In light of the recent and stupid comments by MARVEL and Tilda Swinton, in regards to casting of the new Dr. Strange Film – TFP is reissuing her post from last year, when casting was announced.
Ahem:
The Fairy Princess is in a bad damn mood. First, because she went to a routine trip to the dentist and was like “Hey, this tooth kinda hurts”, and twenty minutes later, she had no tooth – because it needed to be removed. Her Dentist was lovely and no reflection on his profession but she was thinking of two things while in the chair…
Steve Martin
And The Wild West.
And when she says the Wild West she was actually thinking “Thank goodness I don’t live in the Wild West where they would have tied a string to the tooth and the other end to a saddle of a horse and then…
She must congratulate the wonderful Scott Nevins, from Bravo’s The People’s Couch, for once again, producing two smashing shows on two different coasts, all to raise funds for people in need.
so YES, she knew about what was going on with AbFab, she put it on the back burner to handle some personal stuff, at least in terms of the blog. She apologizes for the delay, she was asked back in November to blog on this issue, and she meant to, she just ran out of time.
Sometimes following TFP on The Twittah (@Equill) is a better way to gauge what she is thinking about current events.
Now, TFP is an AbFabAddict – she spent much of her formative years swanning about like a desicated British lady ‘of a certain age’ who was either drunk or stoned or both, that’s right – these two.
Edina and Pats – played by Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley. These two have had so much influence on pop culture, nightclub culture, and the international perception of aging fabulously and entirely flawed, that it’s hard to quantify.
In the history of television, both in the UK and parts abroad, never has drunken debauchery looked so very appealing and so radically unafraid of watching panicked women aging – look, if you could wind up like Edina and Pats, a wrinkle or two really was nothing to worry about.
Aging is Fabulous, absolutely.
In their ridiculousness and inability to accept aging, we, the audience, came to accept what was so grand about being the last to give any f**ks at all about what people thought.
They insulted everyone, and made themselves the butt of just about every scenario – but there was a magnificence about it, that made it work.
Until now.
Because now, they have – or rather Jennifer Saunders who created and starred in the show – has made a huge misstep.
She has taken the fabulous of AbFab and given it a racist turn. The two ladies that could accept just about anything have now crossed the line and have decided to accept yellowface.
Now, there is a comedienne from Scotland, and she’s half of a team known as The Krankies.
Now that ‘little boy’ aka “Wee Jimmy” (‘Wee‘ is how Scottish Folk imply small or young – doesn’t mean a bladder problem) is actually a woman, and that woman is named Janette Tough.
Janette has been chosen to play, in the new AbFab movie – a Japanese Designer named, wait for it, Huki Muki. Not just a ‘designer’, specifically the character is ‘a Japanese designer’. Named Huki Muki.
Which no, does not mean anything in Japanese.
Huki Effin Muki!
Now, apparently, Ms. Tough is appearing as a caricature character based on an actual Japanese writer and artist, Yayoi Kusama….
to be fair, Ms. Kusama’s look seems to have inspired other film depictions…
however, Leeloo in The Fifth Element was not supposed to be Asian or of Asian descent, she was supposed to be one of the Supreme Beings of the Universe.
Again, the character of Huki Muki is specifically described as “a Japanese designer”
Here is Huki Muki swanning about with Eddie and Pats:
Awash in polka dots, a bob hairstyle stolen stolen from Andy Wharhol’s reject pile, and Anna Wintour’s “absolutely not’ pile of dark sunglasses.
Some have compared this to British pantomime and that is absolutely ridiculous, this has nothingto do with pantomime, or ‘panto’ – first of all – it’s not live and playing to children.This film is largely going to play for Gay Men and the women that love being friends with them.
The only similarity between this film and panto is that they have a female character dressed as a man aka- Drag.
“Panto” has drag.
What ‘Drag” means is, from the Shakespeare, “DRessed as A Girl”.
(Not to be confused with people who are in any way transitioning)
This Actress is dressing to play a Japanese man. Technically, should we return to the ‘Shakespearean meaning’- it’s not drag, per se, as the actress will not be Dressed as a Girl.
A Japanese person. Drag is entirely the wrong term to use. She is a woman playing a man, but she is crossing ethnic boundaries.
There are elements of racism in ‘panto“, particularly in Aladdin, but again, to try and justify this as an ‘ode’ to classic British form is a misstep. Although it is jumping into the racism with both feet, toes pointed.
Then there was the outrageous suggestion that white people playing Asian are just ‘acting’!
TFP knows that Asians are so gorgeous that everyone wants to be us, and well, who wouldn’t? We are stunning.
However it always looks ridiculous and everyone forgets to pay attention to the ‘acting’ per se, because we are all wondering how an “Actor’ of any merit could bask in the light of their own ethnic blindness and delusion as to their abilities. Fifty years ago people excused it by saying there were no Asian actors available, which is how we wound up with this list –
which looks absolutely dreadful from today’s perspective.
Japanese people are an ethnic group, from an actual and real country, which means, this is NOT Drag in any way shape or form, it’s dressing to specifically portray a person of another ethnicity. Dressing to portray a person of Asian ancestry.
We all know how TFP feels about that, but it bears repeating.
THIS is what happens when Caucasians dress up as Asians, generally in The Mikado (Although NOT in the English National Opera production of The Mikado, which is beautiful)
Hideous, yes?
Yes.
Though Huki Muki is better dressed than the above pictured folk, if Ms. Trough is using an accent and in any way altering her eyes, or using caricatured gestures to portray a person of Asian heritage – it’s YELLOW FACE.
YELLOW FACE is makeup and gestures that mock Asian peoples and heritage. TFP does not know why everyone across the UK and USA realizes that Blackface is horribly offensive, but when it comes to Asians, they think we should all suck it up because they (the Caucasians) find it funny.
It’s not funny.
Here’s Blackface:
Here is Yellowface:
There is actually no difference, and if anyone argues that there is, or that Yellowface is done because of artistic merit or tradition, they need a talking to. Without the talking.
TFP gets the AbFab humor, she absolutely does. Everything is grand and ridiculous – that is all fine. If the character were just playing a designer named Huki Muki, TFP would have to shrug and assume it’s just a takeoff on over the top well dressed fashion designers of which we have numerous examples:
Alexander McQueen
Karl Lagerfeld
America’s Christopher March
If AbFab is about mocking the PR and Fashion Worlds – which it has always been – then why did they have to make Huki Muki a Japanese Designer specifically?
One can surmise that there are going to be some jokes about ethnicity and stature, as they have cast a Scottish sketch comedienne of shorter height to play the role.
TFP wants to know, Ms. Saunders – if you were casting a Japanese Fashion Designer, why didn’t you cast someone Asian? What is in the writing, or in the setup that does not allow for an Asian person to play an Asian person?
Let TFP clue the viewing public in- Asians are not allowed to be in on the joke, because we ARE the joke. It is clear as the mirror Pats snorts Coke off of.
In your next film, Ms. Saunders, are East and South Asians all going to play Scottish people? And by the by – if you ARE going to cast a Scottish person as an Asian person, how about…say…KATIE LEUNG!
Scottish AND Asian! Wow, one stop shopping!
Katie Leung was voted THE MOST STYLISH PERSON IN SCOTLAND!!!!!
