ACTING

THE GOOD PERSON OF SZECHWAN |
Cal Shakes

The supporting cast, including Anthony Fusco, Lily Tung Crystal, Monica Lin, Victor Talmadge, Dean Linnard, Phil Wong, J Jha, Margo Hall, and Sharon Shao are excellent and remarkably versatile in the many roles that they each play. - Berkeleyside

[Eric] Ting has assembled a star-studded creative team. The cast includes Bay Area favorites playing multiple roles…Versatile cast members include Anthony Fusco, Sharon Shao, Victor Talmadge, and Lily Tung Crystal, the founding artistic director of Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company. They all sing and dance, and many play instruments as well. - 48hills

SONGS OF THE DRAGONS FLYING TO HEAVEN | Crowded Fire

“Even when the dialogue is in Korean, Chinese or Japanese (the script calls for these few passages to be delivered in the actors' "native languages"), the lively mimetic work of Mimu Tsujimura, Lily Tung Crystal and Katie Chan - as Koreans 1, 2 and 3 - manages to keep most of the import clear.” - 48hills

“Curtain Calls: Year in Theatre— Most Inscrutable Triumvirate: Mimu Tsujimura, Lily Tung Crystal, and Katie Chan - (…) By turns violent, ecstatic, girlish, and demented, the eclectic trio played by Mimu Tsujimura, Lily Tung Crystal, and Katie Chan skewered every tradition-bound Asian stereotype in the book. […] the fiercely energetic characters expertly revealed themselves by not revealing a thing.“
- SF Bay Guardian

“Hostile and talky scenes between an obsessively angst-ridden young Caucasian couple (Alexis Papedo and Josh Schell) are woven throughout, in counterpoint to the often-ritualistic antics of a trio of Korean women (Mimu Tsujimura, Lily Tung Crystal and Katie Chan) in dazzling traditional gowns (costumes by Keiko Carreiro).” - SF Examiner

“Credit director Marissa Wolf, Crowded Fire’s artistic director, for somehow finding pockets of emotion amid the flying performance shrapnel, which includes an extraordinary pantomime among the Asian women – Im, Crystal, Mimu Tsujimura and Katie Chan – about gory, violent suicides (the one involving the newborn baby and the umbilical cord [done by Crystal] is extraordinary) that is set to Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You.’”
- Theater Dogs

HOMELAND |
Magic Theatre

“Rose’s brother Lincoln (Austin Ku), has his own romance with the gently sarcastic Tennessee (Jason Hoover) and faces up to the struggle of coming out to his mother—played with hilarious, often touching grace by Lily Tung […] a show this good is more than likely to be picked up and put onstage for a well-deserved long run.” - KQED

“Kuo has written a lovely musical that has romantic ballads, inspiring anthems and comic songs. […] Lily Tung is outstanding as the Korean mother […] She is marvelous in the comical number “Across America”—a highlight of the musical.”
- TalkinBroadway.com

“The magnetic mothers of Homeland exceed the challenge of stealing attention away from their attractive young co-stars […] Lily Tung is the dear heart of the show as mother Park […] Tung makes “Mommy” funny and wise, strong and lovable, fully earning the final moral word by the end of the night.” - Gay.com

CHINGLISH |
Portland Center Stage

“O’Connor’s blend of bluff salesman chutzpah and earnest little-boy-lostness, along with Chilip’s nuanced revelations of Xi Yan’s multiple motivations, form the solid and likable core of Center Stage’s production. Excellent support comes also from Lily Tung Crystal, Rachel Lu, and  Yuekun Wu.” - Oregon ArtsWatch

TOUGH TITTY |
Magic Theatre

“Carter, Cohen, Nattenberg and Lily Tung Crystal contribute chameleon-like cameos as [director Robert] O'Hara's stagings exert a stronger hold in the second act.” - SF Chronicle

“Adrian Roberts gives a powerhouse performance as husband Shaka. Jeri Lynn Cohen, Lily Tung Crystal and Edward Nattenberg play various roles effectively.” - Talkin’ Broadway

OVERNIGHT|
Ragged Wing

“A certain predictability in the situation and how it develops (economic, and implicit racial, collision between the poor is assuaged in the end by sentiment and class sympathy) is saved by the believability of the fumbling dialogue between these two souls, one at the bottom of the social heap, the other a hand’s breadth above it, and by the persuasive acting (special mention must go to Lily Tung Crystal, who is entirely convincing as the caretaker).”
- Synchronized Chaos

“A largely youthful cast performs admirably, led by mature veterans: Lily Tung Crystal as Liang, the cleaner; and Reginald Wilkins as Upper—that’s God to you.” - Theatrius

