David Henry Hwang's new play

[SunWuKong]

David Henry Hwang has a new play out called Yellowface.

http://taperahmanson.com/tickets/productiondetail.aspx?id=506

[kimpossible]

Although I can't see it due to geography and time, I'm glad you posted this. What an interesting turn of topic. I think I'm actually a wee bit shocked to see it talked about like this. I hope it's a success.

[Faithless]

So, what will the ultimate point that comes out of the play? Does "authenticity" matter?

A Stanford review (http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2007/2/16/yellowFaceExploresAsianIdentity):

...

“Yellow Face,” directed by Leigh Silverman, is unabashedly autobiographical, portraying Hwang’s life after his highly successful “M. Butterfly.” Hwang, played by Tony Lee, narrates his own life, prompted by an email from one of Hwang’s former actors, Marcus Gee, who has disappeared from the acting scene. The story begins with Hwang’s acceptance of the Tony Award for “M. Butterfly,” and his jubilation that Asian Americans have finally won “the right to tell our own stories.” But much to his surprise, Hwang later learns that a Caucasian actor has been chosen to play the leading biracial Asian male role in “Miss Saigon.”

Hwang leads the charge against “Miss Saigon” arguing that Asian roles should be given to Asian actors. Hwang’s efforts eventually result in “Miss Saigon’s” cancellation, but later, the show is revived, again with a Caucasian playing the role of Engineer. In response, Hwang writes “Face Value” — but mistakenly casts a non-Asian, Marcus Gee, for the leading role.

...

For all its humor, “Yellow Face” is a serious play, raising questions like what it means to be Asian, and whether or not race still matters. Furthermore, the play demonstrates that racism still very much exists in America, as the play covers the Chinese campaign finance scandal of 1996 and the persecution of Wen Ho Lee.

But despite all of “Yellow Face’s” questions about racism and race, the central focus of the play is about authenticity. Hwang seems to suggest that labels, like ‘Asian American’ or ‘racist’, mean very little. It is the content, and the meaning, that matters, not the label.

...

[haplesshobo]

Although I can't see it due to geography and time, I'm glad you posted this. What an interesting turn of topic. I think I'm actually a wee bit shocked to see it talked about like this. I hope it's a success.

Hopefully, it will find more success than Hwang's play, Face Value, which also addressed this issue. The irony is that Jonathan Pryce ended up winning a Tony for his role, while Face Value was shut down before it ever opened on Broadway.