The Fairy Princess wishes you a Happy New Year – whether you call it Lunar, Chinese, Tet, or Seollal (Japan does not celebrate Lunar New Year since 1873) – have some noodles, dance with a lion, and let’s just be glad that pesky bunny is gone in favor of the Wood Dragon. TFP had an pretty awful 2023, so 2024 does not need to do any heavy lifting, per se – just not be as awful as 2023. The bar, as they say, is low.
Speaking of which, she is doing a concert at 54 Below on March 16 at 9:30pm- day before St. Patrick’s Day called Mom’s Night Out, where your favorite musical theater Mama’s dazzle audiences with their songs and stories about the journey that is motherhood. Megan Minutillo is the producing mama puttin’ it all together, so a thanks for the invite, and TFP will see you in March. (Use the code MOM5 for $ off your dining and bar tab) Tix here.
Now, there have been some kind of amazing things happening for AAPI’s in Musical Theater around the globe, as well as in Mid town Manhattan, and TFP wanted to discuss.
First off – Congratulations to Shannon Tyo, who won at the 67th OBIE Awards for Sustained Performance in Achievement for her role as Mora in Lloyd Suh‘s THE FAR COUNTRY at The Atlantic Theater Company.
Congrats on their OBIE to Hansol Jung for The Wolf Play, who won for playwriting here is their acceptance speech.
The King & I is playing in London for a limited time, and starring Darren Lee as The King!
He plays opposite Call The Midwife‘s star, Helen George – and frankly, TFP is down for it – reports from friends are great and reviews are better. Only for 6 weeks – if you are popping across the pond, here is your ticket link.
Let’s start with the most recent of events in New York City – last evening at HADESTOWN on Broadway, TIMOTHY H. LEE went on for Orpheus for the first time – meaning he is the FIRST Orpheus of Asian heritage to play the role.
TFP is including the Artist’s Instagram posts- these moments, though huge globally, remains personal.
Is this huge? Yes. Does TFP get tired of counting firsts? Also yes. When we stop needing to count in order to justify our existence on stage and screen TFP will be fully satisfied.
TFP extends hearty congratulations to Mr. Lee – who immigrated from Korea, and considers English to be his second language. This is an enormous accomplishment by any standard, and it is fitting, that Hadestown, which has always been an inclusive and diverse cast under the direction of Rachel Chavkin, crossed this barrier willingly.
Likewise attention must be turned to CHICAGO on Broadway where Kristen Faith Oei became the first Asian American to play Velma Kelly. She also goes on for Miss Katlin Hunyak in addition to covering the role of Velma. Currently CHICAGO has Lili Thomas playing Matron Mama Morton, and Fil-Am Red Concepciòn as Mr. Amos Hart aka Mr. Cellophane. They also had Japanese star Ryoko Yonekura as Roxie Hart in 2012. CHICAGO is combining ‘old’ Broadway with some much needed upgrades. Bravo!
Also, many salutations to Courtney Reed, who is currently starring as Satine in Moulin Rogue. You likely know her from her long running role as Princess Jasmine in ALADDIN on Broadway, and as one of the stars of Lauren Yee‘s CAMBODIAN ROCK BAND, but she has been holding down Satine first on tour in 2022, and now on Broadway since August of 2023. Go see her, she is delightful – and hey – Boy George is there too.
Some celebrate Lunar New Year by eating and hanging with family, while others take their families to see theater at Pan Asian Rep in New York City. (The others is TFP) Now in it’s almost unheard of 47th Season under the Artistic Direction of NY legend, Tisa Chang – they premiered their latest play – Warrior Sisters of Wu yesterday, Superbowl Sunday.
Adapted from “Romance of the Three Kingdoms’ one of the most famous Chinese classic tales, it has very few English language adaptations, which is of course, why Playwright Damon Chua chose it as his next project. (Why pick easy?) He paired that with a framework in his head of the English classic, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
The result is a Family friendly Rom Com from 200 A.D., with swords. TFP‘s son really enjoyed this – and as a parent, it is beyond a relief to be able to take him to the theater, have a genuine story be told, and to hear his responses, again, TFP wants to stress, her son really enjoyed this.
We follow the Qiao sisters, best known nowadays in their modern avatars as characters in the Dynasty Warriors video game series, as they fall in love and kick ass against the backdrop of impending war. Ably directed by LA staple, Jeff Liu paired with deft fight choreography by Michael G. Chin – it is one to see.
One only hopes that the impending snow storm takes it easy on New York so they get the crowd they deserve.
Pictured in the photo, Director Jeff Liu,Liam Kong, and Damon Chua.
It is hard, as a New York based actor, to truly have words about what the steadiness of Pan Asian Rep has done for the New York AAPI Actor. Much as East West Players in Los Angeles has been sometimes the lone flag waving in the distance to give us hope – Pan Asian has – for 47 seasons – been there. Telling AAPI stories, encouraging them, commissioning them, holding workshops, and helping shape the ways ‘we’ get to be seen. Over the years they have offered classes, mentorship, and hope – Tisa was on Broadway in a show, and used her own money to start Pan Asian – and 47 seasons later, she is still there.
(If this were a Marvel show, we’d be calling her The Hand of AAPI Theater. It is a compliment.)