If the designer did not have to specifically be played by a Scottish person portraying a Japanese person, you could have just cast an Actress who happens to be of Asian descent (obviously authenticity is not your issue at all Ms. Saunders) – for example, you could have gone with Bai Ling –
Or if you wanted an Designer who is outrageous and Asian, you could have gone with Bobby Trendy!
Or let’s say what everyone is thinking – Ms. Saunders, you could have called on the one who is calling you out in public, Ms. Margaret Cho, who by the way, is KILLING it on FASHION POLICE here in the States. She is a comedic actress, a writer, a standup and she talks about fashion!
Maybe that would have been too much competition, eh Ms. Saunders?
The truth is, you probably did not look, Ms. Saunders.
You just thought it would be cool to make fun of Japanese people, so you called up your Mate in Scotland and said,
“Darling, Darling, Darling, could you lose your r’s and l’s and wear tape on your eyes and mock those darling little people who run about in the fashion world? No, the Asians darling, not the PA’s, for f*ckssake, who cares about PA’s!?”
And then, as Eddie, you leaned over to Pats and yelled “She thought I meant the PA’s! Do you care about PA’s Patsy?” and Pats said back
then you all had a good laugh and a bottle of champs and went off about your day – did you ever find that doorknob?
TFP thinks Naomi Campbell knows where it is…and that you should perhaps duck?
Naomi Campbell is of Asian descent too….TFP is sure she would take your call…
For employing YELLOWFACE in order to fill your film with racism instead of it’s usual good hearted debauchery – TFP fines Ms. Jennifer Saunders 100 whacks of the wand.
You could have said some really funny things about the Fashion Industry and acknowledged that Asian designers make a real and valid contribution to world fashion, but instead, you chose mockery.
Darling, darling, darling – yellowface is not absolutely anything but appalling.
Thanks to Margaret Cho for speaking up and speaking out.
The Fairy Princess was flitting about the world wide interweb today and it is..damn, the news is awful. Truly awful. She absolutely does not want to send condolences one more time to any school, town, church, or city where terrorism – domestic or otherwise has occurred. She wants these things to stop occurring.
It’s time to shut this all down, and vote out the people who protect the NRA and fail to protect the innocents who are the victims of our lax gun laws.
Everyone is saying it – but you all, come Election Day, can change it. It does not matter if your opinion is conservative, or if you don’t like the Democratic candidates – you have to actually vote the conscience you are supposed to have.
You have to make this election, this coming election about one issue, and one issue only.
Establishing gun control in America.
You have to vote against random acts of violence by voting for people who believe in gun control. You have to vote for this on a local level, on a state level, and a national level.
You don’t like someone’s fiscal policies, or you think they are too left wing? Who cares?
TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM!
If you do not, then you know what? If you do not vote these people out, you are the endorser OF gun violence. If you do not vote these people out of office, you know what you are – you are an enabler of gun violence.
It’s really that simple.
Gun control in this country is the issue. If you cannot vote for people who believe that gun laws should be tougher and mandatory, then you are allowing guns into the hands of these terrorists that are homegrown.
Write to your elected officials and tell them what is important to all of us in this country, before any other family loses a member to senseless violence – write them RIGHT NOW – here is the link.
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The Fairy Princess wanted to take a moment to tell you about a campaign that she is supporting, yes, she knows one of the writers, but this is a unique situation, it’s a bit more interesting than the normal crowdfunding campaign.
She is talking about THE AMERICAN SIDE.
What makes this campaign different is – the film is completed.
That’s unusual with a Kickstarter campaign, usually the project is not complete.
In this case it is. Seems also to have some very fine acting going on – Matthew Broderick, Jeanne Garafalo, Camille Belle, Grant Shaud, Robert Vaughn, Alicja Bachleda, and of course Greg Stuhr all look to be turning in fascinating performances.
So – first reason – film completed, second reason – excellent acting.
Third reason she is supporting it is because the plot revolves around the work of Nikola Tesla. TFP has always had a soft spot for Nickola Tesla. His genius got a raw deal.
Finally, TFP liked the pitch trailer – and…as they are not asking her to help fund the film (that is a big peeve of hers), but to help with the theatrical release of it, she gave them some money. Just like buying tickets ahead of time on your phone or computer – all those services charge a fee – this is her fee prior to getting tickets to the film.
It seems like a smart action film – and the world could use more smart action films. Also, it’s a noir film, and TFP truly loves noir films…
This one is set in Buffalo, New York – which, when you think about…surprising more films are not set there, it’s kind of perfect.
If you would like to see THE AMERICAN SIDE at a theater near you, take a digital walk to the KICKSTARTER link.
This is their last week.
Let’s hope they make their goal – TFP really wants to see this one.
The Fairy Princess got up and watched The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and was honestly thrilled. So many Broadway shows featured! Her child, who is only three years old, was able to experience the magic of a Broadway musical, if only in small segments, for the first time, and he was transfixed. (Particularly by KING AND I, and SOMETHING ROTTEN, which he adores probably more than most 3 year olds)
His Mother was also transfixed because of, of course, the diversity that is this current Broadway season – On Your Feet, Fiddler on the Roof, The King and I, School of Rock, Something Rotten, The Wiz – there was something for everyone, no matter how you identify and that is HUGE!
Thus, TFP wanted to take a moment and say what she is grateful for – in terms of representation this past year.
She is going to begin with theater, because that is where it always starts for her.
TFP is thankful ALLEGIANCE has made it to Broadway and is telling the story of Asian Americans in America.
Whilst TFP is not a ‘reviewer’ of shows, per se – she can speak to how moved she was to see ALLEGIANCE. The performers are of course, wonderful – Telly Leung, just magic in his character’s willingness to go to war to ‘earn’ his being called an American hero all while hitting ‘money notes’ for days!
Greg Watanabe’s thought provoking Mike Masaoka, as a man trapped between so many rocks and hard places that any move he made would continue to be the subject of debate and conjecture to this day.
(Also, just to be on point, the JACL owes the creators and performers, particularly Greg Watanabe, a huge apology for releasing their statement prior to seeing this incarnation of the show. The show uses Mr. Masaoka’s own words and actions to show his situation, and it is nuanced and heartbreaking, to be frank.)
Michael K. Lee, back on Broadway, after reigning as one of South Korea’s leading Musical Theater Performers – giving the voice of the ‘resistors’ a powerful character to stand behind, even as he winds up going to prison for his decisions.
Katie Rose Clarke, representing the bewildered people of White America, who thought they were doing the right thing to protect their country in the beginning, but who change significantly and realize what an evil thing it is, to lock away a group of people simply because they look like people you are at war with. Under the skin, we are all the same, as Shakespeare’s Shylock told us, ever so long ago.
Lea Salonga,
so much has been said and written about her performance, TFP will only add that in case you were wondering, she does indeed sing her face off as Kei Kimura, caught between a ‘traditional’ upbringing and her changing perception of what ‘allegiance’ actually means. Ms. Salonga has helped shape this role during her long alliance with the show, and to TFP that means that she has much directing in her future. Just throwing it out there.
Then there is George Takei.
The power of Mr. Takei in this role, is something that cannot be underestimated. The story is moving, but when he walks onstage, the weight of the understanding of what went on in those Internment Camps is given a living being to speak for it. George Takei, a vibrant activist for human rights, for the acknowledgement of the injustices against Japanese Americans, he lives and breathes this role, and he is a mighty Archangel bringing America to task with his own life’s story.
