Ernest Abuba

Ernest Abuba (August 25, 1947 – June 21, 2022) was a Filipino-American actor, playwright, director and co-founder of the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre.[1] He appeared on stage and on film, with more than one hundred stage appearances.[2]

Ernest Abuba
Born(1947-08-25)August 25, 1947
Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
DiedJune 21, 2022(2022-06-21) (aged 74)
New York City, U.S.
SpouseTisa Chang (divorced)
Children1

Early life

Born in Honolulu, Abuba was raised in San Diego and Texas.[3]

Career

Abuba received an Obie Award in 1983 for his portrayal of Kenji Kadota in Yellow Fever.[4] His Broadway credits include: Pacific Overtures, Loose Ends, Zoya's Apartment, and Lincoln Center Theatre's The Oldest Boy, which was his final Broadway role. Among the highlights of his long Off-Broadway career is that he was the first Asian-American in the role of Sakini in Teahouse of the August Moon, and the first Asian-American as MacBeth in Shogun Macbeth. On screen he was known for 12 Monkeys, Call Me, Forever Lulu and many more roles.[2] As a playwright, he was known for 2013's Dojoji.[5]

Abuba was on the theatre faculty at Sarah Lawrence College.[1]

Personal life

Abuba and Tisa Chang married in 1976 and had one son before divorcing.[6] Abuba died in New York City on June 21, 2022.[7]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1986 Forever, Lulu Mugger #1
1988 Call Me Boss
1990 King of New York King Tito
1992 Article 99 Ikiro Tenabe
1995 12 Monkeys Engineer
1997 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark The King
1997 Tuff Luk Klub Red's butler Also associate producer

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1976 Pacific Overtures Samurai / Adams / Noble Television film
1986 Adderly Col. Doc Thieu Episode: "Adderly with Eggroll"
1990 The Cosby Show George Parker Episode: "Getting the Story"
1990 Vestige of Honor Thai Official Television film
1991 Counterstrike Chang Episode: "Night of the Black Moon"
1992 Ghostwriter Karate Instructor Episode: "To Catch a Creep: Part 3"
1993 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Tan 3 episodes
1995 New York News Dr. Yamagucci Episode: "A Question of Truth"
1996–1997 New York Undercover Sonny Fung 3 episodes

References
  1. Ang, Walter (2018-11-08). "Pan Asian Rep honors Fil-Am actor-director-playwright". Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  2. Rabinowitz, Chloe (2022-06-21). "Pan Asian Repertory Theatre Announces Passing of Founding Member Ernest Abuba". Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  3. Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Pan Asian Repertory Theatre Announces Passing of Founding Member Ernest Abuba". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  4. "Ernest Abuba to be King of La MaMa's Lier Rex, Sept. 24-Oct. 11". Playbill. 1998-09-24.
  5. Rocco, Claudia La (2013-05-27). "Now Resurfacing, the Myth of the Serpent Scorned". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  6. "Tisa Chang Married Here to Ernest Abuba". The New York Times. 1976-01-26. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-07-01.
  7. "In Memoriam, Summer 2022". SAG-AFTRA. p. 60. Retrieved 11 August 2022.


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