{{Infobox person |name = Desdemona Chiang |birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date |37 |2017|October |8}}{{r|somers}} |birth_place = Taipei, Taiwan |death_date = |death_place = |education = University of California, Berkeley {{small|(BA)}}<br>University of Washington, Seattle {{small|(MFA)}} }} '''Desdemona Chiang''' is a Taiwan-born American theatre director, and co-artistic director of Azeotrope in Seattle, Washington. Her directing credits include the Guthrie Theater, Alley Theatre, South Coast Repertory, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, Playmakers Repertory Company, and ACT Theatre. She directs in a variety of genres, including Shakespeare, new plays, and musicals.
== Early life == Chiang was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and immigrated to California in the United States when she was three years old.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vilcek.org/news/current-news/past-news/desdemona-chiang-the-lost-generation.html|title=Desdemona Chiang: The Lost Generation|website=The Vilcek Foundation|access-date=2018-07-01}}</ref> She attended the University of California, Berkeley to study pre-medicine. She became interested in the theatre after taking an introduction to acting class, and graduated with a double major in Biology and Theatre. In 2009, she earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre Directing at the University of Washington School of Drama.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nhregister.com/entertainment/article/Biology-major-Chiang-director-of-Smart-11314850.php|title=Biology major Chiang, director of 'Smart People' at Long Wharf, won over by arts|work=New Haven Register|access-date=2018-07-01}}</ref>{{r|somers}}
== Career ==
In 2010, Chiang co-founded Azeotrope with her graduate school colleague Richard Nguyen Sloniker, to create theatre focused on stories about invisible and marginalized people. Their production, ''Sound'' by Don Nguyen, was a bilingual show performed in American Sign Language and spoken English, and featured a mixed ensemble of deaf and hearing actors.<ref name=somers>{{Cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/theater/desdemona-chiangs-theater-directing-spans-genres-and-geographies/ |last=Somers | first=Dusty |title=Desdemona Chiang's theater directing spans genres and geographies|date=2017-10-04|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en-US}}</ref> Chiang co-directed with Seattle-based deaf actor Howie Seago.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.cityartsmagazine.com/she-s-boss/|title=She's the Boss - City Arts Magazine|date=2016-04-22|work=City Arts Magazine|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/theater/cochlear-controversy-dramatized-in-sound/|title=Cochlear controversy dramatized in 'Sound'|date=2015-09-10|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en-US}}</ref>
Some of Chiang's productions include a re-imagined ''The Winter's Tale'' at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival set in Dynastic China and New World America featuring an Asian American and multicultural cast,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://mailtribune.com/news/top-stories/-winter-s-tale-spans-continents-and-emotions|title='Winter's Tale' spans continents and emotions|last=Group|first=Sinclair Broadcast|work=Mail Tribune|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en-US}}</ref> ''As You Like It'' at California Shakespeare Theater where the forest of Arden is transformed into an urban jungle,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/13336586/cal-shakes-as-you-like-it-evokes-ghost-ship-and-tent-cities|title=Cal Shakes' 'As You Like It' Evokes Ghost Ship and Tent Cities|date=2017-06-02|work=KQED|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en-us}}</ref> and a modern-day setting of ''The Crucible'' at PlayMakers Repertory Company.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://triangleartsandentertainment.org/2016/10/the-crucible-at-prc-is-arthur-millers-cautionary-tale-about-the-salem-witch-trials-rush-to-judgment/|title=The Crucible at PlayMakers Rep Is Arthur Miller's Cautionary Tale About the Salem Witch Trials' Rush to Judgment {{!}} Triangle Arts and Entertainment|date=2016-10-19|work=Triangle Arts and Entertainment|access-date=2018-07-01|language=en-US}}</ref> She has also directed at numerous regional theatres across America, including the Alley Theatre in Houston, Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, and South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, CA.
In 2016, Chiang received the Vilcek Foundation's Award for Creative Promise in Theatre.<ref name=vilcek>{{Cite news|url=https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/02/04/blanka-zizka-of-wilma-theater-wins-100000-vilcek-prize/|title=Blanka Zizka of Wilma Theater Wins $100,000 Vilcek Prize|last=Barone|first=Joshua|work=ArtsBeat|date=4 February 2016 |access-date=2018-07-01|language=en}}</ref>
== Awards and nominations ==
* 2011 and 2020 Drama League TV/Film Fellowships<ref>{{cite web | website=Drama League | title=Drama League Fellowship Alumni | date=24 March 2021 | url=https://dramaleague.org/alumni/ | access-date=February 6, 2022}}</ref> *2019 Princess Grace Award - ''Robert and Gloria Hausman Theater Honor''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pgfusa.org/2019-award-winners/|title=2019 Award Winners|website=Princess Grace Foundation-USA|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-19}}</ref> *2016 Vilcek Award for Creative Promise in Theatre{{r|vilcek}} * 2016 Gregory Award for Outstanding Direction - ''Constellations''<ref>{{cite news | newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/Seattle-s-stars-come-out-for-Gregory-Awards-10233041.php#photo-11613605 | date=October 24, 2016 | last=Hindsley | first=Grant | title=Seattle's stars come out for Gregory Awards | access-date=February 6, 2022}}</ref> * 2015 Gregory Award for Outstanding Direction - ''Measure for Measure''<ref>{{cite web | website=Gregory Awards | url=http://www.gregoryawards.org/2015/nominees | title=The Gregory Awards | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151202101933/http://www.gregoryawards.org/2015/nominees | archive-date=December 2, 2015 | access-date=February 6, 2022}}</ref> * SDC Sir John Gielgud Fellowship in Classical Theatre<ref>{{cite web | title=2017-2018 Fellows | website=Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation | url=https://sdcfoundation.org/opportunities/fellowships/2017-2018-fellows/ | access-date=February 6, 2022 | quote=Past recipients include Chika Ike, Tlaloc Rivas, Tyne Rafaeli, Desdemona Chiang, Elyzabeth Gorman, Saheem Ali, and Susanna Gellert.}}</ref> * 2012 Gregory Award for Outstanding Direction - ''Jesus Hopped the A Train''<ref>{{cite news | title=Gregory Awards honor Seattle theater community | newspaper=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date=October 12, 2020 | url=https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/finearts/slideshow/Gregory-Awards-honor-Seattle-theater-community-51561.php | access-date=February 6, 2022}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiang, Desdemona}} Category:Chinese-American culture in Seattle Category:American women theatre directors Category:American theatre directors of Chinese descent Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:University of Washington School of Drama alumni Category:UC Berkeley College of Letters and Science alumni