Warrior Sisters of Wu is a specifically Chinese story, told entirely in English, with modern sensibilities. Many of the questions TFP‘s 11 year old whispered in her ear, were answered seconds later in the dialogue and actions – he was seeing part of his own story told on a stage in front of him for 100 minutes.
When TFP was a child, the best her parents were able to show her in terms of a Chinese story starring Asian people, was taking her to see a troupe of martial artists and acrobats from China.
Did she still love it? Of course. However we cannot underestimate the value of younger minds at the theater, seeing versions of themselves that are ‘allowed’ to play different characters who have just as much dignity and gravitas as is often only allowed with white stories.
All stories can be told specifically and deliberately- it is that which makes the understanding of it universal.
TFP really hopes that the story told, that of two woman warriors who battle gender norms, gets butts in the seats, and gets the Lortels to sit up and notice.
The show is playing at the A.R.T./NY Mezzanine Theater – 502 W. 53RD STREET – go see it – running until MARCH 10th.
The Fairy Princess got the news yesterday that The Great Gatsby is going to Broadway from Papermill Playhouse, and they are taking the lead players – Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon, Hadestown) and Jeremy Jordan, with them.
This means that Broadway, for the first time ever in a season – without musicals set in Asia – will have an unprecedented, NINE possibly TEN new Asian heritaged PRINCIPAL roles in shows that are not revolving around the performer’s background. Shows opening in the 2024 season, we love the shows that have been holding up the sky for a while now, so TFP will list a few, but she is talking this year, 2024, Year of the Dragon.
We currently have Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara holding it down in Aladdin, for the ‘long running shows’ as well as Ruthie Ann Miles in Sweeney Todd. Lola Tung coming in to Hadestown as Eurydice on Feb 9 opposite Lilias White as Hermes and Jordan Fisher as Orpheus for a limited run. Chicago recently added Lili Thomas as Mama Morton and Red Concepción as Amos – so even long running shows can be inclusive. And….revivals – with Vishal Vaidya holding it down in Merrily We Roll Along.
In Hamilton, Stephanie Jae Park is Eliza, Marc Delacruz is the standby for several of the lead male roles, which he most recently was lauded in various publications for switching roles mid show. Jen Sese is there as standby for all the Schuyler sisters, and Eddy Lee and PrestonMui, round out the Ensemble.
Yes, you can go to a Broadway show and see people that you can find parts of yourself in – not carbon copies, but parts of yourself.
Add to that the wins for BEEF – EMMYS for the leading players Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, the Golden Globe nomination for Greta Lee for her performance in the feature Past Lives, this year is shaping up to be the BEST EVER!! Shout out to Sandra Oh and Akwafina for the win for Quiz Lady from the Critic’s Choice Award for Best Movie Made for TV? The inclusion of the film, The Queen of my Dreams at the Toronto International Film Festival, starring Ayana Manji as the young version of Azra, one of the main characters?
What is happening world?
TFP is thinking that both Casting and Agents need to wrap their heads around who to call in, and who is on the roster, and if you do not have AAPIs on your rosters – CAA, WMA, AAA, and others – best get to stepping. We are stepping in it.
Let’s begin with the announcements as they have come down the pike:
Eva Noblezada – The Great Gatsby as socialite Daisy Buchanan. With two Tony nominations under her belt for past performances in Hadestown and Miss Saigon, Eva has wasted no time in getting back on the boards, and this is a great thing.
(Shout out here to the musical film CHICAGO, which featured Lucy Liu also as a socialite in this era)
Ruthie Ann Miles – Currently in Sweeney Todd as the Beggar Woman, waiting for a theater to be confirmed – once it is, she will star alongside the remarkable Anna Zavelson as her daughter. TFP is including them in the tally, as there is more than a good chance the theater is on the verge of being announced.
Daniel Dae Kim – as DHH in Yellowface at The Roundabout – a play that deals with racial ambiguity and the need to attach to an idea, simply because one is seeking ‘representation’ so strongly. The rest of the cast has not been announced yet, however, TFP has seen this show done before, and usually the rest of the cast is within the AAPI spectrum with some exceptions.
Ramin Karimloo – this Persian ( aka Iranian aka Western Asian) Canadian has long been a Broadway and West End staple performer, (CHESS, Funny Girl, Anastasia, Les Miserables, This next one TFP is super excited for, as it is her FAVORITE Gilbert & Sullivan piece –The Pirates of Penzance, also at The Roundabout. David Hyde-Pierce is announced as Pirate King, so TFP is guessing Mr. Karimloo is the wandering Virgin apprenticed to a Pirate, Frederick.
(Update- Mr. K is the Pirate King and DHP is the Modern Major General- although the above is what the press announcement was.)
Jaygee Macapuguay – will play the role of Mollie Hay in the new musical by Shaina Taub, SUFFS, which also has in it Nadia Dandashi as Doris Stevens, Kim Blanck is playing Ruza Wenclawska and Christine Heesun Hwang in the ensemble.
