Sita Chay is a violinist, composer, and producer based in NYC. A chain reaction of events pushed her towards the Arts – watching a friend perform on Broadway led to her eventual Broadway orchestra career, which inspired her to take on other artistic projects outside the theatre, such asSaaWee, a “Korean Shaman Ritual for the modern global citizen,”Ritual of Le Sac, a “music-based storytelling [film] of baby’s mysterious life inside the womb,”Tokala, a celebration of tradition that “[brings] together Japanese and Korean folk, pop music, Eastern European and Middle Eastern music,” and Multidimensionally Human, “an initiative exploring psychotherapy’s “Internal Family Systems” through theater, music, dance, and art installation.” Chay is continually inspired by live art’s ability to evolve and breathe through mishaps and mistakes, and loves discovering friendships as she continues on her path. She advises young artists looking to discover their role in the arts to “carve out a practice that feels good” and let the rest follow. Read on to learn more about Sita Chay and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Marissa Lichwick is a playwright, actress, filmmaker, and mother based in Chicago. She fell into the Arts at 10 years old during her fifth grade play, and at 18 made the move to NYC with only $100 in her pocket. Now, she and Summer Hill Films are in negotiations regarding distribution of her feature film,Searching For Yoo, has worked with Goodman Theatre, Silk Road Rising, Court Theatre, and Connecticut Free, and created and toured her solo show,Yellow Dress. Offstage and screen, Lichwick is a huge supporter of Korean Adoptees of Chicago (KATCH) for their outreach work for children and adults. Her advice to young artists? “Create your own work… This is where I learned to empower myself… [and] get training, take classes, meet people, collaborate, and build relationships.” Read on to learn more about Marissa Lichwick and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Gloria John is a performer based in Los Angeles. Second City provided her with a start in the Arts through sketch comedy shows, and now her resume boasts credits such asThe Consultanton Prime Video,Shifters, andDear Tony. Offscreen, John puts in work with organizations that help domestic violence survivors, provide mental health resources, and aid to veterans, and finds her center through workouts, massages, friends, and meditation.Her advice to young artists? Be the role models you needed growing up – “We need more Asian American representation in the arts. I believe we have so much talent, history and culture to share with the world.” Read on to learn more about Gloria John and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Nanrisa Lee is an actor and certified scuba diver with 20 years of bartending experience based in L.A. After a friend convinced her to perform in a scene for a school assembly, she knew she’d found her path. Her resume lists credits such as NBC’s Quantum Leap and Unflinching Triumph, a mockumentary, and teachers Larry Moss and Lesly Kahn. Lee hopes to take up directing in the future, and would tell her past self to wear more sunscreen! Her advice to young artists? “Build a community. Try hard. Trust yourself, and don’t be afraid to fail.” Read on to learn more about Nanrisa Lee and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Paula Yoo is a writer and musician based in LA. She got her start through journalism, where she learned the fundamentals of reporting, research, and efficiency. These skills transferred to her eventual career as a fiction and nonfiction author and TV producer/writer, and eventual degrees from Yale, Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, and Warren Wilson College! Her work includes From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial That Galvanized the Asian American Movement, an “award-winning YA nonfiction book” about a “famous AAPI civil rights case” in addition to selling 3 TV drama pilots to well-known streaming platforms. Her latest book, Rising From the Ashes, a “narrative nonfiction YA book about the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising and the solidarity formed between the Korean American and Black communities” is set for publication in 2024! When she’s not writing, Yoo is an advocate for national and local issues dear to her, and supports the LA Food Bank, Orlando Youth Alliance, Stop AAPI Hate, and We Need Diverse Books. Her advice to young artists? “Embrace your individuality by finding your voice and working hard at your craft to let that voice blossom and grow.” Read on to learn more about Paula Yoo and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Jeena Yi is an “actor, crafter, baker, and eater” based in NYC. She got her start interning at a theatre in L.A., where she came to realize how much she loved storytelling