Golden Child

Jennifer Lim, Annie Q, Julyana Soelistyo, and Leslie Hu. Photo by Richard Termin, Signature Theater Production, 2012

Drawn from stories told to Hwang as a child by his grandmother about their family history, Golden Child tells of a wealthy and polygamous Chinese merchant in 1918, who embraces the new religion of Christianity. In so doing, he sets off a power struggle between his three wives, and forever changes the lives of his succeeding generations.

Golden Child premiered at the Public Theater in 1996, directed by James Lapine, and won a 1997 Obie Award for Playwriting, then moved in 1998 to Broadway, where it received a Tony Nomination for Best Play. It was revived at Signature Theatre in 2012, directed by Leigh Silverman.

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Production photos from the Golden Child at Signature Theatre in 2012. Photos by Richard Termin

Julyana Soelistyo and Leslie Hu. Photo by Richard Termin, Signature Theater Production, 2012

Greg Watanabe and Annie Q. Photo by Richard Termin, Signature Theater Production, 2012

Julyana Soelistyo & Annie Q. Photo by Richard Termin, Signature Theater Production, 2012

Jennifer Lim, Annie Q, Julyana Soelistyo, and Leslie Hu. Photo by Richard Termin, Signature Theater Production, 2012

Jennifer Lim, Greg Watanabe, Julyana Soelistyo, Leslie Hu, Tina Chilip, and Nadia Gan. Photo by Richard Termin, Signature Theater Production, 2012

Photos by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Jodi Long, Lianna Pai, and Julyana Soelistyo Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Stan Egi, John Christopher Jones, and Julyana Soelistyo Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Tsai Chin and Julyana Soelistyo Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Jodi Long and Julyana Soelistyo Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Julyana Soelistyo, Jodi Long, and Tsai Chin Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Stan Egi and John Christopher Jones Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

Lianna Pai and Tsai Chin Photo by Michal Daniels, from The Public Theater production in 1996.

The Dance and the Railroad

William Yuekun Wu and Ruy Iskandar. Photo by Joan Marcus for Signature Theatre, 2013

Set against the backdrop of the Chinese American railroad workers’ strike of 1867, The Dance and the Railroad rejects the stereotype of submissive immigrant laborers, and depicts assertive men who demanded their rights despite great personal risk. The play compares the optimistic and idealistic Ma to the pragmatic and independent Lone, and juxtaposes the hard labor of working on the railroad with the dream to practice traditional Chinese Opera.

The Dance and the Railroad premiered at the New Federal Theatre in 1981, directed by John Lone, before moving to the Public Theater, and received a 1982 Drama Desk Nomination for Best New Play. It was revived at Signature Theatre in 2013, directed by May Adrales, in a production which received its Chinese premiere at the Wuzhen Festival later that year.

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Photos from the 2013 revival at Signature Theatre. Photos by Joan Marcus.

William Yuekun Wu and Ruy Iskandar. Photo by Joan Marcus for Signature Theatre, 2013

Ruy Iskandar and William Yuekun Wu. Photo by Joan Marcus for Signature Theatre, 2013

William Yuekun Wu and Ruy Iskandar. Photo by Joan Marcus for Signature Theatre, 2013

Photos from the 1981 production at the Public Theatre. Photos by Martha Swope.

Actor John Lone. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actor John Lone. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actor John Lone. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actor Tzi Ma. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actors (L-R) John Lone and Tzi Ma. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actors (L-R) John Lone and Tzi Ma. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actors (L-R) Tzi Ma and John Lone. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Actors (L-R) Tzi Ma and John Lone. i Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL

Playwright David Henry Hwang (L) with actors (2L-R) John Lone and Tzi Ma in a publicity shot. Photo by Martha Swope for the Public Theatre, Courtesy NYPL