Vietgone Bios

Qui Nguyen, playwright, (he/him) is a screenwriter, director, playwright, and Co-Founder of the OBIE-winning Vampire Cowboys. He and his work, known for its use of pop-culture, stage violence, puppetry, and multimedia, has been called “Culturally Savvy Comedy”, “Tour de Force Theatre”, and “Infectious Fun” by the NY Times, TimeOut, andVariety.

Qui’s currently with Walt Disney Animation Studios where he wrote Raya and the Last Dragon and wrote/co-directed Strange World. Other TV/Film includes Dispatches from Elsewhere (AMC), The Society (Netflix), Incorporated (SyFy), Peg+CAT (PBS), and Marvel Studios.

As a playwright, notable plays includes Vietgone, Poor Yella Rednecks, Revenge Song, and the critically acclaimed Vampire Cowboys productions of She Kills Monsters, Soul Samurai, The Inexplicable Redemption of Agent G, Alice in Slasherland, Fight Girl Battle World, and Living Dead in Denmark.

Notable honors include a 2016 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program (Peg+Cat), 2016 Steinberg New Play Award (Vietgone), 2015 NY Community Trust Helen Merrill Playwriting Award, 2014 Sundance Institute/Time Warner Fellowship; 2013 AATE Distinguished Play Award (She Kills Monsters) and 2012 & 2009 GLAAD Media Award nominations for his plays She Kills Monsters and Soul Samurai.

Mimi Katano, director (she/her) is a director, choreographer, and an occasional actor in Seattle and the Executive Artistic Director of Youth Theatre Northwest. Mimi’s directing credits include; Centerstage Theatre, Pork Filled Productions, Live Girls! Theatre, 14/48 Projects, and Boston’s Wheelock Family Theatre. Aside from directing, Mimi has done cultural consulting for Seattle Children’s Museum and Book-It Repertory Theatre. Mimi co-wrote a play on Japanese-American incarceration, Justice at War, which was produced at The Courtier Theatre in Kansas City in 2023, and has been performing on tour by Boston’s Theatre Espresso for nearly 30 years. Mimi’s passion is to bridge her native country of Japan and the U.S. through theatre and has brought theatre artists to and from Japan and has cultivated internship opportunities for Japanese college students. mimikatano.com.

Yuelan, music director (they/them) is a Seattle-based musician and theatre artist. They have composed for Yun Theatre shows such as Monologues of n Women and In Between, Jet City Improv’s Journey of the Wind, and performed with Pork Filled Productions in She-Devil of the China Seas. They also songwrite and perform with their self-titled band.yuelanmusic.com

Cast

Wendy Chinn, Huong, (she/her) is a full time actor living in the Seattle area. Recent credits include Refugees In The Garden City and Paper Dream. Film credits include Barbara Brown’s, Bottlecap and Shawn Geary’s, Advocat’. Wendy is also an alumni member of The Pork Filled Players, a film and stage choreographer and writer.

Joshua M. Erme, Quang, (he/him) is thrilled to be a part of Vietgone at Theatre Off Jackson. His recent credits include Rope and Plaza Suite with Renton Civic Theatre, and last summer’s Seattle run of Stranger Things: The Experience. The majority of his acting training has taken place at Freehold Theatre.

Megan Huynh, Tong (she/her) Featured in Cafe Nordo’s Curiouser and Curiouser, and the GOLD staged readings. Short films include Bab’s Bouquet with NWFF Action program, and the Trial featured at SIFF 2024. Megan earned a BA in Theatre at WWU, and was a National Finalist in the KCACTF Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.

Van Lang Pham, the Playwright and other (he/him) was born and raised in Missoula, Montana, and is a multi-disciplinary artist who has acted, sung and played music for various organizations around the Puget Sound. Much love to his friends and family for their ongoing support and to his corgi pup Roxas. www.vanlangpham.com

Hank Tian, Nhan, (he/him) is a performer born and raised in Everett, WA. Recent credits include Journey Of The Wind and A Night At Joy Market with Jet City Improv and Pork Filled Productions. He is an ensemble member with Jet City Improv and also plays steelpan with the Phinney Ridge Steel Band.

Adele Lim, understudy, (she/they) is a Chinese Singaporean actor/singer/mover based in Seattle. They studied Musical Theater at the University of Washington (class of 2017) and has been fortunate to work with companies such as Seattle Public, Showtunes, Dacha, Taproot, Fever/Netflix and 14/48 since their return to theater in 2023. Instagram: @adeleacts

Kathy Hsieh, Understudy/producer (she/her) is an award-winning theatre artist, actor, playwright and director who has worked with many theatres locally and beyond. Most recently she was seen in PassinArt and Portland Playhouse’s co-production of Yohen, 14/48 Productions’ 14/48 Festival, and Seattle Shakespeare’s Drum & Colours’ The Comedy of Errors.

