Muraoka to Direct Love! Valour! Compassion! with All Asian-American Cast

By Andrew Gans
25 Aug 2009

Francis Jue
Francis Jue

The National Asian American Theatre Company (NAATCO) will present a one-night-only benefit performance of Terrence McNally's Tony-winning Love! Valour! Compassion! featuring an all Asian-American cast.

Directed by Alan Muraoka, the Sept. 14 performance will be held at the Cherry Lane Theatre.

The evening will begin with a 6 PM cocktail reception followed by the 7 PM performance. Joe Mantello, the original director of L! V! C!, and Stephen Bogardus, a member of the play's original cast, are honorary chairs for the NAATCO benefit.

The cast will comprise Satya Bhabha as Ramon, Joel de la Fuente as Gregory, Francis Jue as John/James, Orville Mendoza as Buzz, Andy Pang as Arthur, Ralph Peņa as Perry and James Yaegashi as Bobby.

Avenue Q's Ann Harada will read the stage directions. Musical direction and accompaniment is by Joseph Thalken.

The performance is part of the National Asian American Theatre Company's 20th anniversary season of presenting classical and new works with casts featuring all Asian-American actors and actresses.

Love! Valour! Compassion!, according to press notes, is "Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning play about eight gay friends who spend the three major holiday weekends (Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day) of one summer together at a summer vacation house in Dutchess County where they struggle with infidelity, flirtations, soul-searching, AIDS, truth-telling and skinny-dipping."

The Cherry Lane Theatre is located in Manhattan at 38 Commerce Street. Tickets are $125-$1,000 (tax-exempt to the full extent of the law) and are available by contacting NAATCO at (212) 244-0447 or online at www.naatco.org. Tickets must be purchased by Sept. 4.