The Fairy Princess watched the world reel from the announcement that Crazy Rich Asians, the rom-com film that was the top money making rom com of all time, is being turned into a musical. This is what she pictures as some of the reactions, take it away Momoa...
She was already familiar and has been keeping silent for several years now, because….if it is not your secret to tell, even if you are excited about it – that is what you do.
That being said, congratulations to Director of the film, and now the musical, John M. Chu, Book writer, Leah Nanako Winkler, Composer Helen Park, with lyrics by Amanda Green and Tat Tong. The creative team at Warner Brothers headed up by Mark Kaufman, has had several properties on The Broadway already – Beetlejuice, The Notebook, Back to the Future, Water for Elephants – and this will be a great addition.
When it gets here.
We do not know when, no details have been released – however no, it is unlikely that Henry Golding will be tap dancing through Singapore via Broadway. #Sorryboutit.
However TFP is delighted, and knew as soon as she read the novel by Kevin Kwan, that it would make a fantastic musical.
Next up – SUFFS and LEMPIKA made their Broadway bows this past week – just before the TONY Award deadline and male critics are….well, they are male-ing.
Everything about these two shows seem to be a chore for these reviewers, and the biggest issue is – not enough male gaze. Even if there are men in the cast – as with Lempika, the critics just cannot seem to wrap their thoughts about anyone caring enough about, gasp, a WOMAN, to stay engaged for about two hours and change.
Likewise with SUFFS, while grudgingly acknowledging that Shaina Taub has all the facets that make her equivalent in accomplishment to Lin MaƱuel Miranda, their reviews seem overly picky and biased. The male reviews of SUFFS is the equivalent to writing “I would just enjoy it if they would smile more‘ – which of course, is entirely not the point of the women’s suffrage movement.
TFP saw this when white males went to review KPOP last year and effectively closed it, and she has seen it in other shows of the past. Anything that does not center a Cis male gaze, they just cannot ‘see’ value in the production – and it is time for Publicists and productions and papers to stand up and say, “No, we would like a different critic’s to review this production” instead of blindly accepting whoever the paper sends.
There needs to be a ‘4B’ kind of relationship with the theater criticism community – they do NOT have to, nor should they feel compelled to give positive reviews. However, they can figure out ways to phrase things that are not very reminiscent of a stereotypical archetype of a certain kind of white male, hmmm?
Lysistrata should be required reading.
Requesting a different critic not mean that female identifying critics, and by extension, reviewers of the Global Majority, are ‘less harsh’ or ‘less demanding’ of shows – far to the contrary. What it does mean is that reviewers of different backgrounds can take themselves and their egos out of the review and explain what the critical points are, put it into context, and deliver reviews that encompass all the things the show has to offer – without a lot of rancor. They can seemingly critique without making their review seem like the show is an affront to all things theatrical and should be done away FORTHWITH!
It is a lot to read these things – and the worst is, these are the reviewers for the biggest outlets – so even on a “what do the critics say’ article, the male reviewers have the first several slots – and by the time you read so much of blowhard hubris, you assume the show is not worth seeing. The female and Global Majority critics seem to be way down on the list – however if you read them, you soon discover there is a much less emotional, chest pounding way to read about theater, that is equally effective.
Because women, and People of the Global Majority are not allowed to have temper tantrums in print lest they be labeled ‘difficult’.
All TFP cares about is a review that lets her know if the show has good songs, a good story, and fantastic performances – that’s it. She realizes that this could be perceived as something actors have had to deal with their entire careers – the, ‘we didn’t ask for your opinions, just entertain us’ kind of thing – but that isn’t it at all. She just wants the male critics to understand that some theater – just is not for ‘them’ – and that – is allowed.
Keep watching WARRIOR and THE BROTHERS SUN and SHOGUN, Folks – all your clicks make a difference – and on all of them, in slightly varying genres, have some stellar performances, we are awash with riches.
The Fairy Princess has not been outrageously angry in a while. In fact, you may have noticed that her posts have been generally uplifting because…post pandemic times.
However, she is now ready to tackle the last bastion of #EgregiousYellowface, yes, beyond The Mikado within the New York area – a problem NYGASP solved quite nicely a few years ago…Kids, we have to talk about THE MET.
No one at THE METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE has seemingly got the memo that their productions of Madama Butterfly and Turandot are outdated and hackney. Yes, TFP said that. Outdated AF.
TFP has mentioned, throughout the years, that this is an actual problem – and while she skewered The Welsh Opera so badly she wound up in an actual book, and the The Royal Opera so deftly they have removed blackface makeup from their programme – something The Met has followed suit on, the white folks in charge continue to cling to the outdated notion that Caucasians in glaring yellow face paint are acceptable as long as they sing beautifully.
It is not acceptable in this, our Year of the Wooden Dragon 2024, in the city of New York, where the culture of THE WORLD looks to to find forward thinkers, to willingly place on the stage, year after year – yellow face makeup intended to disguise non Asians as Asians simply because they want the elaborate chinoiserie of the existing set – money is tight, we get it – keep the set, change the makeup.
You need the big voices for this opera?
TFP gets it – she was a voice major – ok – stop painting the singers.
Do you smell what the Princess is cooking?
Keep the set – lose the makeup.
Here is the basic plot of Turandot – and as opera plots go, it is typical.
Set in Peking – which is an ACTUAL place in China.
Not at all mythic, Met Opera Website – and that is what gets TFP‘s goat most of all.
China is a real and actual place. Peking was a real and actual city. A city, by the way, yes famous for it’s duck and also a city that TFP has visited. Nowhere within the city of Peking – then or now – were people wandering around in yellowface makeup. In fact, the City of Peking is now Beijing, and here is a map of Beijing, a real and actual place. Beijing is the captial of the People’s Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world – but it is a city.
It has always been a city.
If you are wondering if yellowface is just makeup – well no it is not.
Yellowface is the base color of a lot of the makeup and the masks worn in The Met’s production – but yellowface is ALSO obsequious gestures, it is ALSO mincing ‘asian-esque’ ways of walking, or raising a sword, or excessive bowing. To put it bluntly, Yellowface is the way that White Creatives not so subtley place the word “other’ upon Asian features as images of ridicule and derision and includes behavior AND makeup.
So here is the story aka ‘the libretto’ – and btw, TFP has her Certification in Opera Direction from Ithaca College – a relatively new program – precisely because she wants to direct Opera so that she can make opera enjoyable for ALL. She also holds a degree from CMU in Classical Voice – so please, spare her the diatribe that she does not know what she is talking about. Woe is you. Yes, she knows it was not ever supposed to be about Asians specifically, because it was supposed to be about Italians – so then – MAKE IT ITALIAN!
It is precisely because she does know what she is talking about that makes her so angry. It is because so much care has been taken by The Met to ‘Explain away the racism’ that it makes her blood literally boil – because she wants so badly for them to do better.
For heaven’s sake, they are premiering an opera with a libretto by David Henry Hwang – so how do do you do that? While also in the same season do this?
Caucasian features are not the only ones entitled to enjoy fantastic, world class singing. Everyone should be able to attend the opera with a ticket and enjoy all the things that opera is – the outrageous stories, the gloried voices, the orchestra, the ballets woven in the middle – without feeling like someone was told to make fun of them.
There is no other way to way to say it – the current production of TURANDOT at The Met is employing yellowface, which mocks Asians. Specifically the Chinese, but pretty much any Asian person who attends or who plays in the orchestra is going to have some feelings about what is being presented on the stage. Which is how we know that eventually, this Opera will be banned, which will be a shame. If one cannot change and adapt, a species goes into extinction – because it has outlived it’s usefulness – and that is the frank and utter danger that classical music is nearing towards.
