East West Players

East West Players (EWP) is a pioneering Asian American theatre organization with a rich production history dating back to its establishment in 1965. Recognized for its role in bringing Asian American narratives to the forefront of American theatre, EWP has produced a wide array of works, including popular Asian American pieces, world premieres, mainstream musicals with an Asian American perspective, and community performances. The company's production archive offers detailed information about their productions from 1998 to the present, encompassing cast members, designers, and production personnel. The organization's current venue, the David Henry Hwang Theatre, is situated in the Union Center for the Arts at the northwestern end of the Little Tokyo Historic District in Los Angeles. Prior to this, EWP spent 32 years in a 99-seat theatre in Silver Lake. In 1998, they relocated to their new home in the Union Center for the Arts, a building with a storied past. The Union Center for the Arts building, located on Judge John Aiso Street, was originally completed in 1923 as Union Church, serving three Japanese American congregations. During World War II, it became a significant site when residents of Little Tokyo and Terminal Island, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, were forced to gather in front of the building with limited belongings before being sent to the War Relocation Center in Manzanar in 1942. The internment resulted in the loss of property and the dispersal of the Japanese American community across Los Angeles. Throughout the war, the building served as a community center for African Americans who had moved to the area as part of the Great Migration. Due to the absence of restrictive housing covenants based on race, the neighborhood, which was renamed Bronzeville, became densely populated and was known for its vibrant jazz scene and involvement in the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943. After the war, Japanese Americans began to re-establish their presence in the area, leading to the diverse community that Little Tokyo is known for today. The Union Center for the Arts building suffered damage during the 1994 Northridge earthquake and was rendered unusable. However, it underwent a multi-million dollar renovation by the Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation and reopened in 1998. The renovation project was designed to accommodate three arts organizations: East West Players, Visual Communications, and LA Artcore, thus continuing the building's legacy as a cultural hub. East West Players has not only contributed to the cultural enrichment of the Asian American community but has also played a significant role in the broader theatrical landscape by advocating for cultural equity and inclusion. The organization remains committed to its mission of raising the visibility of the Asian American experience through stage productions that reflect the rich diversity of this community.