CRANE | Ferocious Lotus

“Lily Tung Crystal, plays both the grieving mother and doctor that looks after Sadako… She is always excellent especially as the mother in search of her fly away daughter. Crystal is stunning in both roles.”  - Vmedia

WHEN YOU COMIN’ BACK, RED RYDER | Next Stage

“As his girlfriend Cheryl, Lily Tung’s performance was fine and understated: we were constantly aware of her concern that this new […] boyfriend was too much to handle.” - KPFA Radio

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS | Broadway by the Bay

“Leave it to some Bay Area theater veterans—and a few newcomers—to put sparkle and zest into ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ […] Lily Tung Crystal’s small turn comes off very well.” - San Mateo County Times

CABARET | SF Playhouse

“Director Bill English has put a new spin on Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret […] The Kit Kat Boys and Girls—consisting of Laurie Nellesen, Rana Kangas-Kent, Lily Tung Crystal, Bobby Bryce, and Norman Munoz—are brilliantly bawdy and rambunctious.”
- TalkinBroadway.com

“[…] the Kit Kat girls, Laurie Nellesen, Rana Kangas-Kent, Lily Tung Crystal are great eye-candy. They dance up a storm under the choreography by Barbara Bernardo.”
- ForAllEvents

 

DIRECTING

THE HUMANS |
Park Square Theatre

With a realistic piece of visual art, you may know exactly what you’re looking at while admiring the way the artist conveyed it. If it’s abstract, you’re free to react with whatever emotions or ideas it inspires. Yet some art manages to be both, such as Park Square Theatre’s production of Stephen Karam’s The Humans… So call it a kind of theatrical Rorschach test, but the Park Square production is excellent…under the impeccably detailed direction of Lily Tung Crystal.”
- Pioneer Press

Director Lily Tung Crystal maintains a steady flow of the interactions, sometimes simultaneously on the apartment's two levels, capturing a family trying to nurture and express devotion for one another while striving to avoid opening past wounds and dodge forbidden topics… Park Square has given a shining, faultless staging to one of the best plays of the past decade, well worth seeing. - Talkin’ Broadway

This play about a typical family Thanksgiving dinner is devastating in its specificity, in its relatability, in its raw truth, and in the way it lays bare what it is to be human and part of a family. And therein lies its beauty…Lily Tung Crystal, the artistic director of Theater Mu, directs the play and brings out all of the emotions, humor, and awkwardness of the script; characters at times talk over each other (like people do), and at other times there's a prolonged tension-filled silence…The show cuts deep and is hard to shake upon leaving the theater. - Cherry and Spoon

THE KUNG FU ZOMBIES SAGA: SHAMAN WARRIOR & CANNIBALS |
Theater Mu

“The entire night of theater is a massive undertaking, and well-led by director Lily Tung Crystal.” - MPR News

“[Theater Mu] is currently premiering a very fun and ultimately touching theater piece quite unlike anything else seen on a local stage in recent years. The Kung Fu Zombies Saga… is a whimsical and campy romp, sending up several cinematic genres, including martial arts movies, zombie horror and the kind of quests with spiritual undertones that used to drive the “Star Wars” movies…Director Lily Tung Crystal deftly pulls off the tall task of blending the play’s varied missions and moods.”
- Pioneer Press

Lily Tung Crystal has harnessed every tool at her disposal to create a theatrical event unlike anything I’ve seen before and that fully realizes the ambitious script by Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay. - Stages of MN

CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND|
Jungle Theatre & Theater Mu

This is one of many arresting scenes in Lauren Yee's memory play, making its local premiere in a gripping Jungle Theater and Theater Mu co-production directed by Lily Tung Crystal… Five of the six actors play instruments, nimbly alternating between affecting drama and haunting rock 'n' roll in this summer must-see. - Star Tribune

One of the most acclaimed new plays of the past five years, it’s making its Twin Cities debut in a co-production of Theater Mu and the Jungle Theater, directed by Mu’s artistic director, Lily Tung Crystal…The performances are so strong that a play potentially difficult to watch becomes a compelling drama that demands to be seen… and heard.”
- Pioneer Press

To be cast in Cambodian Rock Band means being able to portray emotionally wrenching characters and, in alternating scenes, play and sing rock and roll with unbridled energy. Director Lily Tung Crystal has managed to assemble such a cast; they are hugely talented, imbedding both their music and their characterizations with passion…That this painfully remembered piece of history can be so adroitly depicted within the confines of a high-octane rock concert, pumping out exactly the kind of artistic freedom and energy that the Khmer Rouge attempted to erase from Cambodia, is a near miracle. I would like to interpret it as the triumph of art, youth and positivity over the darkness. Like the band's resurgence of life, Cambodian Rock Band is a triumph.
- Talkin’ Broadway

