Tom X. Chao: Biography and Background

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," and Time Out New York labeled him a "hilariously angsty writer-performer." 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 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.

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. This single was followed up with 3 more songs to complete the 4-song EP, Statement of Intent, released on February 29, 2024.

On September 15, 2025, Chao released the Music for Downtown Theater EP which included reworked and newly recorded versions of "Culture Jamming!" "Lower Your Standards," and "Cannot Be Denied," originating in his theater shows. Also a remastered version of "Woman, I'm an A*****e" was included. Collaborators included co-producer and multi-instrumentalist Vern Woodhead (Woodhead, Grace Bergere) and drummer Chris Stromquist (Kultur Shock, Estos Gritos), among others.

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