These are not ‘reviews’ they are merely how TFP felt, upon reflection, after viewing the show – it is exceptionally powerful, and there is no getting away from it. Once the audience watches Ensemble member, Rumi Oyama as the character Mrs. Tanaka break down upon learning that the latrine has no walls for privacy, and that all eating will be done en masse in the mess hall, the audience is transfixed. Or they were when TFP saw it.
TFP is thankful that ALLEGIANCE is on Broadway – and urges you all to see it.
TFP is also thankful for HAMILTON, with the lovely Philippa Soo making her mark as Elizabeth Schulyer Hamilton.
She is thankful that “The Littlest Witch” from the National Wicked Tour, Ms. Isabella Russo, followed in her Broadway Parent’s footsteps and is now in SCHOOL OF ROCK playing the character of Summer.
Also making her Broadway debut in that show, is TFP‘s buddy, Jaygee Macapugugay, playing Isabella’s ‘Show Mom” – always exciting!
TFP is of course thankful for KING AND I having it’s open ended run at Lincoln Center, it’s a breathtaking production and she highly recommends it. Big ‘ups’ today to the Cast for bringing tropical Siam to 50 Degree Farenheit New York City. Where else but in New York City would TONY Winners come out and give their performances to the crowd? Bravo, Y’all!
TFP is thankful that the Dramatist Guild came out in support of Playwrights Lloyd Suh, Katori Hall, and Stephen Adly Guirgis, in their fights to defend their work from less than appropriate casting. That was very well done, a play under copyright belongs to the Playwright, significant changes are only allowed with their express permission.
It is a great thing when an organization like AAFL creates work to show real social problems and bring attention so that, hopefully, these things will come to an end. It’s significant. Thanks to Jennifer Betit-Yen for heading up this project, and to the Asian Women’s Giving Circle for giving the grant so the project could be funded.
Turning to Television, TFP is very thankful that CW’s CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND has had additional episodes ordered, after they showed the world the very first Filipino American Thanksgiving!
Additional episodes means that more of the world gets to fall in love with Josh Chan and his family- and pictured here are Coryn Mabalot, Tess Paras, Alberto Isaac, Rachel Bloom, Amy Hill, and Vincent Rodriguez 111.
Also the longer the show is on, the more the world gets to see the phenomenon that is Donna Lynne Champlin as Paula, and really, that is just the best gift on television right now.
ABC is also ‘killing it’ with Asian American Thanksgiving’s this year – first there was Huangsgiving –
Nothing says Thanksgiving like cradling the last frozen turkey left in the restaurant freezer…and then again, on DR. KEN it was an Asian American Multi-Cultural Throwdown where they come together to prove not only are they American, but that they can acknowledge their cultural heritage as well.
Nice to see Clyde Kutsatu, Dana Lee, and Jeanne Sakata joining the rest of the regular cast for this episode.
So that is THREE significant Network comedies recognizing the greatness and hilarity of breaking Thanksgiving bread with Asian Americans!
For TFP’s last bit of thankfulness in regards to Asian Americans in Entertainment, she wants to acknowledge that she saw an episode of a show she has not really been following, TRUTH BE TOLD on NBC.
TFP only recently learned of it, and while the premise is a Caucasian College Professor and his Hapa Spouse live next door to an African American couple, who are their best friends, the truth is – Mark Paul Gosselar has Asian heritage.
Which means that this is the first ‘Hapa” marriage on television. This may not seem significant to many, but to TFP, who is also mixed Asian and Caucasian heritage – from a family that has been mixed for several generations now – this is mind blowing.
Particularly as she saw a recent episode where Vanessa Lachey is trying to explain to her daughter, why she should love Filipina Barbie just as much as good ol’ Blonde Barbie. TFP is not Filipina, but she ‘got’ this episode in a way that went to her core, that just the thought that this stuff is now on television is incredible.
So there you go, Asian American peeps – there are some things that TFP is grateful for today – at least in regards to Media and Representation – nothing is perfect, but it is getting better.
The Fairy Princess has an Irish temper. That is one of the beautiful things about being multi-racial – you can call on a lot of different genetics in an effort to explain one’s own firebrand reaction to news items like those coming out of Clarion University.
Do not just take TFP’s word for it, read these very excellent blog posts byHoward Shermanand Bitter Gertrudeto get some more information.
For those catching up, Clarion’s Drama Teacher, Marylouise Michel wanted to use Playwright Lloyd Suh’s play, JESUS IN INDIA. When she first approached him via his agent, he was told it was for classroom use. Later, after they made the decision to mount the play, they never executed a signed contract. However they went into production anyway.
The Fairy Princess calls this…oh what is the word? Stealing.
They stolehis play for production – a living playwright, not someone deceased over 400 years – they stole a living playwright‘s work and then, when he was trying to figure it all out and inquired about casting, he found out that not only did they steal his play, they stole the parts intended for Actors of India or South Asian descent and gave them to non Asian descended people!
Mr. Suh pulled his play from production – as any living playwright would.
Just like playwright David Mamet did when the Milwaukee based Alchemist Theater cast a woman instead of a man in the lead role of OLEANNA. Just as playwright Bruce Norris pulled his play CLYBOURNE PARK from production in Germany. Just as playwright Katori Hall recently objected to the casting of THE MOUNTAINTOP where they cast a Caucasian as Martin Luther King Jr. Just as Stephen Adly Guirgis spoke out against the casting of his play, THE MOTHERF**KER WITH THE HAT by Theaterworks in Hartford, Connecticut with no Hispanic Actors in roles written for them.
Living Playwrights…they have thoughts and ideas about what they have written. They envisioned something in their head and they spent a great deal of time and effort and energy to get it to the page and then the stage – of course, OF COURSE, they would have and SHOULD have input as to how the work is performed.
Even on a college campus, or rather, especially on a college campus!
College is the place where teenagers become adults – they get exposed to things that they did not learn at home, the bi-product is that their minds expand, they open up their thought processes and decide who, as an adult they will be.
That is the idea, anyway.
Clarion University with it’s 9% minority student body was caught stealing a play. That’s what happened. There was no signed contract. The Playwright was unaware that a production was going forward, and when he found out the details, they were not to his liking.
So he shut them down.
AS IS HIS RIGHT.
As did some of the Playwrights mentioned above. Here is the thing though, and here is what TFP is most annoyed about….Clarion’s response.
Here is what should have happened – the Director of the show, Marylouise Michel should have written an apology to the Playwright, the school, and admitted that she overstepped. She should have admitted that in her eagerness to do something that she hoped would get protested by Evangelical Christians, she made many mistakes – beginning with not securing the rights to a full production and ending with the erasure of Indian actors from a play where they are supposed to be.
This is all the fault of one person – Marylouise Michel.