Who is driving this trend? White creatives and Opera Board members that say that ‘that was the way it was written’ in order to perpetuate racism. They have been saying this at The Met, in this way, since 1926 if anyone is keeping score. They would rather invest in their website than in finding talent that would elevate the production in terms of this issue. Or just hey – if it is ‘all about the voices and the music’, don’t use the wigs, makeup, masks, and costumes. Make it all about the music. Do it in concert.
If you cannot – it is not about the music at all.
Think about it.
Also – the singers who do not object to the makeup – you are at fault as well. #SorryNotSorry
Also the makeup artists working there, this is on you all as well.
TFP knows she will ruffle feathers with this post – as it is a Puccinni opera she assumes it will be peacock feathers imported for their exotic-ness. Because of course it will.
Also can TFP just say, Turandot is a Persian word meaning “The daughter of Turan” – Turan used to be a region of Central Asia, which was part of the Persian Empire so ALREADY, this is going to be bad, because a Chinese freaking Princess cannot GET an Chinese freaking name! Which is, in part, why when it was performed in Beijing in 1995 the location of the opera was changed to Central Asia.
In case you are missing the point – you do not set a show in an actual Chinese city and then name the main character a non Chinese name – it does not make sense – it so far from making sense, you might as well give her a Babylonian name…oh wait, that’s another one, anyway, Turandot has the wrong name.
There has never been any authenticity about Turandot at all. Not at all – so why hold on to these tropes?
Back to the story of the opera – There is a Princess, Princess Turandot. Anyone wishing to marry her will have to answer three riddles – if you get any wrong, DEATH TO YOU, oh suitor! Most recently, the Prince of Persia (oh see we have East Asians and West Asians fighting now…just throw them all in there like an Asian stew already Puccini) failed the test.
Honestly – missing a test question and being sentenced to death does kind of track for Asians, but we move on.
So the Prince of Persia (not Jake Gyllenhal) is going to be executed, and the crowd asks for Turandot’s mercy, and she has none, so off he goes to die. In the crowd are three people – a slave gir, Liu, her employer who himself is a long lost King of Tartary who now goes by Timur, and Calaf – who recognizes Timur as his long lost father. When Calaf sees the Princess Turandot, he falls for her and he then decides he will take the test to win her for his wife.
Nothing says true love at first sight like the possibility of death.
Enter the three Ministers of the state – Peking is a city, but ok whatever – and their names are…wait for it, Ping, Pang, and Pong. They lament their blood thirsty virgin of a princess, because it messes with their groove, and no one wants to mess with a groove if you have one.
Anyway, Calaf comes in, despite everything and answers Turandot‘s questions correctly. So she ‘has’ to marry him – she does not want to, because she is trying to fix generational trauma – as her Auntie or Great Auntie or Great Great Auntie, Princess Lou-Ling, was abducted and killed by someone who wanted to marry her – so, she Turandot is not having it, and she is going to kill every man she comes in contact with that she has the right to kill. (Chinese people do refer to everyone elder to them as Auntie, this may be the most Asian part of this whole thing)
Honestly, who can blame her?
Calaf answers correctly. It is very Sphinx inspired. However he wants her to love him, so he says he will forfeit his life if, by dawn, Turandot can learn his name.
This part is very Rumplestiltskin.
Turandot, not wishing to marry a stranger and possibly dealing with a mental issue, issues a proclamation that no one in Peking shall sleep until Calaf‘s name is learned. Also, she will have anyone tortured that refused to reveal it. The slave girl Liu, in order to save her master, the deposed King Timur, tells Turandot that she alone knows Calaf’s name, but she will not reveal it. Liu is tortured, but does not reveal it, and Turandot finally gives in and asks what gives Liu the strength to resist revealing the name, and Liu says “love’ and then grabs a dagger and kills herself.
We would see this theme somewhat repeated in The King & I many years later, eh, Tuptim?
Everyone else marches off to an impromptu and heavily staged funeral while Calaf and Turandot stay behind. Calaf steals a kiss from Turandot, who confesses she knows emotion for the first time (remember she has generational trauma and a possible mental issue), who cries, and then Calaf reveals his name and they get married. Also, Turandot says essentially, “I knew your name it is love”
Now, the current production at The Met does have an Asian Tenor as Calaf, South Korean, SeokJong Baek, who was described by The New York Times thusly:
We ‘love that for him’, however having one Asian face on the stage in a lead role does not negate all of this chinoiserie – and it will not when Peixin Chen takes one the role of King Timur in April.
The only thing that is going to make this opera truly palatable is more Asian faces in it – not just in the leads, in the dancers, in the chorus – Asian faces within an Asian centered story – even if it was original meant to skewer Italian diplomats – yeah, no one gets that reference anymore.
Change must happen – or do not do it.
Not to mention that Turandot is yes, wearing a Dragon on her costume.
Dragon Ladies are real and created by Italian men, now we know. Always wondered.
Please look at the actual Asian face on the right, please tell TFP what your thoughts are upon looking at the one Asian face surrounded entirely by NON Asian faces. We have Ping, Pang, and Pong in the back, totally not Asian – slathered in hideous makeup, instead of being portrayed as actual people, while Turandot‘s father is wearing a mask entirely – that yes, takes it’s nod from actual Chinese costumes – however without it being an entire production of masks, it sticks out and is again, negating his humanity.
However the ‘best’ part is that during the ballet – which is the one part in the opera where they have more than one Asian person available to be featured – they have given all the solos to the…wait for it – THE WHITE DANCERS. (P,P,&P are singers in Act 1 and then are dancers in Act 2)
So let’s get this straight – in an Opera about China, that has the wrong name, but uses a Chinese folk song as a recurring theme which is just honestly theft, Mr. Puccini, where the Dragon Lady slaughters men who intend forced marriage and potential rape for failing to answer a question correctly (Ok, the test thing does kind of track though…), they have an opportunity to integrate the soloists – much as they did the tenor part of Calaf, and use Asian people to play Asian people and they…used white people.
TFP‘s Mum was an Advanced Teacher the Royal English Ballet System – she knows this because she found the certifications and scrolls btw, so – no – it is not a question. Therefore when TFP says to a degree she knows how ballet works – SHE KNOWS!
Soloists get paid more. If someone has been a soloist in a past ballet, and this time they are up for being a soloist in a ballet within an opera where they would have more to lend the production than simply dance, they could lend the authenticity of their features – one would think that The Met would be dying to use those dancers.
There are three solos. They have two Asian heritaged dancers. They have used exactly NONE of them.
The solos are Ping, Pang, and Pong in Act 2, changed from the singers they āwereā in Act 1. This is what we name Pandas, my guy.
Question- if this opera is really āall about the musicā then why is it so important to have these sets and costumes from 1966?ā Why the excessive makeup?
When we are now in 2024?
When does understanding and cultural sensitivity apply to Asian heritaged people in Opera?
This is an honest question- when do people and institutions stop trying us on like a piece of outerwear?
Le sigh.
Take a look.
TFP asks- how do we solve Yellowface at The Met?
The big Puccini type voices are one in a million, they are – and the arias are glorious. TFP loves the music, hates the production. Nothing you can say will make her comfortable in an audience for this piece.
However, if opera does not change, it will die. So figure it out, āThe Metā.
Your productions cost MILLIONS of dollars – if you can figure out designing a website that absolves you of perpetuating this chinoiserie, then you can figure out how to do an ethical production of Turandot, of Madama Butterfly and so on.
Refusing to not cast the Asian faces you do have, when they have been soloists before, which would lend authenticity is baffling!