Special note must be made because there are three principals of Asian heritage in a new show, and it would be unfair to highlight one over the other – but let TFP say, there are theater actors that time and time again have shown audiences what they are made of, and to see them make the leap to Principal contract is super special. She has known and admired them for years, so…
TFP is going to say a hearty congratulations to THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL, which just announced it’s opening and is kind of taking the mantlefrom Sweeney Todd & Hamilton has worn proudly of ‘most Asians in a show not about being Asian’, and here they are:
This last potential show – not confirmed yet, but COME FALL IN LOVE, the DDJ musical, which is directed by Aditya Chopra, book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin, and choreo by Rob Marshall, with Assoc Choreographer Shruti Merchant – would be a huge win for South Asian representation on Broadway, and Asians in general would be ‘slayed the house down’ if that came to pass in 2024.
IF that is true – no word on a theater yet – however TFP is still calling it –
2024 will be THE MOST ASIAN YEAR ON BROADWAY – and coincidentally – YEAR OF THE DRAGON!
So breathe some fire, set off some fireworks and clean your house, Broadway – the AAPIs are coming, and coming in HOT!
TFP out.
She excited, but she out – for now, and only for now. (If you get it, you get it)
TFP already wrote today…however, this is big and it goes along with some great strides being made in theater by AAPI performers, however it is equally met in the behind the scenes representation.
Daniel Dae Kim, who was last seen on Broadway in The King & I in 2016, will lead the production of YELLOWFACE written by Broadway’s only Asian American Tony Award winning Playwright – David Henry Hwang, who has returned from opera land and tv land to brave a post Covid Broadway. This was just announced for The Roundabout’s 2024-25 season.
Directed by DHH’s longtime collaborator, Leigh Silverman, this play, which is semi-autobiographical, deals with mounting a play and assuming that an actor is Mixed Race, and therefore is cast AS Asian American. TFP finds this fascinating because she remembers (everytime she says that to herself, she says it in a Game of Thrones “The North Remembers” kind of way) DHH’s play, Face Value. Anyway, being of mixed heritage herself and being told she ‘counted or did not count as Asian” depending on who was serving judgement, she has always been exhausted yet fascinated by this play.
DDK who has been heavily involved in producing for television over the last few years, began as an Actor – he holds an MFA from NYU, and TFP still recalls how powerful a presence he was in The Tempest at East West Players in Los Angeles. He is a very commanding stage actor, and she is really glad he is going to come back and trod the boards.
Likewise The Roundabout is also mounting TFP‘s FAVORITE GILBERT AND SULLIVAN PIECE, The Pirates of Penzance, starring the Canadian born, Tony Nominee, Ramin Karimloo, who is of Western Asian Heritage, as The Pirate King. Most recently Mr. Karimloo was seen in the Broadway revival of FUNNY GIRL, but he has played The Phantom in Phantom of the Opera all over the world, likewise all the weighty male roles in Les Miserables.
This is fantastic news, because both these men are leads in their respective shows and it seems that this in some way, far too late, is The Roundabout‘s round a bout acknowledgement of using Brownface makeup on actors during their production of THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD – which, was fairly egregious.
(Do not come at TFP for this, it was a giant ass mistake and yes, she knows it is a show within a show and so on – does not mean that browning up white performers to play people from Ceylon is acceptable. It was not then, it is not now.) (Also Ceylon is now Sri Lanka)
This was TONY winner Jessie Mueller and TONY Nominee Andy Karl at the Opening Night Party, here they are in the production:
Ahem.
To the point of ‘if they knew better, they would do better’, the NYGASP Production of THE MIKADO is once again up and running. Many years ago, one may remember that TFP’s coverage on the offensiveness of the production that they ran was the subject of a blog post after TFP had gone to see the production.
This led to all kinds of things – people were angry. Although they did a very interesting thing – they invited TFP to come speak on a panel about The Mikado to their subscribers. (If you saw the reaction to Jo Koy at The Golden Globes, it was a bit like that when TFP began speaking) At the end of the panel, it was announced that NYGASP was going to take a season and think about their production and try and amend it. TFP was invited to return when they ‘fixed’ it.
Honestly, TFP was shocked – but they DID fix it. They hired Broadway’s Kelvin Moon Loh to come in and help them imagine better. Kelvin is not just an insanely talented Broadway performer, he is a writer who has sold shows for development.
They added a scene that begins before the operetta, to explain how Gilbert imagined the production – and this was based on testimony from Gilbert himself as to how he imagined it. Then, they did outreach and expanded their company to include AAPI performers. AAPI performers who were not to be hired just for THE MIKADO, those who could join the rep company and add to what was happening there.
It is now, a very enjoyable MIKADO – which is almost impossible to say in the rest of the country – and therefore TFP presents you the ticket link, so that you may see for yourselves – it only runs till Jan 14th, but you have a whole three days to arrange your weekend, so get to stepping.
Also coming this week to Off Broadway, is the Jason Robert Brown piece, The Connector.
It’s new, and as far as TFP knows, is NOT about Jill Zarin.
It does however, have in it’s cast Sweeney Todd‘s Joanna Carpenter and Ann Sanders, most recently of Music Man and Dear Evan Hansen.
Which is exciting, and TFP has her tickets to a matinee, so she will get to see them and so many more folks that she knows and loves.
Just a reminder that it was stated by Ruthie Ann Miles that the reimagining of LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA directed by Chay Yew is looking for a theater. So we could wind up, New Yorkers, with a Broadway Season with multiple Asian heritaged men and women, as LEADS in Musicals AND PLAYS on Broadway.
