Chil Kong
Chil Kong | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Nationality | Korean | ||
| Citizenship | South Korea | ||
| Occupation |
| ||
Chil Kong is a Korean-American producer, artistic director, director, actor, and educator. Currently the Consulting Producers on Nickelodeon's Bossy Bear and Artistic Director for Adventure Theatre MTC[1] in Glen Echo, Maryland. Also a member of Council of Korean-American[2]
Theatre
Artistic Director
Chil Kong is the current artistic director at Adventure Theatre MTC located in Glen Echo, Maryland. Residing back in his hometown in the DMV area, Chil Kong took on this role at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.
Chil Kong is currently producing over 2 hours of live theatrical digital presentations a week, including interviews, talkbacks, digital readings of new works, and creative panels with Tony Award-winning playwrights such as David Henry Hwang and Broadway stars like Merle Dandridge. He has helmed Adventure Theatre’s push into uncharted waters with creative digital events that preserve the live, “theatrical” element of theater.
Chil Kong began his Artistic Director experience in the mid-1990s, notably serving as the Co-Artistic Director of the Lodestone Theatre Ensemble[3] along side Philip W. Chung, in Los Angeles, California from 1999-2014.
A founder of this artistically relevant fiscally successful theatre company, Chil Kong led Lodestone Theatre Ensemble through 10 seasons over 14 years. In that time the company garnered rave reviews and multiple awards including the Best of Los Angeles Award and an award for Contribution to the Los Angeles Theatre Community. Through his work, Chil Kong inspired a generation of Lodestone alumni through workshops, new work development programs, and producer mentorships. He also built an active board of directors, transitioning them from an organizational oversight board to a motivated, fundraising board.
Chil’s contributions raised over one million dollars using an innovative combination of micro-campaigns, grants, personal networks, and highly entertaining events. He culminated in the development of over 20 new plays and over 10 different playwrights who have entered into the American and Asian American theater lexicon. Chil Kong oversaw a team of over 200 full-time and part-time employees and volunteers, set short and long-term team expectations, and encouraged passionate ownership from each and every member of the Lodestone family.
Director
Chil Kong expresses that his passion is to tell stories that represent the rich tapestry of the American experience while maintaining artistic excellence under impossible deadlines and budget restrictions. His vast directing experience has allowed that passion to come to fruition.
Chil Kong has directed a variety of productions, from classics such as West Side Story by Sondheim, Bernstein, and Laurents at Northwest AA Theatre and Suddenly, Last Summer by Tennessee Williams at Lodestone Theatre Ensemble, to world premieres The Mikado Project[4] by Ken Narasaki and Doris Baizley and A Dirty Secret Between the Toes by Annette Lee both at Lodestone Theatre Ensemble.
His success has brought him recognition from news sources such as the Los Angeles Times and the Seattle Times. Chil Kong also continues to educate others through masterclasses, workshops, and adjunct professor positions.
Film & TV
Producer
Chil Kong wears many hats, and along with his artistic direction, he found great success stepping into the role of producer. He spent two years producing for The Disney Channel in Burbank California. He assembled the creative team, which included Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde the Musical, Mean Girls the Musical) and Laurence O’Keefe (Legally Blonde the Musical, Heathers the Musical) to develop and pitch a live-action musical. Chil Kong also led the creative team through dramaturgical and creative feedback from the original pitch to the final script approval. This production is currently in development at The Disney Channel.
Educator
Chil Kong frequently places emphasis on teaching what he knows to aspiring artists in the industry. Teaching masterclasses, workshops, and serving as an adjunct professor at multiple institutions, Chil Kong aims to inspire and enlighten those entering the professional arts world.
As Chil’s career has grown, so have the types of classes he has taught. When performing was the focus of his life, Chil Kong taught a “Dancing with Power” workshop at the Boston Conservatory[5] in Boston, Massachusetts. There he led a class of students from the ballet dance program through a Martial Arts-based workshop on how to to use their CHI as a way to increase power and lift during performances. He also taught a “Musical Theater Master Class[6]” and “Acting for Beginners” at Northwest Asian American Theatre in Seattle, Washington. His work helped aspiring performers prepare their audition pieces and vocal technique as well as cultivated and encouraged artistic development within the Asian American community in Seattle.
Filmography[7]
Acting
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Pensacola: Wings of Gold | Policeman #1 | TV Series |
| 2005 | Lost | White Suit | TV Series |
| 2005 | Six Feet Under | Minister | TV Series |
| 2006 | Purity | Reverend Kim | TV Series |
| 2006 | Freddie | Sung | TV Series |
| 2006 | House | Morgue Tech | TV Series |
| 2007 | Freedom Writers | Store Owner | TV Series |
| 2007 | West 32nd | Detective Park | TV Series |
| 2008 | Screening Party | Barry | TV Movie |
| 2009 | Crossing Over | Chin Kim | TV Series |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Chen Wu | TV Series |
| 2010 | Private Practice | LAPD #1 | TV Series |
| 2010 | Pretty the Series | Security Guard #2 | TV Series |
| 2010 | The Homecoming Queen | Mr. Song | Short |
| 2011 | Too Big to Fail | Min Euoo Sung | TV Movie |
| 2011 | DisCONNECTED | Doctor | TV Movie |
| 2012 | The Defector | Junghee | Short |
| 2013 | The Surrogate | Dr. Ling | TV Movie |
| 2013 | End of the World | Father | Short |
| 2014 | Gang Related | Johnny Monk | TV Series |
| 2014 | The Gambler | Blackjack Dealer #1 | TV Series |
| 2015 | Destiny | Lewis | Short |
| 2016 | The Last Tour | Mr. Suh | TV Series |
| 2015-2016 | The Fifties | Peter Lee | TV Series |
| 2018 | Iron Fist | Henry Yip | TV Series |
| 2019 | Billions | Investor | TV Series |
| 2019 | American Gods | The Father | TV Series |
| 2020 | Antartica | Janet's Dad | TV Series |
References
- ↑ Halpern, Amy (2020-07-27). "Meet Chil Kong, artistic director of Adventure Theatre MTC". Bethesda Magazine. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ "Chil Kong, CKA Member | Council of Korean Americans". Council Korean Americans (CKA). Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ Brayton • •, Julie. "Theatre Ensemble Devoted to Asian-American Themes Closes". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ "AAIFF Films: 'The Mikado Project'". Hyphen Magazine. 2010-07-26. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ "New Artistic Director Takes the Reins of Adventure Theatre MTC". CultureSpotMC.com. 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ "Kong Named AD of Seattle's NW Asian American Theatre". Playbill. April 22, 1998. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
- ↑ "Rotten Tomatoes: Movies | TV Shows | Movie Trailers | Reviews - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2021-12-10.
External links
This article "Chil Kong" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.