TFP has seen Warrior on Netflix go up to #6, and currently it is down to #8. The Last Airbender remake is currently at #1 – Congratulations to all. TFP doesn’t mind admitting that some of her very dear friends worked on The Last Airbender, and hey – they served.
However, back to Warrior. We need a Season 4 – because we need to KNOW what happened to the stories we were following at the end of Season 3. Thus, as TFP told you – keep an ipad or a tv in another room running on Netflix. Personally TFP has one on in the kitchen, which she runs without sound, but tuned in because she wants to see how it all works out! This support she gives the show is purely selfish, she just is crazy about it.
Congrats to Tony winning playwright – David Henry Hwang who wrote the libretto (that is ‘the book’ for the Broadway crowd) , AINADAMAR, which he wrote with GRAMMY Award winning Argentinian composer, Osvaldo Golijov, will premiere at…hold on THE METROPOLITAN OPERA in the 2024-2025 season!
This is Mr. Golijov’s first opera – and it dramatizes the life of the poet-playwright Ferderico Garcia Lorca (House of Bernarda Alba, anyone?) who was assassinated by Fascist forces at the start of the Spanish Civil War. Why, you ask? Because he was a Socialist and a Homosexual.
The story is told through his muse, Catalan actress Margarita Xirgu, as she recounts the tale to her student, Nuria. Lorca appears as a dreamlike persona and is sung as a ‘pants role’ – aka a mezzo dressed as a man. Directed and choreographed by Brasilian Deborah Colker (best known for her work with Cirque du Soleil) – this looks incredible.
If you cannot get to New York – you can go see live broadcasts-
Also – do you know how HARD it is to get a new opera up and running, much less premiering at one of the world’s most revered stages? It is beyond impossible- and yet, there is DHH quietly doing the work. Showing up, writing, creating, teaching at Columbia, mentoring – and best of all, collaborating with others of like mind.
May they get all the flowers and world premieres available to them, TFP is honored to know him.
Is this Mr. Hwang’s first opera?
No.
He also wrote the libretto for Icarus at the Edge of Time with Brian Greene, music by Philip Glass. The Fly, where he wrote with composer Howard Shore – based on the 1986 film. Alice in Wonderland with Unsuk Chin, based on the novel and premiered in 2007 in Bavaria – where it was hailed as the “World Premiere of the Year”. The Silver River, based on a 4000 year old Chinese story about forbidden love between a Goddess and a mortal, where he worked with composer Bright Sheng. In 1992, he wrote the libretto on commission from The Met for The Voyage, music by Philip Glass, and again with Mr. Glass and Jerome Sirlin, in 1998, he wrote 1000 Airplanes.
TFP got her Certification in Opera Direction from Ithaca College in May, so she is very excited to see this production.
Congrats to BD Wong as he stars in the play, BIG DATA, at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater – he plays M, a lively personification of the technology we use regularly.
This looks super fun and, frankly, BD has great taste – if he is choosing to do a play and you are in the area? You should get a ticket.
Now, we are going to turn our attention to…Florida.
Yes, TFP knows. However, a lot of theater happens in Florida and that is because there are a lot of people who retire there – and retired people who have means, go to theater. Are there more matinees in Florida? Very likely, or at least, earlier curtain times during the week.
Recently in Florida, the American Stage Theater had an incident where they were producing Lloyd Suh‘s The Chinese Lady, giving it it’s Florida premiere. TFP wants to explain that Playwrights really only make money when their plays are up and running – so for American Stage to take the step to produce it, is great. TFP holds Lloyd in great esteem, and she did ask him for a statement, which, if he responds, she will insert in this piece.
The Chinese Lady is about Afong Moy, who is allegedly the first Chinese woman to step on U.S. soil in 1834, when she was 14 – some descriptions of the her place her at 16 years old. She is placed on display – yes, that is what TFP said – and for the next 50 years, she performs for curious white people. She had bound feet, and the ticket buying public could not get enough.
In 2022 it was presented in a co-production by Ma-Yi Theater Company and The Barrington Stage at NY’s Public Theater. It starred Shannon Tyo and Daniel K. Issac, let’s hear from them, as they are the ‘OG’s”…
Shannon just was awarded this past year’s OBIE Award for Sustained Achievement in Theater, just fyi.
Now, let’s hear from Daniel, whose work on BILLIONS has made him a household name.
Please note what Daniel said about showing history – this play portrays a little known piece of both American and Chinese history, which took place in America, and makes it one of the first pieces of Asian American history.
It is often said that if we do not know history, we are doomed to repeat it. Florida is conservative Marco Rubio country – the land of COVID denial, they have taken a stand against the teaching of Black history in America – and as we all know, Black History IS American history – and that is the tip of the iceberg in terms of their batshit crazy that seems to be ‘just a Wednesday’, down there.
They also have Disneyland and Universal Studios. So it is a land of chaos.
TFP has friends that now feel unsafe to go to Florida for performance jobs, and she does not blame them at all. She has had friends move their lives to live there, only to spend time there and come racing back to New York even with the taxes. They could not take the bigotry and they, were not minorities.
Is Florida hostile to minorities? Yes. It is. Is everyone in Florida like this? No, of course not.
Therefore when initial rumblings came out of Florida, and from American Stage with this statement,
TFP was confused – what had happened?
Now, Actors are excitable people and the initial recounting of what happened was concerning – an Actor was fired for wearing a keffiyeh at curtain call. Cue the multiple reactions. Very hyperbolic.
This is not what happened.
TFP is going to repeat – this is not what happened.
The Keffiyeh was worn along with an ink on chest tatoo which read “Free Palestine” and was present for the last 3-5 minutes of the show. During the course of the play. Starting, as stated by the Director, on page 40 of the play. The play ends at page 41.
The Actor was not fired. The actor was placed on hold, aka they were not allowed on the stage or in the theater because they inserted a political message into a play that is already political, and subverted the intention of the Playwright. The Actor in question is still being paid their full wage.
The issue for the theater, one supposes, is trust.
The Actor has lost the trust of the Producers.
Does TFP think it is an over-reaction?
Did the Actor do this alone? No. The Director thought of it, and without telling Production, Designers, or the other Actors in the piece, on the Wednesday of the last week of the run, inserted it without rehearsal and did it intentionally to be an act of agitation.In fact, they cited where it was to occur – page 40 – in the play on a message board.
Screenshot of a text message TFP was sent.
TFP was tagged in it, and this is her response. She took off the Director’s name, but it is their response to a question.
TFP has worked in a lot of places as an Actor, a few as a Director, and even more as a Producer – she knows that the place for her personal expression is after the show. She has been on panels after a show and actually been encouraged to speak and express views – and that is the correct place for it – not until the story on the stage is complete and actors are out of wardrobe.
Do not be mistaken that this is a “Noble Call” moment a la HAMILTON speaking to Mike Pence from the stage. In that case, the show was over, the bows were taken – and the Production Team endorsed and co-wrote the words the Actor spoke to the Then Vice President of the Orange one’s reign.
Production was consulted.They all agreed to take the moment.
They took this “Noble Call” concept from the Irish Theater tradition of, AFTER the show is done, they talk about a current political moment – this concept is hundreds of years old. It takes place AFTER the bows. It oftimes has guests to speak to these points. People who are experts at the subject.
What happened at American Stage was not a Noble Call. No one was consulted. No one was prepped. No one here was an expert in geo-politics.
This is not the story that the playwright wanted to tell, in a play that is already political. This is American history representing the outsider-ness that Chinese people and by extension all Asian groups as we all are perceived to ‘look alike’ – it is enough of a message.
Because we still experience it. In this, the Year of the Wooden Dragon, 2024, we still experience it.