The play is well constructed in the way it weaves together timelines, locations, and realities…Credit must also be given to director Lily Tung Crystal for navigating the changing tones of comedy, drama, and musical performance in a way that feels both natural and surprising…This production combines the resources and audience of the Jungle Theater with Mu's incomparable skill and thoughtfulness in telling stories by and about the Asian and Asian American experience - a match made in theater heaven! - Cherry and Spoon

TWO MILE HOLLOW |
Ferocious Lotus

“Directed by Lily Tung Crystal, Two Mile Hollow has a feral sense of humor. Watching it feels like you have total access to the most deviant corners, the most wayward impulses of an artist’s mind.” - SF Gate

“It’s hard to single out any one member of the cast or crew, because they’re all genuinely exemplary. (…) All of this is done under the skillful guidance of Ferocious Lotus founder Lily Tung Crystal.” - The Thinking Man’s Idiot

“The show is one of four world premieres nationwide, produced by Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company and directed with great flair by Lily Tung Crystal, now running at Potrero Stage in San Francisco through July 15th. (…) The play is made up of so many moments where Tung Crystal’s direction squeezes out every ounce of laughter from the text, an all-out assault on the audience and their funny bones.” - Bay Area Plays

“Winkler creates a handful of stock characters, but her snappy writing, replete with literate dialog and references; supported by sizzling direction from Lily Tung Crystal; and delivered by an ensemble of actors that make the most out of their roles, results in a hilarious outcome.”
- For All Events

“Working on Randy Wong-Westrooke's tasteful unit set, with costumes by Kahleen Qiu and lighting designed by Kevin August Landesman, Two Mile Hollow has been directed with a great sense of comic timing by the Founding Artistic Director of Ferocious Lotus, Lily Tung Crystal.”
- My Cultural Landscape

PEERLESS | Theater Mu

“It’s a sparkling local directing debut for Tung Crystal, who admirably guides our slide from smile-inducing comic banter into a dark maelstrom of ambition run amok. If her skill in staging prove as strong as on peerless good things lie ahead for Theater Mu and its audiences.” - Pioneer Press

Lily Tung Crystal, who just last year took over the reins as artistic director of Theater Mu, directs her first production for the company with great success. She elicits fast-paced interactions between the characters that keep the audience drawn in to the narrative, and a spiraling sense of the absurdity of the twins' extreme ambition. She also effectively mines the play's barbed humor that skewers the way our society judges and ranks individuals, and how that system is gamed to give its scarce rewards to those at the very tip top. - Talkin’ Broadway

Director Lily Tung Crystal, the new head of Mu, handles her debut show in the Twin Cities well. She uses crossing patterns effectively, especially for Dirty Girl (Casey), the smoking, clairvoyant weirdo who haunts the twins. And Crystal draws some antic, funny performances from her cast. - Star Tribune

CHINGLISH | Palo Alto Players

“Director Lily Tung Crystal keeps the pace flowing, the laughs coming, and the twists and turns of the script highlighted by just the right mixture of comedic chaos and heart-touching singular moments.”
- Talkin’ Broadway

“Lily Tung Crystal’s direction is astute and Kuo-Hao Lo’s handsome, rotating scenic design, lit by Nick Kumamoto, helps maintain a crisp pace of action by minimizing shift time.” - Paul Myrvold’s Theatre Notes

“Lily Tung Crystal is making her directorial debut with this production, but she has appeared in the play elsewhere and lived in China for nearly a decade. Thus she directs with a sure hand and with respect for cultural aspects of the play. She also is fortunate to have a skilled cast in which all of the actors except Mahle as Daniel speak Mandarin.”
- Aisle Say

ALLEGIANCE | Contra Costa Civic Theatre

“The director, Lily Tung Crystal, has put together a cast of very talented Japanese Americans to tell the story in a way that accurately reflects the hardships, the songs and the culture of the 1940’s camps. ” - For All Events

“Director Lily Tung Crystal’s energetic cast belts out  twenty-five first-rate songs. She includes romantic ballads like “This Is Not Over”; robust anthems like “What Makes a Man” and “Resist”; and swing numbers like “Get in the Game.”” - Theatrius

“Directed by the award winning actor and singer Lily Tung Crystal, she has come full circle with this project after appearing in the early readings of the musical back in 2011. (…) Crystal has assembled an excellent Asian cast of the Bay Area’s best (…) Director Crystal’s seamlessly staged production moves well (…) this is an important powerhouse GO SEE fall musical to add to your list.”
- Vmedia