Community Organization Spotlight V: East West Players
Part V of our Speed Dating: Get To Know Your Local APIDA Community Orgs series, a project headed by Catherine Kim, our Diversity Liaison, and Christopher Liu, our External Community Chair.
Introduction
Speed Dating: Get To Know Your Local APIDA Community Orgs is a new initiative where we will be interviewing APIDA focused community organizations and APIDA professionals around the Los Angeles area and sharing with you all the most exciting highlights! We aim to showcase the organization to USC students, as well as ask about topics that we think are most pressing to USC students right now: ranging from work/volunteering opportunities, APIDA race relations, professional development and how COVID-19 has been affecting org/business operations. We will be posting these on the APASA website as a yearlong project, so you can look forward to them here!
East West Players recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures, receiving $2 million grant from the Ford Foundation
I would like to extend a huge thank you to Ximon Wood for taking the time to speak with me about East West Players! Ximon (they/them) is the current marketing/PR manager for East West Players, which is the longest-running theatre of color in the US. Ximon’s day-to-day role mainly revolves around coordinating fundraising and external communication, such as managing education programs, social media, and partnerships.
APASA x East West Players
Q: Hi, Ximon! It’s such a pleasure to e-meet you! To start off our discussion, can you tell us about East West Player’s mission, and what that specifically looks like within the broader LA community?
A: Absolutely! East West Player is a professional theatre based here in LA. We provide professional opportunities for those in the entertainment industry and develop artists, creators, writers, actors, and designers. Furthermore, East West Players is really dedicated to raising APIDA visibility within the performing arts industry, and we also run youth/educational programs with plays that focus on social concepts. For instance, we had a play recently that was about the Asian American masculinity and growth as well as about combating racism, discrimination, and the model minority myth.
Taken during the Mamma Mia Rehearsal before COVID
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the productions put on by East West Players (e.g. purpose behind each show, how casting works, etc), and how they serve as a platform to express the voices of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community?
A: East West Players was first and foremost founded by people whose mission was to really give roles to actors and artists who were unable to find roles in Hollywood. Most importantly, we aim to tell stories of the APIDA community. Therefore, we have two different kinds/types of productions. The first are plays/musicals that are not usually produced with actors of color in leading roles. For instance, we recently put on Mamma Mia: The Musical, and we had a full cast of color. The second type of productions are self-directed, self-produced shows that capture the authentic narrative of the APIDA community.
Q: What are some major projects and initiatives that have or are currently being launched by East West Players?
A: Currently, we are in the process of organizing our virtual gala, and we’re also working behind the scenes to organize social and racial justice engagement efforts for the entertainment/performing arts industry. Furthermore, we have our “East West Wednesdays” programming, which features a panel of speakers across various industries (e.g. activism, screenwriting, theatre, etc) to conduct discussions on topics such as discussing diversity in TV shows.
PbP partnered with OCA-GLA on an Immigration campaign (2018)
Q: Given the unprecedented times, many industries, especially the performing arts industry, critically suffered from the impacts of COVID, with many shows being canceled or postponed indefinitely. How have East West Players adapted to the COVID pandemic?
A: Yes, so the COVID-19 pandemic has definitely impacted the way we run things. We definitely had to cancel our spring musical production, which had originally been sold out. However, on a more positive note, we have been able to offer more classes to more people, such as playwriting, voiceover, and tv pilot writing workshops, for the young and as well as for aspiring artists!
One of EWP’s upcoming premieres!
Q: Moving on to a more personal note, can you tell us about your individual journey and how you got to your current position at East West Players?
A: Personally, I was a visual artist to begin with. I got my BFA in visual art and primarily worked as a photography technician, restoring photographs and films. Then, I decided to attend graduate school in arts management, and right after I graduated, I was hired by East West Players. Currently, with East West Players, I help with marketing, restoring the archive, and building up social media presence!
Q: Going off of that, what do you think is the most difficult part of your job? For instance, what was a challenge you encountered and had to overcome?
Personally, it was getting a marketing manager job right after graduating. I had to learn a lot of skills on the spot, and I also had to learn how to navigate with having limited resources (as a non-profit) while planning multiple events and projects simultaneously. I love that I’m always learning something new through my job, such as learning how to livestream this year. Overall, for people in the arts and nonprofit sectors, I think that it’s important to keep an open mind, be willing to learn the unexpected and be able to venture outside of the comfort zone.
Q: Are there any upcoming opportunities for students to volunteer, collaborate, or intern at East West Players?
A: All the time! We are always accepting volunteers, and we have a facebook channel specifically designated for volunteers to be able to communicate with each other. If you’re okay with unpaid internships, you are always welcome to get in touch with our arts and education manager. Also, through our partnership with the LA County Arts Commission, we have paid internships available for the archive contents or the arts and education intern positions.
Q: Lastly, are there any future goals for East West Players?
A: First, our main goal is to stay afloat amidst the chaos. I’m working on organizing and keeping our archive in order. We want to increase the number of artists and donors in East West Players and expand the reach of our newsletters and social media. Most importantly, we are always looking to put on new projects, and we strive to incorporate theatre into the new normal.