On June 2, the National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) invited guests to At The Corner of Chinatown and Broadway – Returns!, their annual Gala Benefit and honored Lori Tan Chinn, Virginia Wing, and Henry Yuk, three pioneering American actors of Chinese Descent who have broken boundaries in film, television and theatre and continue to inspire the next generation of Asian American performing artists, with 2023 NAAP Awards.
2023 NAAP Honorees Lori Tan Chinn, Henry Yuk and Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang
Special recognition awards were also presented to Peter Pileski and the late Bob Avian and to Cassey Kivnick and the late Susan Kikuchi, for their unwavering support of NAAP through the years.
Steven Eng, Baayork Lee, Cassey Kivnick, Nina Zoie Lam. Photo by Lia Chang
Steven Eng, Baayork Lee, Peter Pileski, Nina Zoie Lam. Photo by Lia Chang
Baayork Lee, Peter Pileski. Photo by Lia Chang
Michael Gorman, Baayork Lee and Peter Pileski. Photo by Lia Chang
Peter Pileski and Ted Chapin. Photo by Lia Chang
NAAP co-founders Steven Eng, Nina Zoie Lam and Baayork Lee hosted the Benefit held at Golden Unicorn in New York Chinatown.
Steven Eng, Nina Zoie Lam, Baayork Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Steven Eng, Nina Zoie Lam, Baayork Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Steven Eng, Nina Zoie Lam, Virginia Wing, Henry Yuk, Lori Tan Chinn and Baayork Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Nina Zoie Lam, Baayork Lee, Ted Chapin. Photo by Lia Chang
Donna McKechnie, Baayork Lee, Kelvin Moon Loh. Photo by Lia Chang
More than 200 NAAP friends and supporters gathered for cocktails, a traditional 8-course Chinese Banquet, followed by an evening of entertainment and the presentation of the awards. We devoured so many of my favorite dishes – Peking Duck, Orange Flavor Beef, Jumbo Shrimp with Walnuts, Bak Choy with Mushroom, Twin Lobsters with Ginger and Scallion, Crispy Skin Chicken, Vegetable Fried Rice, and Vegetable Fu Longevity Noodles.
Jonny Lee Jr., Kelvin Moon Loh, Kevin Schuering, Jason Ma, Lainie Sakakura, Lia Chang, Eymard Meneses Cabling, Liesl Hara, Eric Elizaga. Photo by Eric Bondoc
I was in attendance with many of my collaborators – my Gold Mountain the Musical family, including Gold Mountain creator, Jason Ma, Alan Ariano, Eric Bondoc, Eymard Meneses Cabling, Eric Elizaga, Steven Eng, Liesl Hara, Jonny Lee Jr., and Kelvin Moon Loh.
Lainie Sakakura, Lori Tan Chinn, Karin Kawamoto, Lia Chang. Photo by Karen Zhou.
It was also wonderful to continue the celebration of Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month into June with my frequent collaborator, Laine Sakakura (Corner of Bitter and Sweet), and Liz Casasola, Ann Harada, Devin Ilaw, Brian Jose, Karin Kawamoto, Valerie Lau-Kee, and Kevin Schuering.
Jason Ma, Lainie Sakakura, Jonny Lee Jr. Photo by Lia Chang
Jason Ma, Alan Ariano. Photo by Lia Chang
Kevin Schuering, Lainie Sakakura. Photo by Lia Chang
David McQueen, Liz Casasola, Jason Ma, Eymard Meneses Cabling. Photo by Lia Chang
Kelvin Moon Loh, Lia Chang and Eymard Meneses Cabling. Photo by Eric Bondoc
Kevin Schuering, Eymard Meneses Cabling, Eric Bondoc, Jason Ma, Ann Harada, Devin Ilaw, Ellis Gage, Alan Ariano. Photo by Lia Chang
Kelvin Moon Loh, Lainie Sakakura, Jonny Lee Jr., Kevin Schuering, Liesl Hara, Jason Ma, Baayork Lee, Eymard Meneses Cabling, Eric Bondoc, Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Lia Chang, Kevin Schuering, Jonny Lee Jr., Eymard Meneses Cabling, Virginia Wing, Liesl Hara, Eric Elizaga, Eric Bondoc, Jason Ma.
