To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, Playbill's social media team put together a series of bite-sized AAPI theatre facts, highlighting the industry's Asian and Pacific Islander American movers, shakers, and groundbreakers. The short videos—presented by Asian and Pacific Islander artists including Andrea Macasaet, Anchuli Felicia King, Marc delaCruz, Preston Mui, Conrad Ricamora, Kay Trinidad, Suzy Nakamura, Jeigh Madjus, Michael Maliakel, Manu Narayan, Zachary Noah Piser, and Jodi Kimura—appeared throughout the month on Instagram and TikTok, but don't worry if you're not a social media maven; we've collected them all for you right here.
Follow along below for minute-long primers on costume designer Willa Kim, playwright David Henry Hwang, choreographer and director Baayork Lee, actor BD Wong, set designer Ming Cho Lee, dancer Sono Osato, musical theatre actor Lea Salonga, actor Alvin Ing, designer Neil Patel, the Broadway show Bombay Dreams, and theatre companies East West Players and Ma-Yi Theater Company.
Meet the Asian and Pacific Islander Artists
Andrea Macasaet on Willa Kim
Anchuli Felicia King on David Henry Hwang
@playbill Learn about playwright David Henry Hwang from Golden Shield’s playwright Anchuli Felicia King for #asianpacificislanderheritagemonth!#playbill #fyp #theatrekid #davidhenryhwang #broadway ♬ Strangest Things - Sweet After Tears
Marc delaCruz and Preston Mui on East West Players
Jeigh Madjus on Baayork Lee
@playbill @Moulin Rouge! The Musical’s @Jeigh Madjus tells us about #baayorklee in honor of #asianpacificislanderheritagemonth #playbill #TopGunMode #fyp #achorusline #broadway #theatrekid ♬ House Swinger Narr - Attitude
Suzy Nakamura on BD Wong
Kelvin Mooh Loh on Ming Cho Lee
@playbill Kelvin Mooh Loh from @BeetlejuiceBway is telling us about Tony winning scenic designer Ming Cho Lee #asianpacificislanderheritagemonth #beetlejuice #kelvinmoonloh #FrunktheBeat #fyp #theatrekid ♬ Bad Habit - Devin Kennedy
Conrad Ricamora on Lea Salonga
Zachary Noah Piser on Sono Osato
@playbill Today is going to be a good day and here’s why: #ZacharyNoahPiser from @Dear Evan Hansen is teaching us about Sono Osato #dearevanhansen #broadway #asianpacificislanderheritagemonth #TopGunMode #fyp #theatrekid ♬ BARELY BREATHING - Grant Averill
Manu Narayan on Bombay Dreams
Kay Trinidad on Ma-Yi Theater Company
@playbill Learn about #mayitheatercompany from @hadestownmusical’s @kaytrinidadkarns! #asianpacificislanderheritagemonth #hadestown #broadway #fyp #GradeUpWithGrammarly ♬ Summer day - TimTaj
Jodi Kimura on Alvin Ing
Michael Maliakel on Neil Patel
@playbill @Aladdin The Musical’s Michael Maliakel is teaching us our last #asianpacificislanderheritagemonth fact! #broadway #aladdin #disney #fyp #FrunktheBeat ♬ Loose Change - Devin Kennedy
