Occupation Director, actor Name Chil Kong Spouse Erin Quill (m. 2005) | Website www.chilkong.com Role Actor Education Virginia Tech | |
Movies Crossing Over, Freedom Writers, West 32nd, Screening Party, The End Of The World Similar People Michael Kang, Wayne Kramer, Richard LaGravenese | ||
The INNERview - #36 Chil Kong, "A Korean-American Actor and Director"
Chil Kong is a Korean American actor and director. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech with degrees in Marketing and Psychology. While at Virginia Tech, he performed with The New Virginians, a touring musical performance group. He also attended the master of fine arts program at Boston Conservatory and is a member of the Lincoln Center Director's Lab West. He has also served as Adjunct Professor of Theatre at San Diego State University. He has held Artistic Director positions at several Asian-focused theater companies including Asia On Stage in Boston, The Northwest Asian American Theatre in Seattle and Lodestone Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles.
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In theatre
Lodestone Theatre Ensemble was the second largest Asian American theater company in Los Angeles, with Co-Artistic Directors Chil Kong and Philip C. Chung serving for the entire ten-year run. The company began as a response to the Los Angeles riots to serve the stories of Asian Americans of a younger generation.
He was one of the Co-Artistic Directors for the entire ten-year run of the Lodestone Theater Ensemble, where he directed many of the shows, including the stage version of The Mikado Project, which he later turned into a film.
Over their ten-year run, Kong and Chung were hailed as ground-breaking innovators and gave stage time to actors such as Daniel Dae Kim, Dennis Dun, Roger Fan, Camille Mana, Eddie Shin, James Kyson Lee, Erin Quill and Blythe Matsui. At their ten-year benefit, guests who took the stage to honor them included the Host, Alec Mapa, Sandra Oh, Newsman David Ono, Kelly Hu, John Cho, The 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors, and many more.
The stage production of The Mikado Project, written by Ken Narasaki and Doris Baizley, was cited in the book The Japan of Pure Invention by author Josephine Lee. 'The Mikado Project was one of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble's most successful plays, and the only one to be made into a film. The screenplay of the film was adapted by Erin Quill, Chil Kong, and Ryun Yu.
Since the closing of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, Kong has remained active in the Los Angeles Theater scene, and serves on the LA Stage Alliance Ovation Committee. He continues to focus on both his acting and directing, and his second feature film, QWERTY, is currently in post-production.
His stage direction credits include Tea and FOB at the Asian American Repertory Theater.
In television and film
Kong has appeared in many roles on television, including on ABC's Lost in the episode "...In Translation", played a morgue technician in House M.D., a minister in HBO's Six Feet Under in the episode Hold my Hand, a cook in the episode Open and Shut of the Freddie Prinze Jr. comedy Freddie and as Chen Wu in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He has also appeared in Michael Kang's West 32nd, Richard LaGravenese's, Freedom Writers, Wayne Kramer's Crossing Over and Curtis Hanson's Too Big To Fail.
Kong directed the films Pollen in 2006 and Screening Party in 2008. In 2010, he directed the feature film The Mikado Project. He is a member of the ABC DGA Director's program.
Personal life
Kong is married to Erin Quill, who was member of the original Broadway cast of Avenue Q and has also guest-starred on NYPD Blue, DAMAGES, and many musicals. He holds a 3rd-degree Taekwondo black belt, having begun training in his native Korea at age 6.