Eymard Meneses Cabling, Brian Jose, Kevin Schuering, honoree Lori Tan Chinn, Jason Ma, Liz Casasola, Eric Elizaga, Liesl Hara, Kelvin Moon Loh and Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
Producer Joe Grandy, Director of Innovation Development at Lincoln Center, David McQueen, Lainie Sakakura, Producers Elliott Masie and Cathy Masie, Ellis Gage, Rumi Oyama and Katsumi Hino, CEO of Tokyo Broadcasting System. Photo by Lia Chang
“At The Corner of Chinatown and Broadway – Returns!”, directed by Ms. Lee and Richard Jay-Alexander, with music direction by Joey Chauncey, featured special guest performers Ann Harada, Devin Ilaw and Brian Jose, the award-winning Theatre Club from P.S. 124, and the NAAP Broadway Community Chorus.
Award-winning Theatre Club from P.S. 124. Photo by Lia Chang
Edward Meneses Cabling, Brian Jose, Liz Casasola, Devin Ilaw, Alan Ariano. Photo by Lia Chang
NAAP Broadway Community Chorus. Photo by Lia Chang
NAAP Broadway Community Chorus. Photo by Lia Chang
National Asian Artists Project (NAAP) is a community of artists, educators, administrators, community leaders, and professionals. It is a not-for-profit organization that recognizes the need to build bridges between the work of artists of Asian descent, and the many communities that the work can serve, from underserved primary school students to seasoned arts patrons. www.naaproject.org
Honorees Virginia Wing, Henry Yuk, and Lori Tan Chinn. Photo by Lia Chang
Gala dinner committee members included Raymond Won and Linda Lew Woo. Gala committee members included Baayork Lee, Alan Ariano, Linda Collins, Travis M. Hicks II, Janice Won, Ray Won and Linda Lew Woo.
Valerie Lau-Kee and Gala Committee member Janice Won. Photo by Lia Chang
Gala Committee member Linda Lew Woo and a guest. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn
Conceived three months in Hoisan, South China (that’s the first Chinese to arrive in America), lived in her mother’s womb during the three-month ship ordeal to America, and three months later, born as a near-Yankee baby on July 7th – the year doesn’t matter – in Seattle, WA! Lori first had ambitions to become a gymnast, or a costume designer, a violinist, but ended up a writer, self-taught actor, dancer, singer, celebrating her 54th year in all these combined passions on January 17th, the day the Greyhound Bus rolled into NYC and to the YWCA. She quickly landed her first show, on Broadway, in the chorus of Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen, a musical adaptation of The Teahouse of the August Moon. She was quickly plucked out of the chorus and cast as the female comic lead when choreographer, Ron (Broadway Cabaret, the film, New York, New York) Field created a five-minute dance solo for her. Nine years and many bread & butter jobs later, she landed her second Broadway show, G.R. Point, opposite Michael Moriarty, and another nine years later, landed her third Broadway show, M. Butterfly, which introduced and skyrocketed the career of newcomer, BD Wong.
