MediaRites’ Theatre Diaspora presents The Language Archive, a poignant comedy about dying languages and difficulties of love by award-winning playwright and television writer Julia Cho.
Dmae Roberts, executive producer of MediaRites, directs the cast: Tonya Jone Miller (previously in Breaking Glass), Leo Lin, Sofia May-Cuxim, Enrique E. Andrade, Wynee Hu (Theatre Diaspora producing ensemble member), and singer/musician Partfait Bassale (narrating and providing musical accompaniment.)
In The Language Archive, a language archivist is consumed by the preserving and documenting the dying languages from far-flung countries. Closer to home, however, he can’t communicate with his frustrated wife, nor deal with the deep feelings his lab assistant has for him.
The performance will open at 2pm on March 26th at Portland Center Stage (128 NW Eleventh Avenue, Portland, OR 97209) and will close at 2pm on April 2nd at the Milagro Theatre (525 SE Stark Street, Portland, OR 97214).
Tickets are $8 each. They can be purchased at pcs.org for the 2pm March 26th show at Portland Center Stage, and at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2510978 (service charge added) for the 2pm April 2nd show at the Milagro Theatre.
Statement from Dmae Roberts, Director:
“As a radio producer, I worked on a documentary in Kodiak Island, Alaska about efforts to preserve the Alutiiq language. The themes of dying languages and the importance to communicate with others are of prime importance to me. I saw The Language Archive at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2011 and fell in love with the witty writing and deeply human characters. I was equally surprised to find that the play’s lead characters have rarely been performed by an Asian cast. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with this talented cast for Theatre Diaspora.”
About the Playwright:
Julia Cho is an American playwright and television writer who has won national awards for her work. She was born in Los Angeles, California, and is the daughter of Korean immigrants. Her plays include The Language Archive, The Piano Teacher, Durango, The Winchester House, BFE, The Architecture of Loss, and 99 Histories. She has been a resident playwright at New Dramatists since 2004. Her work has been produced at the Vineyard Theatre, The Public, South Coast Repertory, Long Wharf Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, New York Theatre Workshop, East West Players, Theatre @ Boston Court, and Silk Road Theatre Project, among others. Honors include the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, Barrie Stavis Award, the Claire Tow Award for Emerging Artists, and the L. Arnold Weissberger Award. Durango was also named one of the Top 10 Plays of 2006 by Entertainment Weekly and one of the Best of 2007 by the The L.A. Times. She is an alumna of the Juilliard School and NYU’s Graduate Dramatic Writing Program.
