The Fairy Princess is counting down the days to November 8th like…

let this be DONE already!

Randy Rainbow is the only thing getting her through this election season…and if the USA knighted people, she would write him in as a candidate, because…seriously though…

Now, TFP never has officially endorsed anyone – did not have to, this blog is only 4 years old and President Obama was doing great- but she will now. 

With 11 days to go in this election, it is her opinion that  ANYONE who could vote for the Orange Hate Pumpkin over one of the most qualified candidates to ever run for office who also happens to be a woman, well….ANYONE who could vote for THAT guy?

Let’s just say that not only will Houston have a problem if you try and list all your reasons why you think he’s a good candidate to TFP.

Done with the election BS, and done with all the arguing. TFP does not want to hear about your trust issues that stem from your Mommy issues that stem from your innate need to think your opinion is more precious than civil rights of everyone else in this country. If you did not get enough love in your childhood, go watch CHICAGO a few times and remember even Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly could not do it alone.

TFP sat through 3 Presidential debates, one VP debate and endless Social Media rhetoric and she’s finished with it all. Her friends are all well aware, as is probably all of the Twotter, but she is now, and forever, just like CATS…supporting the Democratic candidate.

TFP does not care about your third party ‘does not know where Aleppo is, sunk all their mutual funds into big oil candidates’.

They don’t know squat, and they are not qualified.

If you want to know who TFP supports for the highest office in the land – it is former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

Now here is some Asian American Broadway News….

Our favorite School of Rock-er, Miss Isabella Russo is leaving the show in November. She opened this Original Musical on the Broadway in the role of Summer, and is leaving it an older and wiser pre-teen.

TFP is sure you are going to hear much more about this multi-talent, and that is all she is going to say at this particular point. (But it’s good)

MISS SAIGON is coming back to Broadway and they are having their OPEN CALL in November.

An OPEN CALL – which was pretty much pioneered by the first production of MISS SAIGON low those many years ago – is when people can audition for the show regardless of if they are a member of the Stage Actor’s Union, ACTOR’S EQUITY, or not.

Please note, that you will have to join AEA should you land a role in the show.

Here is the ‘official’ notice from the Casting Office of Tara Rubin, which was sent to TFP earlier today:

Now, TFP knows that there is some reactions to MISS SAIGON that people have and she has some thoughts on that- which she has covered in the past.

However – she will defer to TONY Award Winner Lea Salonga (Now doing FUN HOME in the Philippines), whom TFP interviewed last year in regards to ALLEGIANCE:

TFP: …I think if you are looking at MISS SAIGON and only see prostitution, you are missing the point.

LS: You are missing the point.

Y’all can click on the link and go and read the entire interview – but basically – if you are saying you will not perform in a musical that mentions or shows aspects of prostitution, fine – but if you are only upset about Asian prostitutes being portrayed and not protesting equally shows like THE LIFE, or LES MISERABLES, or CABARET, or BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS…or the endless list of musicals that deal with prostitution – OLIVER, GIGI..then you are not really protesting because of the portrayal of women.

You are protesting a show that you do not want to see based solely on the fact that it has Asian performers – and that is ridiculous.

If  the Asian American Broadway performers or in this case, those who wish to be Asian American Broadway performers, want to go and audition for this show- it is their right to do so.

Do we go to your job and tell you that you cannot do it, simply because we do not like it?

In theater, you vote with your ticket. You do not want to see the show – do not audition, do not purchase a ticket.

Those who choose to audition…may the odds be ever in your favor.

SPEAKING OF SHOWS THAT GET PROTESTED…TFP is appearing on a panel in regards to the new NY Gilbert & Sullivan production of THE MIKADO that is rapidly approaching.

The Mikado in the 21st Century:
A conversation with New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players

New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players will host a public forum on November 3, 2016, at 6:00PM onstage at Kaye Playhouse(68th street between Park and Lexington Avenue). The forum continues a dialogue between the Asian-American theatrical community, the NYGASP staff and creative team, and the Gilbert & Sullivan audience.

The program will feature speaker Dr. Jonathan Jenkins Ishikawa, professor of epistemology at University of British Columbia who is also a Gilbert & Sullivan expert and performer.

The discussion will revolve around broad issues such as the existence of orientalism in our culture and the need for diversity in casting, as well as the need for change in performance practice of The Mikado specifically.

The panel will share steps NYGASP is taking with the new production they are mounting this Dec 28-Jan 8 at the Kaye Playhouse. The discussion will raise questions of how a repertory company imagines new ways of presenting a classic work while maintaining the work’s artistic integrity.

The event will be moderated by Robert Lee, professor of Graduate Musical Theatre writing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Panel members include Assistant Director for the new Mikado production Kelvin Moon Loh (Broadway’s The King and I, Side Show); actor Scott Watanabe(Allegiance, Broadway Bounty Hunter); actor Erin Quill (The King and I, Flower Drum Song, Avenue Q); NYGASP Associate Director and director and conceiver of the new Mikado, David Auxier; and Producer/Executive Director David Wannen.

