show: https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/artists-at-play

Pictured here is Katherine Chou, director of THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD, and Nico Pang, associate director & dramaturg, leading the company in discussion. Can't wait to share their beautiful thoughtful work with our Los Angeles community!

09/18/2026

Starting October 1, come see the cast of THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD! Tickets are on sale now: https://purchase.latinotheaterco.org/EventAvailability?EventId=2801

TONY JIN (Lone) is thrilled to make his Artists at Play debut in his second David Henry Hwang production of the year. His theatre credits include Ensemble Swing in "Flower Drum Song" (East West Players), Zhou Ping in "The Thunderstorm" (Claremont Chinese Theatre Group), and Dev in "Stupid F*cking Bird" (Claremont Green Room). Tony is a proud liberal arts graduate with a B.A. from Pomona College in Anthropology and Romance Literatures and cites his four years spent studying people as part of his actor training.

SCOTT KEIJI TAKEDA ("Ma") has previously collaborated with Artists at Play on multiple workshop readings and their inaugural mainstage production of "Ching Chong Chinaman." Most recently, he was seen in East West Players’ production of "Flower Drum Song," also by the great David Henry Hwang. Other stage credits include "Sumo" (The Public Theater/La Jolla Playhouse), "Pacific Overtures" (EWP), "The Great Leap" (Cygnet Theatre), "Valley of the Heart" (Mark Taper Forum), "Next to Normal" (EWP) and "Mysterious Skin" (EWP).

Utilizing the beauty and athleticism of Chinese opera, THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD explores the friendship between two immigrant laborers during the 1867 Chinese railroad workers’ strike—and the lives they hope to build as they chase the American Dream.

Los Angeles Theatre Center
October 1 - November 1
$10 Previews: October 1-2
Opening Night: October 3

𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘌 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘙𝘈𝘐𝘓𝘙𝘖𝘈𝘋 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

09/17/2026

Get a behind-the-scenes look inside the rehearsal room! THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD cast and creative team have been working tirelessly to bring David Henry Hwang’s play to life. Directed by Katherine Chou, featuring movement by choreographer Annie Yee, previews begin October 1. Get your tickets now! artistsatplay.org/the-dance-and-the-railroad

Utilizing the beauty and athleticism of Chinese opera, THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD explores the friendship between two immigrant laborers during the 1867 Chinese railroad workers’ strike—and the lives they hope to build as they chase the American Dream.

Los Angeles Theatre Center
October 1-November 1
$10 Previews: October 1-2
Opening Night: October 3

𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘌 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘙𝘈𝘐𝘓𝘙𝘖𝘈𝘋 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

09/16/2026

Did you know actor Scott Keiji Takeda from Artists at Play's upcoming revival of THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD was also in AAP's very first production ever? Here is Scott as "Upton Sinclair Wong" with his onstage family in rehearsal for Lauren Yee's hilariously irreverent CHING CHONG CHINAMAN. Directed by Peter J. Kuo, this marked AAP's official debut in the Los Angeles theatre scene.

Always a treat to reunite with Scott, who has racked up very impressive credits since our first collaboration. Come see his beautiful work as "Ma" in THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD. Tickets on sale: https://purchase.latinotheaterco.org/EventAvailability?EventId=2801

(top) Helen Ota, Ken Narasaki, (bottom) Scott Keiji Takeda and JULIA CHO as the Wong family in CHING CHONG CHINAMAN by Lauren Yee produced by Artists at Play.

Copyright 2011 M Palma Photography

09/15/2026

... ARE YOU READY?

Get your tickets to THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD, previews begin October 1! https://purchase.latinotheaterco.org/EventAvailability?EventId=2801

09/15/2026

Tickets are on sale now for THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD! https://purchase.latinotheaterco.org/EventAvailability?EventId=2801

Artists at Play and the Latino Theater Co. at The LATC
present THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD
by David Henry Hwang
directed by Katherine Chou
October 1 - November 1, 2026

Utilizing the beauty and athleticism of Chinese Opera, THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD explores the friendship between two immigrant laborers during the 1867 Chinese railroad workers strike. Set on a California mountaintop, Lone and Ma reminisce about the homes they left behind in China, the lives they hope to build and what it means to chase the American Dream.
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THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD Special Events:
Thursday, October 1 at 8 pm
🚂 First Preview Performance

Saturday, October 3 at 8 pm
🚂 Opening Night

Sunday, October 4 at 2 pm
🚂 "Building the United States: Immigration, History & the American Dream," post-show talkback in conversation with AAPI educators, community leaders, creatives

Friday, October 9 at 8 pm
🚂 "(Re)making Masculinity: Performance and Possibility in Asian America," post-show talkback moderated by Nico Pang. All genders welcome.

