Vietgone Bios

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, and Variety.
     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 VietgonePoor 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

Wendy Chinn, Huong, Ensemble (she/her) is a full time actor living in

Wendy Chinn (Huong, Ensemble)

the Seattle area. Recent acting credits include Refugees In The Garden City directed by David Hsieh and Paper Dream, directed by Desdemona Chiang. Film credits include Barbara Brown’s, Bottlecap and Shawn Geary’s, Advocate. Wendy is also an alumni member of The Pork Filled Players, choreographer and writer. Her dance choreography portfolio includes, South Pacific, Kiss Me Kate and Anything Goes. Wendy has extensive training in many forms of dance and non-video game combat and weapons management. She is honored to be working with SIS and Pork Filled Productions.

Joshua M. Erme, Quang, is excited to be a part of Vietgone at Theatre

Joshua Erme (Quang)

Off Jackson! He has recently worked with Renton Civic Theatre on their productions of Rope and Plaza Suite Joshua studied at Seattle Pacific University, where he received the degree one would expect from an actor working in theatre: Business Administration! When Joshua is not acting, you can find him drawing, exercising, or learning to play piano after about five very pitiful years of trying. Joshua would like to thank his family for their support of his incredibly lofty acting ambitions.

Megan Huynh (Tong)

Megan Huynh, Tong, (she/her) is thrilled to be making her PFP debut with Vietgone. You may have seen her locally in Cafe Nordo’s Curiouser and Curiouser (Feast of the Queens & Down the Rabbit Hole), GOLD New works staged reading at Edmonds Driftwood, or in short films Bab’s Bouquet with NWFF Apprenticeship program, and the Trial that was featured at SIFF 2024. Megan earned a BA in Theatre, majoring in Acting, at Western Washington University, and was Region 7 National Finalist in the KCACTF Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. She wants to thank her loving partner, friends, and family for their support!

Van Lang Pham (The Playwright, Bobby, Ensemble)

Van Lang Pham, The Playwright, Bobby, Ensemble (he/him) is incredibly excited to return to Pork Filled Productions and to proudly tell the story of Vietgone. A second generation, Vietnamese Chinese American, born and raised in Missoula, Montana, he is a multi-disciplinary artist who has acted, sung and played music for various organizations around the Puget Sound. Recent credits include M & J in Passage at Strawberry Jam Festival ‘24, Ferenc in Blood Countess with MAP Theatre, and Kevin in Hotdish at Pony World Theatre. Much love to his friends and family for their ongoing support and to his (usually) disapproving corgi pup Roxas. www.vanlangpham.com

Hank Tian (Nham, Ensemble)

Hank Tian, Nhan, Ensemble  (he/him) is thrilled and honored to be performing with Pork Filled Productions! Hank is an ensemble member with Jet City Improv and also plays steelpan with the Phinney Ridge Steel Band. Recent credits include Journey Of The Wind and A Night At Joy Market, both collaborations between Jet City Improv and Pork Filled Productions. He is a graduate of Stanford University, where he was involved with the Stanford Asian American Theater Project, and currently works in arts administration at Seattle Opera. Someday, he hopes to get really good at Street Fighter.

Adele Lim, understudy (she/they) is thrilled to work with PFP for the first time, and director Mimi Katano for the second time! Adele is a Chinese Singaporean actor/singer/mover based in Seattle who detoured in the veterinary, technology and climbing industries after studying Musical Theatre at the University of Washington (2017). Since returning in 2023, they have worked with companies such as Seattle Public, Showtunes, Dacha, Taproot, Fever/Netflix and 14/48. Talk to Adele about bouldering, food and coaxing their cats to be friends! They send their eternal gratitude to their community, especially Cosmin, Jinbe and Tobiko. Follow along on Instagram at @adeleacts!

Kathy Hsieh, understudy/producer (she/her) is an award-winning theatre artist most recently 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. Kathy loves the unique challenge of understudying – being ready to go on with a moment’s notice without having a chance to rehearse with your scene partners. At the Seattle Rep, she has understudied the title role in Ballad of Yachiyo and First Wife in Golden Child, Wang Min in Caught at Seattle Public Theater, and once when doing box office, she had to go on as Otsu in The Dream of Kitamura because the actress got food poisoning and the costume fit.

