Henry Ong

Henry Ong (November 23, 1949 – September 29, 2018 ) was an internationally produced playwright whose works have been produced at the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego; Singapore Repertory Theatre; Latchmere Theatre, London; and Company of Angels, Los Angeles. His fully produced plays include The Blade of Jealousy, Sweet Karma, Fabric, Legend of the White Snake, People Like Me, and Madame Mao's Memories. His other completed works include Ascent (expanded from a short play, "The Silkworm Scientist"), Rachel Ray, Nina Balatka, and The Masseur.

Early life

Born in Malaysia in 1949, Ong attended school in Singapore before migrating to the United States to attend Iowa State University.

Works Ong was a 16-time recipient of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-Residence grants. He has worked on many oral history projects in several underserved communities—notably Asian American—resulting in presentation of stories not often portrayed in mainstream media. These include Chinese American Stories, Thai American Stories, Pinoy Stories, and Sikh American Stories, among others.

In 1998, Ong received a DramaLogue Award for Excellence in Writing for his play, People Like Me. In 2014, he was recognized with the Lee Melville award by Playwrights' Arena for Outstanding Contribution to Theater in Los Angeles. in 2018, he was awarded the Dean's Arts and Humanities Award from College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University, in recognition of distinguished alumni who have enhanced appreciation of the arts and humanities at the local, state, national or international level. Ong was an Active Member of the Dramatist Guild.

Death

Ong died on September 29, 2018, in Los Angeles, California.

Playwriting credits Full-length plays Madame Mao's Memories, Theatre/Theater, Los Angeles (1989); Latchmere Theatre, London (1990); TheatreWorks, Singapore (1991); Edinburgh Festival (1993); Old Globe Theatre, San Diego (1994) Odd Birds (book of musical), Los Angeles Theatre Center (1999) The Old Lady Who Popped Out of the Sidewalk and Became a Christmas Tree, Theatre East (2006) The Blade of Jealousy, Whitefire Theatre (2018). Inspired by Tirso de Molina's La Celosa De Sí Misma (Jealous of Herself), translated by Harley Erdman. Ascent, Plain Wood Productions at Skylight Theatre (2026).

One-acts and short plays

One acts:

Letters of Wei Jingsheng Ocean Park Branch Library (1997) Voices of Hiroshima, Faith United Methodist Church, (1999); West. Los Angeles United Methodist Church (1997) The Silkworm Scientist, LA History Project, Los Angeles Theatre Center (2001)

Short plays include: Winter; The Valley of the Bones; Legit; Writing Workshops for Youth, David Geffen Center (Jul-Aug 96), South Gate High School (1996), American Youth Foundation (1995) Monologue Writing, TheatreWorks, Singapore, (1992)

Published plays and books

Madame Mao's Memories, Three Continents Press < People Like Me, Norman Maine Publishing Uncle Yankee, Yellow Chrysanthemum Press

Screenplays

China Boy, The Body Perfect, Tara

Awards

Dean's Arts and Humanities Award, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Iowa State University (2018) Lee Melville Award (Outstanding Contribution to Theater in LA) Playwrights' Arena (2014) Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-residence grants (16 time recipient) DramaLogue Award for Excellence in Writing – "People Like Me" (1998)