Lori Tan Chinn, Donna McKechnie. Photo by Lia Chang
The latest pre-Broadway gig, Half Time, the project that the late Marvin Hamlisch had worked on before his death, starred the late Georgia Engel, Donna McKechnie, Andre De Shields, Lillias White, and Lori (finally getting front billing, after 48 years) had its out-of-town presentations in Chicago, then at NJ’s Paper Mill Playhouse, but didn’t quite make it to the Great White Way…yet. In between these intervals, there was Off-Broadway: The Primary English Class, opposite Diane Keaton, seven seasons at the famed O’Neill Playwrights Conference, working with fellow rising-star actors: Meryl Streep, Samuel L. Jackson, Mary Alice, some television gigs: “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific”, starring Glenn Close, Harry Connick, Jr. (she is the first actress to be cast, racially correct, as the Chinese/Vietnamese/Tonkinese Bloody Mary) in that television production, as well as, three subsequent stage productions, one of which remains her favorite, choreographed by Baayork Lee, at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage, which garnered her the Helen Hayes Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, Resident Theatre); as Iris, second-season semi regular on “Roseanne”; seven seasons as Mei Chang in Netflix’s first original streaming show: “Orange is the New Black”; films: Pixar’s recently Oscar-nominated animation film, Turning Red, Late Bloomers, She-Devil, What About Bob?, Mickey Blue Eyes (her single scene with Hugh Grant was included in a collection of funniest comedy scenes).
Nina Zoie Lam, Baayork Lee, Lori Tan Chinn, Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn. Photo by Lia Chang
Ted Chapin, Lori Tan Chinn. Photo by Lia Chang
Baayork Lee, Lori Tan Chinn, Ted Chapin. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn and Damon Evans. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn and Rosanna Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Lia Chang, Lori Tan Chinn.
The joy and privilege of being within the cast of “Awkwafina is Nora From Queens”, originating the role of her Grandma, rounds out the Celestial Cycle of affectionately-proclaimed “Asian-American Meteorics” – ones who shot up like meteors from their early beginnings, in all directions of the arts. What a thrill, what an honor, this ride! Speaking of rides, stay tuned for new film directorial debut by Adele Lim (co-writer, Crazy Rich Asians): Joy Ride, due out in theaters this July, and later, two animated television series, and one Netflix animation film, starring some exciting new, and also established co-stars: Awkwafina, Bowen Yang, Ali Wong, Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu, Bryan Cranston, Jack Black and two wild animation productions opposite our illustrious elder, Mr. James Hong.
Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing is an American singer and actress of Chinese descent, whose ancestors came to the “Gold Mountain” from Canton (now Guangdong) in the mid-1800s, lured by the Gold Rush and the building of the railroads. She is currently writing about growing up Southern in the segregated Mississippi Delta, where she was born and raised, titled “Chop Suey Chittlins and Apple Pie.” Her first paid appearances were at the age of three, standing on the ice cream box in her family’s grocery store and singing for the salesmen, who applauded and rewarded her with nickels and pennies! Professionally, she has run the gamut from opera, theatre, cabaret, TV, film, playwriting, directing and producing to script analysis. She modeled in her youth and is in the Breck Girl Hall of Fame. She was the model in the Mitsouko by Guerlain ad in the 60s, which won awards internationally. She was a nominee for Best Actress in the Hollywood NAACP Image Awards. She won the Inspirational Artist Award in 2021 for her work in the short film When the World Was Young at the Disorient Film Festival. Her proudest role to date is Grandmother – to three fabulous grandchildren. https://performingartslegacy.org/wing/
Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
Steven Eng and Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang
Steven Eng, Virginia Wing, Baayork Lee and Nina Zoie Lam. Photo by Lia Chang