James Lee, understudy(he/they) is ecstatic to be making his debut with Pork Filled Productions! Credits include Ivan Homeless in Dacha Theatre’s The Master and Margarita and Toby Liggett in Pony World Theatre’s Hotdish. He aspires to participate in works that strengthen communities and inject playfulness into our lives. Outside of acting, James loves freestyle choreography, classical violin, and short fiction writing. He sends much love to his partner, his gaggle, Sea Village, and many other friends who keep him both grounded and buoyant. Instagram: @dogtorjames

YUELAN, Music Director, band (they/them) is a Seattle-based musician and theatre artist. They are the resident musician at Yun Theatre, composing and performing for shows such as Monologues of n Women, Two Goldfish (who become Heroes), In Between, and Young People Social Death Archive. They also sound designed and composed for Jet City Improv’s Joy Market and Journey of the Wind, and performed with Pork Filled Productions in She-Devil of the China Seas. Outside of theatre, they songwrite and perform with their self-titled band, alongside Josh Valdez and Kyle Levien. Thank you to clod, Josh, Joanne, Karen, and sweaty. yuelanmusic.com

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.

Jessamyn Bateman-Iino, prop 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.

Michael Latham, asst. stage manger, is excited to be working with Pork Filled Productions again! When not working on a show, he can be seen performing with Seatown Sound, a local acapella group where he sings tenor as well as being a vocal percussionist. Recent backstage credits include Journey of the Wind (Jet City Improv), Hotdish (Pony World Theatre), Cost of Living (Sound Theatre Company), 110 in the Shade (Reboot Theatre Company), and This Bitter Earth (Seattle Public Theatre). He is thankful to be involved with such an amazing production, and thankful to audiences for supporting it!

Annie Liu, lighting designer (they/them) is a Seattle-based lighting designer, and a maker and lover of all things theatre and dance. Originally from Houston, TX and having spent a decade in Santa Fe before heading to the PNW, Annie is thrilled to be designing lights for Vietgone. Some highlights of Annie’s design career include the world premiere of miku, and the gods at ArtsWest, the world premiere of BKBX Kids! Asks Why at Seattle Children’s Theatre, as well as Fun Home, Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Show, Marjorie Prime, and The Pillowman at the Santa Fe Playhouse. Annie is grateful to live, work, and create on the unceded lands of the Duwamish, Muckleshoot, and Coast Salish peoples. Annie is currently a graduate student of the MFA Arts Leadership program at Seattle University. To see more, visit www.annieliughts.com.

Kikyou Yan, costume designer,  is a trained costume designer who works in the realms of stage and screen. She earned an MFA in Costume Design from the University of California, Davis, where she honed her skills in designing and storytelling for the stage. She also works as styling assistant for VFW. Her work has been showcased in numerous cities and platforms. Her recent projects include Young People Social Death Archive, In Between, Caught, Two Goldfish (who become heroes), the devised theatre piece Monologue of n Women.

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 designer, is a Seattle based director, designer, and theater maker. Originally from New England, he is currently pursuing his MFA in Directing at the University of Washington’s School of Drama. He has developed new work with organizations like The American Repertory Theater (MA), Actors Theatre of Louisville (KY), Guerilla Opera (MA), and The Flea Theater (NY). Recent Seattle credits include video design for The Feast’s production of Champagne and Sodomy, co-creating Dacha Theatre’s interactive experience (F)UNFAIR, and directing Carlos Murillo’s play with music A Thick Description of Harry Smith at UW School of Drama. More at: www.nickoleary.com

Kassey Oliver Castro, sound designer (he/they) is a Seattle-based conductor, composer, singer, voice teacher, and music educator. This is his first journey into sound designing for theater and is grateful to Josh Valdez and Michael Fewkes for their support and guidance. Outside of music and sound, Kassey enjoys cooking dishes passed down from his Filipino mother, planning cocktail parties, and consuming ice cream. Kassey holds a degree in Music Education from the University of Washington.

Alanah Pascual, assistant director

Stephanie Mai Stephanie Mai Designs started off as a hobby to make joyful art and became an opportunity to create timeless and impactful visual design with unique paper goods. SMD’s handcrafted art prints and stationery center around food, community, and Vietnamese/Seattle culture. 

Alegra Batara, social media director (they/them)

Giao Nguyen, photographer (he/him) is a Vietnamese-American actor, director, and award-winning filmmaker based in Seattle. He graduated from Seattle Pacific University with a BA in Theatre Performance and minoring in Studio Art: Digital Media, he currently works as the Development & Communications Associate at Seattle Shakespeare Company. Recent film work includes his first feature film Ocean’s Arrival (2022), and is currently in post-production for his second feature, Inferno (2024). He aims to make space for young BIPOC artists in the Puget Sound through creations on stage, screen, and beyond. More at: Giao-Nguyen.com

P. Alyda Sorm, community outreach/producer (she/her) is a second generation Khmer American theatre artist, born and raised in King County. She is a Co-Production Manager at Sound Theatre, a producer at Pork Filled Productions and also works in stage management around Seattle. She’s worked in various capacities with Seattle Shakespeare, ACT, Intiman, Strawberry Theatre Workshop, The Feast and Seattle Children’s Theatre. Outside of theatre, she is working on a fantasy novel inspired by her Southeast Asian American background while her two bunnies, Choco and Latte, cheer her on. IG: @p.alydas and @chocolatte_buns (for some fluff and cuteness).