Lloyd Suh is the author of American Hwangap, The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra Go!, Jesus in India, Great Wall Story, The Children of Vonderly, Masha No Home and others, produced with Ma-Yi, The Play Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, La Mama ETC, Magic Theatre (SF), Denver Center Theatre Company, East West Players (LA), and internationally at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila, and with PCPA in Seoul, Korea. He has received support from the NEA Arena Stage New Play Development program, the Andrew W. Mellon Launching New Plays Into the Repertoire initiative via the Lark Play Development Center, and the New York State Council on the Arts, Jerome Foundation, Theatre Communications Group and Dramatists Guild. His plays have been published by Samuel French, Playscripts, Smith & Kraus, Duke University Press and American Theater magazine. He is an alum of EST’s Youngblood and the Soho Rep Writer Director Lab, and from 2005-2010 served as Artistic Director of Second Generation and Co-Director of the Ma-Yi Writers Lab. He has served since 2011 as the Director of Onsite Programs at the Lark.
The Playwright who currently has running Off Broadway, a NY Times Critic’s Pick?
If David Mamet had pulled his play from her, would she call him “That Jewish Playwright“? Is Bruce Norris now “That White Playwright“? Is Katori Hall “That Black Female Playwright” to Ms. Michel?
Marylouise Michel now refers to an award winning writer as…”that Asian Playwright”
Did Clarion University, the bastion of 6,000 strong chastise Ms. Michel’s for her post which was steeped in privilege and racism? Did they say “you know what – you totally overstepped here, and you are teaching the wrong thing.”
No. They did not.
If any other reputable Drama Department at a University had a faculty member go so far off the rails as to only refer to a living playwright by his ethnic heritage after stealing their play, they would be fired.
But not at Clarion – oh no – they hired a Publicist and sent out this bon mot:
HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The student actors of Clarion University never anticipated they’d be the latest headlines, punished for their race. Clarion University department of visual and performing arts was scheduled to open the off-Broadway musical “Jesus in India” on Nov. 18 until playwright, Lloyd Suh, yanked production rights and “condemned the way it had been cast.”
The small, state college in northern Pennsylvania has spent much of the year preparing for the musical only to learn by casting Caucasian and mixed-race actors in roles intended for South Asian actors, the production is canceled. With a student body of about 5,368 students, only 0.6 percent of students are Asian and no Asians auditioned for the play. The University claims their intent from the start was to honor the integrity of the playwright’s work, and the contract for performance rights did not specify ethnically appropriate casting. Despite the University’s attempt to give Suh a page in the program to explain his casting objections and a stage speech given by a university representative on the cast’s race, Suh rejected any solutions other then removing the non-Asian actors or canceling the production.
“We have no further desire to engage with Mr. Suh, the playwright, as he made his position on race to our theater students crystal clear,” says Dr. Karen Whitney, Clarion University President. “I personally prefer to invest my energy into explaining to the student actors, stage crew and production team members why the hundreds of hours they committed to bringing ‘Jesus in India‘ to our stage and community has been denied since they are the wrong skin color.”
Clarion University students and administrators were left stunned by Suh’s decision, including senior Kiah Harrington-Wymer who was set to play a main character in the musical. As reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Harrington-Wymer spent months preparing for the role, which was to be her senior-year capstone project, and was devastated by the news. Harrington-Wymer is of mixed race and has experienced her fair share of discrimination and claims this hurts just as much as any other time.
FOR MORE MEDIA INFORMATION RESSA TOMKIEWICZ THE ZIMMERMAN AGENCY (850) 668-2222 * RTOMKIEWICZ@ZIMMERMAN.COM
SOURCE Clarion University
“PUNISHED FOR THEIR RACE”?
Sorry, have to say that again – PUNISHED FOR THEIR RACE?
It is not okay to show the level of disdain to Mr. Suh that has been shown, it is not okay to comfort yourself that you are a persecuted minority of Caucasians (Gad, TFP cannot even type that without gagging).
You are not okay Dr. Karen Whitney – and neither is Marylouise Michel.
The Students are not being punished. The Students are learning a lesson that the rest of the world seems to be learning right along with them which is – Asian Americans – South Asian Americans, East Asian Americans – Asian Americans who live on the Coasts, Asian Americans who live in the Heartland – we are not standing for this anymore.
What Ms. Michel did was PAINT her students to look Indian!
Let TFP break it down for you – if the play had been JESUS IN AFRICA and not INDIA...would you have put the students in Blackface makeup?
TFP bets you damn would not have.
Thatis the point. The point is – a living playwright gets the respect to add his or her ‘two cents’ – and that respect has been given in the past. There are SO MANY FRIGGIN’ PLAYS WITH CAUCASIAN PROTAGONISTS it, in fact, BOGGLES the mind.
You cannot even COUNT the number of plays where the main players are ‘meant’ to be Caucasian – it would be like trying to deliver letters from children to Santa, beginning with the founding of the US Postal Service!
So stop with the excuses, stop with the righteous indignation – you had a Professor who STOLE A PLAY and she got caught – and instead of chastising her and showing your Student Body that Clarion does not stand for stealing and co-option – YOU BACKED HER UP!!!! YOU BACKED UP AN ARTISTIC THIEF AND THEN TRIED TO BLAME THE PLAYWRIGHT!!!!
You know, TFP is a parent, and yes, of course, as a parent of a minority child in the United States, seeing this situation, she would not send her son to Clarion University.
However, even if she took after her Father, and looked 100% Caucasian, and her son did as well, she would STILL not send him to Clarion University. Because if this is any indication of how Clarion is broadening minds, then that is not a place to attend school, one cannot imagine why any International student would want to attend there either.
Lloyd Suh yanked his play JESUS IN INDIA because you were not serving the play. You were not serving the vision of the play, so you do not get to produce the play. TFP is truly, truly disgusted – you failed as educators in this regard and then you spread your failure around like seeds to plant more hostility towards Asian Americans in the Arts than there already is.
For stealing a play, defaming the playwright in print, social media, and in press releases and blaming him for your idiocy – TFP sentences Dr. Karen Whitney and Ms. Michel fifty wacks of the wand and you know what – go see ALLEGIANCE and see the power of Asian Americans telling a story where they are supposed to be seen.
(And BTW Broadway composers, it’s been a hot minute since BOMBAY DREAMS…let’s get some shows going for the singing and dancing South Asians, of which there are MANY….)
TFP is not a journalist, she writes about Diversity in Entertainment – but she joins the world in mourning the losses in Beruit and Paris.
She mourns the loss of all peoples who have been affected by violence from terrorism. Refugees reasons for fleeing from this violence in their homelands makes a great deal of sense, and with this latest horrific round, let us hope that the world reacts with both ‘appropriate measures’ and compassion in equal parts.
However, a man who has been at the receiving end of xenophobia, Mr. George Takei, has said it best –
She remembers after 9/11 people being told to resume what it is they did, in order that we not give into the fear and inadvertently ‘give’ the terrorists what they want, which is an end to our way of live, of living cautiously so not to offend and antagonize them – and so…she is going to publish this blog – this post was written prior to the attacks, but on the same day.
TFP did not publish when this happened, but because cultural misunderstanding is a pillar of what she writes about, she is going to publish, because there are things that need to continue to be said.
Here is the blog as written, prior to the attacks.
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The Fairy Princess thought she was able to relax a bit, as she saw ALLEGIANCE on Broadway and how it was received by the general public – that is coming in it’s own post later, it is a lot to process – and she was all….
Then she did the stupidest thing you can do when you are feeling good – she checked her computer and thought…
First, playwright Lloyd Suh felt he had to withdraw his play JESUS IN INDIA from performance, because those producing the play at Clarion University in Pennsylvania had chosen to cast Caucasians as Indian descended people.