It is because we do still experience it, we have murders at a day spa, we have murders in apartment buildings, we have our elders beaten to death or grave injury in public spaces and no one comes to help – we have the largest single lynching in US History, and we have an entire group of concentration camp survivors whose relatives are still processing what happened to them. We have people who are mistaken for other members within the Asian diaspora and are beaten to death – performing a play with Asian heritaged actors that was directed by an Asian American and written by an Asian American in and of itself, is a form of protest.
We still need the following hashtag to remind people to treat us as people!
Asian American history is enough. The act was done because the Director and the Actor did not trust that the play was enough. That’s it. They did not trust the play. The kick in the pants is that both of the people in question, have Asian heritage.
TFP knows this because she has the screenshot from the director responding on a public message board. She has it, it is in her phone – however she thinks the best thing to do is not put these ‘Chaos Monsters’ on blast on a blog that has international reach – because, they seem young. The response on the message board uses hyperbolic language about how devastated this Director is – and yet, the theater which is – yes, run by white people – is honestly handling it correctly.
Sometimes, white people can do that.
She personally would have suspended the actor for one show and had the Director in for a discussion about parameters. However, trust had been broken – and this Director has, by their own admission – less interest in directing a play, and more in causing chaos.
There is nothing wrong with chaos or ‘good trouble’ – but there are venues for that – nightclubs, performance art spaces, marches, rallies, instagram and social media – all of those are where we express our personal feelings. All of those were available to the Director and the Performer.
We do not go to a subscription based house who does not have an history of producing works by Asian Americans in super conservative St. Petersburg, and destroy whatever community feelings are invested because our inner chaos monster needs to be fed. We particularly do not go into a Union house and subvert the ways in which things are designed to run and decide we know better, if we are under the age of 35. Do you think this theater will now be looking to produce other works by Asian American playwrights and in fact, hire Asian American directors and casts because of this experience?
The Patriarchy is super happy about this, one imagines.
If what you want to do is protest art – then write your own piece so we all know exactly where you stand.
TFP loves protest art – this blog is a form of protest, and she has taken the hits for it since she began writing it 12 years ago. She has been banned, she has been canceled, she has had vitriol directed directly to her and her Family – yes she has, but it is HER work. She stands by it.
If you want to make political parallels about what is happening in this play and what is currently happening – have a talk-back after the show. Answer questions from the audience. It is not that theater does not allow room for political discussion – but the playwright has the right to have their work done as written. That is what the contract says – by word and deed you do not change the play.
You do not get to steal context from a writer.
Every play is a form of protest. Every word, every written in pause – it has been labored over again and again.
What happened here is that the Director and the Actor decided they knew better than the Writer, than Production, and than the rest of the Company. It’s hubris. Just because it is AA hubris, does not mean it is not.
The theater has rules and the theater makes allowances for differences of opinion, but those rules are in place to protect people. Overall, it is the mission of the Director to safeguard the Playwright’s work, and guide the actors – and that was not done here.
No care to safeguard the Playwright was taken by this Director, so Management had to step forward and do it.
If you were a Playwright, and someone inserted themselves in your play – something you had work on for years and sweated over, and stayed up late over, endless cups of coffee and multiple investments by theater companies to keep it going – how would you feel?
Imagine how Lloyd Suh feels.
FFS don’t be this kind of Florida Man either.
Finally, TFP wishes to extend her condolences to the Family and Friends of 16 year old Indigenous descended, Non Binary person, Nex Benedict. Nex was attacked in their High School bathroom by three older female students, who enacted extreme violence upon their person, and Nex succumbed to those injuries after the fact.
Nex’s Mother, Sue, is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation, and they were living on a Cherokee Reservation, where Nex was in school.
The Fairy Princess, as anyone who reads this blog knows, is a huge fan of the series, WARRIOR.
Why you ask? She loves a good martial arts series with Asian heritaged actors – some from England, some from Australia, Indonesia, Canada, and many from the Downtown NY Scene and from Broadway as well. In short – it is a series where both her Irish heritage and Chinese heritage come together and give her severe anxiety and yet, enjoyment.
TFP is complicated.
Now, WARRIOR has bounced around quite a bit – first Cinemax and then HBO and now…Netflix.
Netflix is going to bring about a huge global fan base for this show – much in the way that Peaky Blinders did to it’s cast. This series is a giant one for AAPI’s and that is because it comes from…the Bruce.
Yes, this is Bruce Lee‘s vision, as brought to life by his daughter, Shannon Lee. In this show we see the origin of the Chinese in America, but we also see mixed race people, because as we know, Bruce was Mixed Asian AND Mixed Asian people are always going to be around as long as different groups intertwine.
What is magical about this show is that they have built the ‘origin’ stories of the mixed race characters into the show, and then left it. Ah Sam, played by Andrew Koji, makes reference to his American Grandfather, and boom, there it is. Young Jun, played by Jason Tobin, is the result of a relationship his father, Father Jun, played by Perry Yung, had with a white prostitute. In fact, Mixed race Asians are a plot point all around, with Wang Chao’s daughter and supporting her, being a major plot point for the character played by Hoon Lee.
All of it makes dramatic sense as they go through the show. Now, there are three seasons already on Netflix, however fans NEED a fourth season – perhaps even a fifth, and there IS a way to get it. That way is interest. We need to get WARRIOR to Number 1 for a a few weeks. It is currently at #6.
So TFP is going to tell you her strategy – she also used this with The Brothers Sun on Netflix, and she is going to ask that you all follow suit. Why? Season 4 baby – the producers say it depends on how Netflix responds to the numbers for the show. If we can get it to Number 1 for say, a month – TFP is pretty sure a Season 4 will be ordered.
This is her strategy – she leaves the television on WARRIOR when she is at home at all times. Numbers cannot be faked – well they likely can but she does not know how as she is not a criminal, she just enjoys shows about criminals – and she is willing to give over her screen to a show that she has already watched. If you have more than one television/ipad/laptop you can devote to this, then great! And if you don’t, TFP appreciates your devotion.
Keeping on the theme of Bruce Lee, have you all realized that his goddaughter, Diana Lee Inosanto, has joined the Star Wars Universe on the cast of Ahsoka on Disney Plus?
She is making her rounds of all of the conventions right now, and seemingly having the best of all possible times. You can follow her on Insta – @therealdianaleeinosanto . She has also written a children’s book on autism with her son, Sebastian, as well as being the writer/director/star of the indie film, The Sensei.
In addition to Ahsoka, in her latest role, she voices Horse in The Tiger’s Apprentice, alongside Henry Golding, Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Brandon Soo Hoo, Michelle Yeoh, Bowen Yang, Leah Lewis, Deborah S. Craig, Sherry Cola, and Kheng Hua Tan.
The Tiger’s Apprentice is streaming on Paramount Plus.
Turning to Broadway, much mention must be made for the Broadway debut of Lola Tung, from The Summer I Turned Pretty, in Hadestown. She is playing Eurydice – the same part that was originated by Eva Noblezada (who is heading towards the opening of The Great Gatsby on Broadway with lightening speed). This image is from the Hadestown Insta account, and in terms of performance, TFP thinks it is best to let your ears do the listening.
This looks entirely different from any other Sunset Blvd in recent memory – but in the best way – AND, this proves TFP‘s point that this coming season – that this year, the year of the Wooden Dragon – will be the MOST Asian Broadway has ever been in a season with no show set in Asia!
The Fairy Princess wishes you a Happy New Year – whether you call it Lunar, Chinese, Tet, or Seollal (Japan does not celebrate Lunar New Year since 1873) – have some noodles, dance with a lion, and let’s just be glad that pesky bunny is gone in favor of the Wood Dragon. TFP had an pretty awful 2023, so 2024 does not need to do any heavy lifting, per se – just not be as awful as 2023. The bar, as they say, is low.
