Theater For The New City presents the Yangtze Repertory Theatre production of "The Story of Yu-Huan

NEW YORK - June 3, 2014 - PRLog -- NEW YORK, NEW YORK- May 30 to June 22, 2014. A Yangtze Repertory Theater production presented by Theater for the New City, (Joyce and Seward Johnson Theater), 155 First Ave. (at E. 10th St.)

Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 3:00 PM. Added performance Wed., 6/18 at 7:30 PM. $25.00 general admission; $20 for seniors and students; Wed. and Thurs. pay-what-you-can. Box office: Smarttix 212-868-4444, www.smarttix.com. Reserve by email  YangtzeRSVP@gmail.com or call (516) 515-0630. Running time: 2 hours (incl. intermission).Previews May 30 & 31, opens June 1. Critics are invited on or after Sunday, June 1.

Yu-Huan, of the House of Yang, has been an undiminished subject of literature and fine arts throughout thirteen centuries. Her death marked the end of 130 years of unprecedented prosperity in China's Middle Kingdom and a golden age of artistic outpourings. Her life story is the subject of "The Story of Yu-Huan" by Joanna Chan, to be presented by Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America May 30 to June 22 at Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. (at E. 10th St.), directed by the author and choreographed by Ashley Liang.

This production will be Joanna Chan's final directing project for Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America. Chan, whose theatrical career spans over four decades, co-founded Yangtze Rep and led it as Artistic Director for 22 years.   She will hand over leadership of the company on July 1 to the three-man team of K. K. Wong and Wayne Chang as Co-Artistic Directors and Jason HaoWen Wang as Executive Director, with Chan as Emeritus Director. She will continue writing for the theater, tend to publishing her 40 manuscripts, and resume painting.Chan has also headed New York's Four Seas Players (1970-77, 83-92) and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre (1986-90).

The multi-ethnic cast of 18 includes its choreographer, Ashley Liang, as Yu-Huan (the title character), Charles Pang as the Prince, Zhang ChunZhi as the Emperor and Alexander Reed as General An LuShan. The ensemble includes Sheila Romo, Ave Cheung, Allison T. Chi, Lu Zhao, Ricky Lin, Alli Urbanik, XueMing Chen, Elisa Pupko, Sarah Young, Brandi Dyer, Jeremy Rafal, Gary Sugai, Bill Engst and Michael Liu. The ethnic mix of this cast is: five caucasians, one African-American, two Filipinos, one Japanese Hawaiian and nine Chinese, five from mainland China, two from Taiwan and two from Hong Kong.

Set design is by Edward Morris. Lighting design is by Christina Watanabe Original score is by Xiren Wang and Sam Su.  Costume design is by Harrison Xu HaoJian.

Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America has become New York's most significant entry point for dramatic works from Chinese-speaking countries and a place of collaboration for artists from various parts of Asia on works by Chan and others. In 1997, Yangtze Rep brought Gao XingJian, the 2000 Nobel laureate in literature, to New York to direct his play "Between Life and Death" at Theater for the New City and for an exhibit of his paintings at Pace Downtown Theater. In 2005, Yangtze presented the New York debut of Beijing People's Art Theatre, China's most prestigious theater company, in "Teahouse" by Lao She.

This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the suport of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Legislature. It is supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

CRITICS ARE INVITED on or after June 1.

PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE at www.jsnyc.com.