Anamaria Guerzon, asst. dramaturg (she/they), is a mixed race Filipino-American Theatre Artist based in Seattle. Their work seeks to explore humanness, with an emphasis on marginalization within hierarchy, and the legacy of ongoing colonization. Within this, they center Brown folks, particularly Filipino people, as this reflects their heritage and identity.  Their play, Skin, has been developed in a workshop/reading with The Playwright Realm’s Scratchpad Series (dir. May Adrales), and will be in Seattle Public Theater’s New Works Distillery this June (dir. Zenaida Smith). They received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre, from Pacific Lutheran University (2021).

Omar Faust, stage manger/producer (he/they) is a queer mixed-race theater artist who was born in Seattle but went to theater school 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 ReAct. While not walking across Spain, questioning the meaning of gender and sexuality, or DMing multiple simultaneous D&D campaigns, Omar spends most of their time creating spaces where worlds can be born.

Josh Valdez, band/producer is a Pork Filled producer and technical consultant, musician/sound designer, and educator in the Greater Seattle area. He has worked with numerous community theatre houses and filmmakers in creating immersive soundscapes and scoring! He also recently designed/composed for Seattle Public Theatre/SIS Productions’ Unrivaled and Sound Theatre Company’s 53% OF, and performed with Yun Theatre’s live band in In-Between and Young People Social Death Archive! Aside from theatre, Josh works in higher education in college access for BIPOC first-gen youth, is a DJ, and plays drums and produces for Yuelan’s live-band.

Linus Guo, band, plays bass guitar in Spiral Dreams, a local rock and punk band in Greater Seattle Area. He is also a part of Lychee, a band playing R&B music. Recently, he collaborated with Yun Theatre’s live band for the play Young People Social Death Archive as his first step in theatre projects. Linus works for Seattle Asian Musicians’ Association (XAMA) as a software developer. He also plays Guqin, an ancient Chinese instrument.

Shuai Han, (Han) band (he/him), is a rock guitarist and music event organizer in the Greater Seattle area. Han plays guitar and sings backing vocals for Ember Mist, an original pop-punk band whose debut album Not for Love is set for release in October 2024. He also performs with Spiral Dreams, a tri-lingual band that covers English, Mandarin, and Japanese rock songs. Han has built a strong network among Asian musicians and artists in Seattle. He regularly organizes and performs at local events, contributing significantly to the local music scene.

Yuchen Zhang, band  YuD is a Seattle based guitarist, singer and songwriter.  She moved to Seattle in 2023 and began her music career as a solo artist. She opened for the theater play “Allergic to Love” and for the “Xama presents” music event.  Back in Philadelphia, she started a duo-band Se7en Toasts with her schoolmate at UPenn for a singing competition and later on started a rock band KIDZ who played gigs around the Philadelphia area.  

Apart from music, she plays tennis regularly which results in a slightly more muscular right arm vs the left :).  She also loves traveling and camping.

Roger Tang, producer (he/him) is a veteran theatre artist of over four decades who started out with folks like David Henry Hwang and Philip Kan Gotanda.As a playwright, he’s written the award-winning She Devil of the China Seas, The Jade Con, Shadowed Intent, and Truth and Lies. He has worked with Seattles 14/18 Festival, penned numerous sketches for Pork Filled Players and several pieces for SIS Productions’ Revealed series of site-specific theatre work.

     As a producer, he introduced Northwest audiences to such writers as Qui Nguyen, Prince Gomolvilas, Carla Ching and Genny Lim and has produced numerous Northwest and world premieres, from Hwang’s Bondage and Yellow Face to Maggie Lee’s The Clockwork Professor, The Tumbleweed Zephyr and A Hand of Talons.

     He has sat on the boards of ReAct Theatre and the Northwest Asian American Theatre (where he helped build the Theatre Off Jackson). Called the “Godfather of Asian American theatre” by A. Magazine, he is a recipient of a 2016 Equity Award from the Equity In the Entertainment Industry Symposium at Stanford University, and is Secretary of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) and chairs the membership committee. He is also is the Literary Manager for SIS Productions, and edits the Asian American Theatre Revue, the web’s foremost resource on Asian American theatre (www.aatrevue.com).

An Asian American Theatre Company