East West Players

Established in 1965 by Mako, Rae Creevey, Beulah Quo, Soon-tek Oh, James Hong, Pat Li, June Kim, Guy Lee, and Yet Lock, East West Players originated as a place where Asian-American actors could perform roles beyond the stereotypical caricatures they were being limited to in Hollywood. Mako served as its first artistic director, working for decades to train and nurture several generations of playwrights and actors. An early statement of purpose read: "To further cultural understanding between the East and West by employing the dual Oriental and American heritages of the East-West Players."

In 1998, EWP Producing Artistic Director Tim Dang led the company’s move from a 99-seat Equity Waiver "black box" into a new 240-seat venue at an Actors' Equity Association contract level. EWP's mainstage is the David Henry Hwang Theater, housed within the historic Union Center for the Arts in downtown Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo district. The theater serves over 15,000 people each year, including low-income audiences of whom are provided free and discounted admissions, as well as deaf audiences via ASL-interpreted productions.

In 2012, The New York Times called East West Players "the nation’s pre-eminent Asian American theater troupe" for their award-winning productions blending Eastern and Western movement, costumes, language, and music. Since its founding, EWP has premiered over 200 plays and musicals about the Asian Pacific American experience and has facilitated over 1,000 readings and workshops. EWP additionally hosts an annual awards dinner to celebrate the achievements of individuals who have "raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their craft."