THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

begins January 23, 2012 with observances that continue 15 days.

The Dragon is considered by many to be the most auspicous year
in the twelve year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

Go out and bring in the new year!

Read author and Feng Shui expert Angi Ma Wong's predictions here. 

Here are just a sample of the many events celebrating the Year of the Dragon around the country, from the San Francisco Bay Area to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Monterey Park, CA, New York City, Flushing, Queens, Vancouver, Portland, Oregon, Richmond, British Columbia, Toronto, Washington DC, Milpitas, Fremont, Palo Alto, Campbell, San Jose, Foster City, Redwood City, Saratoga, Cupertino, Newark, CA, San Bruno, and beyond! 

(Compiled from news sources around the country. Please confirm all dates, times and locations independently if you plan to attend any of these events.
Dragon photo by Lia Chang.)

SAN FRANCISCO:

Jan 14-15: San Francisco Flower Market Fair and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony 

The Chinese New Year Flower Fair is held on the weekend before Chinese New Year Day. The Flower Fair is the place to come to purchase fresh flowers, fruits, candy and other new supplies for the home to begin the new year. At the main stage on Washington Street below Grant, the Mayor will join honored guests in officially opening the Festival with a ribbon cutting ceremony. (Estimated time for ribbon cutting ceremony 10:45 a.m.)  

Jan. 29: Free...

New York City

Thom Sesma

Click the title link above for the full story. Photo by Lia Chang: Thom Sesma (The Times They Are A-Changin’, Man of La Mancha, Nick & Nora), Diane Phelan (Prospect’s Honor), Wilson Bridges (Signs of Life), Ryan Bauer-Walsh (Billy Elliot), Meghan McGeary (The Blue Flowerwith Prospect Theater Company, A.R.T. and Second Stage, Prospect’sThe Rockae), Hannah Jane McMurray (The Hidden Sky), and Peter Saide (Jersey Boys) are currently featured in Prospect Theater Company’s inaugural “Prototype Production” with public performances of DEATH FOR FIVE VOICES, an original musical drama inspired by true events in the life of infamous Renaissance composer – and murderer – Carlo Gesualdo.

Diane Phelan

Featuring a book by Prospect’s founding artists Peter Mills and Cara Reichel, music and lyrics by Mills and direction by Reichel, DEATH FOR FIVE VOICES began performances on March 6, 2013 at the West End Theatre in the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew, 263 West 86th Street in New York, and will continue through March 17, 2013.

A talkback with Mills and Reichel and other members of the production team will be held on Saturday, March 16th at 5:30pm and is free and open to the public.

Set amid the political intrigue, religious conflict and artistic vibrancy of the late Renaissance, DEATH FOR FIVE VOICESinvestigates the dark harmonies of Carlo Gesualdo, Prince of Venosa – who is remembered for his unusually...

January 21, 2012

Last night, playwright David Henry Hwang and the cast of Chinglish gathered at Ruby Foo's Restaurant in New York City to welcome in the Year of the Dragon.

Chinglish just celebrated its 100th performance and will be ending its run on Broadway on January 29th. Time Magazine has named Chinglish the "Best American play of the year." 

AsianConnections.com's columnist and editor Lia Chang joined the celebration at the restaurant. Lia shot the photograph featuring the two actors Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes used in Chinglish's latest media campaign (shown here). 

Chinglish is a comedy about the misadventures of miscommunication, written by Tony® Award winner David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) and directed by Obie Award winner Leigh Silverman (From Up Here, Well).

The Time Has Come: Asian Americans Arrive on the Red Carpet

By Amy Lieu

Asian American actors and members of Hollywood's entertainment industry graced the red carpet at the 20th Anniversary Gala Celebration for the Coalition for Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) at Union Station in Los Angeles Nov. 12, 2011.

The evening honored the talents of Asian Americans in entertainment and celebrated the advancement of diversity in the media.

For years, Asian Americans have been under-represented in Hollywood.

However, CAPE's red carpet event indicated more Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) talent are in entertainment today. AAPIs have come a long way

Maggie Q, the beautiful and savvy renegade spy from Nikita shared space with Carrie Ann Inaba, the talented dancer and one of the judges for Dancing with the Stars.

 

George Takei, who played Sulu from Star Trek, YouTube musician sensation David Choi, and professional poker player Maria Ho, who has played in the World Poker Tour were also among the celebrities on the red carpet.

 

The Gentlemen of YTF also strutted the red carpet; the group includes Ryan Higa, the most subscribed YouTube personality, as well as Victor Kim and Dominic of Quest Crew, who won the third season of America’s Best Dance Crew.

Wenda Fong, says she co-founded CAPE twenty years ago when Asian Americans did not have a strong voice in the entertainment industry. CAPE is now one of the largest Asian-American professional...

Tony Leung, Sharon Leal, B.D. Wong, Lindsay Price, Sonja Sohn, Rex Lee, Cheryl Burke and JabbaWockeeZ are Among the Night's Big Winners at 2008 JCPenney Asian Excellence Awards

LOS ANGELES (U.S. ASIAN WIRE) April 23, 2008-- The 2008 JCPenney Asian Excellence Awards was held at UCLA's Royce Hall this evening, hosted by Carrie Ann Inaba (Dancing with the Stars) and Bobby Lee (MADtv), The 2008 JCPenney Asian Excellence Awards, which honors Asian and Asian Americans' accomplishments in the arts and entertainment, sports and business, will air on E! Entertainment Television on May 1 at 6 p.m. ET/PT, 5 p.m. CT and will be available on Comcast on Demand, beginning May 7.

Here are all the winners of the 2008 JCPenney Asian Excellence Awards:

OUTSTANDING FILM - Lust, Caution - Director, Ang Lee

OUTSTANDING FILM ACTOR - Tony Leung, Lust, Caution

OUTSTANDING FILM ACTRESS - Sharon Leal, This Christmas

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION ACTOR - B.D. Wong, Law & Order, SVU (NBC)

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION ACTRESS - Lindsay Price, Lipstick Jungle (NBC)

SUPPORTING TELEVISION ACTRESS - Sonja Sohn, The Wire (HBO)

SUPPORTING TELEVISION ACTOR - Rex Lee, Entourage (HBO)

FAVORITE TV PERSONALITY - Cheryl Burke, Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

FAVORITE REALITY STAR - JabbaWockeeZ, America's Best Dance Crew (MTV)

In addition, the Asian Excellence Awards presented two honorary awards. YouTube co-founder Steve Chen was presented with the Pioneer Award and Olympic Figure-Skating Champion Kristi Yamaguchi received...