TFP DOES NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HERSELF!
It is really, some days, a joy to write this blog.
The short answer is that on Dec. 26,2023, TFP became an orphan.
Those of you who have become grown orphans know what that is about, and time to process becomes essential. Especially if you lose parental guidance during the holidays. TFP chose travel and honoring and creating memories above anything else. Liam’s Squidward face says it all.
She did, of course, do her panels at BroadwayCon, which she again will be doing for the eighth year this year – lucky 8! Asians, where you at?
There was also a little thing called the Great Screen Actors Guild strike of 2023 – as SAG/AFTRA members, we were not allowed to promote anything that members of the AMPTP could benefit from. TFP is a SAG/AFTRA member and an AEA member, so unless she was writing about Broadway, she honestly was not ‘allowed’ to write – she was allowed to march – and march she did!
TFP usually blogs to support Asian and Pacific Islander talent, not just on Broadway, but on television and in films. Also – not JUST Asian and Pacific Islander talent, but under-repped people across the board. TFP is known for ‘calling out’ producers, networks, casting – alas if there is no producing, nothing new is going on networks, and therefore…who needs casting?
You see the issue.
A blog, this blog, is not therapy.
A blog, for TFP is the space to remind people that speaking about diversity and agreeing we all need it, is not actually creating more diversity – although it can help to maintain allies and create understanding.
What ‘we’ need – those behind the camera, in front, supporting the whole thing – is small actions that a individual can take that will not cost a ton, is something most people do anyway, which help us understand where we fall in the ‘big picture’.
“We’ all come out when there is an issue, but subtly upsetting the status quo? Maybe, sometimes- if we are able or have had enough coffee that day or…with that said….onward, it’s the little things…
WARRIOR, formerly of HBO (before that Cinemax), has been sold to NETFLIX, which opens it up to a much wider audience. The possibility that people will watch all three seasons about Bruce Lee‘s vision of the Chinese arriving in America in the early days, 1800’s – (Pay attention fans of The Gilded Age, these are the folks building George Russell’s rail roads) and demand a FOURTH season is HIGH. If you #Thread it, fans of the show – new fans – it will come. That is TFP’s belief.
Shout out to Shannon Lee for the vision to take this from the page to the small screen, what a tremendous contribution she has made not just to her father’s legacy, but to the greater community of Asians in America – East, Southeast, South – and to fans, no matter what background – of martial arts.
Need to get Diana Lee Inosanto on Season Four, and the circle will be complete.
Diana is currently killing it on Disney+ in Ahsoka along with Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, and Temuera Morrison. However she is a fierce martial arts combatant and she should be on WARRIOR if there comes a Season 4.
In TFP‘s estimation it has a very, very high percentage to command S4. Most people have a NETFLIX account but do not have an HBO MAX account – which is enormous for the Cast and Crew. Also, there are three established seasons, but nothing is wrapped up. Based on initial response, the team could be heading back to South Africa where it is filmed, in no time at all.
WARRIOR launches on NETFLIX in FEBRUARY 2024. Binge watch it and be wow’ed – then get 5 of your friends to watch it as well.
Phenomenal performances by all the Actors, but of course, because it is his birthday today- special one to Broadway’s Telly Leung, who joins the existing company of Andrew Koji, Olivia Cheng, Perry Young, Jason Tobin, Dianne Doan, Hoon Lee, Joe Taslim, Chen Tang, Dustin Ngyuen, Marc Dacasos, and various other non Asian folks – who, hey – they were here then too.
Telly is playing the 1800’s version of himself, and frankly – TFP was ‘here for it’ when it was on HBO, and she will be ‘here for it” even more on NETFLIX. In her estimation, when the next book is written about Pop Culture in the 2020’s (lookin at you Jeff & the Phil (s)) if there is not an entire section on WARRIOR and it’s potential for changing the conversation about Asians of America and how it made them sexy badasses – first time since Bruce Lee – then TFP will eat her…dumplings.
She will eat all the dumplings and be contrite.
Will not happen though – it is a game changer and being on NETFLIX only means the game will be seen across the globe, instead of a somewhat small group of elite.
Another show on NETFLIX we are super excited about is THE BROTHERS SUN– again, if you already have the service, all you have to do is watch it. It premiered today on January 4th, and TFP must confess, she binged watched it and she was absolutely thrilled to do so.
It is repping Action Asians on screen and behind the camera – as it was written by Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk, and directed by several people but mostly it seems, Choreographer/Director Kevin Tancharoen, who directs 5 out of the 8 episodes. The remaining 3 are directed expertly by Viet Ngyuen.
To paraphrase Phil Yu and Jeff Yang – you will NOT get the ‘rep sweats’ watching this series, it is great.
Cast includes Oscar Winner Michelle Yeoh, Justin Chien, Sam Li, Highdee Kuan, Alice Hewkin, Jenny Yang, Rodney To, Ron Yuan, and a series of cameos by some great LA Asian talent.
The story follows a college age student who finds himself embroiled in a gang war that began in another country and found him all the way in America. There are some fabulous inside LA’s AAPI community jokes that had TFP cracking up, Improv comedy is a running gag, and as TFP also studied at The Groundlings, it made her really appreciate how smart, how specific, and yet how universal this series is.