Speaking of which, she is doing a concert at 54 Below on March 16āat 9:30pm- day before St. Patrick’s Day called Mom’s Night Out, where your favorite musical theater Mama’s dazzle audiences with their songs and stories about the journey that is motherhood. Megan Minutillo is the producing mama puttin’ it all together, so a thanks for the invite, and TFP will see you in March. (Use the code MOM5 for $ off your dining and bar tab) Tix here.
Now, there have been some kind of amazing things happening for AAPI’s in Musical Theater around the globe, as well as in Mid town Manhattan, and TFP wanted to discuss.
First off – Congratulations to Shannon Tyo, who won at the 67th OBIE Awards for Sustained Performance in Achievement for her role as Mora in Lloyd Suh‘s THE FAR COUNTRY at The Atlantic Theater Company.
Congrats on their OBIE to Hansol Jung for The Wolf Play, who won for playwriting here is their acceptance speech.
The King & I is playing in London for a limited time, and starring Darren Lee as The King!
He plays opposite Call The Midwife‘s star, Helen George – and frankly, TFP is down for it – reports from friends are great and reviews are better. Only for 6 weeks – if you are popping across the pond, here is your ticket link.
Let’s start with the most recent of events in New York City – last evening at HADESTOWN on Broadway, TIMOTHY H. LEE went on for Orpheus for the first time – meaning he is the FIRST Orpheus of Asian heritage to play the role.
TFP is including the Artist’s Instagram posts- these moments, though huge globally, remains personal.
Is this huge? Yes. Does TFP get tired of counting firsts? Also yes. When we stop needing to count in order to justify our existence on stage and screen TFP will be fully satisfied.
TFP extends hearty congratulations to Mr. Lee – who immigrated from Korea, and considers English to be his second language. This is an enormous accomplishment by any standard, and it is fitting, that Hadestown, which has always been an inclusive and diverse cast under the direction of Rachel Chavkin, crossed this barrier willingly.
Likewise attention must be turned to CHICAGO on Broadway where Kristen Faith Oei became the first Asian American to play Velma Kelly. She also goes on for Miss Katlin Hunyak in addition to covering the role of Velma. Currently CHICAGO has Lili Thomas playing Matron Mama Morton, and Fil-Am Red ConcepciĆ²n as Mr. Amos Hart aka Mr. Cellophane. They also had Japanese star Ryoko Yonekura as Roxie Hart in 2012. CHICAGO is combining ‘old’ Broadway with some much needed upgrades. Bravo!
Also, many salutations to Courtney Reed, who is currently starring as Satine in Moulin Rogue. You likely know her from her long running role as Princess Jasmine in ALADDIN on Broadway, and as one of the stars of Lauren Yee‘s CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND, but she has been holding down Satine first on tour in 2022, and now on Broadway since August of 2023. Go see her, she is delightful – and hey – Boy George is there too.
Some celebrate Lunar New Year by eating and hanging with family, while others take their families to see theater at Pan Asian Rep in New York City. (The others is TFP) Now in it’s almost unheard of 47th Season under the Artistic Direction of NY legend, Tisa Chang – they premiered their latest play – Warrior Sisters of Wu yesterday, Superbowl Sunday.
Adapted from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ one of the most famous Chinese classic tales, it has very few English language adaptations, which is of course, why Playwright Damon Chua chose it as his next project. (Why pick easy?) He paired that with a framework in his head of the English classic, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
The result is a Family friendly Rom Com from 200 A.D., with swords. TFP‘s son really enjoyed this – and as a parent, it is beyond a relief to be able to take him to the theater, have a genuine story be told, and to hear his responses, again, TFP wants to stress, her son really enjoyed this.
We follow the Qiao sisters, best known nowadays in their modern avatars as characters in the Dynasty Warriors video game series, as they fall in love and kick ass against the backdrop of impending war.āAbly directed by LA staple, Jeff Liu paired with deft fight choreography by Michael G. Chin – it is one to see.
One only hopes that the impending snow storm takes it easy on New York so they get the crowd they deserve.
Pictured in the photo, Director Jeff Liu,Liam Kong, and Damon Chua.
It is hard, as a New York based actor, to truly have words about what the steadiness of Pan Asian Rep has done for the New York AAPI Actor. Much as East West Players in Los Angeles has been sometimes the lone flag waving in the distance to give us hope – Pan Asian has – for 47 seasons – been there. Telling AAPI stories, encouraging them, commissioning them, holding workshops, and helping shape the ways ‘we’ get to be seen. Over the years they have offered classes, mentorship, and hope – Tisa was on Broadway in a show, and used her own money to start Pan Asian – and 47 seasons later, she is still there.
(If this were a Marvel show, we’d be calling her The Hand of AAPI Theater. It is a compliment.)
Warrior Sisters of Wu is a specifically Chinese story, told entirely in English, with modern sensibilities. Many of the questions TFP‘s 11 year old whispered in her ear, were answered seconds later in the dialogue and actions – he was seeing part of his own story told on a stage in front of him for 100 minutes.
When TFP was a child, the best her parents were able to show her in terms of a Chinese story starring Asian people, was taking her to see a troupe of martial artists and acrobats from China.
Did she still love it? Of course. However we cannot underestimate the value of younger minds at the theater, seeing versions of themselves that are ‘allowed’ to play different characters who have just as much dignity and gravitas as is often only allowed with white stories.
All stories can be told specifically and deliberately- it is that which makes the understanding of it universal.
TFP really hopesāthat the story told, that of two woman warriors who battle gender norms, gets butts in the seats, and gets the Lortels to sit up and notice.
The show is playing at the A.R.T./NY Mezzanine Theater – 502 W. 53RD STREET – go see it – running until MARCH 10th.
TFP wants to start off on an upbeat note – after declaring this coming season in theater the most Asian on Broadway- in a year with no shows set in Asian countries – (which, she’s not wrong) – she had some more good news via Insta – Bossy Bear – the Nickelodeon series (based on a children’s book series by David Z. Horvath and his wife, Sun-Min Kim) has beaten, numbers wise, the juggernaut that is…wait for it..PAW PATROL!
Here is what it means to AAPI America, and this is what she told her kid when he asked why it was a big deal – what it means is that children understand and require content where they can see themselves. They love the dogs. They likely have a lot of dogs they know personally – but to them, dogs do not represent necessarily human behavior, though they do talk and deal with moral issues on Paw Patrol. Paw Patrol is a great show, and has been THE GOAT for a long time. However there was room for a show down, and when it all came out – in January the viewers for Bossy Bear were 147,000, vs. Paw Patrol’s 80,000. Bossy Bear was UP 77% and Paw Patrol was down 48%.
Bossy Bear is a bear that walks upright – in a family of upright walking animals. The drawings are not photo-realistic, so it is easier perhaps to discern human type behavior as interpreted through animals.
However what TFP wanted to point out is that Bossy Bear ‘lives’ in a multi-cultural area that is more urban based – and they have different characters raised by different kinds of parents and in different ways. It also is based in Asian, specifically Korean culture as interpreted by America – so here’s what AAPI’s – we are winning the future Generations- no one is turned off by the show’s innate and specific Korean-ess, they embrace it and within the fabric of the show, they see themselves and their neighbors.
Yes, it means that kids are more willing to watch different kinds of characters and be inclusive – a huge ups to their parents and families – because Bossy Bear and his sister being of Korean descent – is not threatening to them. The Kids will be all right.
Meaning perhaps we will see a time when someone is not targeted by people for their background. TFP is all for that! Oscar Hammerstein was correct – if you are going to be racist to someone, you must be carefully taught how to do so.
