Asian American Theater Project Presents:

DURANGO
by Julia Cho

Producer

Director

Newton Cheng

Vineet Gupta

Stage Manager

Technical Director

CJ Paige

Daniel Cai

Set Designer

Costume Designer

Melissa Chen

Mirae Lee

Lighting Designer

Sound Designer

Jarku Tang Virtanen

Anna Zeng

Graphic Designer

Assistant Director

Connor Asercion

Olivia Popp

Assistant Set Designer

Assistant Stage Manager

Renee Cai

Eric Wang

DURANGO was commissioned by Center Theatre Group,

Los Angeles, California.
Originally produced at The Public Theater, Oskar Eustis,
Artistic Director; Mara Manus Executive Director, and The
Long Wharf Theatre, Gordon Edelstein, Artistic Director;
Joan Channick, Managing Director.

DIRECTORS NOTE
I wrote one version of this note this morning, on November 9, before I had let myself really
realize that Trump had been elected. Tonight, when I sat down to make final edits; the directors
note I had written felt empty in light of the situation. I felt empty. I felt empty despite having just
watched a run of the show, knowing we had made incredible progress, and I felt empty despite
receiving calls and messages from my family and friends around the world wishing me for my
20th birthday.
If it was not already clear: I do not support Trump. I feel that his rhetoric has trivialized
experiences and disrespected people from so many rich walks of life, and his election, to me,
affirms that it does not matter enough to people that there are so many people who are
marginalized, stereotyped, attacked, and trivialized. Today, I heard too many voices of friends
who were hurting and scared.
Today, I was reminded again why plays like these are so political. This is a play about a Korean
American family, about a father and two sons, caught in the complicated intersection of race,
masculinity, sexuality, cultural conflicts, grief, and loss. Its a play about finding home, about
fighting, and about escape. It is a story we dont tell enough, of experiences we dont share
enough, about people we dont celebrate enough. I hope this production adds to the chorus of
voices I have heard today of people reaffirming their identities, reminding the world that they are
real, they exist, and they are human.
When you reflect on this play after the show tonight, I ask that you recognize the experiences in
this play to which you lay claim, and I hope that you embrace them and challenge our
presentation of them. Yet, I also ask that you respect that there will be experiences to which you
are foreign and I ask that you do not claim those experiencesI hope you do not think that I do.
This play will strike differently to someone of a different racial identity, ethnic identity, gender
identity, and just life experiences--expect that you do not know their understanding of the play. If
our work is strong enough, you will feel for all the experiences on stage tonight, but I hope you
feel some for yourself and feel some for others.
Today, to me, this play is about reminding myself and all of my friends that they matter, and their
stories matterin all their complexity, in all their reality, and in all their humanity. This is one of
those stories, and I think it deserves to be told.

PRODUCERS NOTE
In my mind, Durango exemplifies the modern wave of Asian American theatre; taking a staple
genre of Western theatrical canon, the American family drama, and placing an Asian/Asian
American family its core. I cannot express how thankful I am to have been able to work to tell this
incredibly important story to the production staff and cast of this show, thank you for pushing
yourselves every day to reach this point. I would be remiss if I did not also thank the numerous
individuals outside the production staff who provided their time and expertise in the form of
advice, feedback, and encouragement.
In light of recent events, I find myself disappointed and saddened, yet invigorated. The work we
do may never end, and indeed, it may seem that obstacles continue to impede our progress. But
it is in those moments that we show the world exactly how committed, courageous, and most of
all, powerful we can be. Every single person who worked on this show did so because they truly
believe that this incredibly human story deserves to be told. Durango captures the most basic
essence of why AATP exists, and I hope that each and every one of you leave the show with an
appreciation for this art that challenges and questions, that teaches and illuminates, that hurts
and heals. Enjoy.

MEET THE STAFF

VINEET GUPTA (Director) is a junior double majoring in Mathematics and Theater and
Performance Studies. He loves AATP and is excited to serve as AATP's Artistic Director this
academic year. He previously directed Yellow Face (AATP, Director), worked on Into the
Woods (AATP, Assistant Technical Director), and acted in The Duel (TAPS), Stop Kiss (AATP,
George), and Stanford Monologues (AATP).
NEWTON CHENG (Producer) is a junior majoring in Physics and Mathematics, and is excited to be
producing his first s with AATP! Besides serving as AATPs Financial Officer, he has also
participated in shows as Detective Cole in Stop Kiss (AATP) and DHH in Yellow Face (AATP).
Outside of AATP, Newton can be found scrambling to complete his psets, pencil in one hand,
boba in the other.
CJ PAIGE (Stage Manager) is a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering and the Stage
Manager for Durango. Other theatrical credits include Theory of Relativity and Original Winter
One Acts this winter. CJ has really enjoyed being a part of this production and hopes you enjoy
the show!

