Tom X. Chao

Tom X. Chao
OccupationPlaywright, writer, actor, musician
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
New York University
Notable worksCats Can See the Devil
Website
tomxchao.com

Tom X. Chao is a comedic playwright, actor, and musician based in New York City whose works have been produced in the United States and Canada. Chao regularly stars in his own work, usually playing an unflattering autobiographical character named "Tom." During the 1990s, Chao was a member of New York City's Art Stars alternative performance scene, and The New York Times called him "a dryly funny downtown comedian,"[1] and Time Out New York labeled him a "hilariously angsty writer-performer."[2] He is best known for his play Cats Can See the Devil, which appears in Plays and Playwrights 2004.

In 2016, Chao began collaborating with award-winning[3] playwright-performer Kim Katzberg on a full-length show entitled Hot for Feminist Theory Professor. In June–July 2017, the duo performed a 40-minute excerpt at the This Is Not Normal festival of The Brick Theater, Brooklyn, NY.[4][5]

On November 17, 2023, Chao released "It's Too Early to Celebrate Christmas," a holiday-themed song, via all major streaming platforms. Mixed by Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording, Williamsburg, NYC.[6] This single was followed up with 3 more songs to complete the 4-song EP, "Statement of Intent," released on February 29, 2024.

  1. ^ McKinley, Jesse (July 9, 2004). "The Festivals Come Thick, Fast and Wild". The New York Times. No. July 9, 2004.
  2. ^ "2xTXC". Time Out New York. No. January 25-February 1, 2001.
  3. ^ "And the It Award Goes To..." www.nyitawards.com/news/2016/9/27/2016Recipients.
  4. ^ Malin, Ed. "Review: Great Feminism Survives In Absurdity". Theater in the Now. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  5. ^ McGovern, Adam. "THIS: Out of Many". HiLoBrow.com. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  6. ^ Chao, Tom. "It's Too Early to Celebrate Christmas". Bandcamp. Retrieved December 6, 2023.