You could also – if you don’t have a mental health day coming your way – choose to let it run in the background because, hey – numbers are numbers and we need to get THE BROTHERS SUN‘s numbers way up, because a Season 2 is definitely needed.
HUDSON YANG is coming to the Asian Food Network with his reality cooking show, ORDER UP.
Hudson is very geared towards learning all the ins and outs of the restaurant business, while he was still starring in FRESH OFF THE BOAT for ABC, he became an early investor in the restaurant KHONG TEN in West LA, which has since closed. Being a busy college student – he attends Harvard as a sophmore and recently performed in the musical, HEATHERS, when he is not off learning how to cook in Asia.
Sounds awesome. Hudson can sing, so TFP is really thrilled he did HEATHERS at Harvard.
Speaking of Musicals, the composer, lyricist, and book writer of said musical, HEATHERS is Lawrence O’Keefe who alongside his wife, Lyricist, Writer, & Composer Nell Benjamin, co-wrote the music and lyrics for LEGALLY BLONDE, for which they were nominated for a TONY Awards. Nell then collaborated on the musical MEAN GIRLS with Tina Fey, which arrives in movie theaters on January 12, 2024.
Next up for Ms. Benjamin is the stage musical, COME FALL IN LOVE, the DDLJ Musical which featured a heavily South Asian company, and is Broadway bound.
Now, MEAN GIRLS has always had diversity within the show while it ran on Broadway, but in the film has taken it to the next level – Thanks Telsey!
The film musical’s cast has Broadway & Only Murders In the Building‘s Ashley Park as Madame Park, Auli’i Cravalho as Janis, Avantika as Karen Shetty, Mahi Alam as Kevin Ganatra, John El-Jor as Jason Weems, Grant Harrison Mateo as Tiny Boy, Kaylee Kaleinani as Sophie Kawachi, and Amann Iqbal as Rude Girl – that is a LOT of folks who in a current day film have Asian heritage of all kinds. Chris Olsen of Tik Tok fame is even in there – he is of Filipino descent, hangs out with Meghan Trainor, usually brings coffee to celebs? In addition to the film, you can find him on the clock app @chris.
Since it has been a while, let TFP remind you – the issue is money – the issue is, with this widely diverse a cast, are in person movie theaters going to see their box office boom? If it does, then you get to take your kids or your significant other to see images on the large screen where you are represented.
Being represented does not mean ‘this is a carbon copy of my every facial feature and trait’ what it means is, there is someone who looks similar to you in that film universe. When people take that chance and go buy tickets and spend hours staring at diverse skin tones, psychologically they bond with the cast.
That is why there are fans. They attach to one character, or characters – and then when they leave the theater, they perhaps smile at someone the next day who reminds them of their favorite characters. They leave the door open for possibility – so that old Asian people in America can walk down the street and not get attacked for being old Asian Americans walking down the street in America. Heck, while attacks on the elderly were egregious, attacks on Asian American women – especially in New York were violent and sadly, life ending. TFP had to ride the NY subway at the time, she stood with her back to a station pole, as did every other Asian appearing person she caught a glimpse of.
Top L-R Thom Sesma, Ali Ewoldt, Liam Kong looking les miz, Ruthie Ann Miles, Joanna Carpenter, Raymond J. Lee, Director Stafford Arima, Bottom: Erin Quill, Zach Piser – BroadwayCon 2023
Wanting to remind you that most shows, most Broadway shows, even now, do not have a plethora of AAPI talent in them, many times we are found in the dance ensemble and only in the dance ensemble – but SWEENEY TODD, with or without Josh Groban, has a larger than usual amount of Asians in there – led by TONY Winner, Ruthie Ann Miles. Raymond J. Lee who frequently goes on for the Beadle Bamford and Pirelli, Joanna Carpenter, who ‘covers’ Ms. Miles, are both pictured above. Not pictured are Alicia Kaori and Michael Kuhn, which bring the number of performers to 5, and also (very exciting) ASM Plato Seto.
Which makes the current cast of Sweeney Todd the Broadway show with the most AAPIs for a show not set in Asia.
Now, for a moment, let us just ponder that these cast members many times have had to defend their right to even be in the show and battle the microagressions that come with that – however TFP will remind you that Sweeney Todd is set in London in the year 1785.
The first documented Chinese person in Western European books was a Christian monk name Rabban Bar Sauma in the late 13th century. The next to be documented, this time by a painting, was Michael Alphonsus Shen Fu Tsung, which was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller which was commissioned by King James II, and presented in 1687. It hung in the King’s bedroom till he died.
So yes, there were Asian people in London – perhaps not in huge numbers, but they were there because what does TFP always say? Port cities had a transient population and world travelers – and where there are men and women, there are babies at some point. In fact, for a show not set in Asia, the cast has a huge number of Asians, and thank you to The Telsey Office.
Therefore please stop remarking to the very excellent cast members that they ‘do a good English accent’ or that you are ‘surprised’ to see them – they are doing their job, and excellently – move on.
Where a bar of excellence has been set, others will follow – which is why we were all delighted to hear that there is good news on the horizon for a transfer.
In fact, Ms.Miles who announced on TFP’s panel this past summer, that the show she headlined at City Center – LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA is currently looking for a Broadway theater.
