The Fairy Princess would like everyone reading to know that her buddy, Actor and Activist, and all around Mr. Little Tokyo, Rodney Kageyama died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday. TFP does not write obituaries, but thankfully, YOMYOMF‘s Tim Lounibos has done so. She will only say that he was a light in the darkness, and that Little Tokyo, East West Players, and the Universe will be a bit sadder with him not in it.
Fly with the angels, my Friend.
xxxxx
Next, she would like to give thanks for some very special people in Orono, Maine who CANCELLED their scheduled production of AVENUE Q because they did not have minority performers, who are intrinsic to the show, come and audition.
Yes, the SOME THEATER COMPANY has stood by it’s mission statement of inclusion and diversity, and decided the people of Orono and surrounding parts would NOT be served by whitewashing Christmas Eve and Gary Coleman and guess, what – HERE are key members of that Company….
Here is what they had to say about it:
They are absolutely correct in their decision, and while TFP’s past opinions may or may not have been read on this subject, the truth is – it was the wrong thing to do and they chose to not do it.
Bravo SOME THEATER COMPANY, you win the Internet!
Tell them, Natalie Venetia Belcon!
You know who ALSO wins the Internet?
The Cast of FLOWER DRUM SONG 1958, Bway Revival and First National Tour!
Check them out in this stunning display of talent across the ages – from Alvin Ing to Ali Ewoldt – TFP has to admit feeling a bit verklempt at this video.
Congrats to all, especially Lainie Sakakura and Alex Sanchez for coordinating this giant effort, from writing the script to choreography and recreating choreography – and thanks to Broadway Cares/EFA for highlighting that NOT seeing AAPIs on our Broadway stages has NEVER been about talent.
It has been about Producers and Creative Teams who did not feel comfortable giving AAPIs a shot in a show that was not ABOUT being AAPI.
TFP thinks that is changing – but we cannot go forward without knowing our history – take a look:
TFP’s little heart that is five sizes too small – shrunken by the salty waters of white tears of regret – grew just by watching the video.
Until…and you KNEW there was an until, she read about this next Anniversary of a R&H Musical, SOUTH PACIFIC.
Seventy years doncha know?
Actually, it is TONIGHT – December 10th at the St. Regis.
TFP appreciates that dramatic reinterpretations are going to be happening, after all the show is 70 years old, and most 70 year olds in show business have had a little work done.
However there is no AAPI Female listed to perform in the cast that is really quite diverse – read about it. Eden Espinoza, Erin Dilly, Alex Newell, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Morgan James, Carmen Cusak, Jose Llana, Karim Sulayman…all brilliant performers.
Not one of them an APPI female.
Yes, there is an AAPI male- actually you would have seen Jose perform IN that Flower Drum Song video above – but unless he is singing a song about a far away island – which is possible – there is a disconnect that is happening here that TFP wants to touch on.
Again – fans of all the performers listed – total fan – have seen several of them multiple times. All excellent. They did not hire themselves, TFP gets that. When you do these concerts, you have no idea really who else is on the bill till rehearsal.
Here is what the issue is for TFP, and wave your hands in the air if you agree…go ahead…s’allright even if no one can see you…she will wait.
SOUTH PACIFIC is a show that has most of the time throughout it’s history – purported to represent a woman of a South Pacific Island – and then specifically NOT cast a woman of AAPI heritage. The character’s name of course is, Bloody Mary.
There was Juanita Hall, who was African American, who famously played the role on the stage and in the film.
There was Beatrice Krebs, the opera singer, who was Caucasian, who incidentally told TFP that if one were to sing Bal’i Hai – shoes could not be worn, that was direct from Richard Rodgers. TFP was grateful to her for the information.
You get the idea – it is only in recent years that people have tried to cast this piece authentically – it has two roles that are AAPI – Bloody Mary and her daughter, Liat.
The show was written in part to address prejudice against AAPIS and mixed race children. The story of Nurse Nellie being unable to wed Emile because he had previously been married to a Native Woman and had two children is one giant HELLO from Oscar Hammerstein about a world where we let ignorance rule our lives.
The issue that ‘you have to be taught to hate and fear‘ is profound – it is why Lt. Cable refuses to marry Liat after he takes her virginity, so her Mum (Bloody Mary) decides she is going to be married off to a vastly older and potentially cruel French Plantation owner.
Let’s be honest – we all know Liat is going to suffer.
The show is built on the backs of women – both white women and AAPI women. The show is about ignorance being overcome by love.
So, riddle TFP this – if the show was written to show that there is racism against AAPI women – casting history nonwithstanding – why do they continue to NOT have an AAPI female in the show when presenting it on a Anniversary year in a big concert at the St. Regis?
As a fundraiser for Broadway Dreams, which is a not for profit performing arts training organization with global reach?
Guess they better not reach to countries who fall under the AAPI Umbrella term.
Anyway, break a leg to all the performers going on – TFP is sure they will be smashing, but she is not going to deny she is butt-hurt that there are no scheduled APPI females performing, that ‘we’ are being washed from a show that is named SOUTH PACIFIC.
The optics are not great here, R&H – not great at all.
In a year where we had #AsianAugust, where FRESH OFF THE BOAT made it to five seasons, where Hasan Minaj is the best thing on Netflix, where the Crazy Rich Asians made a Vanity Fair Cover, along with Hapa Darren Criss, where Nik Dodani is lighting up MURPHY BROWN for our LGBTQ Family, where Rizwan Manji is Shitt’s Creeking and Magicianing, where Shoba Narayan is touring as Eliza Hamilton with Marcus Choi as Washington, where Daniel Dae Kim is serving us diverse Dr realness on The Good Doctor, and where Sandra Oh is hosting the Golden Globes…the same year Thom Sesma played the iconic role of Sweeney Todd in a setting that sold actual PIES, you are going to give us a SOUTH PACIFIC with no AAPI females?
THIS LIST IS OFF THE TOP OF TFP‘s HEAD – SHE HAS A WHOLE OTHER 3/4 OF HER HEAD TO GO THROUGH and she knows she has missed some – don’t @ me!
Perhaps you should watch that FLOWER DRUM SONG reunion video again – one that was done about a full WEEK prior to this concert that is happening tonight, to see what opportunities have been missed.
And to whomever is singing Bali Ha’i – TAKE YOUR DAMN SHOES OFF!
TFP out.
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