IStage Entertainment

01/09/2026

🎬 CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS — FUNDED SHORT FILM!
Time Circle Films, LLC and iStage Entertainment are officially looking for completed short film scripts centered on an AAPI pr***en girl (ages 11–13) — and yes, this project is moving into production this spring of 2026!
✨ If you have a story that deserves to be seen, this is your moment.
1. Scan the QR code in the final slide
2. Download and sign the submission release
3. Follow the submission steps in the slides to apply

12/21/2025

🎉✨ iStage Festival 2025 WRAPPED — OUR 5 YEAR ANNIVERSARY ✨🎉
We officially wrapped our 5th Annual iStage Festival, and WOW… what a celebration of talent, growth, and community this has been. 💫
🌟 Our young hosts absolutely SHINED, the Hollywood panel conversation was inspiring, real, and powerful, and the performances reminded us why we started iStage 5 years ago! This year’s showcases included:
🔥 fan-inspired K-Pop Demon Hunter SEQUEL
🧪 Cell Block Labubu 
🏝️ Bestie Island (parody of Love Island)
.
One of the most emotional highlights for us personally was a reunion of my very first acting students — seeing them back together on the same stage working together years later was a full-circle moment we’ll never forget. 🥹❤️
🙏 Huge thank you to our INCREDIBLE panelists:
✨ Justinian Huang 
✨ Luci Kwak 
✨ Esin Aydingoz 
Thank you for sharing your insight, honesty, and encouragement with the next generation of AAPI talents!
🙏 Thank you East West Players for supporting and uplifting our community and our kids with your theater and amazing crew!
🙏 Endless gratitude to our volunteer parents, iStage crew, art team, booth team, theater staff, and every single person behind the scenes who made this production possible ( , Jim Mora, , Hansen, .z.bennett…)!!
🙏 And of course — THANK YOU to all the parents and all the talents for trusting iStage and our Mr. Todd Lien. Your kids didn’t just perform — they owned the stage. They really shined in front of all the directors, writers, talent agents, family and friends!
❤️ After 5 years, iStage is beyond proud to continue being a bridge and platform for Asian American youth performers — and trust us… this is only the beginning.
🎬✨ 2026 is gonna be busy and exciting with all the new programming ahead!

 


12/06/2025

💥 Our THIRD iStage Festival 2025 Panelist is HERE — please welcome Luci Kwak!! 💥
Luci is the Emmy-winning Senior Producer behind one of the most streamed courtroom shows in the world, and a total force in Hollywood television. 🎬⚖️
With a career spanning hit reality, unscripted, and daytime TV, Luci is known for: Turning real-life stories into binge-worthy moments , Leading high-pressure productions with heart, Elevating AAPI voices in Hollywood, Creating content that MILLIONS watch daily!
This Sunday, she’s bringing all that insider wisdom straight to our young performers and filmmakers at iStage! 🌟

12/05/2025

🎶 Introducing our second iStage Festival 2025 Panelist: Esin Aydingoz!!

We are incredibly honored to welcome Esin — a Grammy-nominated composer, arranger, and conductor whose work has shaped some of the coolest music moments on TV and in film.
Esin is known for her standout music work on Netflix’s hit series “Wednesday”— from her viral, virtuosic cello arrangement of “Paint It Black” that soared to #1 on the Billboard Classical Charts, to co-writing the iconic “Nevermore Alma Mater” for Season 2. Esin has conducted beloved live-to-picture concerts for Coco, The Lion King, and La La Land!

Join us this Sunday to hear Esin share insider Hollywood knowledge on the world of music, composition, and arranging — a must for any young artist!

12/04/2025

📣 We are thrilled to introduce our first Hollywood Panelist for iStage Festival 2025 — Justinian Huang, movie executive and bestselling author!

iStage is honored to welcome Justinian as one of our VIP panelists this year. We are so thankful!! Our students and parents will get the rare opportunity to hear from a leading voice in the industry! And yes… he’s the executive behind the kids/fan-favorite film KPop Demon Hunters — a movie our iStage kids absolutely LOVE!
We can’t wait to put on a show for him this Sunday, 12/7, at the David Henry Hwang Theater at East West Players.

👏🏼 Come join us and hear inside knowledge of the entertainment industry from Justinian!

12/03/2025

Our 5th Annual iStage Festival 2025 is here — and it’s our FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY 🎉✨

🏆Award-Season theme + holiday vibes + the most talented AAPI kids in LA = a night you don’t want to miss.