through her work. After moving to New York and getting her MFA at Columbia University, Yi saw a production at the Belasco Theatre that inspired her. Four years later, Yi made her Broadway debut in that very theatre inNetwork. You can also find her in popular TV series such asOnly Murders in the Building,Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,Succession, and soon to be in the filmNYADon Netflix andGood Enemyat the Minetta Lane Theatre! Offstage, she enjoys crafting and sewing, finding that creative outlets without the pressures of expectation or perfection help enrich and destress her. Yi’s advice to young artists? “No job is too small. Use every gig as an opportunity to work on your craft and watch your peers work. You can learn so much from each other and help one another.” Read on to learn more about Jeena Yi and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Christine Heesun Hwang is an actress, playwright, and lyricist based between NYC and Seattle. Entering the entertainment industry in high school purely by chance, Hwang is currently working on Les Misérables and a new play (confirm me) in development with Leviathan Lab, and was commissioned by YES Theatre to pen the book and lyrics to the new musical, renewal. Between writing and performing, she found that discovering and prioritizing a work/life balance preserved her identity, allowing her to dedicate her best self to all she does. Hwang advises young artists to focus on their “why” and feed their love for their passion. Read on to learn more about Christine Heesun Hwang and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Stephanie Jae Park is an actress and songwriter based in New York City. Born into a musical family in Guam, she started her performance journey at the age of 4 after watching her sisters take fine arts classes. Now, she’s the principal standby for Hamilton on Broadway and a songwriter for her band, Saffron Lips! Park advocates for learning as much as possible about the industry and each role to help with an artist’s creative process, and is a believer in “very radical self love,” insisting that self care and mental health should always take precedence to keep one’s headspace clear. Her advice to young artists? “Stay in your lane and don't look right and left!” Read on to learn more about Stephanie Jae Park and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Stephanie Kyung Sun Walters is a performer, playwright, and educator based in Philadelphia. After attending Bucknell University with an Arts Merit Scholarship for acting, she studied at the London Dramatic Academy and CAP21 Musical Theatre in NYC and went on to perform in shows such as Miss Saigon, King and I, and Avenue Q – but after “[getting] tired of playing a white man’s version of Asian,” she began writing shows for herself and her community to amplify AAPI experiences and perspectives! Her favorite credits include Today Is My Birthday at Theatre Exile, Man of God at InterAct Theatre Company, and Acetone Wishes and Plexiglass Dreams,Philadelphia Theatre Company. As an inaugural playwright at Boise Contemporary Theatre’s BIPOC Playwrights Festival, Walters also recently workshopped her original play, Half of Chopsticks. When she’s not onstage, Walters is a preschool teacher on-track to become an undergrad instructor and a founding member of the Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists. Walters’ advice to young artists? “Find the people who understand and support your work but also challenge you to push through when things feel tough… if you love being an artist, don’t give up.” Read on to learn more about Stephanie Walters and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Julia Cho is a performer, producer, and casting director based in Los Angeles. Finding a love for arts at a young age, she went on to double major in Rhetoric and Theater and Dance & Performance Studies at UC Berkeley and founded Artists at Play, a theatre-producing collective “that explores the Asian American experience” and provides both a platform and resources for artists in the Los Angeles community. Her recent credits include dubbing a leading role in a new Korean show on Disney+, the world premiere of Carla Ching's The Two Kids That Blow Shit Up, and guest starring on The Resident! As a creative that forged her own way without connections, Cho advises young artists against “[falling] victim to the notion that there are any ‘rules’ or a set ‘how to’ when it comes to a career in the arts,” and encourages them to find their own definition of success as they continue to learn and grow. Read on to learn more about Juila Cho and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Julia Riew is a Musical theater composer-lyricist, librettist, and songwriter based in New York City. Finding a love for the Arts on her elementary school playground, her interest in composing and songwriting led to writing her first musicals at just 15! Recently graduation fromHarvard, Riew became the 2021 inaugural recipient for the Musicians United for Social Equity Linda Twine Scholarship and the winner of the Mia and David Alpert Harvardwood Artist Launch Fellowship. She’s also collaborated withArielle Jovellanos on a musical graphic novel, and worked on an AAPI-led Legally Blonde at Harvard – but you might know her best for Shimcheong: A Folktale, a musical inspired by the tale of Shimcheongjeon and the music of Disney! Riew’s advice to young artists?