Saturday, October 10 at 8 pm
🚂 Understudy Performance

Sunday, October 11 at 2 pm
🚂 Family Day, featuring activities, photo ops, snacks (THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD is recommended for ages 10+.)

Sunday, October 18 at 2 pm
🚂 "The Mythmaking of (Asian) America: Uplifting Immigrant Histories Through the Arts," post-show talkback in partnership with the Chinese American Museum

Saturday, October 24 at 8 pm
🚂 Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists (CAATA), pre-show reception

CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF ARTISTS AT PLAY

Kicking off the '15 for 15' summer fundraising campaign for Artists at Play's birthday! Please consider donating $15 (or $150 if you're feeling generous!) for our 15th anniversary and help us spread the word: artistsatplay.org/support

AAP Mainstage - As 2026 marks America’s 250th anniversary, Artists at Play presents this early Asian American "classic" to commemorate the discriminatory and challenging histories faced by communities of color in the United States. Written by David Henry Hwang, THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD takes place in 1867 when 3,000 Chinese immigrant workers on the Transcontinental Railroad went on strike for 8 days, demanding better conditions, higher pay, and shorter working days. A vital work to revisit, Katherine Chou directs this important piece of American Theatre that explores the lives of two Chinese laborers, what they left behind in China and what it means to chase the American Dream.

(Graphics courtesy of Christopher Komuro.)

09/10/2026

FULL STEAM AHEAD!!! 🚂 Rehearsals are chugging along for David Henry Hwang's THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD, directed by Katherine Chou. We can't wait to (re)introduce audiences to this intimate story of friendship and the ways art and personal history intersect with the larger story of America ...

Presented by Artists at Play with the Latino Theater Co. at The LATC, this Los Angeles revival will start performances October 1. Learn more here: artistsatplay.org/the-dance-and-the-railroad/

Pictured from left to right:
🚂 ANNIE YEE (Choreographer) 🚂 NICO PANG (Associate Director & Dramaturg) 🚂 KATHERINE CHOU (Director) 🚂 BRANDON H. CHENG (Stage Manager) 🚂 STEFANIE LAU (AAP Producing Artistic Leader) 🚂 JULIA CHO, onscreen (AAP PAL) 🚂 GEOFFREY RIVAS (LTC Associate Artistic Director) 🚂 JOSÉ LUIS VALENZUELA (LTC Artistic Director) 🚂 LEONARD WU ("Lone") 🚂 SCOTT KEIJI TAKEDA ("Ma") 🚂 MARIE-REINE VELEZ (AAP PAL)

𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘋𝘈𝘕𝘊𝘌 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘙𝘈𝘐𝘓𝘙𝘖𝘈𝘋 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

09/10/2026

Congratulation to Artists at Play collaborator-friends Parvesh Cheena and Rachna Khatau on their recent casting in East West Players' upcoming WIVES! Having worked with AAP on various projects over the years, Parvesh and Rachna (pictured on the left) performed together in our 2024 "radio drama" presentation of Madhuri Shekar's EVIL EYE.

Can't wait to see these stars shine onstage at EWP's David Henry Hwang Theater! More connections: Artists at Play is currently rehearsing for our own fall production, Hwang's THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD. Katherine Chou (who also directed EVIL EYE), makes her mainstage directorial debut with this Asian American classic.

09/09/2026

Kent, WA: Congratulations to Theatre Battery, playwright Seayoung Yim, director Sara Porkalob, and the entire company of JAR OF FAT on opening weekend! theatrebattery.org

Artists at Play's own JULIA CHO is part of the world premiere cast and will be in performances through September. Here she is at opening night joined by members of the Seattle theatre community: (l. to r.) siblings David Hsieh of ReAct Theatre and Kathy Hsieh of SIS Productions, with "The Godfather of Asian American Theatre" Roger Tang of Pork Filled Productions.