Great that Nickelodeon is teaching children to acknowledge and be open – because in specificity, we find universality.
TFP also wanted to give a shout out to the Newly interpreted British production of Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures at the Menier Chocolate Factory in London. It got rave reviews in all the papers there – and we love to see it. Open till February 24th – Directed by Matthew White, the cast includes Jon Chew, Kanako Nakano, Saori Oda, Takuro Ohno, Joaquin Pedro Valdes,āLuoran Ding, Masashi Fujimoto, Rachel Hayne Picar, Eu Jim Hwang, Able Law, Ethan Le Phong, Jo Jo Meredith, Patrick Munday, Sario Solomon, Joy Tan, Lee VG and Iverson Yabut.
Now on to the Mojo Dojo Casa Award Nominations aka The Oscars!
Now TFP fully acknowledges that there are Nominees in so many categories that are super encouraging.
The Supporting Actress category is a joy to look at – America Ferrara for Barbie, Danielle Brooks for The Color Purple and DaāVine Joy Randolph for The Holdovers, Jodie Foster for Nyad, and Emily Blunt for Oppenheimer.
Must be noted that Ms. Ferrara is the 9th Latina ever nominated and the last time a Latinx performer won in the category was in 2021, Ariana DeBose, awarded in 2022.
In the Best Lead Actress category HERstory is being made as Lily Gladstone is nominated for Killers of the Flower Moon (First Native American Nominated in Best Actress Category). TFP is rooting for her.
There is even A woman nominated in the Best Director Category – Justine Triet who directed Anatomy of a Fall. She is a French national.
In the Best Lead Actor category – Jeffrey Wright and Coleman Domingo
So there is diversity going on – it just seems to TFP that while we applaud certain moves, we cannot help but comment on some others that seem, to quote Julie Andrews, ‘egregiously overlooked’.
Even as we see so much progress…for example…
members of the LGBTQIA+ community playing characters of the LGBTQIA+ community!
TWO of them!
Coleman Domingo and Jodie Foster!
Yet, TFP cannot help but notice…the bulk of the ‘queer’ characters are played by straight people, straight people who are allies, but straight people – again…progress comes like a drip drip and not a tidal wave.
One year of a ‘big win’ for a certain group is not a guarantee of an reworking of that world. It’s not. The kids want it to be, however TFP is old – she knows how progress goes – like the cha cha – forward back, forward back. And a one and a two.
Will we see progress every awards season? A little bit.
But will patriarchy end?
No.
Not even with a bill passed by POTUS Barbie.
People like patriarchy. Of course ‘those people’ are Cis White Men, they love it. They can open their minds and hearts in small amounts, in categories that they do not feel threatened in. Supporting categories for POC, they love that – because to a certain extent they believe that is where all the “Alphabet” people are – and that is our purpose – in their minds.
This isnot to negate any one or any performance at all – honestly they are all standouts – but just to note, that is where ‘they’ feel comfortable having us. So that is why it does not threaten the status quo to have diverse nominees in the categories. (Not too much progress at once or ‘we’ will get spoiled.) A win by an Actor or Actress of minority status is always followed it seems, by a win by a straight white person. Don’t believe her?
After awarding Best Supporting to Ariana DeBose, in 2023 the award went to Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All At Once. Also nominated that year in that category were Angela Bassett,(who did soāmany of the things) Hong Chau, and Stephanie Hsu.
Cuz….
TFP doesn’t know if the horses front ends are anywhere near these nominations, but she is pretty sure they can be included if we look at them from the rear.
There are three women nominated for Original Screenplay – Anatomy of a Fall –Justine Triet, May December -Samy Burch and Past Lives – Celine Songā- that is great, shakes up that category a bit as that has never happened before. Should they all have been nominated in more categories? Yeah.
But then where would the white auteur directors go?
Would have been lovely if Greta Lee had been nominated, or Charles Melton or…it is pointless to go on – we see what it is.
Celine Song should have been nominated in the Best Director category and we know what that is too – let’s just acknowledge it.
Yes, there were super cool pushes for inclusion so- now let’s talk about it – Barbie was not nominated for Best Director or Best Actress – it was nominated in the Adapted Screenplay category so Ms. Gerwig can share the nomination with her Husband.
How nice. What’s that called again, TFP?
Margot Robbie played Barbie, but she also produced the film, so she is nominated in…the Producer category for Best Picture. However no one would have noted the project had she not been able to play the role near perfectly.
Is this a time to get upset? Are we all going to fall on our swords for two white ladies who have one of the highest grossing movies of the last year?
Barbie is a sly comedy – and comedies have always been discounted at The Oscars. TFP is honestly not ‘that’ surprised. The men want the Oscars to ‘mean something’ and so they award them for ‘important’ films that they can feel gravitas for. They have always done this, the men.
Look at The Oscar – it is a giant phallus.
What they have failed to realize, and what TFP relies on with this particular blog is that – humor, in so many ways, is a more important way to get across a message than demanding everyone be agitated. or crying. Or pounding their chests.
Men are sensitive.
The girls that laughed, their moms, and grandmothers and aunties who saw what was made ‘for them’, will make sure that film lives on in infamy, it is already a giant box office winner – but that comedic film will be shown until we no longer show films – that is a win.
Bigger than any ceremony.
In many ways, the non-nominations are the point. They are getting addressed on Instagram by Hillary Rodham Clinton – that is the point as well. That the ‘gals’ were right. They only get proven more ‘right’ as time goes on. Tick tock.
Greta Gerwig wrote and directed one of the most pointed take-downs of male ego in our modern cinema and the only ones who found it not at all painful to ‘get’ were women and the Gay men who love them.
That is it.
LGBTQIA + and cis women.
Cis women of all kinds ‘got’ it.
America Ferrara delivered a BLISTERING testimonial of what being in a patriarchy does to the female psyche, yes – but Greta Gerwig penned it. (TFP is not willing to give Noah credit for that monologue -he would have no way ‘in’ to that insight.)
Now it is fine, and by fine she means ‘totally infuriating but expected’ that they did not nominate Ms. Gerwig nor Aussie Actress/Producer Margot Robbie for awards for Best Director and Best Actress for BARBIE.
The point was made – we can only get so far before men stop us.
In a film about BARBIE, they nominated Ken. (And Gloria, who is not a Barbie at all)
The Oscars do not like comedies, so it was always a long shot.
Eventually – those men will die.
That is what they are scared of.
Men are mostly afraid of being laughed at – that is why they don’t like Drag Queen Story Hour.
TFP isn’t angry about any of it, it is actually amusing to watch because the talking points for conversation will be endless. Some push back will come from conservative women who hold up the patriarchy – because of course it will.
TFP expects it.
Does not matter though – the film is out, and it does not have to roar and rage – it can make it’s point by being smart and clever. It has bops and triple threats, and it is FUN, and for those who could not bring themselves to vote for a comedy film that will be a cultural touchstone for a long time – meh – your loss.
This is one of the unique issues of being a woman. We live longer and we never forget.
So All Hail to the Actors of Diversity that have made it to the Big Show this year – the world changes every day – we are watching it at the Oscars in slo-mo – but it’s still moving forward and that’s something to celebrate.
May the flowers you get be the ones that mean something to you.
The Fairy Princess got the news yesterday that The Great Gatsby is going to Broadway from Papermill Playhouse, and they are taking the lead players – Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon, Hadestown) and Jeremy Jordan, with them.
This means that Broadway, for the first time ever in a season – without musicals set in Asia – will have an unprecedented, NINE possibly TEN new Asian heritaged PRINCIPAL roles in shows that are not revolving around the performer’s background.āShows opening in the 2024 season, we love the shows that have been holding up the sky for a while now, so TFP will list a few, but she is talking this year, 2024, Year of the Dragon.
