![]() pictured: Young Jadin Wong, Wally’s Daughter The First Chinese American Idol
JADIN WONG, A LOCAL AMERICAN dancer of exotic style and international acclaim, is today 94 years old and yearns to perform. Born in San Francisco, Calif., Jadin left home at 14 to pursue her passion--to become a New York Broadway performer and Hollywood film star. Her closest friend was her mother who gave her $40 and instructions to be honest and friendly to all people and who told her "don’t forget to write and stay in touch." On the occasion of her birthday, The United States House of Representatives with the Honorable Norman Mineta of California introduced Jadin, recognizing her contribution to the cultural enrichment of our country and that for many years she brightened the lives of all people all over the world with the variety and charm of her performances. Whether on screen or stage, whether in dance or comedy or drama she has always been a true professional, giving in each exciting performance a strong commitment to her profession, her heritage and her country no matter how large the crowd. Eddie Dowling, who worked many years as a Broadway producer/director/stage manager for the Schubert organization, which at that time owned and operated 17 theaters, married Jadin. Their marriage was the talk of the town and the subject of the writings of all the art-culture columnists in the world. Many hours of fun were spent at the Schubert estate especially when composer Oscar Hammerstein was writing South Pacific with Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin singing on the lawn. Jadin knew them all. She worked in Italy, France, Germany, England and other countries and received rave reviews. She wrote to her mother and her brother Wally with enthusiasm and excitement of being accepted as an artist by the European audiences. She possesses a rare, unique talent. Recently Jadin has been nominated as a future recipient of the artist award presented at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Jadin's loving brother Wally, a successful businessman, cares for her and her estate and has presented his daughter Jadin Wong, named after her aunt, to the world of entertainment to carry on the name for another generation. Jadin has strong ties with her brothers, nieces, nephews and grand nieces. Her talent agency clients are her children and myself and Patricia have been fortunate to be with Jadin and Wally for many, many exciting moments. A book is being written about her and Jadin will be featured just as a "Gypsy," "Hello Dolly," " Mame" and now, "Jadin." I, Richard Anthony Malone, had a wonderful experience of meeting Sister Joanna Chan who wrote, directed and produced, with the help of the Yangtze Repertory Theater company, "Forbidden City West," the story of the Chinese experience in the United States, centered around the life of Jadin Wong. Sister Chan successfully weaves the life story of Jadin Wong through the play and Sister Chan selected me whom she described as an "angel from heaven" to portray Eddie Dowling, the famed husband of Jadin. This month 17 sold-out performances were at the Theater For The New City on off-Broadway presented in Manhattan and Greg Frederick, Tom Berger, Brooklyn resident Terra Vetter, Ji Liang Wang, Debbie Wong, Annie Qian, Alan Lei Zhou, David Chien-Hui Shen, Yung-Ling Liu, Carl Hsu, Rachel Filsoof, Brooklyn resident Rachel Lin, Dari Gonzalez, Kyle Cheng, DeShen Cao, Sean Lin, HaoWen Wang, Aki Goto, Ruri Saito, Satomi Makida, Ashley Liang, Gloria Lai, Roy Flores along with myself, Brooklyn resident Richard Anthony Malone and many other outstanding performers and stage crew members will be remembered as the stars of the first production of this musical based on Jadin Wong's life. New and other productions of Jadin's life accomplishments and personality are in the wishful stage which gives intimations of a Broadway production and a Hollywood film. Much Success and long live Jadin! |