The next interview in our stagey chat series is with Ben Armstrong. Ben is the founder of RepresentAsian. RepresentAsian is back at the Lyric Theatre in London on 9th November.
Hi Ben, how are you doing today? Thanks so much for chatting to Stage to Page! Would you mind introducing yourself to our readers and telling us how you first got into the industry?
I’m great, thanks. Currently on a beach in Mexico, enjoying some light rest before we commence with rehearsals for RepresentAsian! Of course; my name is Ben Armstrong, and I founded RepresentAsian in 2021. Prior to now, I trained as an actor and had a brief career as a musical theatre performer, before I transitioned into casting in early 2024. From a young age, I was always fascinated by the performing arts, and knew that I would form a career, in some way, shape, or form, in the arts.
You founded the incredible RepresentAsian back in 2021. Can you tell us about the ongoing iteration of events and the purpose behind the initiative?
In September 2021, I was two months out of graduating from the Royal Academy of Music and began to audition as an actor. More often than not, I found myself being the only brown person in the room, and never truly felt like I saw a space for people like me in the industry.
So, I decided to host a one-night concert for Asian performers to claim their space on stage, perform material that resonated with their authentic selves, and show an audience that casting doesn’t need to be limited to tropes, or through the lens of a Western eye. Asians can play a range of characters and have the talent to back it up. Since our first event, the demand for the show has quantified massively. The industry is slowly waking up to the idea that our stages should reflect the world that we live in, and more performers and creatives have an abundance of pride to celebrate their authentic selves. Our show has since transitioned into a fundraiser to create scholarships for The Boury Academy, to allow young Asian kids to receive arts training, and further diversify our talent pools.
You're both the founder and casting director of RepresentAsian. How do you go about choosing the line-up for each iteration, and how do you set each one apart from the rest?
Over the years, I’ve had the fortune of getting to know lots of people from the Asian community, and there are always folk who I think would be perfect ambassadors for the brand. It’s always important for me to showcase new talent, and give opportunity to those who haven’t yet had their “break”, so to speak. I also like to have a range of experiences in the company, because there’s so much that we can learn from each other, and can support one another. In our last event, our host, Nina, said that if she had something like this when she was younger, her career might have been different. We never stop needing to be seen, feel heard, and supported by our community. Each show always feels inherently different, but this is specifically down to the fact that each performer has a unique story to tell, and we provide a space for those stories to be heard.
My blog is called Stage to Page. But if you could turn any book, from page to stage, what would it be and why?
Great question! I would love to see an adaptation of “The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida” by Shehan Karunatilaka. It’s a beautiful Sri Lankan story, with magic, mystical qualities,
And finally, why should people book tickets to see RepresentAsian?
Your ticket actively goes towards providing scholarships for young Asian kids to train in the arts, so you are literally changing someone’s life by purchasing a ticket. Also, it’s going to be an eclectic night of musical theatre, pop, hilarious anecdotes and moving conversation. It is not a night to be missed. I look forward to seeing you there. P.S. You will get a free Dishoom Chai on arrival… What’s not to miss!
You can book tickets to RepresentAsian on 9th November 2026 here.
No comments