We currently have Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara holding it down in Aladdin, for the ‘long running shows’ as well as Ruthie Ann Miles in Sweeney Todd. Lola Tung coming in to Hadestownāas Eurydice on Feb 9 opposite Lilias White as Hermes and Jordan Fisher as Orpheus for a limited run. Chicago recently added Lili Thomas as Mama Morton and Red ConcepciĆ³n as Amos – so even long running shows can be inclusive. And….revivals – with Vishal Vaidya holding it down in Merrily We Roll Along.
In Hamilton, Stephanie Jae Park is Eliza, Marc Delacruz is the standby for several of the lead male roles, which he most recently was lauded in various publications for switching roles mid show. Jen Sese is there as standby for all the Schuyler sisters, and Eddy Lee and PrestonMui, round out the Ensemble.
Yes, you can go to a Broadway show and see people that you can find parts of yourself in – not carbon copies, but parts of yourself.
Add to that the wins for BEEF – EMMYS for the leading players Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, the Golden Globe nomination for Greta Lee for her performance in the feature Past Lives, this year is shaping up to be the BEST EVER!! Shout out to Sandra Oh and Akwafina for the win for Quiz Lady from the Critic’s Choice Award for Best Movie Made for TV? The inclusion of the film, The Queen of my Dreams at the Toronto International Film Festival, starring Ayana Manji as the young version of Azra, one of the main characters?
What is happening world?
TFP is thinking that both Casting and Agents need to wrap their heads around who to call in, and who is on the roster, and if you do not have AAPIs on your rosters – CAA, WMA, AAA, and others – best get to stepping. We are stepping in it.
Let’s begin with the announcements as they have come down the pike:
Eva Noblezada – The Great Gatsby as socialite Daisy Buchanan. With two Tony nominations under her belt for past performances in Hadestown and Miss Saigon, Eva has wasted no time in getting back on the boards, and this is a great thing.
(Shout out here to the musical film CHICAGO, which featured Lucy Liu also as a socialite in this era)
Ruthie Ann Miles – Currently in Sweeney Todd as the Beggar Woman, waiting for a theater to be confirmed – once it is, she will star alongside the remarkable Anna Zavelson as her daughter. TFP is including them in the tally, as there is more than a good chance the theater is on the verge of being announced.
Daniel Dae Kim – as DHH in Yellowface at The Roundabout – a play that deals with racial ambiguity and the need to attach to an idea, simply because one is seeking ‘representation’ so strongly. The rest of the cast has not been announced yet, however, TFP has seen this show done before, and usually the rest of the cast is within the AAPI spectrum with some exceptions.
Ramin Karimloo – this Persian ( aka Iranian aka Western Asian) Canadian has long been a Broadway and West End staple performer, (CHESS, Funny Girl, Anastasia, Les Miserables, This next one TFP is super excited for, as it is her FAVORITE Gilbert & Sullivan piece –The Pirates of Penzance, also at The Roundabout. David Hyde-Pierce is announced as Pirate King, so TFP is guessing Mr. Karimloo is the wandering Virgin apprenticed to a Pirate, Frederick.
(Update- Mr. K is the Pirate King and DHP is the Modern Major General- although the above is what the press announcement was.)
Jaygee Macapuguay – will play the role of Mollie Hay in the new musical by Shaina Taub, SUFFS, which also has in it Nadia Dandashi as Doris Stevens, Kim Blanck is playing Ruza Wenclawska and Christine Heesun Hwang in the ensemble.
Special note must be made because there are three principals of Asian heritage in a new show, and it would be unfair to highlight one over the other – but let TFP say, there are theater actors that time and time again have shown audiences what they are made of, and to see them make the leap to Principal contract is super special. She has known and admired them for years, so…
TFP is going to say a hearty congratulations to THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL, which just announced it’s opening and is kind of taking the mantlefrom Sweeney Todd & Hamilton has worn proudly of ‘most Asians in a show not about being Asian’, and here they are:
This last potential show – not confirmed yet, but COME FALL IN LOVE, the DDJ musical, which is directed by Aditya Chopra, book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and choreo by Rob Marshall, with Assoc Choreographer Shruti Merchant – would be a huge win for South Asian representation on Broadway, and Asians in general would be ‘slayed the house down’ if that came to pass in 2024.
IF that is true – no word on a theater yet – however TFP is still calling it –
2024 will be THE MOST ASIAN YEAR ON BROADWAY – and coincidentally – YEAR OF THE DRAGON!
So breathe some fire, set off some fireworks and clean your house, Broadway – the AAPIs are coming, and coming in HOT!
TFP out.
She excited, but she out – for now, and only for now. (If you get it, you get it)
TFP already wrote today…however, this is big and it goes along with some great strides being made in theater by AAPI performers, however it is equally met in the behind the scenes representation.
Daniel Dae Kim, who was last seen on Broadway in The King & I in 2016, will lead the production of YELLOWFACE written by Broadway’s only Asian American Tony Award winning Playwright – David Henry Hwang, who has returned from opera land and tv land to brave a post Covid Broadway. This was just announced for The Roundabout’s 2024-25 season.
Directed by DHH’s longtime collaborator, Leigh Silverman, this play, which is semi-autobiographical, deals with mounting a play and assuming that an actor is Mixed Race, and therefore is cast AS Asian American. TFP finds this fascinating because she remembers (everytime she says that to herself, she says it in a Game of Thrones “The North Remembers” kind of way) DHH’s play, Face Value. Anyway, being of mixed heritage herself and being told she ‘counted or did not count as Asian” depending on who was serving judgement, she has always been exhausted yet fascinated by this play.
DDK who has been heavily involved in producing for television over the last few years, began as an Actor – he holds an MFA from NYU, and TFP still recalls how powerful a presence he was in The Tempest at East West Players in Los Angeles. He is a very commanding stage actor, and she is really glad he is going to come back and trod the boards.
Likewise The Roundabout is also mounting TFP‘s FAVORITE GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PIECE, The Pirates of Penzance, starring the Canadian born, Tony Nominee, Ramin Karimloo, who is of Western Asian Heritage, as The Pirate King. Most recently Mr. Karimloo was seen in the Broadway revival of FUNNY GIRL, but he has played The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera all over the world, likewise all the weighty male roles in Les Miserables.
This is fantastic news, because both these men are leads in their respective shows and it seems that this in some way, far too late, is The Roundabout‘s round a bout acknowledgement of using Brownface makeup on actors during their production of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD – which, was fairly egregious.
(Do not come at TFP for this, it was a giant ass mistake and yes, she knows it is a show within a show and so on – does not mean that browning up white performers to play people from Ceylon is acceptable. It was not then, it is not now.) (Also Ceylon is now Sri Lanka)
This was TONY winner Jessie Mueller and TONY Nominee Andy Karl at the Opening Night Party, here they are in the production:
Ahem.
To the point of ‘if they knew better, they would do better’,āthe NYGASP Production of THE MIKADO is once again up and running. Many years ago, one may remember that TFP’s coverage on the offensiveness of the production that they ran was the subject of a blog post after TFP had gone to see the production.
This led to all kinds of things – people were angry. Although they did a very interesting thing – they invited TFP to come speak on a panel about The Mikado to their subscribers. (If you saw the reaction to Jo Koy at The Golden Globes, it was a bit like that when TFP began speaking) At the end of the panel, it was announced that NYGASP was going to take a season and think about their production and try and amend it. TFP was invited to return when they ‘fixed’ it.