Design Staff

Robin Macartney set designer (she/her) is an award-winning set and prop designer who has been fortunate to work with a large number of the theater companies in Seattle and the Puget Sound area. She is the resident set designer at Theatre off Jackson, as well as the former scene shop supervisor for the University of Puget Sound’s theater department.

Annie Liu, lighting designer (they/them) is a Seattle-based lighting designer, producer, and creative collaborator with a passion for the performing arts. They are currently pursuing their MFA in Arts Leadership at Seattle University. To learn more visit www.annieliughts.com

Giao Nguyen, PR photographer/videographer,  is a Vietnamese-American multi-disciplinary award-winning artist based in Seattle. His visual media work has been featured at Seattle Shakespeare Company, Taproot Theatre, Ballyhoo Theatre, Annex Theatre, and more. He currently works as the Development & Communications Associate at Seattle Shakespeare and continues to direct/produce independent narrative film work. More at: Giao-Nguyen.com

Jessamyn Bateman-Iino, props designer (they/them) is a stage manager and prop designer from the Seattle area. Past favorite shows include Bloodletting (Pork Filled Productions) and Blood Countess (MAP Theatre). They also make cute and creepy crafts, which can be found at mutinyhall.com.

Kikyou Yan, costume designer, Originally from Hohhot, China, and now based in the BC, Vancouver area, Kikyou is a costume designer and graduate of UC Davis Dramatic Arts. She has designed and produced costumes for stage and screen productions. Kikyou is a multidisciplinary artist with a background in ethnic dance and fine art.

Michael Latham, assistant stage manager, is excited to be working with Pork Filled Productions again! Recent backstage credits include Journey of the Wind (Jet City Improv), Cost of Living (Sound Theatre Company), and 110 in the Shade (Reboot Theatre Company). He is thankful to be involved with such an amazing production, and thankful to audiences for supporting it!

Alyda Sorm, community outreach/producer (she/her) is a Khmer American theatre artist from Seattle. She is a Co-Production Manager at Sound Theatre and her outside focus is on stage management. She’s worked with Seattle Shakespeare, ACT, Intiman, Strawberry Theatre Workshop, The Feast, Seattle Children’s Theatre and of course Pork Filled Productions.

Omar Faust, stage manager/producer is a queer mixed-race theater artist who was born in Seattle and went to school for theater at Bard College. Upon returning from walking across Spain, they lived at a multi-generational co-op and served on the board of a land trust while working at such theaters as Theater Schmeater, Annex, Sound Theater, and Pork Filled Productions.

Jasmine Lomax, Intimacy Director/Fight Choreographer is thrilled to work with Pork-Filled Productions again! When Jasmine is not directing, they act and build legos with their son Kayden. Their favorite credits include Fat Ham(Intimacy Director, Understudy) with Seattle Repertory Theatre The Bonesetter’s Daughter (Assistant Director) with Book-It Repertory Theatre, and Or, (Intimacy Director/ Dramaturg) with Theatre22. For fun, follow them on Instagram (@jasmineissublime) for information on upcoming projects and to take a peek at their work with Delta Dental of Washington as the Tooth Fairy!

Nick O’Leary, projection design, is a Seattle based director, designer, and theater maker. Originally from New England, Nick is currently pursuing his MFA in Directing at the University of Washington’s School of Drama. Local credits include video design for Champagne and Sodomy (The Feast) and directing (F)UNFAIR (Dacha Theatre.) More at: www.nickoleary.com

Kassey Oliver Castro, sound design (he/they) is a Seattle-based conductor, composer, singer, voice teacher, and music educator. This is his first journey into sound designing for theater. Kassey holds a degree in Music Education from the University of Washington.

Roger W. Tang (Producer/Executive Direcotr) (he/him) is a veteran theatre artist and award winning playwright. As a producer, he’s produced numerous Northwest and world premieres, from David Henry Hwang’s Bondage and Yellow Face to Maggie Lee’s New Providence Steampunk trilogy. He has introduced many playwrights to the Pacific Northwest, including Qui Nguyen, Carla Ching and Prince Gomolvilas. He was on the boards of ReAct Theatre and the Northwest Asian American Theatre (helping build the Theatre Off Jackson) and is Secretary of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA). He is also the Literary Manager for SIS Productions and edits the Asian American Theatre Revue, the web’s foremost resource on Asian American theatre.