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I’m totally in love with my next guest, Lydia Gaston. She co-stars with Jo Koy in the new hit film, Easter Sunday. I was grateful Lydia took time out of her very busy schedule to discuss her incredible journey as a dancer in the Philippines to Broadway.

As a huge Broadway fan, this was a fascinating look behind the scenes from the 70s to present day. Lydia has been seen in The Sopranos(HBO), The Blacklist (NBC), The Path (HULU), and as a fictional 2020 presidential candidate on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Her Broadway credits include The King and I, Miss Saigon, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Shogun and The Red Shoes.

She is developing a solo theatre piece Her Mother’s Daughter, a tribute to her mother, Lydia Madarang Gaston, her first dance teacher and mentor. I am truly moved by her love for her mother and cannot wait to see this production.

My favor as usual is to please continue to share this podcast with others. It would mean so much if you also rate it and leave me feedback. If you would like to help keep this podcast going and support the work I do, visit my website or Patreon.com/sifumimichan to become a patron of the show.

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Now On with the show.

Discussed in this episode:

Easter Sunday
Jo Koy
West Side Story
Ballet Philippines
Broadway

ABOUT LYDIA
Lydia Gaston plays “Tita Susan,” Jokoy’s indomitable mom in the movie, Easter Sunday.
Lydia was born in New York City and grew up in Negros Occidental, Philippines. She later returned to New York to pursue a dance career before turning to acting. She has been seen in The Sopranos(HBO), The Blacklist (NBC), The Path (HULU), and as a fictional 2020 presidential candidate on Late Night with Seth Meyers. Her Broadway credits include The King and I revival at Lincoln Center, 2016, and as “Lady Thiang” in the 1996 revival starring Lou Diamond Phillips and Donna Murphy. She was in the cast of Miss Saigon with Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce; a featured dancer in Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, Shogun and The Red Shoes. Off-Broadway at The Public Theater, she was in Jessica Hagedorn’s Dogeaters, and was a member of the 2008 Shakespeare Lab. Lydia created iconic roles with Ma-Yi Theater Group, National Asian American Theatre Company and Pan Asian Rep. She has been in several comedic roles, including “Mrs. Li” in A Deal by Zhu Yi, at Urban Stages NY and as “Angelina/Ruth” in Rachel Lampert’s play Precious Nonsense, a Gilbert and Sullivan mash-up.

Lydia’s early performing career began as a professional dancer with Ballet Philippines in Manila, at age sixteen. She is developing a solo theatre piece Her Mother’s Daughter, a tribute to her mother, Lydia Madarang Gaston, her first dance teacher and mentor.

THE SIFU MIMI CHAN SHOW CREDITS Host: Mimi Chan Intro Music: Mike Relm

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