“Put yourself out there and indulge in your imagination's wildest dreams – don’t be afraid to showcase your work and tell your story!” Read on to learn more about Julia Riew and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Shannon Tyo is a performer based in New York City. Initially on-track to become a professional soccer player, a series of sports injuries became the deciding factor to pursue theatre at Syracuse University instead. Now, Tyo is a Lucille Lortel nominee in the category of “Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play” in the revival of The Chinese Lady at the Public Theatre! In her career, she’s found that collaboration and behind-the-table involvement have benefitted her most – collaboration allowing for expression of ideas in a room full of creatives, and acting as a reader opposite others in audition settings to help better her own audition technique. Offstage, Tyo serves as a member of Also-Known-As, an organization for adult international adoptees. As an adult transracial/transnational adoptee herself, the connections provided through them have both given her strength and put her in a position to build community with others. Her advice for young artists? “Other people’s successes are not your failures. You can root for other people while also rooting for yourself. Community makes this career path warmer. Read on to learn more about Shanon Tyo and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Madeline Kendall is a performer based in New Jersey - though she calls the road home as she travels with the national tour of Broadway’sAnastasia! As someone that grew up in a musical household, she was inspired to begin dancing and competitive gymnastics before the age of 6. However, it wasn’t until 7th grade during an audition forPippinthat Kendall decided to drop her initial career path as an orthodontist and pursue performance professionally! After graduating from Wagner College during the pandemic, she tours the nation as both the Anya understudy and ensemble of Anastasia, and has performed in shows such as Miss Saigon, Our Town, and Somebody in Everybody! Her advice to young artists? “Stay true to who you are! Don’t compare yourself to other people. You have something to offer, not something to prove!” Read on to learn more about Madeline Kendall and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
Grace Yoo is an actress (and Aries!) based in New York City. She went from putting on productions in her living room as a child to gracing the stages of the Hollywood Bowl (Into the Woods) and Broadway’s Walter Kerr theatre (Hadestown)! Her favorite credits also includeA Christmas Carolat the Ahmanson (which unfortunately didn’t reach Christmastime due to Covid), Sophie Sheridan inMamma Miaat East West Players, and Kei Kimura inAllegianceat SpeakEasy Stage. Offstage, she’s a certified barista and has completed a Master Chef course. She advises young artists to do their research on the business aspect of performing, and to get a head start on creating their Roth IRAs! After all, “starting up any business will always cost a lot of money, and a career in the arts is certainly not exempt from that!” Read on to learn more about Grace Yoo and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
DeAnna is an actress based in New York City. Her artistic career began at the age of 7 covering songs from The Little Mermaid in her laundry room, and led her to take on principal roles in high school. After studying at the Berklee College of Music, she went on to join the national tour of The King and I as Lady Thiang and become a featured Soprano Soloist in the Carnegie Hall premiere of Christopher Tin’s Calling All Dawns. Currently, Choi is working on The Emperor’s Nightingale off-Broadway, and is working on a Christmas EP for 2022 with two concerts in London and in Madagascar lined up! She also makes time giving back to her community with the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (a non-profit with a mission to provide performing opportunities to diverse actors. Her advice to young artists? “Seek out opportunities to perform live, as this will be your best training ground to put your tools to the test.” Read on to learn more about DeAnna Choi and what makes her an Amazing Asian in the Arts!
