Timothy G. Dang (born August 4, 1958) is an American actor and theatre director originally from Hawaii of Asian origin. He served as the artistic director at the Asian American theatre company, East West Players (EWP), in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California until 2016.

Early life and education

Dang was born on August 4, 1958, in Honolulu, Hawaii to Peter You Fu and Eloise Yuk (née Ung) Dang.^[1] Of Chinese American descent,^[2] his father was an accountant at Shell Oil^[3] and his mother was a clerk for the local District Court of Honolulu.^[4] Tim had four older siblings:^[1] Peter, Stephen, Edwin, and Kathleen.^[3] Peter Dang died in January 1971 when Tim was 12.^[3]

Tim Dang attended St. Patrick School, a Catholic parochial school in Honolulu. Music and theatre were a large part of student life, and helped Dang to express himself. He then attended Saint Louis School, a college preparatory institution for boys.^[1] He was an excellent student, and was taking classes at the University of Hawaii while still in high school.^[5] Although he intended to major in math or science in college, Dang was more attracted to the theatre as a high school student. Although the expense was significant, his mother paid for him to take dancing, piano, and singing lessons so he could advance his dreams of being on stage.^[1]

Encouraged by his oldest brother, Peter, to attend a mainland college, Tim enrolled at the University of Southern California in the fall of 1976. A financial aid package covered most of his expenses. His first role in college was as a dancer in a production of Follies, and he was frequently cast in leading roles in plays at USC.^[1]

When he was a senior, Jack Rowe, a professor (and later associate dean and director of the BFA Acting program) at the USC School of Dramatic Arts,^[1] warned him that mainland film, television, and theatrical productions were not very inclusive, and he would have a tough time making a living as an actor. Rowe encouraged him to find work with the East West Players.^[1]

Tim Dang graduated with a bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre in 1980.^[5]

Career

After graduation, Dang became a member of East West Players. He paid $35 a month in dues, which allowed him to take acting classes with the troupe's founders and permitted him to audition for EWP productions. He waited table and appeared in television commercials to earn a living.^[1]

He became artistic director in 1993, succeeding Nobu McCarthy, guiding the company's transition from a small theatre company producing Equity 99-seat shows, to a mid-sized company in a 240-seat house in 1995. As a director, he has mounted productions at Singapore Repertory Theatre, Asian American Theater Company in San Francisco, Mark Taper Forum New Works Festival, Celebration Theatre, West Coast Ensemble, and the Perseverance Theatre in Juneau, Alaska. He has won numerous awards for directing and performing, including two Ovation Awards. He has served on the board of LA Stage Alliance.^[6]

In 2019, Dang was awarded the Visionary Award at EWP's annual gala for his contributions toward furthering API visibility in the industry.^[7]

Personal life

Even though Asians and Pacific Islanders make up the majority of the population in Hawaii, Dang saw very few Asian actors on film or television as a child. Seeing George Takei play Mr. Sulu on Star Trek impressed him, as Takei was one of the very few actors of Asian descent on TV. Dang later said that Takei became the role model for him and inspired his acting career.^[5]

Dang is married to Darrel Cummings, retired chief of staff at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.^[8]

Dang and Cummings have been important supporters of actor Wilson Cruz. When work was scarce for Cruz in 2002, Cummings (then with the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force) hired him to give him an income. During another lull in his career, Dang and Cummings took Cruz into their home. "You put a roof over my head, fed me, you kept me safe, in an act of generosity that I promise you I will never forget," Cruz said in 2022.^[8]

Filmography