Regarding the cancellation of my play JESUS IN INDIA at Clarion University, I hope the following statement clarifies my entire position.
My first contact with Clarion was in January, when Marilouise Michel requested a copy of the play and invited me to work on it with her students. Due to other commitments, I was unable to participate, but I did express willingness to let them use the play for classroom purposes without me.
I didn’t hear anything again until late May, when I was informed they were experimenting with the piece as a musical. It is highly atypical to do such work without direct collaboration from the author, so I asked for more information. In particular, if their exploration was simply for private, in-class use, I was happy to let them do whatever they desired. Although I could not participate directly, I was certainly curious what they might discover. However, if their intention was a full production with a public audience, I asked specifically whether they would be able to honor the general ethnicity of the characters.
I did not hear anything else from anyone at Clarion again until October 30, well into the rehearsal process.
I was not informed that a production was taking place.
I was not informed about any casting activities.
I was not informed about any license agreement granting rights to perform the play. It has since been confirmed to me that while negotiations towards an agreement did occur through my agent, no agreement was ever executed, meaning Clarion’s right to perform the play was, in fact, never granted.
Instead, on October 30, I was asked whether I would be able to Skype with the actors. Usually my response would be of course. However, because I had no idea a production was even taking place, my reaction was What?
So I searched online to find out what was happening, and saw photos that seemed to show two of the Indian characters portrayed by Caucasian actors, in total disregard for my earlier query. My agent immediately wrote to Ms. Michel for clarification. Her response on November 2 acknowledged receipt of our previous question on casting, but in her words:
“When you asked, I hadn’t cast the show, and then I forgot.”
On November 9, after confirming that a fully executed license agreement did not exist, I sent an email to Ms. Michel insisting that she either recast, or cancel the production. I absolutely understand that this has caused anger, confusion and disappointment among the actors and crew that had been hard at work on the piece. I do not take that lightly. The students are victims, and the timing of this mess has raised many questions. But the timing was never in my control.
I could not allow the play to be performed with white actors in non-white roles before a public audience. This is not a unique position. It is not strange or radical. It is common industry practice that productions of copyrighted plays adhere to the requirements of the text. In addition, as a writer of color in a field where representation and visibility are ongoing struggles, I feel a responsibility to provide opportunities for artists of color to be seen, and to protect that work from distortion in the public eye. The practice of using white actors to portray non-white characters has deep roots in ugly racist traditions. It sends a message, intended or not, that is exclusionary at best, dehumanizing at worst.
This includes university theater programs, which are a crucial part of the way professional theater is born. We are witnessing a moment on multiple college campuses where racial tensions are undeniable and extremely dangerous. I cannot grant university programs an allowance on these matters that I would never grant a professional theater.
Much has been made of an interview I gave years ago in which I used the word “universal” to describe the play. But universal does not and should not mean white, or the privilege of ignoring race. I wish it were not so difficult to accept that an actor of color, playing a character of color, could convey something universal. To understand that white actors should not be the default option for any role. To recognize that people of color are not simply replaceable.
It was not my intention to debate this matter in public. I attempted to settle the issue privately, but Clarion’s insistence on involving the press and releasing my personal communication has made this statement imperative. I am now grateful for that opportunity, as I hope this clears the air on my intentions, and the circumstances under which this cancellation has taken place.
TFP did not feel she had to write anything about this situation, as Mr. Suh and Mr. Sherman had done an excellent job in conveying the motivations and reasons for this situation to be halted. Then she read some of the comments.
The Fairy Princess copies this statement from the blog by Howard Sherman (excellent post by Mr. Sherman) only to lend her support to Mr. Suh and reiterate her belief that he was right to do this. She says this as a person who attended University in Pennsylvania. (TFP holds a degree in performance from Carnegie Mellon University.)
For those who, yes, she read some horrible comments’ chose to turn blame or judgement on Mr. Suh – let’s get one thing straight – he is in the ‘right’ in this matter.
The person to blame is the one that chose this play and then chose to ignore the intended casting. That person is Marylouise Michel. This whole situation is her fault entirely. All the tears, all the outrage can be laid at her door. She is absolutely the person to whom this whole debacle is owed, and no excuse from her absolves her of being the cause of this mess.
Some have said they feel that the play should go on because the students have ‘worked so hard’, and to that, TFP says
What have the students worked hard at? They have ‘worked hard’ at portraying people of Indian descent.
They have ‘worked hard’ at believing themselves capable of rendering a complete performance of people of a different heritage simply because they want to. This is not a message that any University should be endorsing- that Caucasians can speak for or can successfully portray the stories or the experiences of a person of Indian descent. In our expanding world, it is exactly the wrong message to send.
Here is another lesson for those students – it is one TFP tells again, and again:
Now the students are learning a bigger lesson about cultural co-option and why it is not appropriate. Yes, some accounts say that there was crying, but again, the bigger lesson for them is that erasing minorities from stories that they are intended to be in, is not okay.
There was no need for this situation, there are literally hundreds of plays where the protagonist is of Caucasian heritage – some of the most famous plays in the history of theater are there at their disposal, plays which minorities have to fight to be ‘allowed’ to do….
which makes this whole situation one of the stupidest it has ever been TFP‘s misfortune to hear about.
If one wanted to study Mr. Suh’s plays because he is a brilliant playwright and deserves classroom time, that is all well and good and appreciated. However taking his play without actual permission and whitewashing it because you like it so much is not flattering, it is not teaching anything valid, and in fact, it is the antithesis of what his work is actually about.
The next story, which ‘broke’ the same day, was from Canada, where a playwright at Dartmouth believed that he should cast Caucasians as Chinese people because he could not find any Chinese heritaged people to audition even after outreach to the local Chinese community. He wrote it and he really wanted the play to ‘go up’, even though it required extensive cultural borrowing from Chinese Opera. The play was called BLACK DRAGON MOUNTAIN
and it was written and produced by Roy Ellis, who was inspired by his time in China.
Mr. Ellis said that he always intended to cast Chinese people, but it just…well…he could not find any and basically – he did not want to wait. So here is what they came up with.
There was local disagreement, and the play was ultimately cancelled, which was probably for the best in this situation.
Here is the thing – yes, it is wonderful to travel and write about your experiences and try to honor the countries that you have spent time in – no one disagrees with that. However if you ‘borrow’ certain cultural touchstones so specifically and incorporate them in a work, then you should feel obligated to stand by that and choose, as Mr. Suh did, to not have the play performed without people of the background that you intended when you wrote it, in those roles.
Mr. Ellis is choosing to not do this play again, and to put it in a drawer and leave it there.
TFP would challenge him to try a bit harder – if you think the work is valid enough that you raised money and produced it, then you should make the extra effort and see if you can find appropriate actors. Perhaps, if the city in which it is being produced does not have local Chinese Canadian talent in great supply, you should consider traveling to a close city that does, and ‘produce’ a reading of your play to see if it holds up?
Or…did you….could it have been you just wanted to use the trappings of the Chinese experience without actual Chinese people to tell you that you are wrong?
No one wants to stop writers from writing for people of Chinese descent – we just want them to include us in the portrayal of that story.
