Esther K. Chae

Esther K. Chae is an international award-winning actor/writer based in Los Angeles and New York. Her artistic work has been seen and heard in the US, Korea, Ireland, Australia, Canada and Russia. Her numerous credits as a performer include TV shows such as NCIS, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The West Wing, The Shield, ER ; and theatre stages such as Yale Repertory Theater, La Mama, Mark Taper Forum/ Kirk Douglas Theater, East West Players, P.S. 122 and Harvard/A.R.T. Chae's performances have been lauded as "talented" (Variety), "engaging" (Hollywood Reporter) - and may just "break your heart" (Asia Pacific Arts). Her life in Hollywood has been featured in the Korean Broadcasting Station (KBS) documentary. Her feature film script So The Arrow Flies, adapted from her solo performance of the same title, was a finalist for the prestigious 2008 KOFIC (Korean Film Council)'s competition. The stage play version of So The Arrow Flies - about a North Korean spy and the Korean American FBI Agent that chases her, - was first featured at New York's Estrogenius Festival in 2007 and East West Players' David Henry Hwang Theater in 2008. The performance garnered strong professional responses such as "flawless" (Channel 18 LA) "amazing and beautiful show" (David Henry Hwang), and "wonderful" (Charles Mee). Chae graduated from the Yale School of Drama with an MFA in Acting, University of Michigan with an MA in Theater Studies and Korea University. Believing strongly in the concept of inspirational education, Chae has taught and lectured at NYU's Tisch Performance Studies, Yale School of Drama, USC, University of Baltimore, Maryland and Cal State San Marcos. She will also speak at the 2008 International Women's World Forum (Seoul) on "Women in Media." She is a certified stage combatant, trained in Korean Drum and Mask dance and proud to have trekked the Himalayan mountains (India, 1400m) - despite the altitude sickness.