East West Players

Founded in 1965, East West Players is committed to raising the visibility of the Asian American experience by presenting inventive world-class theatrical productions, developing artists of color, and providing impactful youth education programs.

In spite of troubled times, Little Tokyo still endures as one of three remaining daily operating Japan-towns in the nation and has held a tradition of making space for artists and art incubation throughout its 130-year history-be it the birth of cool blues and West Coast Jazz during the Bronzeville period, the hub for the Punk scene at the Atomic Cafe, the theatres for performance groups like ours, Cold Tofu, and JACCC that continue to operate and the many classical Japanese practices that are upheld to this day at temples and other creative spaces throughout the community. Just as the state of California has honored the community as one of its state-recognized "Cultural Districts", we honor Little Tokyo by featuring handcrafted Origami ornaments and paper doves.

We also celebrate the many artists who have contributed to EWP's legacy with photos personally autographed by Asian American luminaries from the arts and entertainment world, Dee Dee Magno Hall (Steven Universe), Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars, Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon), Francois Chau (The Expanse), Zehra Fazal (Netflix's She Ra, Batman: Death in the Family), Emily Kuroda (Gilmore Girls), Jon Jon Briones (Ratched), Isa Briones (Star Trek: Picard), and Gedde Watanabe (16 Candles, Gung Ho).

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