Standing: Geoff Shotz, Doug deVidal, Brian Murphy, Emmett Murphy, Leif Murphy, Jennifer Shotz, Damon Evans, Jasper McGruder, Sharon McGruder, Sitting: Sandra Wing, Virginia Wing, Lecke Brown. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing and Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
Ann Harada and Virginia Wing. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing and Damon Evans. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Lia Chang
Henry Yuk. Photo by Lia Chang
Henry Yuk is a native New Yorker, from Brooklyn. He has worked extensively with Pan Asian Rep (including Yellow Fever, Teahouse,Yellow Is My Favorite Color), as well as with NAATCO (The Cherry Orchard, You Can’t Take It With You, Awake and Sing!) and Ma-Yi Theatre Co. (The Square, No Foreigners Beyond This Point). His film work includes Kundun (directed by Martin Scorsese), Brooklyn Lobster and the cult classic,The Last Dragon. His TV work includes “The Sopranos,” “Cosby,” “Dellaventura,” various “Law and Order” episodes. Most recently he appeared in Marvel’s “Iron Fist” and “Warrior” on HBO Max. He last worked with New Federal Theatre in Gong Lum’s Legacy, which won the 2022 AUDELCO Award for Best Play. He is relishing his current role as Gung Gung to his grandchildren. www.henryyuk.com
Henry Yuk, Holly Hyans, and their daughters, Amanda and Colette Lui. Photo by Lia Chang
Nina Zoie Lam. Photo by Lia Chang
Nina Zoie Lam, Henry Yuk. Photo by Lia Chang
Nina Zoie Lam, Henry Yuk. Photo by Lia Chang
Baayork Lee, Henry Yuk, Nina Zoie Lam and Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
Baayork Lee, Henry Yuk, Nina Zoie Lam and Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
Henry Yuk. Photo by Lia Chang
Holly Hyans, Colette Lui, Henry Yuk and Amanda. Photo by Lia Chang
Tony Jee, a guest, Linda Sanchez, a guest, Lucy Kan, Baayork Lee, Gregory Ho, a guest, Nina Zoie Lam, a guest and Victor Kan. Photo by Lia Chang
Jason Ma, June Jee. Photo by Lia Chang
An extra special shoutout to June Jee, who got to celebrate her birthday with 200 people.
Jason Ma, June Jee, Lia Chang, Julie Azuma and Jonny Lee Jr.
Victor Kan, Lucy Kan, June Jee, Linda Sanchez, Gregory Ho, Tony Jee and guests. Photo by Lia Chang
Linda Sanchez, Lucy Kan, Lia Chang, June Jee. Photo by Tony Jee
Brian Jose, June Jee, Baayork Lee, Steven Eng. Photo by Lia Chang
A guest and Larry Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Kyle Garvin, Brian Jose, Karin Kawamoto, Richard Hillman. Photo by Lia Chang
Jonny Lee Jr., Kelvin Moon Loh, Kevin Schuering, Jason Ma, Lainie Sakakura, Eric Bondoc, Eymard Meneses Cabling, Liz Casasola, Liesl Hara, Eric Elizaga. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Lia Chang
A guest, Tony Jee, Liesl Hara, June Jee and guests. Photo by Lia Chang
Auchee Lee and Lori Tan Chinn. Photo by Lia Chang
A guest, Tony Jee, June Jee, Honoree Lori Tan Chinn, Linda Sanchez, Lucy Kan, a guest, Baayork Lee, Victor Kan, a guest, Chester Lee and Gregory Ho. Photo by Lia Chang
Donna McKechnie, Richard Hillman, Baayork Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Donna McKechnie, Baayork Lee, Jamie deRoy. Photo by Lia Chang
Mose Rodrigues, Baayork Lee, Kyle Garvin, Amanda Chin, Mia Suyeoka. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn, Lia Chang, Henry Yuk, Virginia Wing. Photo by Karen Zhou
A special thanks to photographers Eric Bondoc and Karen Zhou.
Lia Chang. Photo by Kalin Ivanov
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer, activist, documentarian and an Award winning filmmaker and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Lia is also the host and Executive Producer of BACKSTAGE PASS WITH LIA CHANG, an Arts and Entertainment and Lifestyle program that airs on Sundays at 6:30pm on FIOS 34, RCN 83, Spectrum 56/1996 and streams on MNN2. Lia was recently profiled on Asian American Life. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. www.liachang.com www.liachangphotography.com
All text, graphics, articles & photographs: © 2000-2023 Lia Chang Multimedia, unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. All materials contained on this site are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Lia Chang, unless otherwise indicated. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content. For permission, please contact Lia at backstagepasswithliachang@gmail.com.
Lia Chang Photography 