Contemporary Asian Theater Scene

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Contemporary Asian Theater Scene

The only place to find cool and contemporary Asian American theater, film, and comedy in the Silicon Valley!

Contemporary Asian Theater Scene, otherwise known as CATS, started almost 20 years ago to give voice to the emerging artists that spoke to the vast Asian American experience. We're a non-profit presenting organization that celebrates meaningful and entertaining theater arts, film, comedy, music, etc.

09/11/2026

🎬 The 12th Annual Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest returns October 22–November 1, 2026! 👆 SWIPE for the early-bird discount code or see below.

Experience the connecting power of film through 85 films—including 55% from Bay Area filmmakers—with four days of in-person screenings and celebrations followed by seven days of online viewing.

📍 October 22: Opening Night Film & Celebration at the De Anza Visual & Performing Arts Center
📍 October 23–25: In-Person Weekend Festival at AMC Sunnyvale 12
💻 October 26–November 1: Online Film Festival via Eventive

✨ Save 25% on early-bird tickets through September 30 with code: svapff-eb25

Info and tickets at
https://svapfilmfest2026.eventive.org/schedule

09/02/2026

SAVE THE DATES 🎬 The 12th Annual Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest is coming this fall.

📅 October 22–November 1, 2026

The festival kicks off with Opening Night on October 22 at De Anza Visual Performing Arts Center, followed by the in-person weekend festival October 23–25 at AMC Sunnyvale 12, then continues online October 26–November 1.
This year’s theme, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙁𝙞𝙡𝙢, celebrates the stories, filmmakers, and communities that bring us together through cinema.

🎟️ 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬-𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥: 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝟮𝟱% 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟬!
Use code: 𝗦𝗩𝗔𝗣𝗙𝗙-𝗘𝗕𝟮𝟱

🔗 Get tickets at: https://svapfilmfest2026.eventive.org

08/13/2026

📣 Calling all emerging AAPI artists, ages 14–24! Submissions are now open for the 2026 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝘂𝗿𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱.

This year’s artistic challenge, 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗬 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗗, invites young artists to consider:

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲, 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺, 𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗻?

Through your art, explore the stories, memories, traditions, questions, or hopes that shape who we are—and who we hope to become.

Emerging AAPI artists in or from Northern California are invited to submit work in visual art, theater, performance, dance, music, spoken word, writing, poetry, film, video, photography, multimedia, and more.

🏆 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲: $𝟭,𝟱𝟬𝟬 + additional cash awards
📅 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 Extended: 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 22, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
🔗 Learn more and submit: https://tinyurl.com/DrJerryInspire

Established in 2021, the Dr. Jerry Hiura Inspiration Award honors Dr. Jerry Hiura’s passion for the arts and creative expression while supporting the next generation of AAPI artists.

What will 𝘆𝗼𝘂 carry forward?

07/25/2026

🎭 Three years. Three sold-out AAPI Playwright Festivals. What a night it was!

Here’s a look back at CATS’ 3rd Annual AAPI Playwright Festival — an unforgettable evening of new works, powerful performances, AAPI storytelling, culture, and community.

🌟 Thank you to everyone who joined us and supported AAPI artists and stories.

🫶💚 Special thanks to our creative team, playwrights, directors, cast, production team, volunteers, sponsors, donors, grantors, community partners, and everyone who helped bring this sold-out evening to life.

This year’s festival featured six new short plays by Anne Yumi Kobori, Tasi Alabastro, Jenny Nguyen Nelson, Phil Wong, Aimee Suzara, and Suhashini Krishnan, plus five original monologues written by Artistic Producer Jeffrey Lo.

Special thanks to Executive Producers Leianne Wong Lamb and Caroline Kondo Moore, Associate Artistic Producer and Director Reed Flores, Director Melissa Mei Jones, Stage Manager Stephanie Kara, San Jose Stage, BAB BOI | NOLAN + MANDO, Living Flora, and the entire CATS team.

SPONSORS & DONORS:
CM Capital Foundation, Board First Consulting, Friends of CATS, Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga SVCREATES Silicon Valley Community Fndn City Of San José County of Santa Clara asianpacificfund Mission City Community Fund 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗦𝗶 ✦ 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 | 𝗦𝘂𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 | 𝗪𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗻𝗴 | 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗻 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲 Applied Materials Japanese American Museum SJ Visit San Jose

CREATIVE TEAM & PLAYWRIGHTS
Jeffrey Lo Reed Flores M.J. Anne Yumi Kobori Tasi Alabastro Jenny Nguyen Nelson Phil Wong Aimee Suzara (artist & coach) Suhashini Krishnan

ACTORS
Kartic Bhargav Gwynnevere Cristobal Nesto Jnr Marlo Miguel Guevarra Braeden Camacho Harris L I S A Nicholas Jaochico Julie Kuwabara Thomas Nguyen mickey hanano skinner Dana Soliman Alex Trono Vivienne Truong aw

PRODUCTION TEAM
Leianne Lamb Caroline Moore Joanne Ho Cindy Toy Matthew Casey Stephanie Kara Tina Vo, Ed Hunter, Coby Chuang Anthony Lê J-Town Community TV

We’re so grateful for the support and excited to keep the momentum going as we look ahead to the 4th Annual AAPI Playwright Festival. 💚

07/21/2026

CATS’ 3rd Annual AAPI Playwright Festival brought a full house to San Jose Stage for an unforgettable evening of new works, bold voices, big laughs, moving moments, and powerful AAPI storytelling. 🎭✨

Thank you to our playwrights, directors, actors, stage manager, cast, crew, CATS team, grantors, sponsors, donors, volunteers, audience, and community for making this sold-out night so special.

