2NE1’s ‘Biggest Fan’ Robert Kuang Opens ‘The Piano,’ A Play About A Chinese-Jewish Family Exploring What It Means To Be American [EXCLUSIVE]

Robert Kuang was two passions: playwriting and 2NE1. He spoke exclusively to KpopStarz about his debut show, "The Piano," which explores the cultural tensions in a Chinese-Jewish family living in America, and why promoting Asian culture is so important.

KpopStarz writer Robert Kuang has loved 2NE1 "ever since the day that they debuted." Though he can't quite recall how he discovered them, he gives CL, Minzy, Dara, and Bom credit for getting him hooked on K-pop - and now is one of their biggest fans.

"[K-pop] is one of the few Asian trends that is catching on in America, and this happens very rarely with Asian pop artists. I feel like I'm attached to K-pop because I want to support movements that put Asians in the mainstream public," Robert Kuang, 26, told KpopStarz exclusively.

Kuang has become part of that movement with "The Piano," which tells the story of a mixed Asian-American family. When Julia's (Jo Yang) husband passes away, she is forced to move in with her daughter Nancy (Karen Lee). This causes marital tension between Nancy and her Jewish husband (Richard Welton) and strains her relationship with her piano-loving daughter, Shine-Shine (Jessica Anne Cox).

All four family members are "different from each other in terms of age, culture, and race and this is where the conflict of the play comes from," Kuang said.

"It deals with the multiculturalism of America today and how we adapt to it and how we identify with it," he added.

With the help of friends, family, and a successful Kickstarter project with 43 backers and over $3,200 pledged, "The Piano" is now running for its second and last week after three years in the making.

In many ways, Kuang describes the play as autobiographical: he studied piano for ten years, his grandfather passed away recently, and his mother is Chinese.

"Originally 'The Piano' started with me exploring the definition of family, what is a family, what does it mean to have family members, and how much do they define who we are?" Kuang said.

"But now it's starting to feel like a play that deserves more attention because it's very diverse and it sheds light on a community that doesn't have as much attention in the entertainment or theater business. It's more than just a personal story now - it's more like a statement," he continued.

Not only does "The Piano" feature an interracial family with Chinese, Jewish, and biracial characters, but the lead roles belong to three women.

"They're women of color and women of a certain age, which is also uncommon. It wasn't my intention to go against the grain but this isn't something you see on Broadway or off-Broadway," Kuang added.

After this weekend's shows, Kuang wants to take a long-awaited break and "do nothing at all." But trust that this won't be the last you hear of him.

"I'm looking at grant writing to get funding to put up the show again in another capacity. I want to continue to talk to Asian-American artists that I respect in New York so that I can be inspired by their hard work. It takes learning from people who are better and wiser than me," Kuang said humbly.

Above all, as a staunch supporter of diversity in the arts, Kuang hopes that other Asian-Americans will come see "The Piano" because it represents a demographic that isn't often featured in the media.

"The Piano" is now playing at Theater for the New City on Thursday, October 2, Friday, October 3, and Saturday, October 4 at 7:00pm. Tickets can be bought here.