DANIEL CAI (Technical Director) serves on the AATP board and is a sophomore double majoring in
Symbolic Systems and Theatre and Performance studies. He most recently acted in The
Duel (TAPS) and will be directing the AATP winter play Caught.
MELISSA CHEN (Set Designer) is a sophomore majoring in Art Practice and minoring in CS. She has
no previous theater credits, but is excited to experience theater through AATP and hopes you
will, too.
MIRAE LEE (Costume Designer) is a senior in English, writing her honors thesis on representations
of Asian American emotion in theater. Theater credits include Into the Woods (AATP - Producer),
Stanford Monologues (AATP - Producer), Sunday in the Park with George (Producer), The Last Five
Years (Producer), Sweeney Todd (Costume Designer). She was AATP's Executive Producer for the
2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
JARKU TANG VIRTANEN (Lighting Designer) is a junior transfer student studying math and
philosophy, and Durango is his first show at Stanford! Off campus, he is the master electrician for
West Bay Opera and Silicon Valley Shakespeare, and the resident lighting designer of the
Cubberley Community Theatre in Palo Alto. Favourite past design: The North Plan, with the
Renegade Theatre Experiment.
ANNA ZENG (Sound Designer) is a junior studying Computer Science and sound designing with
two productions under her belt (Ram's Head's OWOA 2016, AATP's Yellow Face 2016); at school,
she sings with Side by Side, dances with the Viennese Opening waltz group, and teaches as a TA in
the CS department. In the far future, she hopes a little coding on the side will help finance tea,
Magic the Gathering, and a trip to Herrang, the largest Lindy Hop (and more!) camp in the world.
CONNOR ASERCION (Graphic Designer) is a junior in the TAPS department. Recent productions at
Stanford include Democratically Speaking (Stanford Repertory Theater, SM), Yellow Face (AATP,
SM), fox mirror forest (TAPS, SM), Into the Woods (AATP, TD). Connor is the Technical Director for
AATP board and the Technical Supervisor for the Nitery Experimental Theater.
OLIVIA POPP (Assistant Director) is a freshman and AATP intern who is excited to be involved
in Durango on the production side of theater for the first time. She loves comedy and writing and
thus in her free time enjoys writing plays and sketches as well as writing for The Stanford Daily
and The Stanford Flipside.
RENEE CAI (Assistant Set Designer) is a sophomore majoring in Physics and a member of the
Stanford Shakespeare Tech Company. She's very excited to work with AATP on Durango, and is
looking forward to future productions!

ERIC WANG (Assistant Stage Manager) is a staunchly undecided freshman. He writes about silly
things, drinks too much tea, and dreams of learning the accordion.

MEET THE CAST

HANK TIAN (Boo-Seng Lee) is a firmly undecided freshman and also a proud member of Cardinal
Calypso. His previous stage experience includes a spring production of Bye Bye Birdie and one
year of improv performance. Hank is excited and incredibly honored to be acting in this show, and
hopes you enjoy it.
ALEX DOAN (Isaac Lee) is a freshmen planning to major in human biology and pursuing a premedical track. He was involved in theater all 4 years of high school and has starred in two major
shows: Anne Franks The Diary of a Young Girl as Mr. Dussel and Shakespeares Hamlet as
Guildenstern. Alex also plays violin and has been a part of pit orchestra for works such as Sound
of Music and Seussical. Once again involved with theater in college, Alex hopes to gain more
acting experience and to have fun while doing so. He hopes you enjoy the show tonight!
EDRIC ZENG (Jimmy Lee) is a sophomore at Stanford University, where he is involved with
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Talisman a cappella. Edric is excited to be acting for the first
time tonight, and hopes you enjoy the show.
AJ DENNIS (The Red Angel/Bob) is a freshman in SLE who has been doing theatre since high
school. He has appeared in Our Town and Evita, and has had the honor of his own play, What Felt
Like Eternity, being produced his senior year. AJ is hyped about this show and hopes you are
too. Hi Mom (and Dad and Myriam) <3
NATHAN RANDALL (Jerry/Ned) is a senior in symbolic systems. Last year he started acting again
after a two-year hiatus from theater when he played the role of Sir John French in Oh, What a
Lovely War. He also assistant directed and stage managed Signs, which premiered right here in
Roble Theater last spring.

ASIAN AMERICAN THEATER PROJECT

MISSION AND BOARD
The Asian American Theater Project (AATP) is a group of artists dedicated to the
sharing and creation of work that addresses the Asian/Asian American experience
through theater and the performing arts. Our mission is to:

increase representation of Asians/Asian Americans in theater arts

address stereotypes and misrepresentations through nuanced portrayals of Asian/Asian

American cultures through the performing arts

cultivate the interests and talents of Asian/Asian American artists and allow them to
explore acting, directing, producing, stage management, technical design, and writing in a
safe and open community

celebrate the works of Asian/Asian American playwrights

explore other theater works through an Asian/Asian American lens

We welcome all artists regardless of race, culture, skill-level, and previous theatrical experience
to join us in our artistic explorations of identity.
Board Members
Artistic Director: Vineet Gupta
Executive Producer: Leena Yin
Amanda Yuan
Ariana Johnson
Caroline Zha
Charlie Yang
Colette Brannan
Connor Asercion
Daniel Cai
Francesca Dawis
Holly Slang
Janel Lee

Jessica Luo
Michela Rodriguez
Mirae Lee
Natalie Johnson
Newton Cheng
Olivia Popp
Preston Lim
Sam Sagan
Saya Jenks

Learn more at aatp.stanford.edu!

SPECIAL THANKS
Arrillaga Dining Staff
Charlie Yang
Frank Chen
Leena Yin
Louis Stone-Collonge
Roble Arts Gym
Roble Dorm Staff
Rams Head Theatrical Society
Silicon Valley Shakespeare
Steve Mannshardt
TAPS Department
Toyon Dorm Staff

This production was co-sponsored by:

Asian American Students Association (AASA)
Korean Student Association