And a special shoutout to CATS Board Chair Leianne Lamb and CATS Theater Programs Co-Director Caroline Moore for their outstanding work as the Executive Producers of the AAPI Playwright Festival.

📸 Photographer (photos 1-17): Anthony Lê, follow him on Instagram at .anthonyle

Three years. Three sold-out festivals. We’re so grateful for the support and excited to keep the momentum going as we look ahead to the 4th Annual AAPI Playwright Festival. 💚

Presented by Contemporary Asian Theater Scene in partnership with San Jose Stage Company. 🫶

07/09/2026

👋 Meet the playwrights bringing this year’s AAPI Playwright Festival to life. 🎭

Six playwrights. Six new short plays. Plus five brand-new monologues written by Artistic Producer Jeffrey Lo and performed between each play.

This year’s lineup features an exciting mix of returning festival artists and bold new voices, with stories exploring comedy, family, identity, culture, relationships, healing, belonging, and even a dash of horror.

🎥 Playwrights featured in this video:
🌟 Tasi Alabastro
🌟 Jenny Nguyen Nelson
🌟 Aimee Suzara
🌟 Anne Yumi Kobori
🌟 Phil Wong
🌟 Jeffrey Lo

*Suhashini Krishnan is one of this year’s playwrights but wasn’t available for the video.

The first two festivals sold out, and tickets are going fast for year three! Get yours today!

🗓 Saturday, July 11 at 7:30 PM
📍 San Jose Stage, downtown San Jose
🎟 https://tinyurl.com/3rdAAPIPlaywright

07/03/2026

The first two AAPI Playwright Festivals sold out. CATS is anticipating another sold-out event, so get your tickets now! 🎭

CATS Theater Programs Co-Director Caroline Kondo Moore joined Robert Handa on NBC Bay Area’s Asian Pacific America to talk about why the AAPI Playwright Festival is such a special opportunity to experience brand-new works by AAPI artists.

This year’s festival features six new original short plays by AAPI playwrights, five monologues written by Artistic Producer Jeffrey Lo, and 15 AAPI actors who bring these stories to life.

As Caroline shared, AAPI stories are deeply unique, deeply personal, and at the same time universal, touching on themes such as family, identity, belonging, resilience, and hope.

🗓 Saturday, July 11 at 7:30 PM
📍 San Jose Stage, downtown San Jose
🎟 Get tickets → bit.ly/aapi-plays-26 🔗 in bio

The AAPI Playwright Festival is in partnership with San Jose Stage.

Watch the full interview on CATS’ YouTube channel → youtube.com/

06/24/2026

The first two AAPI Playwright Festivals sold out. Don’t miss year three! 🎭

Meet Jeffrey Lo, award-winning playwright, director, and the artistic producer and visionary behind Contemporary Asian Theater Scene’s AAPI Playwright Festival.

Jeffrey shares why this festival matters, from bringing AAPI artists together to building creative connections that continue long after the curtain comes down.

This year, CATS debuts six newly commissioned short plays and original monologues by AAPI playwrights, presented as theatrical staged readings that bring comedy, family stories, identity, culture, healing, belonging, and a dash of horror to the stage.

🗓 Saturday, July 11 at 7:30 PM
📍 San Jose Stage, downtown San Jose
🎟 Tickets start at $23.18 for students and $33.85 for general admission

Get your tickets now → https://vist.ly/58u7n

06/10/2026

Tomorrow! Join CATS Board Chair Leianne Wong Lamb for Asian Leaders Alliance’s next Brain Trust on Zoom: Asian Theater with CATS & AAPI Heritage Recap.

Leianne will share how community arts, theater and AAPI storytelling drive and impact the broader national AAPI landscape. She’ll also share about the upcoming AAPI Playwright Festival on July 11th at San Jose Stage.

The conversation will also include a casual AAPI Heritage Month recap with Asian Leaders Alliance’s community of corporate ERGs, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders.

🗓️ Thursday, June 11, 2026
⏰ 5–6 p.m. PDT / 8–9 p.m. EDT
📍 Zoom
🔗 Register: https://ala.fyi/bt-6-26 (link in our IG Story)

All are welcome! 💚

05/10/2026

🎭 We’re taking a look back to last weekend’s first staged reading of “Aftermath Liturgy” by Min Kahng..

Commissioned by us, Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS), as part of our New Works Play Commission Program, “Aftermath Liturgy” explores what happens when the beliefs that shaped your life begin to change.

This intimate, experimental work blended theater, ritual, live music, projections, audience participation, and a meaningful post-show talkback. 🎤

With Min Kahng as playwright, composer, lyricist, and singer, Actor Will Dao in the role of the pastor under the direction of Director Lisa Marie Rollins, the evening invited audiences to reflect on identity, belief, community, and what comes next.

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Wesley United Methodist Church in San Jose Japantown and supported this new work.

Special thanks to Min Kahng, Lisa Marie Rollins, Will Dao, Mark Teagle, CATS Board Chair and President Leianne Wong Lamb, Theater Programs Co-Director Caroline Kondo Moore, Tasi Alabastro, our volunteers, donors, grantors, and community supporters for helping bring this staged reading to life, and supporting New Works.

Because when art transforms us, we transform the world.

Select photos by .anthonyle
Other photos & video clips by

Address

San Jose, CA
95112

Website

https://www.catsasiantheaterscene.org/, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/american-hwangap-tickets-1366782405969

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