Remembering Ernest Abuba

 

We are devastated by the passing of Ernest Abuba, an award-winning actor, director, playwright, performance artist, and teacher whose career spanned over 50 years and who appeared in 100 productions of stage, film, and television.

Ernest Abuba had a deep history here at La MaMa. He and Tisa Chang co-founded Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in 1977 at La MaMa after performing a bilingual adaptation of A Midsummers Night’s Dream for Ellen Stewart. Abuba was also involved with the Third World Institute of Theatre Art Studies (TWITAS) and Native American Theatre Ensemble (NATE), as well as on the board of directors of resident company H.T. Chen & Dancers. The first Asian American to play Sakini in Teahouse of the August Moon and the first Asian American as Macbeth in Shogun Macbeth, he paved the way for Asian Americans in theatre and the arts. His work with Pan Asian Rep, the first and largest professional Asian American theatre company in the U.S., has nurtured thousands of artists and contributed greatly to Asian American and theatre history.

Production photo from A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Tisa Chang and produced at La MaMa in 1974

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in An American Story at La MaMa in 1980

A portrait of Artaud by Ernest Abuba hanging at the entrance to Ellen Stewart's home

Production photo from Lear Rex at La MaMa in 1998

Photo of Shigeko Suga and Ernest Abuba in Accade Domani at La MaMa in 2003

Photo of Ernest Abuba in Pacific Overtures

Remembering H.T. Chen

Photo by David Drebin

We are mourning the loss of H.T. Chen, a beloved La MaMa artist who formed the innovative modern dance company H.T. Chen & Dancers in 1978 and established Chen Dance Center in 1979.

Born in Shanghai and raised in Taiwan, Chen worked for several years at La MaMa as an actor, dancer, and choreographer with the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre before turning to presenting his own work. A leading choreographer and performer, Chen was also an arts advocate who served the Asian-American community and the New York City dance community. His work has made a lasting impact on La MaMa’s history and the field of dance, and our thoughts go out to his family, friends, and community of artists. H.T. Chen was a dear friend to La MaMa. His loss is deeply felt.

Photo by Carol Rosegg of dancers (L-R) Hsin-Ya Hou, H.T. Chen (seated), Dian Dong, Fumiko Rose, Dagmar Spain, Rome Quezada, and Jennifer Bishop