Honestly, TFP was shocked – but they DID fix it. They hired Broadway’s Kelvin Moon Loh to come in and help them imagine better. Kelvin is not just an insanely talented Broadway performer, he is a writer who has sold shows for development.
They added a scene that begins before the operetta, to explain how Gilbert imagined the production – and this was based on testimony from Gilbert himself as to how he imagined it. Then, they did outreach and expanded their company to include AAPI performers. AAPI performers who were not to be hired just for THE MIKADO, those who could join the rep company and add to what was happening there.
It is now, a very enjoyable MIKADO – which is almost impossible to say in the rest of the country – and therefore TFP presents you the ticket link, so that you may see for yourselves – it only runs till Jan 14th, but you have a whole three days to arrange your weekend, so get to stepping.
Also coming this week to Off Broadway, is the Jason Robert Brown piece, The Connector.
It’s new, and as far as TFP knows, is NOT about Jill Zarin.
It does however, have in it’s cast Sweeney Todd‘s Joanna Carpenter and Ann Sanders, most recently of Music Man and Dear Evan Hansen.
Which is exciting, and TFP has her tickets to a matinee, so she will get to see them and so many more folks that she knows and loves.
Just a reminder that it was stated by Ruthie Ann Miles that the reimagining of LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA directed by Chay Yew is looking for a theater. So we could wind up, New Yorkers, with a Broadway Season with multiple Asian heritaged men and women, as LEADS in Musicals AND PLAYS on Broadway.
TFP DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HERSELF!
It is really, some days, a joy to write this blog.
The Golden Globes were on Sunday night, and as many predicted, Ali Wong and Steven Yuen walked off with Best Performance by an Actress/Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Statuettes for their roles in BEEF.
BEEF also awarded it’s creator, Lee Sun-jin the Best Miniseries, Anthology, or Motion Picture Made for Television. Overall, BEEF was nominated for 13 Awards, and walked away with three.
Charles Melton, the Actor of Mixed Asian background, won for Outstanding Supporting Performance at The Gotham Awards for his role in the feature film, May/December.
Here is his speech at the UNFORGETTABLE Awards –
Great speech.
All of the speeches are great.
Now let’s talk about a moment, from The Golden Globes that was…not quite as great.
The glee with which a lot of people gravitate towards Charles Melton, an exceptionally handsome Mixed Korean man, and the disdain they seem be be showering on Jo Koy, an average looking Mixed Filipino comedian who mostly plays to giant audiences of People of Color, has it’s roots in the uncomfortable truths – which is, unless you are disarmingly attractive as a mixed race person – think Olivia Munn, H.E.R., Nicole Scherzinger, Merle Dandridge, Tyson Beckford, Olivia Rodrigo, and so on – you are going to be in a rough place, both with white people who do not know where to put you AND those with 100 per cent Asian forbears.
In fact, TFP has noticed on the clock app, a glee that is coming from the non-Mixed Asians that seems almost diabolical in their need not just to acknowledge that Mr. Koy had a rough night,ābut mocking his comedic voice in general. As someone who has hung out with a lot of comedians, this rubs TFP the wrong way.
Everyone can have a rough set. Everyone can misfire. To go after the man’s entire career is not what should happen.
Not all jokes are going to land with all crowds – clearly Mr. Koy is not a comedian who often tells ‘jokes’ – set up, set up, punchline. He is a storytelling comic. He tells stories that his audience – usually mainly People of Color, relate to on some level. His audience is inclusive. He often allies himself with other groups in his crowds, for example pointing out the similarity between Filipinos and Mexicans. Telling Divorced Dads to not fight their ex over child support. Pointing out how his sisters left home early, while he, the only boy, had to be asked to leave by his Mother when he was 28, and then it was just to the garage. He does a lot of bits with his Mom – much as Margaret Cho does when she does standup.
No, his act is not all accents and imitations. That is a punitive take. His standup does rely though, on audience participation.
For example – had he told the joke about Martin Scorsese‘s film, Killers of the Flower Moon to his audience – (What I learned from Killers of the Flower Moon is that white people stole everything) the laughter would have gone on for several minutes. As the person who lifted the story from the book, then centered a white narrative that was, in fact, the killer’s…perhaps Mr. Scorsese (who has lifted from Asian films almost frame for frame akaThe Departed) at the Golden Globes were not going to be on board with that.
Hark though – Meryl Streep seemed be fine with him. Robert DeNiro as well.
Taylor Swift, not so much. Which is ok.
This is not about talent – this is about how much white audiences ‘allow POC to flourish’ when they are the focus of the repartee. Jim Gaffigan, very funny standup, was there was laughing, because…he gets it. Why was he there? No idea. TFP is sure someone will tell her. Must have had a comedy special. Ricky Gervais ripped the guests apart and they did not like him either, and yet, he was invited back again and again. White on white crime is allowed. Punching above your weight class?
Could Mr. Koy have done better? Absolutely he could have.
She hopes never to hear the word ‘boobies’ in an award ceremony again – ever. Nor does she enjoy the thought that a man could be seated in one part of the auditorium, whilst his nether regions are long enough to extend to the stage. Sounds incredibly uncomfortable, just think of his tailor.
However, the combination of chilly white gazes and the Asians online condemning Jo Koy is not just a “how very DARE he” kind of thing.
TFP sees it as purist behavior.
TFP has hosted quite a lot, nothing as large as the Golden Globes – but Whoopi Goldberg has. What she had to say, TFP agreed with- Mr. Koy just did not know the room. Hired ten days prior, he did not even get enough time to envision himself knowing the room and writers?
Of course he used them. All Hosts use them.
Mixed race Asian people are applauded when they do well – especially good looking ones – because when we accept awards it is wonderful to acknowledge our Asian parent, throw in a phrase the audience might know, show how Asian we are. Mixed race Asian people who hit the wrong note are instantly ostracized and are alarmingly ‘ not Asian enough’ for Asian Americans. Instantly discounted because of their backgrounds. Perhaps we did not know the right way to cut the fruit, or the hand positions to share alcohol, or did not show deference – and when we give folks, ‘the rep sweats’, the bum’s rush is immediate. Sadly after viewing white reactions – Asians got the ‘rep sweats’. And awaaay he goes….
TFP does not know Mr. Koy, but writing this blog – even when you are not actively writing it – makes you aware of things – like that he invested in the Broadway show HERE LIES LOVE, like he got the film EASTER SUNDAY made, which united well known known Fil-Am actors and lesser known together. He had a sitcom pilot that did not go, and as he mentioned – he has had a few Netflix specials. He is going off on a multi-city tour. Jo Koy is a community guy – he is ‘our’ community guy. He may not host an awards show again, but he may, and let’s just wish him better luck next time and a lot more prep time.
He does belong in Hollywood – it was only those who gatekeep Hollywood that decided he did not belong in the room at the Golden Globes. Meryl said he could stay, Taylor said they were ‘never, ever getting back together‘ with one sip of a drink.
It is all good. It was a good Golden Globes – there was an AAPI Host and there were AA award winners. Many, many firsts. When we can stop counting the firsts, we will have won.
Gatekeeping is not what ‘allies’ is supposed to mean – plenty of comics have failed at hosting before, perhaps hosts should be done away with all together – but till then, let’s all do a better job of allowing the people that have shot their shot, a bit of a grace. Some things did not land – it happens. TFP watched the video a few times now, it was not always the joke, it was that white Hollywood does not find itself funny, and only someone from a ‘higher white’ status, aka British, aka Gervais, is allowed to point it out.
And next time, Hollywood Foreign Press – hire Alec Mapa.
He would have had a great bit with Vanessa Williams, America Ferrara, and Matt Damon ready to go. He could wear a matching Willy Wonka outfit and tap his way into the audience, as he has worked with most of them.
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