Henry Ong

Works

Ong is a 16-time recipient of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-Residence grants. He has worked on many oral history projects in several underserved communities—notably Asian American --, resulting in presentation of stories not often portrayed in mainstream media. These include Chinese American Stories, Thai American Stories, Pinoy Stories, and Sikh American Stories, among others.

In 1998, Ong received a DramaLogue Award for Excellence in Writing for his play, People Like Me. In 2014, he was recognized with the Lee Melville award by Playwrights’ Arena for Outstanding Contribution to Theater in Los Angeles. Ong is an Active Member of the Dramatist Guild.

Playwriting Credits

Full-length plays:

Sweet Karma, Grove Theater Center (2013); Queens Theatre in the Park, NY (2009)

Fabric, Company of Angeles ( 2010); Singapore Repertory Theatre (1999); Nomad Theatre, Surrey, England (2000)

Rachel Ray (adaptation of Anthony Trollope’s 19th century novel), The Coop, Pacific Resident Theatre (workshop production) (2010

The Old Lady Who Popped Out of the Sidewalk and Became a Christmas Tree, Theatre East (2006)

The Legend of the White Snake, Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock (2005)

People Like Me, Playwrights’ Arena (1997)

The Call of the Nightingale, (workshop production) Company of Angels (2011)

Dream of the Red Chamber (stage adaptation), Central Library ( 2000), commissioned by Library Foundation of LA; Action Theatre, Singapore (2001)

Odd Birds (book of musical), Los Angeles Theatre Center (1999)

Madame Mao’s Memories, Old Globe Theatre, San Diego (1994); Edinburgh Festival (1993); Latchmere Theatre, London (1990); TheatreWorks, Singapore (1991)

One Acts and Short Plays

One acts:

Letters of Wei Jingsheng Ocean Park Branch Library (1997)

The Silkworm Scientist, LA History Project, Los Angeles Theatre Center (2001)

Voices of Hiroshima, Faith United Methodist Church, (1999); West. Los Angeles United Methodist Church (1997)

Short plays include: Winter, The Valley of the Bones, Legit, Seppuku! Who’s F***ing the Horse? Stella! Leonardo Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Sunset in Silver Lake, Dim Sum and Then Some, The Birth of Narcissus, The Saga of Lulu Wong, Four Walls.

Youth Plays (2001 – 2006):

Golden Flower Princess (Thai folktale); The Fire Boy (Japanese folktale); Lady White Snake (Chinese folktale); The Marriage of Bolak Sonday (Filipino folktale) [all produced by Marlton School, Los Angeles]

Writing/oral history workshops (facilitated and conducted)

Sikh American Stories, Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles, (2013)

Thai American Stories, Palm Village Senior Housing (2011)

Stories of the Visually-Impaired orDdeaf, Braille Institute (2009)

Korean American Stories, Korean American Youth & Community Service Center (2008/09)

Chinese American Stories, Chinese Historical Society of So. California (2007–08)

Pinoy Stories, Eagle Rock City Hall (2006)

Middle Eastern/North African Stories, 2015

He is currently conducting an oral history workshop in the Middle Eastern/North African community; the public presentation is on September 14, 2015.

Teaching Experience

Haque Center for Creativity and Acting, Singapore, (The Blank Page Project, 2014)

Youth Drama Workshop, TeenScape, LA Public Library (1998)

Writing Workshops for Youth, David Geffen Center (Jul-Aug 96), South Gate High School (1996), American Youth Foundation (1995)

Monologue Writing, TheatreWorks, Singapore, (1992)

Published plays and books

Madame Mao’s Memories, Three Continents Press

People Like Me, Norman Maine Publishing

Uncle Yankee, Yellow Chrysanthemum Press

Screenplays

China Boy, The Body Perfect, Tara

Awards

Lee Melville Award (Outstanding Contribution to Theater in LA) Playwrights’ Arena (2014)

Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-residence grants (15 time recipient)

DramaLogue Award for Excellence in Writing – “People Like Me” (1998)