TFP is pretty sure you are all going…

because of course, TFP did ‘help‘ NYGASP come to the decision to table their production of THE MIKADO that was in their repertory, by writing a few (this one, and this one) pointed blog posts, based on the fact that she had actually seen their past production of the show.

That was then, this is now – let’s all get together and slug it all out and sing some high notes and patter songs in a civilized manner.

Won’t you join us?

TFP out.

The Fairy Princess has learned, as have many others (Angry Asian Man, Racebending,) – that a super secret first draft of Disney’s promised live action version of MULAN has surfaced, and…it had a white guy saving the day.

Yes, apparently those screenwriters were a bit too in love with the show, MARCO POLO – (which should of course be called, KHAN),

and they decided that a Roman soldier somehow found his way to China, (Obviously he got a ride from Matt Damon and slept on Tilda Swinton’s floor as he made his way through Tibet) fell in love with an under-aged Chinese girl, (because that old trope is not as gross as we all think it is) and they he is able to train her so that she can go and save China.

A white guy ‘training’ a Chinese teenager.

Anyone with the ‘ick’ factor on high alert?

Anyone? Bueller?

Anyway, those screenwriters have already been taken off the project, and it has been handed to others who deal in dinosaurs – and Disney has avowed that they are not going to give Mulan a Caucasian love interest, but here is the question TFP wants to pose – are they going to go so far off the template for this live action that the songs and the basic story line – which is compelling on it’s own – is not even a part of the landscape of this film?

Well then, what is the point?

Also,  what about using Asian American talent in front of the camera, much as you did with the majority of the voices of the film? In point of fact – Disney used a great deal of Asian American voice talent on the second MULAN film as well, so it is not like Disney does not know they are out there. They have been pioneers in the past, so TFP thinks it HIGHLY unlikely that they would not continue in this manner, but well…Hollywood.

Not to mention the fact that, well…we have had quite a few more APIs on Broadway since that first film,

so there is rampant talent available.

In fact, Disney has recent TONY Nominee, Philippa Soo, singing in their new MOANA film.

Also Dwayne “The Rock’ Johnson, who has Samoan heritage has a lead role which requires singing.

NOT TO MENTION THAT the Original Voice Actors and singers of MULAN all look crazy hot and talented like they have been all along...

This whole argument that Asian people have to be ‘schooled’ by a white protagonist as to how to save their own country – a country which, by the way, managed to build that Great Wall so well it is able to be seen from SPACE – is annoying.

Why do they all of a sudden need help? They were making amazing art, poetry, and paintings while most of Europe were wearing homespun and living as serfs.

If the other musical projects that have been adapted for live action all incorporated the songs in a great cinematic way – why cannot this new live action MULAN be sung and acted by American performers who both appreciate the greatness of Alan Menken’s songs, and who grew up in love with this film and the voice actors in the first place?

Make the cast international if you wish, ok fine – but keep this Asian story with Asian talent. Because…we do not want to see this kind of thing happening with this story…

Scarlett Johannsen, Emma Stone, Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, Tilda Swinton....the list actually goes on and on back to the beginning of America cinema.

It has to stop.

Please make it stop.

No matter WHO eventually writes whatever draft gets the nod to go ahead – please remember that not only do Asian Americans have an innate attachment to this film, the Disney audience in general has an attachment to this film – and TFP is fairly certain that loving an animated film that is without a white protagonist saving the day means they will love a live action version with the same kind of focus.

TFP knows that this first draft is not going forward and likely there are going to be many revisions with this new team, but she is just so agonizingly tired of having to reiterate that representations of Asian peoples and their history – even history that has been ‘liberated’ (ahem), from it’s land of origin, are staggeringly important.

TFP wants her kid to be able to see Asian people in American films where they are celebrated and loved, as much as she personally celebrates and loves her kid.

Isn’t this “all for the kids’ anyway? What is the end goal here? Isn’t it fostering integration and expanding minds and finding narratives of various cultures worthy of examination and study? Isn’t it?

A lot of people are finding that audiences have no issues with learning about the variety of heritages within the United States, in fact, they enjoy it.

Otherwise, it’s going to be a total sh*t show – why not call Justin Lin or Ang Lee or someone who does not have to start from the ground up, and see what they can do with it?

Or someone who directs musical films? Bill Condon? He is doing a bang up job on Beauty and the Beast – can’t we book him ahead of time to give us a glorious live action piece?

Can’t the stupidity go away? Isn’t it time yet? If not – when WILL it be time?

TFP is looking at noon next Friday, to be honest, oh powers that be.

TFP out.