TFP could not say enough good things about that production, directed by Chay Yew, she was ecstatic to see that having diversity behind the table, which led to ‘inside jokes’ that only minority folks could understand. Like the choice he made to have all the Italian characters be played by Latinx actors. He ‘took back’ what had been done in the past by Hollywood and Broadway, where they frequently let Italians play any person of color, without regard to even trying to find actual Latinx or Native American people to inhabit those roles, flipped his thing down and reversed it.
Playwright Larissa FastHorse in addition to her wildly popular Thanksgiving Play, has re-written the book for Peter Pan, the beloved children’s book about a boy who will not grow up and fairies that die without applause.
This new version began at the Ordway and will tour the nation. Lonny Price is directing – and, if it comes near to you, and you have the means, perhaps go and see a story that had a portrayal that needed updating. Like, really needed it.
Finally, TFP want you to know that Hudson Yang is not the only one in show business in the Family . His father, Jeff Yang, journalist, book writer, and podcaster co-wrote his first film, A GREAT DIVIDE with Jean Shim and Martina Nagel.
Directed by Jean Shim. Starring Ken Jeong, Jae Suh Park, Emerson Min, Miya Cech and MeeWha Alana Lee, aka The Lee Family, who leave the Bay Area for a fresh start in Wyoming.
(What could possibly go wrong?)
Born out of the awareness of the violence against AAPI People during the pandemic in America, we became aware of how, even now, the question of tolerance is really often one of white forbearance. Which can be rescinded at any time, depending on mood.
This film is currently on the film festival circuit – so if it hits yours in your area – please buy a ticket.
There we are Folks, very simple, not costly ways to help contribute to the change of perception of Americans in this country. You can turn on your internet streaming device, you can go to the movies, or the theater, or a film festival – and your numbers make a difference. The conversations you can begin from seeing those works are all part of TFP‘s master plan to make sure Americans of Asian descent are seen as Americans, and not as something to be othered.
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 was able to pop by famed NY Restaurant, SARDI’S and interview a few members of the #ALLEGIANCE family. As the show opens on November 8th, and it is currently November 4th, she thought she would put forth a series of interviews, one a day, leading up to their Broadway Opening.
ALLEGIANCE is notable for many reasons, but primarily, in TFP’s opinion, for showing us a story that falls within the American purview – it is the story of Asian Americans within America. Much like MEMPHIS or RAGTIME or 1776 showed us glimpses of America’s past with song and book- ALLEGIANCE is the first musical on Broadway to bring to light America’s incarceration of it’s own Citizens during wartime, based on nothing more than their heritage.
That being said, Americans have historically displayed xenophobia to immigrants and their generations, be they Irish, Jewish, Italian, African American, Muslim, and so forth, but the Japanese American Internment stands alone as a particularly dark period in the American story.
ALLEGIANCE and the struggles of it’s characters against injustice is a universal tale.
The following is an interview with Actor, Greg Watanabe, who plays the role of Mike Masaoka – who was a real person – and whose actions directly affected the Asian Americans that were incarcerated. Mr. Masaoka is a controversial figure to some – in fact the JACL has issued a statement protesting the use of him as a dramatic character in this piece, but Mr. Watanabe already answered that in this blog.
TFP:We’re here with Greg Wantabe, from ALLEGIANCE – these are some easy questions, so relax, here we go: where were you when you learned you were going to Broadway?
GW: I found out I was going to be in it actually in the room in NY, at Telsey and Company. I went and did the callback and then they said “Hey can you hold on and if you have something else to show us that would be great.” I was like “OK.”
Other people came in and they said “OK, we have cameras by the way, but you’re not going to audition we are just going to ask you some questions.” So with that, I walked into the room with the entire creative team there, and then they were like “What are you doing this summer?” I’m like “I don’t know, looking for work?” and they said “How ’bout being in our Broadway show?”
TFP: That’s awesome!
GW: Yeah, it was totally cool. I probably did not play it off as well as I could have. I didn’t have very good game face on. I was kind of stunned, I was just like “Really? Cool”
TFP: Did you get out of the room and do a victory dance?
GW: I didn’t. I was probably stunned for like, a good month. It was also several months coming, so it’s like…there’s that too. It was just stunning, the whole thing was kind of mind blowing.
TFP: Who was the first person you told?
GW: I think I called my Mom.
TFP: Like a good Japanese son, you called your Mommy!
GW: (Laughs) Yeah, and then I called my Girlfriend. I think I called my sister – I may have texted my sister, and some other friends.
TFP: But Mom was first?
GW: Yeah, Mom was first, I mean, you know…yeah, Mom’s first (Laughs)
TFP: Mom’s always first. I have a boy, Mommy’s always going to be first.
OK, as an API what is the thing you want people to most take away from this show?
GW: As an Asian American and as a Japanese American, I hope that people take away a sense of the importance of social justice, and I know that sounds sort of pretentious. But one of the most important things for me as a Japanese American about the Japanese incarceration experience in World War Two is that is that no one stood up for the Japanese American community – very few people did. The ACLU backed off, the JACL say they did their best but in many ways they did not support many people who were taking constitutional stands. The Quakers were the only ones who said “We’ll provide you safe harbor and some resources” and things like that.
