Announcing the First Project from Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD and Audible

Audible today announced a multi-project development and first look deal with award-winning actor, director, and producer Daniel Dae Kim. The collaboration kicks off with Yellow Face, an audio adaptation of David Henry Hwang’s play (Yellow Face) that will be produced by Audible Studios in collaboration with Daniel Dae Kim’s production company 3AD.

Addressing vital topics of race and the interaction between media and politics, Yellow Face begins with the 1990s controversy over color-blind casting for Miss Saigon before it spins into a comic fantasy, in which the character David Henry Hwang (DHH) pens a play in protest. Hwang then unwittingly casts a white actor as the Asian lead. Daniel Dae Kim is set to star as David Henry Hwang, with Leigh Silverman directing. Yellow Face will be produced under the aegis of Audible Theater, which makes outstanding performances and powerful storytelling available to millions of people all over the world. Additional titles under this deal are currently in development.

Daniel Dae Kim said: “I’ve been a fan of David Henry Hwang, Leigh Silverman and Audible’s for a very long time, so teaming up all together is something I’m truly excited by, especially to work on Yellow Face. It has always been a special play, and now to be able to bring it new life in an audio format represents an opportunity that’s both unique and innovative.”

Rachel Ghiazza, EVP and Head of US Content at Audible, said: “Daniel Dae Kim is a force. Audiences already know and love him as a powerful performer on stage and on screen, but he also advocates for marginalized people and is a champion of underrepresented voices - an incredibly important area of focus for Audible. Through our collaboration with Kim’s production company 3AD, we look forward to bringing diverse and thought-provoking stories to life.”

This collaboration joins Audible’s production and development deals with top industry creatives such as President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, Lena Waithe and Rishi Rajani’s Hillman Grad Productions, Laura Dern and Jayme Lemons’ Jaywalker Pictures, Queen Latifah’s Flavor Unit, Broadway Video Enterprises, Topic Studios, Treefort Media, Kevin Hart’s HartBeat Productions, Charlamagne tha God’s CTHAGOD World Productions, and The SpringHill Company, founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

Projects produced under this new deal will join a series of best-in-class Audible Originals including acclaimed releases like the #1 New York Times best-selling audio fiction The Sandman from Neil Gaiman, performed by James McAvoy, Kat Dennings and Michael Sheen; renowned music producer and performer Maejor’s Maejor Frequency, awarded “Best Podcast of the Year “by Adweek, and Leon Neyfakh’s Fiasco The Aids Crisis, named a “Best Podcast of 2022” by Variety and The New Yorker.