The Fairy Princess has been watching these Presidential Debates like

She has also been directing a show, teaching a class, and getting ready to appear in a show at Feinstein’s/54 Below THIS COMING FRIDAY NIGHT at 11:30 PM called MUSE MATCH – where they take a composer, match them with a singer and have a night of original songs. TFP is working with Andrew David Sotomayer, who has written a great, thoughtful number, and all the proceeds are to go to a charity that deals with the gun violence.

She will fully admit that the ONLY way she is getting through to Election Day is watching Randy Rainbow videos and hugging small children.

Amazing.

Can he get a medal for these? He should totally get a medal for these for cultural contribution at times of extreme stress.

Speaking of the Arts in terms of extreme stress – how about asking kids and their parents to pay for being in a school play?

Yes. Harford County, once again, has reiterated that to participate in school plays, the Parents must pay a fee of $100 in order to do so. To play sports, the students/Parents must also pay $100.

In fact, the school board hopes that they can get 500 kids to participate in their plays so that they can then pay for the Swim Team!

Now, just paying the fee does not guarantee a role, nor does it guarantee that any coach will play the child on the team or in the pool. Nor should any parent pay ahead of time, because on the off chance you paid, should your child not be ‘chosen’, you will not get a refund.

What does it guarantee?

Nothing except that the school in some small way makes up for it’s incompetent administration of the school budget which is collected from tax payers – and which ‘used to’ be enough, but is no longer enough to fund extra-curricular activities.

Again – this is the Arts and Physical Activity we are talking about. This concerns the health, happiness, and well being of the children who are forced to attend in this County because this is where they live.

Now, picture yourself either a single parent, or a family on a strict budget. You would like your child to participate in an after school activity, in part, because it would give them something to do after school, and keep them in an academic adjacent setting.

In other words, they would be safe after school.

Parents no longer all get an option of running to meet the bus the minute it stops and ushering the kids home to cookies and milk. Most Parents have to work. Most school districts realize that, and after school activities are, in part, to develop life-long habits based on physical activity and the Arts, but ultimately to keep kids actively engaged in a positive way.

Because kids without focus can get into trouble – and that is not just stats and studies, that is personal observation from where TFP grew up – which was a very nice Upper Middle Class suburb in New York.

 Any ‘kid’ who is bored, who is unsupervised even peripherally by an adult, is likely to get into harmful situations.

(Photo Credit – Howard Sherman)

The kids who do not have an activity after school that is supervised by an adult, have more than enough time to learn how to be rude, be aggressive to one another and to any adults that happen in their way, and frankly – they do not learn to contribute to anything. They learn how to be selfish, because they only have themselves to consider.

When you are in a play, or on a team – and TFP has been participants in both kinds of activities – you learn how to work with others. You learn how to think both as an individual, and to how to contribute to the end result as a whole.

Plays and Musicals are generally not dependent upon one individual, it takes a village – building sets, costumes, setting lights, learning lines, learning staging – none of that happens in a vacuum.

Sports is similar – you can be an outstanding individual player – but that may be in only one position – you cannot play every spot at every time.

One develops not only your ‘outside’ interests in these activities, but they contribute to mental happiness and happier students perform better in schools.

Penalizing the kids because the Adults that are ‘in charge’ are not able to handle the job that they accepted to do, is the wrong attitude.

Now the School Board will start yelling about Unions and Insurance and Overtime and Electric Bills, New Uniforms…all valid points.

All valid points – but a more valid point is – what is the end goal?

Education.

Education is the end goal.

Engaged kids perform better – test scores go up. Do not all High Schools and Middle Schools have to maintain a test score standard upon which Federal Funds are granted to them? So if you take away activities that foster individual achievement and goals, which lead to better test scores, aren’t you sinking the academic ship here as well as the after school activities?

Obviously the School Board in this case did not participate on teams or in plays to understand what is actually at stake here – what is at stake are human beings.

Human beings whose minds and bodies could remain closed simply because their Parents have financial strictures in place that cannot accommodate an extra few hundred dollars.

To attempt to make money for the district on the backs of the Artsy kids so that you can pay for the Swim Team to keep the pool open, seems ludicrous.

It seems small minded and honestly – perhaps the School Board should stop penalizing the children who want to participate and their parents – stop looking at them as a ticket to fix budget shortfall and instead get a competent accountant in there to figure out this mess they have gotten themselves into.

For choosing to try and make money on the backs of kids, instead of giving those same backs wings so that they can fly into their future – TFP fines the Harford County School Board in Maryland $100 and 100 whacks with the wand – that $100 is their ‘participation fee’ for being idiots.

If you cannot administrate – get someone in there who can and fix this issue.

Your job is not to be the keepers of access to education – it is to PROVIDE education that the tax payers have already paid and voted on.

Do your jobs!

TFP encourages people in the Arts and in Sports and Human Beings in general to go to website of the Harford County School Board and write to the School Board.

Particularly if you are a voter in Harford County, MD.

(Which is looking way less fun than Harper Valley, PTA right now!)

TFP out.