SILICON VALLEY AAPI ON STAGE
SILICON VALLEY AAPI ON STAGE
BY GERRYE WONG July 26, 2025
San Jose came alive when Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene presented its Second Annual AAPI Playwright Festival this past week.. Held at the nice intimate San Jose Stage venue, the audience felt right in the plays themselves, as a team of experienced talented actors and actresses brought 10 minute snippets from new works by guest playwrights to first showings. A sold-out enthusiastic audience heard five short plays and four monologues as produced by Artistic Producer Jeffrey Lo and Associate Artistic Producer Reed Flores. As Lo explained in introducing the program, to be shown were five brand new short plays and a series of monologues all by AAPI playwrights based in the Bay Area. It was indeed an uplifting experience to view the beautiful diversity of stories found within the community and performed by a cast of wonderful AAPI actors.
Caption: Actors & Playwrights of CATS Festival CATS board member Miki Bellon confers with Artistic Director Jeffrey Lo
CATS leaders Leiane Lamb, Joanne Ho and Cindy Toy told us the goal of this festival is to help create another opportunity to highlight established and up and coming AAPI artists while encouraging them to keep creating stories that bring us joy, and help these playwrights be heard. Playwrights featured that evening were Jeffrey Lo, Marissa Martinez, Jenny Nguyen Nelson, Conrad Panganiban, Lisa Maris Rollns, Kenna Tanaka, Bringing life and fervor to their scripts were local Bay Area Actors Faustino Cadiz, Heather Beauman, Jirachaya Kiri, Joseph Alvarado, Joshua Bao, Lily Jean Celesteen, Lysander Abadia, Nico Jaochico, Patrick River and Vivienne Truong.
Caption: Playwright Kenna Tanaka makes surprise proposal Leianne Lamb greets audience members
I became aware of Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS) over 30 years ago when one of its early leaders Dr. Jerry Hiura wanted to tell me his passion to assist young yearning playwrights and artists. Knowing how hard it was to break into the entertainment business industry, he felt the encouragement his group can give these artists to be spotlighted was a first step forward. At that early time, Asian actors were seldom seen on screen or even recognized for their work in the arts. The current group is certainly keeping Dr. Huira’s vision alive. In 2024 alone, CATS welcomed over 3000 audience members and supported more than 260 artists. Kudos to the former leaders and present officers of CATS for connecting AAPI playwrights and performers together in their search for work on the national and world level.
Caption: Board members Leianne Lamb & Joanne Ho greet Gerrye Wong Jeffrey Lo addresses packed audience
Keep your calendars open for upcoming CATS events. Its 11th Annual Silicon Valley Asian Pacific FilmFest will happen October 17-19. Voted one of the top film festivals in the Silicon Valley by Metro SV Readers for the last three years. CATS brings a full schedule of Asian inspired themed films, to the Sunnyvale AMC theatres. Don’t miss it to see new movies and short films with Asian themed plots.
SAN JOSE JAPANTOWN OBON FESTIVAL
Bringing music and food from their Japanese heritage, the citizens and businesses of Japantown presented its annual OBON FESTIVAL recently, drawing thousands to its two day celebration. Families naturally come in force to enjoy Japanese specialty foods, but the children head for the Children’s arcade center where carnival type games draw all their interest. On stage were musical groups, but the highlight on stage is always the Taiko Drum troupes who come from other cities to participate. The San Jose Taiko group has been attracting audiences for the past 50 years, according to co-founder P.J. Hirabayashi who was there seen cheering on the noted troupe perform both days. Closing the Obon Festival is always the traditional Japanese dance where hundreds join in and parade down the two blocks of the Festival ground. Young and old sing, dance and make noise with their finger clickers to favorite Japanese traditional melodies.
Caption: San Jose Taiko perform in Obon Festival Kelly and Julia Matsuura dance in finale
SJ Taiko Founder P.J. Hirabayashi greets guests