No one else helped us at time when all of this was happening. I think that is the biggest lesson from the incarceration experience itself, that we have to show solidarity and you have to stand up for social justice, you have to keep the Government accountable to it’s own ideals. If our play can do any of that, then that would be the best thing that could happen for me. Not only would other Asian American feel that, but that the wider audience would feel that.
I think that the fact that this particular story has never made it’s way to Broadway – despite the fact that there have been many books and films and regional plays – that it’s never been to Broadway – is sort of a testament to the fact that sort of our– exclusion might be too strong a word – (but it’s lack of attention) from the mainstream storytelling stream media- I hope people see it and feel like “Hey, we can participate” as storytellers on this level and at this scale.
Those two things, that would be what I want people to take away.
TFP: That’s a great answer.
First present you bought yourself with your first Broadway check?
GW: (Laughs) Wow, That’s tough to say. I have to say, I’ve been trying to be frugal, but I always fail. And one of my big weaknesses is just going out and buying food all the time.
TFP: New York has really good food.
GW: Yeah, New York has great food. So I’m like how many purchases have I made that have been like “F##k it, I’m on Broadway!”
TFP: Right? I can get that $8 coffee, I’m on Broadway! Dude!
GW: Yeah, $30 for lunch, sure…why not? (laughs)
TFP: What’s a ‘must have’ that you must have in your dressing room?
GW: One of the things I really like having, and this sounds strange, but I really like having my coat and scarf with me so that when I go lay down somewhere I can lay down on the floor, in the balcony or on a chair or…
TFP: So you’re saying you’re in a Broadway show, but you are laying down in the balcony to catch a nap during tech?
GW: Yeah, well….
TFP: I did that during that during my tech too! No, I totally did that!
GW: (laughs) And between shows! Previews are so grueling, I had no idea how long of a process, how intense it is.
TFP: So that is my last question – you come from 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors sketch comedy and a ton of straight plays where you have gotten awards and nominations – and now you are in a Broadway musical – what is the biggest difference, hardest adjustment for you?
GW: Probably the first adjustment was underscoring. So much of my stuff is exposition that happens in between or as parts of songs – and so I’m really not used to having to start on a beat and end on a beat – even if I’m not singing, that’s still part of my job. I really had to get used to that, that was one of the hardest things.
TFP: It’s hard.
GW: The other aspect was, and I don’t have a huge role, but you know it’s an important role…
TFP: You have a pivotal role. (Greg plays JACL Leader at the time, Mike Masaoka, who was a real person during this time period)
GW: Yes, I have a pivotal role – in fact I’m going to steal that.
TFP: Yes, that’s right, you have to steal that – pivotal role.
GW: The other aspect (to adjust to) was the amount of time to do the choreography and the songs, and all the energy – almost all of it goes to that. So, you don’t do the table work like you do in straight plays, you don’t do the kind of exploration – there is just not the real estate for that, once I got used to that…It gave me a lot of freedom to be able to explore things…Stafford is the coolest director ever, the nicest man and the most accommodating, and if I ever needed anything I could always ask for it.
TFP: In musicals it’s kind of like they just trust that you are a grown up and you are going to do all that on your own and then bring it to school.
GW: That’s right., and then they’ll see about it. I just said “Well, I’ll just make a choice and we’ll deal with it later, or I’ll get a note” (Laughs) But being given the freedom was great, because of that I’m having a great time.
TFP: And I am sure we will all have a great time watching you, Congratulations!
The Fairy Princess woke up this past Friday to find herself on a “little list‘ put together by Playbill.com – she was totally flattered to be on the list of “useful” women in theater who utilize social media.
Who would not want to be any list that included Kate Shindle (@AEAPresident), Jennifer Ashley Tepper (@JenAshTep), The League of Professional Women in Theater (@LPTWomen), Audra McDonald (@AudraEqualityMc), Lia Chang (@LiaChang), Sydney Lucas (@SydneyLucasNYC), The Kilroys (@TheKilroys13), The Interval (@TheIntervalNY), and from the UK, West End Wilma (@WestEndWilma) ?
Certainly not TFP – she totes wants to be on that list, and she thanks the…ummm…The Playbill.
One likes to be thought of as ‘useful’,
must be America’s Puritan Work Ethic trickle down…but TFP certainly enjoyed being included.
Many thanks to Laura Heywood aka @BroadwayGirlNYC and Cary Purcell aka @PlaybillCarey for reading what TFP wrote, and thinking that it mattered to not just API Theater lovers, but to the community in general.
One often imagines that one’s writing is sent out to the Universe and gets left in the ether for aliens to come and find it – they would find it and and then decide it was good that they came in and took over since we cannot quite get it together here on this planet.
It was honestly thrilling to wake up and see oneself tagged by Playbill in an article, and in such a nice way.
This is perhaps the first blog post by TFP where she did not have to tell someone to Kiss Her Fan Tan Fannie at the end of it, and that in itself is a remarkable thing – since TFP usually has to be ironically enraged to do so…mayhap this will lead to a kinder, gentler TFP?
Probably not.
Lest one thinks that TFP was the only API on the list, TFP was very happy to note that the lovely Lia Chang, @LiaChang,
was lauded for her consistently excellent work, and this was an even bigger example of how the face of theater in New York and around the country is changing.