What is so egregious in both above situations, is that it is so easy to make better choices – the ridiculousness of the outrage upon ‘being caught’ is short sighted. To turn around and accuse Asians of being thin-skinned or too awash in political correctness is a defense mechanism because…y’all know this was stupid.
For whitewashing Asian peoples out of India and China, TFP sentences both Marylouise Michel and Roy Ellis 50 smacks of the wand, and suggests they start traveling extensively to broaden their awareness.
Also, and it’s been a while since she has used this closing – both of them can
The Fairy Princess has done about ALL she can do to tell everyone about ALLEGIANCE and why it’s opening is so historic and important, if you still have not decided to go and see it, take a look at the trailer, and then decide to grab your tickets!
MOVING ON...While YES, it is November, and the weather in New York City is mild and lovely, there are people gearing up for their December fundraising efforts and two of these campaigns are actually fairly close to TFP – one because she is IN it – photo from last year –
and the other, of course, because her First Cousin, James Burchill’s Ad Company – RUMBLE – located in Brisbane, Australia – has come up with it in partnership with the Cancer Council of Queensland.
That’s James on the far right, with Katie Clift the host of #LiveWellBeWell Radio wearing her ‘rashie’.
First out of the gate – SPARKLE – now there are 2 SPARKLE Concerts this year – one in New York City on December 6th, and one in Los Angeles on December 15th. SPARKLE is a concert that is a fundraiser for THE ACTORS FUND, which does extraordinary work supporting those members of the Acting Community and extended players, when they need some help.
The lineup for New York City is first rate, and you should all totally and completely come and see it – there are some great, great people on the bill:
Sunday, December 6th at 7:30PM at The Cutting Room – 44 E32nd Street, NYC (212)691-1900 and tickets can be purchased atwww.Purplepass.com/SparkleNYC – Please come and support a great cause.
On the odd chance that you cannot read the names on the poster they are as follows:
BILLY PORTER (TONY and GRAMMY Award Winner), STEPHANIE J. BLOCK (TONY Award Winner), MAX VON ESSEN (TONY Award Nominee), ROBIN DE JESUS (TONY Award Nominee), ERICH BERGEN (MADAME SECRETARY), LESLI MARGHERITA (OLIVER Award Winner), NICK ADAMS (PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT), JULIA MURNEY (WICKED), MATT DOYLE (BOOK OF MORMON), ALYSHA UMPHRESS (ON THE TOWN), JESSICA KEENAN WYNN (BEAUTIFUL), MARTY THOMAS (WICKED), ERIN QUILL (OBC AVENUE Q), NATALIE DOUGLAS (MAC Award Winner), THE DOO WOP PROJECT (Members from JERSEY BOYS & MOTOWN, the musical)
Hosted and Produced of course, and always by the one and only – direct from THE PEOPLE’S COUCH on BRAVO TV – SCOTT NEVINS.
Buy your tickets for the NYC show quick folks – it sells out in a NY minute!
Next up –
A take off on America’s own unique and hideous tradition of dreadful knit garments that do nothing to enhance either the figure OR people’s view of the person wearing it – our Ugly Xmas Sweaters.
In Oz, around Christmastime, particularly in Far North Queensland, (which is the only place in Oz that TFP has spent that particular holiday) it is wicked hot. Like…fry an egg on the sidewalk hot, and most people stay near a large body of water – either an ocean or a pool.
Hence, an Ugly Sweater campaign would not, of course work – who the heck wants to wear those sweaters in that kind of weather?
The answer is absolutely no one.
Therefore, of course, one must come up with a campaign and a product that Australians and people the world over will use – and that is what we call in America, a swim shirt, and what they call over there, ‘a rashie‘.
So here it is – the #UglyXmasRashie as a fundraiser and as a useful product. If you purchase one, you’ll not only be saving your own skin, but you’ll be saving others as well – so…pocketbooks out – they are unisex and let’s face it – if you are having an issue in the water, the surfie (aka lifeguard) will have no problems spotting you in this get up.
So there you have it – from the Family that brought you The Fairy Princess and a Creative Partner at RUMBLE – two Holiday Fundraising Campaigns that can help people as we head towards the Holidays!
There are, of course, a ton of causes one can give to, these are not the only ones, but these two in particular you can have a good time with and STILL give to charity – so let’s sing show tunes and prevent skin cancer!
The Fairy Princess, continuing in her quest to bring you bring you all things ALLEGIANCE, as it heads to it’s big Broadway Opening on November 8th, has a very special treat for you now, Hunties….that’s right…five minutes with Ms. Lea Salonga!
Lest you have been living under a rock since the 1990’s, let’s break it down for you – she is the Original KIM in MISS SAIGON in both the West End and Broadway productions, for which she won THE OLIVIER AWARD and THE TONY AWARD,
she is the singing voice of Disney’s MULAN and Jasmine in ALADDIN,
she has appeared as both Eponine and Fantine in LES MISERABLES,
she headlined the Broadway revival of FLOWER DRUM SONG with the new book by David Henry Hwang,
she’s done concerts worldwide, been an mentor on THE VOICE in The Philippines, recordings, films, countless stage shows – it’s probably too endless to type out – and YET…and YET…with all of that, she still was kind enough to take a photo for TFP holding up a “Hi ____” sign, for one of TFP‘s students…in short…fancy – and nice.
So here we go –
TFP: We are sitting here with Ms. Lea Salonga to talk about ALLEGIANCE – don’t worry, the questions will be fun.
LS: Ok. (smiles)
TFP: Well, hopefully – where were you when you first heard ALLEGIANCE was going to Broadway?
LS: Crud, I can’t remember. I think I was in Manila, probably doing The Voice.
TFP: (silently giggling that Lea Salonga said “crud”) What were your thoughts when you heard the news – immediate reaction?
LS: “OH…FINALLY!”
TFP: Right? No kidding. Who was the first person you told?
LS: (smiles) The Husband.
TFP: What is the thing, as an Asian performer, that you want the audience to take away from this show the most?
LS: There’s a lot to take away from this show – there are so many things we ‘hit’. The Japanese American Internment was such a dark part of American history. I’m hoping what people can take away from it (is) that, despite the darkness that happens, despite the rifts that take place within families, it is never too late to get a second chance at finding closure and finding happiness again.
TFP: What is the first big gift you bought yourself with your Broadway ALLEGIANCE money?
LS: The first rehearsal check I just put in the bank.
TFP: Oh, you are so Asian.
LS: (laughs) It goes into the bank, I didn’t splurge on anything. I’m waiting for big occasions like Opening Night.
TFP: I get that.
LS: I’m giving myself a video game console, probably, because there are all these cool games coming out!
LS: I want to play the new Assassin’s Creed so bad!
TFP: I did not see that coming.
LS: Then for Christmas, we’ll probably get more gadgets because…we’re Asian. (laughs)
TFP: You are totally Asian, I don’t know if you know that, but wow, yes you are!
TFP: Last question…it’s not about ALLEGIANCE per se, but it led up to ALLEGIANCE, so..it’s about MISS SAIGON…
LS: (raises eyebrow)
TFP: You know that with recent productions of MISS SAIGON, there have been protestors, there are petitions, and the are starting to get a reaction in some spots. Myself, I’m not for the protesting -my thoughts are, in theater, if you don’t want to see something, no one is forcing you to see it, don’t go.