📍 12/7 Sunday — David Henry Hwang Theater (East West Players)

🎟️ $20/ticket
Venmo -Lien | Zelle [email protected]

Featuring:
🔥 Defenders of Honmoon — the fan-inspired KPop Demon Hunter sequel
🌴 Bestie Island - Love Island… but make it kid-friendly
🐰 Cell Block LABUBU - inspired by Chicago the Musical
✨ And performances that will absolutely blow your mind.

Plus a Hollywood panel with Grammy nominee Esin Aydingoz , Emmy winner Luci Kwak , and movie exec/bestselling author Justinian Huang !!

Poster by

09/15/2025

🌟 Emmy Weekend Milestone 🌟
This weekend, iStage Entertainment proudly celebrated a huge moment for our talent Allen Deng , who voiced Kwai Jun Fan in Marvel’s What If…? — an episode nominated for two Emmys this year! ✨
Allen made his red carpet debut alongside our CEO & his manager, Todd Lien , walking among television’s brightest stars, giving interviews with Associated Press and NBC Today News, and even snapping a photo with soap legend Kate Linder. 💫
We are deeply grateful to our friend Quentin Lee for connecting us with two-time Emmy-winning producer Luci Kwak, four-time Emmy-nominated producer Genevieve Wong, and casting director Robin De Lano — whose generosity gave Allen and iStage our very first Emmy experience. 🙏
At just 12 years old, Allen is already making history for himself and for our community — and we couldn’t be prouder! ❤️

09/05/2025

🚨 TRAILER DROP!
12 Young Asian American Comics.
1 Hour.
Countless Laughs.
LA’s next generation is stepping into the spotlight! Born and raised in immigrant families, these comics are flipping the script, finding pride in their voices, and proving we belong on every stage.

🎤 iStage is producing the first-ever original standup special for kids, by kids. All 12 comics are Chinese American, growing up in LA’s immigrant communities—and now they’re taking the mic to own their stories.
In a time when immigrant voices are threatened, we’re building a safe, proud space for laughter, resilience, and identity.
👉 Watch. Share. Tag your favorite AAPI heroes + comics. Let’s get these voices heard.
Directed by:
Filmed/Edited by:
Produced by:
12 Talents: .k.huang .878 , Eric Dale, Eason Xue, Angela Gao, Lucus Liu, Vera Wong
Poster:
PD:
Gaffer:
PAs:

07/27/2025

🌟 HUGE NEWS!! 🌟
Congratulations to the whole team AND our incredible talent Allen Deng () — Allen voices Kwai Jun-Fan (a young Bruce Lee) in Marvel’s What If…? Season 3, Episode 6 (What if…1872?) on — the very episode that just received TWO Emmy nominations at the 77th Primetime Creative Arts Emmys (2025) , including Outstanding Sound Editing for an Animated Program! 🔥 An Emmy-worthy debut!!
Even cooler? He performs opposite Simu Liu (Shang-Chi). A powerful, intergenerational moment for Asian American representation, bringing our stories to the global stage.
Allen began his professional journey with iStage Entertainment in 2022. After a pitch by Mr. Todd Lien ( ), Allen booked this Marvel VO gig — his very first voiceover role — which led to him signing with DDO Kids ( ), one of Hollywood’s top talent agencies for kids! 🎉
Since then, Allen has been on fire:
🎬 Major commercials
🎭 Award-winning stage performances (Hollywood Fringe Festivals)
🏆 Multiple Best Child Actor awards for his short films
🎥 Booked his first feature film after joining SAG!
And now — this Emmy-nominated milestone!
At iStage Entertainment, we believe the future of authentic AAPI representation starts with the next generation. That’s why we focus on developing and championing Asian American kid talents. Allen is a shining example of that mission in action.
This isn’t just a win for Allen — it’s a defining moment for what iStage stands for: launching young AAPI talent into Emmy-nominated, franchise-level success while shaping the future of Hollywood. 💥
We’re SO proud to represent Allen as his talent manager— and this is just the beginning. Let’s gooo!! 🚀✨

07/25/2025

🎬✨ our CEO, Todd Lien is featured on AAMI S2, E3! Such a meaningful conversation with about his journey as a director, talent manager, and founder of iStage Entertainment. From producing stories like “Straight A” to mentoring the next generation of AAPI talents, Todd is passionate about creating space for authentic voices and representation in Hollywood. Grateful to be part of a platform that celebrates vulnerability, mentorship, and storytelling. Hope you’ll tune in and join the conversation 💙
IG:

07/14/2025