A sincere thanks to Playbill for noticing TFP‘s blog and for the encouragement….
TFP wakes up every day hoping she will not have to be quite as useful…but until that day comes – she will soldier on!
Also HAPPY OPENING to the play, WE KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE being produced by The Finborough Theatre in London – it looks like a wonderful piece and it also gives TFP hope that things will continue to change.
The Fairy Princess on a daily basis gets frustrated with young women in the public eye.
She says that not because she is angry or unhappy about them being in the public eye, but because so often, they ones that wound up in the public eye at a young age have missed some supplemental education because value is placed on other things – things like singing and dancing and acting.
Don’t go crazy, it is TFP’s opinion based on observation.
While TFP knows that singing, dancing, and acting does NOT prevent one from ‘thinking the big thinks‘ – if one does not realize the value of them, those ‘big thinks‘, then one can so easily laugh them off – the collective value of the big thinks.
Case in point – FEMINISM
Now, TFP is of the opinion that every woman in the United States today is a feminist.
This is a loaded statement – and people will ‘come’ for TFP, but WHY is she saying that?
TFP says that every woman in the United States and a large portion of Western Countries are Feminists because they stand, we stand, on the backs of the women that came before. We, the Women of the World, are, as is said in The Joy Luck Club – like ‘steps through time” – one after the other. We, the Women of the United States, are afforded freedoms and choices because of Feminist principles and activists, who fought for us in the past.
With each age, women strive to come forward a bit more. Yes, we continually have to ‘prove’ ourselves – that we are smart, that we are useful, that we are good mothers, that we are ‘just as capable‘….yes, it is exhausting. This is not new, but it is a constant battle that we wage, secure in the knowledge that at least some of it, has backing in legislation.
Women today have choices now that their Grandmothers could not imagine. Some women have choices that, given where their Mother came from and how she grew up, that their MOTHER could not imagine – and that is AWESOME!
DANCE PARTY!
Which is why TFP was so disheartened to read this quote in the New York Times by Vanessa Hudgens,
who will be starring in the Broadway Revival of GIGI.
Regarding her own feminism, “I used to be on the fence about it, “she said “Just because I feel like it gets to a certain place where it almost has the reverse effect, where it is so overpowering and so aggressive that it’s like rather than just standing up for female pride and female rights, it becomes, like, “I am the man’.
Out came the giggle, like a lace fan. “But now I feel like there’s this new wave of feminists coming up that are truly about equal rights for women. I mean, Beyonce is, like, killing the game, and I love her.”
You have been ON THE FENCE about Feminism because you think it is aggressive and makes you like a man?
ON THE FENCE?
You mean that fence that they used to use to keep women from voting, keeping their wages, deciding how many children to have, deciding to pursue education, and deciding to have the ability to start a business that was not based solely on selling their vagina to the highest bidder?
THAT is the fence you were on, Miss Vanessa?
NO.
Not good enough.
Look, TFP rarely responds to young actresses speaking about Feminism – Cayley Cuoco gave a doozy of a statement when she told REDBOOK Magazine (when asked was she a Feminist)
“Is it bad if I say no? ….I cook for Ryan five nights a week and it makes me feel like a housewife; I love that”
TFP thought….
Ms. Cuoco later had to apologize because she is a multi-millionaire who has made her living in one of the most color biased and gender biased businesses in the world, a world she resides in because of an uber amount of privilege and timing…and she made the rounds spouting that age old Publicist ‘cure-all’ – ‘My words were taken out of context.’
No, they weren’t. Vanessa’s were not either. They were not taken out of context because, as is quite clear – because you have to know what the context IS, to be taken out of it. These young women of privilege and position have NO IDEA what Feminism is, and what it has given them, and so…they are talking out of their ass.
Yes, TFP said “talking out of their ass’ er…’asses’.
While TFP generally ignores things that silly women say – ONLY BECAUSE SHE KNOWS HOW MANY BRILLIANT AND SAVVY WOMEN ARE OUT THERE IN THE WORLD– she cannot ignore it when a person of Mixed race says them.
So Vanessa,
under the bus you go, because Hapas are not allowed to spout this idiocy.
There are SO FEW of us out there that EVERY time one of us gets an opportunity they have to, by default, be a role model.
Yes, it is exhausting. Yes, it is a pain in the ass. But what is so tragic is that 11 year old Hudson Yang is paying more attention to his words, as one of the stars of ABC’s FRESH OFF THE BOAT,
than you are, as one of the FIRST Hapas to be headlining a Broadway show at 26 years old!
You are a GROWN ASS WOMAN….and you should know better!
“We”, the Hapas of Broadway have the leads in ALADDIN, and YOU – that’s it.
If Nicole Scherzinger comes in with CATS, that will be FOUR.
Now and in the foreseeable future….
If we were to add the supporting roles of those in King & I, it would bring it up to SEVEN. (Much respect to Ruthie Ann Miles, Conrad Ricamora, and Ashley Park).
SIX lead roles played by people of mixed Asian descent out of 32 shows on Broadway. With a possible 7th coming in.
So no, Miss Vanessa…when we are only dealing with one out of six, one who has legions of teenage female fans, you do not get a pass when you give a quote that posits onlyBEYONCE as an ