MISSION
Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company creates opportunities for Asian and Asian American theatre artists in the San Francisco Bay Area. We challenge ourselves to examine our diverse stories and social issues, moving beyond representation. We strive to create an artistic home where our company can connect our communities, our cultures, and our identities.
VISION
To illuminate the Asian American experience as part of the human experience through art and advocacy. As a collective of artists we are committed to advancing social responsibility and creating work that is intrinsic to the cultural fabric in America.
VALUES
Service/Community/Humanity/Integrity/Radical Care
Ferocious Lotus believes in the power of people and community. We prioritize compassion and integrity in every aspect of our work. We believe that radical care for the people we create and play with during theatremaking is essential to the craft and in creating art that is authentic. The needs of the community, whether it’s within the rehearsal space or out in our neighborhoods, will come first.
Ferocious Lotus believes in the power of people and community. We prioritize compassion and integrity in every aspect of our work. We believe that radical care for the people we create and play with during theatremaking is essential to the craft and in creating art that is authentic. The needs of the community, whether it’s within the rehearsal space or out in our neighborhoods, will come first.
Experimentation/Exploration/Incubation
We believe that the creation of art is defined by experimentation and exploration. To this end, we promote healthy, rigorous artistic facilitation for our collaborators and for the projects we incubate. For this to happen, we need dedicated space and time for artists at every level of their creative practice to take risks and be nurtured in their individual growth.
We believe that the creation of art is defined by experimentation and exploration. To this end, we promote healthy, rigorous artistic facilitation for our collaborators and for the projects we incubate. For this to happen, we need dedicated space and time for artists at every level of their creative practice to take risks and be nurtured in their individual growth.
Inclusion and the Asian Diaspora - We are not a monolith
Experiences, stories and perspectives of the Asian Diaspora are not monolithic. These stories cross borders and nationalities, come from different faiths and creeds, and encompass all parts of the mind, body and spirit. We believe in lifting the burden of representation from the shoulders of our artists and audiences, allowing for the telling and witnessing of individual truths.
These stories aim to center marginalized identities often erased in conventional storytelling, embracing themes important to our communities.
Experiences, stories and perspectives of the Asian Diaspora are not monolithic. These stories cross borders and nationalities, come from different faiths and creeds, and encompass all parts of the mind, body and spirit. We believe in lifting the burden of representation from the shoulders of our artists and audiences, allowing for the telling and witnessing of individual truths.
These stories aim to center marginalized identities often erased in conventional storytelling, embracing themes important to our communities.
“When we first founded Ferocious Lotus in 2010, we never imagined our little company would grow into a home for Asian American theatre artists—one that would lead to more representation on Bay Area stages; innovative, entertaining, impactful work; and far-reaching change. None of that would have been possible without the support of the theatre community we love so much here. I’m so grateful to our company, advisory board, all the artists who have worked with us, and all our fans and supporters.”
— Lily Tung Crystal, Founding Artistic Director
— Lily Tung Crystal, Founding Artistic Director
HISTORY
In 2009, San Francisco actor Lily Tung Crystal won Theatre Bay Area’s Titan Award – a fellowship that includes $2500 towards an actor’s career development. Her proposal included the founding of a Bay Area Asian American actors group that would offer support, networking, education and mentorship. After a night at the theatre, she and fellow actor Leon Goertzen realized that they had the same vision. Around the same time, Asian American Theater Company (AATC) voiced interest in co-establishing this group of artists, the Asian American Actors Collective.
In July 2010, Asian American theater artists met as this new collective and voiced an urgent need to create more employment opportunities. The concern was especially high for its professional Equity members for whom jobs were particularly scarce. AATC generously offered a performance space and requested a night of one-acts for the group's first show and hence in October 2010, Ferocious Lotus was born. |
About Lily Tung Crystal
After co-founding and leading Ferocious Lotus for nine years, Lily is now the Artistic Director of Theater Mu in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. As an actor, Lily’s favorite roles include: Mrs. Shin/God #2/Niece in Good Person of Szechwan (Cal Shakes), Mom in Interstate (Mixed Blood Theatre), Hotel Manager/Prosecutor Li in Chinglish (Portland Center Stage/Syracuse Stage), Bloody Mary in South Pacific (Mountain Play), Rachel Li/Rashida in Tough Titty (Magic Theatre), Amanda in Private Lives (Whirligig Theatre Productions, Shanghai), Lulu in Cabaret (SF Playhouse), Korean #2 in Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven (Crowded Fire, BATCC nomination), Mrs. Park in the world premiere of Jay Kuo’s World’s Apart (Magic Theatre, New World Stages), and Mother/Doctor in our world premiere of JC Lee’s Crane. Lily also does on-camera work and appeared in the film Steve Jobs. She made her directorial debut in 2015 helming Chinglish at Palo Alto Players, for which she garnered a TBA Award nomination for Outstanding Direction. In 2018, she directed our world premiere of Two Mile Hollow, which garnered 10 TBA Award finalists, including one for Outstanding Direction, and landed on four “Best of 2018” theatre lists. She most recently directed Susan Stanton’s Today Is My Birthday and Jihae Park’s peerless for Theater Mu. Lily is a 2009 Theatre Bay Area Titan Award winner, and a 2016 YBCA 100 honoree, named by Yerba Buena Center for the Arts as a “creative pioneer making the provocations that will shape the future of culture.”
About Leon Goertzen
(Founder/Associate Artistic Director/Casting Director/Actor) has worked at theaters in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, including East West Players, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Will and Company, Magic Theatre, Asian American Theater Company, San Francisco Mime Troupe, Road Theatre Company, Cutting Ball Theater, PlayGround, Aurora Theater Company, Bay Area Playwright's Festival, California Conservatory Theatre and New Conservatory Theater. Film credits include Quitters (with Kieran Culkin and Mira Sorvino) and Beauty and The Blade. Leon is a graduate of the School of Drama at UNC School of the Arts and is a member of Actors' Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild.