Asians in Art

One Stage, Many Worlds — Aya Ogawa on Motherhood, Translation and Making Theatre With Many Dimensions

Multi-award winning playwright, director, and translator, Aya Ogawa knows what it's like to live in many worlds and in between. Born in Tokyo and based in Brooklyn, their work centers women and non-binary perspectives and uses the stage as a space for exploring cultural identity and the immigrant experience. In this conversation, Aya opens up about the deeply personal journey behind their Obie Award-winning play The Nosebleed — and the profound emotion of bringing that story back to Tokyo. They talk candidly about motherhood as a glorious, chaotic shitshow, the inspiration behind their latest work Meat Suit, and what it truly means to translate — not just words, but entire worlds — from Japanese to English. Recipient of the 2025 Doris Duke Artist Award, the 2023 Helen Merrill Award for Playwriting, and the 2023 Obie Award for the conception, writing and direction of The Nosebleed, Aya Ogawa is one of the most energizing voices in US theatre today. Follow Aya at https://www.instagram.com/ayagwa/ [https://www.instagram.com/ayagwa/] Their next show and other works: https://www.ayaogawa.com/ [https://www.ayaogawa.com/]

Following the Groove — Wen-Ting Wu on Jazz and Drumming

Wen-Ting Wu is a drummer, composer, and educator from Taiwan, now at the heart of New York City's jazz scene. From the moment she felt the swing, she followed it — across genres, across oceans, and deep into the spiritual heart of the drum. She has performed at some of New York City's most iconic venues — including Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club, Smalls, Smoke, and at large festivals across the US and Taiwan. Wu’s diverse musical career also includes international tours with the indie-pop band Sunset Rollercoaster. She is a regular member of Frank Lacy's Septet & Classical Jazz Ensemble, and the AAPI Jazz Collective and has shared the stage with notable artists such as Ed Cherry, Mimi Jones, Charenee Wade, Helen Sung, and Lonnie Plaxico. For Wen-Ting, drumming is more than a career — it's something deeply spiritual. In this interview, she opens up about that profound connection to her craft, what it means to be a woman behind the kit in a male-dominated world, and what's next for one of jazz's most compelling drummers. Wen-Ting is part of a new generation of female jazz drummers stepping into the light — bringing not just extraordinary technique, but a depth of feeling and philosophy that is reshaping what it means to sit behind the kit. You can follow Wen-Ting at https://www.instagram.com/wentingating [https://www.instagram.com/wentingating] Subscribe to our Asians in Art's YouTube channel, Apple Podcast, Spotify or follow us on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiashow/ [https://www.instagram.com/aiashow/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581717263443 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581717263443] Music: Justin Jen Video Editor: Szewah Chin Social Producer: Karuna Shinsho Producers: Szewah Chin, Karuna Shinsho Exec Producers: Szewah Chin, Karuna Shinsho

From Alaska to New York — Actor Ariel Estrada, Champion for Asian American Artists

Growing up Filipino American in rural Alaska, Ariel Estrada learned early that he existed at the edges. Raised in a strict Asian household, he carried those pressures with him when he set his sights on New York's acting scene, only to find new walls waiting: class barriers, industry gatekeeping. Searching for empowerment, he spent twenty years inside a brutal martial arts cult before finding his way out — and his way forward. Today, Ariel is an actor, theater maker, producer, and the founder of Leviathan Lab, an award-winning nonprofit creative studio dedicated to advancing Asian and Asian American performing artists. In this episode, Ariel talks about the journey that shaped him and the community he built because he needed it to exist. Learn more about Ariel at: https://www.arielestrada.com/ [https://www.arielestrada.com/] Follow Leviathan Lab for upcoming shows, events or how to support them: https://www.instagram.com/leviathanlab/ [https://www.instagram.com/leviathanlab/] Subscribe to Asians in Art YouTube channel, Apple Podcast, Spotify or follow us on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiashow/ [https://www.instagram.com/aiashow/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581717263443 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581717263443] Music: Justin Jen Video Editor: Szewah Chin Social Producer: Karuna Shinsho Producers: Szewah Chin, Karuna Shinsho Exec Producers: Szewah Chin, Karuna Shinsho

Bonus: Tharanga on teaching, valuing her creativity and creative barriers

We couldn't fit everything into the main episode — so here's the bonus from the conversation where Tharanga Goonetilleke talks about her role as teacher, valuing her creativity and why issues should never have the final say on pushing artistic boundaries.

The Voice that Crosses Worlds — Tharanga Goonetilleke on Opera and the Meaning of Art

Tharanga Goonetilleke is one of opera's most distinctive voices — and one of its most thoughtful minds. We talk to her about her origins, the teachers who changed everything, taking her gift and passion to global audiences on stage, in TED talks and in classrooms, and a question that sits at the heart of art: what is the point of artistic expression? Artwork courtesy of Tharanga Goonetilleke Learn more about Tharanga at: https://www.tharangagoonetilleke.com [https://www.tharangagoonetilleke.com] Her music and TED Talks https://www.tharangagoonetilleke.com/listen [https://www.tharangagoonetilleke.com/listen] Her artwork https://www.tharangagoonetilleke.com/art-gallery [https://www.tharangagoonetilleke.com/art-gallery] Subscribe to our YouTube channel, Apple Podcast, Spotify or follow us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiashow/ [https://www.instagram.com/aiashow/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581717263443 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581717263443] Music: Justin Jen Video Editor: Szewah Chin Social Producer: Karuna Shinsho Producers: Szewah Chin, Karuna Shinsho Exec Producers: Szewah Chin, Karuna Shinsho