ArtsWest: Ex-interim Artistic Director Annie Lareau on her direction of the theatre’s latest production, Chinglish
By Amanda Knox
In the wake of Chinese New Year, ArtsWest Theatre has welcomed home ex interim Artistic Director Annie Lareau to direct the theatre’s latest production, Chinglish, by Tony award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Lareau—tall, warm, and full of energy—shared some time prior to rehearsal to discuss her vision and mission.
Let’s get right to it. What is your connection to this play?
I chose this play for a couple of reasons. One, I’m really interested in seeing more diverse casts onstage. It’s sort of a passion of mine. Then, David Henry Hwang is a seminal Asian-American writer in our country and he’s not done often enough. This is his newest piece, and when I heard that other theatres were passing it up because it’s challenging, I took up the gauntlet. It’s an important piece, it’s a comedy, and it’s fun. It’s also just doing his work and bringing more Asian-American actors to the stage. All those things combined led me to choose this piece, even if it’s a big challenge.
Can you talk to me a bit about the specific challenges?