Tina Chilip, Jojo Gonzalez Lead Leviathan Lab's TWELFTH NIGHT 11/3-19

Leviathan Lab, an Asian American professional creative studio invested in advancing the careers of Asian American artists, will present its inaugural production, Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT at Arclight Theatre at 152 West 71st Street, Level 1 between Broadway and Columbus Avenues in Manhattan, November 3 - 19 (Thursdays - Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 2 p.m.; Wednesday, November 16 at 8 p.m.). The production will feature an all Asian American cast, and will star Tina Chilip* (Flipzoids, Joy Luck Club) as Viola, and OBIE Award-winning actor Jojo Gonzalez* (The Romance of Magno Rubio, "The Smurfs," and "PanAm") as Feste the Clown.

Under the direction of Nelson T. Eusebio III (Assistant Director, All's Well That Ends Well, The Public Theater/NYSF's Shakespeare in the Park 2011), the seaside city of Illyria harkens to Hong Kong in the 1960s, where the alluring scent of romance pervades the atmosphere. Viola sets a series of events that create a tangled knot of mistaken identities, bewildering desires, and practical jokes that only time and fortune can untie.

Leviathan Lab's vision of TWELFTH NIGHT comes at an exciting time for Asian American performers and their audiences in New York, with three Off-Off Broadway productions, four Off-Broadway productions, and Chinglish on Broadway, all comprised of primarily Asian American artistic teams. "Leviathan Lab is the new (and ambitious) kid on the block," says Tina Chilip. "I'm very excited to be a part of this company that is focused on creating innovative Asian American theater, and I can't wait to see what they do next."

"It's great that Leviathan Lab is pushing for more opportunities for Asian American artists," says OBIE Award-winner Jojo Gonzalez. "When I first started out, it was hard for an Asian American actor to get cast, and perform in classical plays. The opportunities were few. It was unimaginable to even produce Shakespeare with an entire Asian American cast, let alone set the production in a place like Hong Kong unless it was ‘experimental'. I'm glad that Leviathan Lab is continuing this movement, and I'm having a ball being a part of it." 

Along with Chilip and Gonzalez, TWELFTH NIGHT will feature established and emerging Asian American performers that comprise Leviathan Lab's acting company: Kurt Uy* as Orsino, Eileen Rivera* as Olivia, Andrew Eisenman* as Malvolio, John Roque* as Sir Toby Belch, Marcus Ho* Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Karen Tsen Lee* and Ka-Ling Cheung* as Maria (alternating weeks), Chris Doi as Sebastian, Roger Yeh as Fabian, and Eugene Oh as Antonio.

Leviathan Lab's TWELFTH NIGHT by William Shakespeare is an Actors' Equity approved showcase production. Tickets are $18 general admission, $15 students and seniors, with special prices for groups of 10 or more. For reservations, please call Oliver Oliveros at 213.344.8499 or email oliver@leviathanlab.com.

*Denotes members of Actors' Equity Association.

ABOUT LEVIATHAN LAB

Leviathan Lab is a professional creative studio founded in 2009 that includes more than 75 Asian-American actors, writers, and directors. Leviathan Lab invests in the advancement of both emerging and established Asian American performing artists by featuring them in new works by Asian American writers, in fresh interpretations of classical plays, and in original works for film, tv and new media. More information can be found at www.leviathanlab.com.

ABOUT NELSON T. EUSEBIO III

Mr. Eusebio is the artistic director and co-founder of Creative Destruction, a NYC based theatre collective dedicated to creating large-scale change through the creation of dramatic mayhem. He most recently served as Assistant Director under Daniel Sullivan for the NYSF/Public Theatre's 2011 season of Shakespeare in the Park. He has directed work for companies including Pan Asian Rep, Ma-Yi Theatre Company, South Coast Repertory, Laguna Playhouse and the Mark Taper Forum. Recent directing credits include: The Encounter (DiverseCity), 8TRACK: B-Sides & Mash-Ups (Creative Destruction), God, Sex and Blue Water (Living Image Arts); Obama Drama (Creative Destruction); 365/365 (Ma-Yi/Public Theatre). Resident director at Ensemble Studio Theatre during the 2008-9 season and is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab and the Rhodopi International Theatre Collective. Mr. Eusebio is a recipient of the 2009-11 NEA/TCG Career Development Program for Directors. Artistic Director and Founding Company Member, Leviathan Lab.

ABOUT TINA CHILIP

Tina Chilip is proud to be part of Leviathan Lab's inaugural production. Off-Broadway: Flipzoids (Ma-Yi Theater Company), Joy Luck Club (Pan Asian Rep). Other New York: Sweet Karma (Immigrants Theater Project/Queens Theater in the Park). Regional: M. Butterfly (The Guthrie Theater); Yellow Face and Far East (TheatreWorks, CA); A Christmas Carol and Romeo and Juliet (Trinity Rep); and Hamlet and 1001 Arabian Nights (Marin Shakespeare Company).

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