Asian America’s Got Talent
By JORDAN IKEDA
RAFU STAFF WRITER
Sunday, May 3, 2009

East West Players’ Visionary Awards dinner is highlighted by honors for actor John Cho.

photos by MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo
The winners of ABC’s “America’s Best Dance Crew,” Quest Crew dazzles the 800 in attendance with their acrobatic and stylish moves at the 43rd East West Players Visionary Awards Gala on Monday at the Universal Hilton in Studio City.

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Jessica Yu accepts her Visionary Award for her work in film

Ethan Le Phong who starred in EWP’s critically acclaimed
hip-hop/anime infused “Pippin,” sings “You’re the Voice”
from his upcoming role as Lun Tha in a London production
of “The King and I.”

Students of the Olympia Youth Orchestra perform several pieces under the direction of EWP’s Nathan Wang.

John Cho, of “Harold and Kumar” and the upcoming
“Star Trek” movie, accepts his Visionary Award from
director and friend Paul Weitz for his work as a trailblazer
for Asian American actors.

California State Controller John Chiang, in crutches as
he recovers from his recent heart attack, presents the
EWP Visionary Award to the California Community Foundation.  

“There’s so much talk nowadays of going through this tough recession,” said filmmaker Jessica Yu as she stood at the podium in the Sierra Ballroom of the Universal Hilton.
“But let’s face it, as Asian Americans in [Hollywood], we’ve been going through a recession for decades.”

If Hollywood needed more proof that Asians are gifted enough and primed to direct, write, act, sing and dance their way into the spotlights of Tinseltown, then the unbelievers need only to have been present Monday evening at the 43rd East West Players Visionary Awards Gala.

Yu, who received a Visionary Award from EWP for her work as an Oscar winning director (“Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O’Brien”), shared the stage with a pool of recession busting talent.

From the pure and shimmering voice of Lea Solanga (“Miss Saigon,” “Mulan”), to the energetic, thundering performance of TAIKOPROJECT, to the powerful, ethereal singing of Ethan Le Phong (EWP’s Pippin), EWP’s Visionary Awards presented talent that would qualify as “best” without the restrictions of an “Asian American” tagline.

In addition to Yu, EWP honored actor John Cho (“Harold and Kumar,” “Star Trek”) and the California Community Foundation with Visionary Awards while also giving Quest
Crew, winners of the television show “America’s Best Dance Crew,” the Breakout Performance Award.

Leading the evening’s festivities was Mistress of Ceremonies Tamilyn Tomita who helped guide the maiden voyage of her fi rst time counterpart, Master of Ceremonies, Francois Chau, known for his role as Dr. Pierre Chang on ABCs “Lost.”

Others in attendance included last year’s Visionary Award winner Carrie Anne Inaba, State Controller John Chiang, Amy Hill, HGTV’s Jonathan Fong, and George Takei and husband Brad Altman.

From the fiscal controller of over $100 billion of the world’s eighth largest economy, to trailblazers in gay rights to the hottest, most tricked out dance crew on the planet, EWP has proven, is proving and will continue to prove that the breadth and scope and sheer genius of Asian American art and influence, though already widespread, has yet to be fully seen or realized.