I think if you are looking at MISS SAIGON and only see prostitution, you are completely missing the point.
LS: You are missing the point.
TFP: So I wanted to ask YOU, because no one has asked you what your thoughts are…
LS: The pickets and the demonstrations and all of the rallies taking place, that’s not anything new. I mean, I remember being in Previews at The Broadway Theater and there were demonstrators that blasted into the mezzanine, and while we were doing scenes from the show -happened to be doing DREAMLAND – which is the opening of the show, where all of the girls are in their skimpiest and we could hear people screaming from the mezz and screaming at us.
I looked up and went “What the hell is going on, I’m trying to do my job here!”
The thing is that the portrayal of the prostitutes is such a small part of the musical – it’s there to set a scene. We don’t see prostitutes for the two hours and twenty minutes that the show is going on. We see where this girl comes from, we see where this guy comes from. And then we have to be invested in what happens to these two – that’s really it. Yes, there are prostitutes but they are there for what, 10 min?
TFP: I agree, and the fact is, we do not see German people out protesting CABARET, we do not see French people out protesting LES MISERABLES, or GIGI, or English people out protesting OLIVER…
LS: Right. You see “Lovely Ladies” (from LES MISERABLES) and what do you think they are? Just because they happen to be Asian Prostitutes? You’re protesting? If you are going to protest prostitution, then you have to protest things like THE LIFE.
LS: You have to protest other shows that portray that – ummm SWEET CHARITY. You have to keep going…so if you are going to protest one, you have to protest everything else… If it’s a generalizing this ‘looking down on the portrayal of women‘, then you have to go to each and every show that portrays prostitution then and protest that.
Because if you are focusing on the Asian prostitutes, ok – what makes the Asian prostitutes different from the Western?
The oldest profession is the oldest profession, no matter where it is performed.
TFP: Exactly.
LS: You have to see the forest for the trees, and some people just don’t.
TFP: Thank you, Ms. Lea Salonga – and there you have it!
Library is closed, we can all go home now – Break Legs on Opening Night and here is to a long and successful run.
The Fairy Princess continues to add to the fervor building up to the Broadway Opening of the show, ALLEGIANCE, with another Cast Interview before it opens on November 8th.
This time, with Carnegie Mellon Grad, Telly Leung, who plays the role of young Sam Kimura – the elder version of Sam is played by George Takei.
TFP: We are here with Telly Leung, talking about ALLEGIANCE – so, when did you know that ALLEGIANCE was headed to Broadway?
TL: Oh gosh. I remember the day very clearly, you know getting a theater is the hardest part of getting a Broadway show going – and that was the last piece of the puzzle that wasn’t filled. I remember being on the street, on 53rd and 8th, heading to a rehearsal, and I ran into my Producer, Lorenzo Thione! He told me on the street and he told me “You can’t tell anyone else, I can’t believe I’m running into you today, because I just heard”.
So it happened in the best of all possible places – right in the theater district – right on 53rd and 8th – on a cold November day, I remember. So I knew well before there was an announcement and I had to sit on the secret for a long time, which was so hard to do, but jumping up and down, so happy.
TFP: So that is my next question – did you dance?
TL: We definitely did a little dance together, I think people on on 8th Avenue thought we were crazy people, there’s a little Chinese boy and a tall Italian Producer jumping up and down on the street together…
TFP: Or maybe they thought you were going to an Open Call and just warming up?
TL: Or that.
TFP: Who was the first person you told?
TL: The first person, even though I was supposed to sit on the secret, and not tell anyone – I told my Partner of eleven years, I told Jimmy.
TFP: You didn’t tell your Mom!
TL: I did not tell my Mom. (laughs) I felt like Mom was so new to the social media thing, she might have spilled it – she might have been texting my Dad and posted it on FaceBook or something. I don’t trust my Parents yet with that, but I told them eventually. (laughs)
TFP: That’s good (Laughs). As an Asian American what is the thing you want people to take away from this show the most?
TL: First of all, I think the show is not just for Asian American’s, I think all audiences are going to relate to the show. Of course Asian Americans have a very special connection to this show – but I have had …audience members who have had Family that have gone through the Concentration Camp experience and say that this show relates to them. I have had …audience members who have come up to me afterwards and said that “I totally understand the story of what it is like to be an American but judged on the color of your skin’, it related to them. I think the show touches everyone.
But specifically to the Asian American community, there is a pressure and there is so much riding on ALLEGIANCE being a successful show.
TFP: Right.
TL: Because there are very few opportunities and very few Asian stories being told on Broadway – for whatever reason that is. Whether Producers feel like they can’t take the risk to tell those stories, or they feel that audiences don’t want to pay for those stories on Broadway, whatever that means – I don’t think that is true – but those opportunities have not existed.
TFP: So you find yourselves at much higher stakes, it’s not just as simple (not that it’s ever simple) as opening a Broadway show – this show could open up a whole new conversation for Asian Americans on Broadway, and that must feel both a blessing and a burden.
TL: If you look at it, FLOWER DRUM SONG, KING AND I, PACIFIC OVERTURES, and MISS SAIGON – that’s all there was – and Saigon was 1991, so from 1991 till now, there hasn’t been this kind of Asian presence on Broadway.
TFP: Yes, you will join KING AND I, currently at Lincoln Center on Broadway in an open ended run, and then prior to that, the only other show where Asians were featured was HERE LIES LOVE, based on Imelda Marcos, but it played Downtown at The Public where it kept getting extended.
TL: HERE LIES LOVE also existed at a Not for Profit (theater) so they could take the risk to do that.
TFP: Exactly, and it sold out, proving that diverse stories can reach anyone with a mind to listen to them. However the difference – not just Uptown/Downtown – between HERE LIES LOVE and ALLEGIANCE is that, HERE LIES LOVE was set entirely in the Philippines, and ALLEGIANCE is an American story.
It happened in America, it is part of the fabric of America and the internment has repercussions to this day. It is the first entirely original musical (FLOWER DRUM SONG was based on a novel by CY LEE) to tell the story of Asian heritaged people, in America. There is definitely pressure there, to succeed, from the Asian American community, you can smell it.
What is your hope as you approach your Broadway Opening Night?
TL: The dream of all dreams is that, of course, ALLEGIANCE is successful, of course I want the show to be successful, but if it IS successful that would mean that perhaps that audiences would say “We want to hear more stories about Japanese Americans, we want to hear more stories about Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, Indian Americans, Middle Eastern Americans – We want to hear more stories of Americans of Color”
With all of these shows (this season) that feature very diverse casts and very unique American stories by and about People of Color – I think this is a landmark year in the theater – and I’m proud that ALLEGIANCE is such a big part of that movement. I think it’s more than just “Hey, we’re putting on a show’, I think the reverberations of this will last for many years.
TFP: Totally agree.
First thing you did when you knew the show was ‘frozen”? Did you collapse? Did you go get a smoothie?
TL: Our director, Stafford Arima, has this tradition, that when a show is frozen, he passes around ice. In San Diego, it was a pitcher of ice that he had put in the freezer in the first day of previews and he took this big pitcher of ice out and passed it around and told everyone to touch it. When we froze the show on Friday he passed around a big bag of ice that he got from the corner store and we all touched this wet bag of ice, it was a tradition I love, and I think I’m going to carry on with me.
