named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Felix Starro
World premiere musical by Jessica Hagedorn and Fabian Obispo, exploring faith, family, and the undocumented immigrant experience through the story of a Filipino faith healer and his grandson in San Francisco.
Ma-Yi Studios
Digital content initiative launched during the pandemic to employ Asian American artists, producing short films, digital readings, and performance pieces such as Sophocles in Staten Island and Pinoy Street Dancers.
Short Stacks Playfestival
Program showcasing new works by emerging Asian American playwrights through staged readings and performances.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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New Play Development Programs 2 activities
- Management of the Playground Series workshop programOrganizes and hosts an 8-week in-person workshop program in Midtown Manhattan for 8 playwrights, 2 directors, and 6 actors, meeting weekly to develop new works, with new playwrights accepted annually into the series.
- Operation of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab for Asian American playwrightsRuns the Ma-Yi Writers Lab, established in 2004, as a permanent peer-based workshop and the largest resident company of Asian American playwrights in the U.S., providing resources for playwrights to develop new works through experimentation and creative risk-taking independent of external funding.
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Offering of youth theater and playwriting workshopsProvides theater and playwriting workshops for teens and students, including acting, movement, improv, and creative exercises led by professional artists, and presents performance sharings of new plays written by emerging playwrights.
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Professional Theatrical Production 1 activity
- Production and staging of new plays and musicals by Asian American artistsProduces and presents new plays and musicals by Asian American playwrights, including off-Broadway and world premieres such as "Felix Starro," "Suicide Forest," "Teenage Dick," and "The Chinese Lady," contributing to national discourse on Asian American identity. Recent productions include collaborations with venues like The Bushwick Starr and SoHo Rep, and co-productions such as "SUMO" with La Jolla Playhouse.
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Professional Audio/Video Production Services 1 activity
- Provision of theater space and technical support for artistsOffers studio rentals with technical assistance, including a dedicated technician for setup and equipment use, and transformed rehearsal space into a video production studio during the pandemic to support artists in producing high-quality 4K digital content.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.44M
Contributions & grants$1.00M69%
Program service revenue$312K22%
Investment income$131K9%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.92M
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$1.01M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.79M
Cash$228K
Investments$1.38M
Liabilities$149K
Net assets$1.65M
Liquid reserves10.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +47.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 10
- CHRISTOPHER CHORENGAL — Treasurer
- Christina Osmena — Director
- Corrie Davidson — Director
- Edwin Josue — Director
- GEORGE MARTEL — Director
- JESSICA DOSCH — Director
- JORGE Z ORTOLL — Secretary
- JUSTIN LIM — Director
- Ralph Pena — ARTISTIC DIRECT
- William A Cook — Chairman
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Arena Stage Partner — Regional theater partner where Ma-Yi-affiliated artists have worked on shared projects.
- Bushwick Starr Partner — Collaborated with Ma-Yi Theater Company on the encore run of Suicide Forest.
- Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival Partner — Co-produced short films _Sophocles in Staten Island_ and _Vancouver_ with Ma-Yi Studios.
- Coalition of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) Coalition — Jorge Z. Ortoll is one of the seven founders of CAATA, established in 2004.
- Folger Theatre Partner — Collaborative relationship evidenced by shared productions and creative personnel.
- Fred Astaire Ballroom at Houghton Hall Arts Community Partner — Hosts Playwriting Workshop performance sharings at its venue.
- La Jolla Playhouse Partner — Co-produced the play SUMO with Ma-Yi Theater Company in fall 2023.
- La Jolla Playhouse Partner — Collaborative relationship evidenced by shared productions of works developed with Ma-Yi artists.
- Lark New Play Development Center Partner — Model for the Playground program at Ma-Yi Theater Company
- NEA Partner — Collaborated with the NEA through the TCG/NEA residency program to found the Ma-Yi Writers Lab in 2004.
- Sarah Hanlon Partner — Contact person for rental inquiries and rate information for non-profits and independent artists.
- SoHo Rep. Partner — Co-presented the New York premiere of Hansol Jung's Wolf Play in March 2020.
- TCG Partner — Collaborated with TCG through the TCG/NEA residency program to found the Ma-Yi Writers Lab in 2004.
- The Bushwick Starr Partner — Co-presented the off-Broadway transfer of "Suicide Forest" at their venue in Brooklyn.
- The Public Theater Partner — Collaborative relationship evidenced by shared productions and creative personnel.
- WP Theater Partner — Collaborated with Ma-Yi on the digital reading of _Final Boarding Call_.
- colleague theaters across the city Partner — Collaborates with other theaters in New York City to provide shared offers and programming.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Centered Artistic Practicemethodology: community_centered_artistic_practiceBy grounding artistic creation in community context, the organization ensures local relevance while maintaining global resonance, because art that emerges from lived experience fosters deeper engagement and authenticity.
- Culture-Centered Programming for Artist Developmentmethodology: culture-centered_programmingBy centering Asian American cultural specificity in programming, the organization supports underrepresented artists and strengthens community relevance, because culturally rooted practices foster belonging, creative risk-taking, and authentic storytelling that broader frameworks may suppress.
- Experiential Youth Development Through Creative Playmethodology: creative-exercise-based_youth_developmentBy using acting, movement, and creative games in workshops, the organization builds teen confidence and collaboration skills, because embodied, low-pressure artistic exercises foster self-expression more effectively than traditional instruction.
- Playwright-Centered Development Modelmethodology: playwright-led_developmentBy placing playwrights in full creative control of staging and feedback during development, the organization fosters artistic ownership and growth, because empowering creators to lead their own process deepens experimentation and strengthens voice.
- Production as Opportunity Creationmethodology: production-over-developmentBy fully producing plays rather than keeping them in development, the organization generates tangible career opportunities for Asian American artists, because staging works—not just developing them—provides visibility, professional experience, and industry access that are otherwise structurally denied.