TFP: It’s very Titanic of you. OK – first present you bought yourself with your Broadway money?
TL: Oh gosh – I’m so Chinese and practical…(laughs)
TFP: Did you put it in the bank?
TL: I am a good Chinese boy, my Parents raised me well…
TFP Lea put it in the bank.
TL: I also put it in the bank. (laughs) This is my fifth Broadway show, and you know, I’ve definitely been in hits and I”ve been in shows that have not been hits. I’ve always been told by Actors who I look up to in this business that you have to save for a rainy day, because as an Actor you’ll probably have more rainy days than sunny days…so…I put it away. And who knows? Maybe some day I’ll spend it on a really nice dinner or a vacation…
TFP: OK what’s your must have in your dressing room?
TL: Grether’s pastille – sugar free black currant pastille, a big tin of them.
TFP: Weirdest/best gift you have gotten from a fan.
TL: There is a wonderful gift giving culture in Japan, and I did RENT in Tokyo for a month. When we did RENT, there would be 1,000 people outside the theater with gifts of all kinds, food or origami, it was just a way of saying thank you (for viewing the performance). The most extravagant gift I ever got was all these clothes from DIESEL.
TFP: What?
TL: DIESEL is expensive, I don’t necessarily splurge DIESEL clothes often, and I was like “I can’t possibly accept!” and this fan said “No, you should take this” – somehow this fan knew my size and what would fit me!
TFP: Ok that’s weird…
TL: I thought – this is bizarre and wild, but it would be rude not to accept the gift..
TFP: I would totally accept something from DIESEL
TL: But it was a wonderful gift and I still have it, and thank you – and if that fan is reading this – thank you very much!
TFP: IF you had to have a celebrity cut out in your dressing room, who would it be? You know, to give high fives to before you go on, or as a good luck charm kind of thing?
TL: Because I’m such a Broadway nerd – can I have two?
TFP: Yes
TL: I need one of Carol… Channing
TFP: Of course
TL: And I need one of Elaine Stritch.
TFP: Aww, that’s nice.
TL: Those two. I would sort of like to have them flanking me. My Grandparents are no longer with me, but I always secretly wanted Carol Channing and Elaine Stritch to be my Grandparents. I met her once (Carol Channing) at the Magic Castle, when she was doing a benefit for her Education program, and she was absolutely lovely.
Seeing her in HELLO DOLLY changed my life, seeing her at the Lunt Fontane changed my life – because at the time she was in her 70’s and still never missed a show and was commanding a stage and I looked and I said “If she can do it” – it was inspiring.
And in many ways, George is so inspiring to me – watching George Takei make his Broadway debut at 78…it is a sign that it is never too late to fulfill whatever dream it is you had, he is the living embodiment of that for me. Your Broadway dreams can come true whenever, and for George it happened at 78!
Getting to watch him love this experience and go through all of the first things – first preview and the Gypsy Run, and Opening night…
TFP: Oh wait till he sees the Gypsy Robe, he’s going to go crazy!
TL: You know, he’s learning all this at 78, it’s wild and wonderful to go through this with him.
TFP: Well, it’s been wonderful to watch you all on this journey – and it’s only just beginning – Thanks very much for chatting Telly, and Break A Leg!
The Fairy Princess, in honor of the new musical, ALLEGIANCE, opening on November 8th, is publishing an interview per day, leading up to their Broadway Opening with one of their Actors.
For November 5th, we are talking to Michael K. Lee, who has been having a very successful career the last few years in Korea in several different musicals, but who grew up right here in New York and has been in several Broadway shows –
MISS SAIGON, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR,
PACIFIC OVERTURES,
and now, of course ALLEGIANCE.
TFP: We are here talking with Michael K. Lee about ALLEGIANCE, he plays Frankie Suzuki. Ok, questions, questions:
MKL: I don’t have all the answers (laughs)
TFP: I don’t expect you to! OK – where were you when you heard that ALLEGIANCE was going to Broadway?
MKL: I was working in Korea. I’m based in Korea now the past three years and the news came out last year.
TFP: Where were YOU when you found out YOU were going to Broadway? Were you in your kitchen? Playing X box?
MKL: What was I doing when they told me they found a theater? I wish I could remember.
TFP: It’s ok, you have two kids.
MKL: Exactly! (laughs)
TFP: Please, I have one boy and I can’t remember anything. Did you dance?
MKL: I was super excited.
We’ve been waiting for this since 2012. The energy we had at The Globe in 2012 was great. You know how the Globe is an incubator for Broadway Musicals?
TFP: Right.
MKL: Because we had broken Box Office records there at the time, we all thought we were going to ‘go’ within the next three to six months, so to be honest, with you, I went out and I bought opening night presents.
TFP: WHAT?
MKL: I was looking for a place to stay in New York…and then here we are.. three years later, finally about to open.
TFP: As an Asian American what is the thing you most want people to take away from this show?
MKL: That’s a great question. First and foremost I would love people to become informed about the Japanese Internment.
TFP: Right. It’s funny they don’t know as much about it on the East Coast as they do on the West Coast.
MKL: Right, and we have theories about that. We think that maybe because it’s part of California State History, maybe they learn it in bits and pieces as they’re going through middle and high school? But I grew up in New York, and I did not learn a thing about it, not a thing.
TFP: I think it was one line in a textbook.
MKL: Maybe
TFP: Maybe one line“…and there was an internment”. I remember thinking “They went to camp?” Because you are young so you don’t equate – they didn’t say “concentration camp’ if they had said Concentration Camp or something like that…
MKL: Yeah, that would have resonated with me. To be totally honest, the first time I learned about it was when I went to college and I studied Asian American history and we read some novels based on those stories. The fact that people are becoming informed about this is the biggest takeaway from it.
What I hope people see, personally, is…that it is endemically an American Story. That any immigrant family that has come to the United States and has been judged by their ethnicity, rather than their nationality…can truly relate. If we can get people in beyond the Asian American Community, that would be most wonderful for me.
TFP: First Present you got yourself with your Broadway money?
MKL: I got myself a membership at a gym.
TFP: That is very responsible of you. Your Producers will be so happy with you. Very Ramin Karimloo. What is the thing you MUST have in your dressing room?
MKL: I have very fancy lozenges. A series of three – Golia from Italy, Propolis lozenges from Japan, and “Hanyak” lozenges from Korea – it’s a medicine but it’s lozenge in form, and I have to have those three.
(Note: Hanyak is only available with a prescription in Korea)
TFP: Fancy. Last show you did in Korea?
MKL: Jesus Christ Superstar
TFP: Which is crazy because you did that on The Broadway…
MKL: I did, in 2000!
TFP: The weirdest/craziest gift you have gotten from a fan.
MKL: I get such a variety of gifts – I got a wonderful tub of sake last week that was put in a traditional Japanese barrel with the Allegiance logo on it, it was an incredible sake and I got to share it with the Cast.
TFP: If you had to have a celebrity cut out in your dressing room for luck, who would it be? For inspiration? Good luck?
MKL: Two of my favorite actors are Gary Oldman and Daniel Day Lewis, because they disappear into the role, and that is my ultimate goal as an actor. I see them and I am blown away. So I would probably have one of them on each side and get in the middle and give them a fist bump before I go on. (laughs)
TFP: If I can find them for you, you will have them!
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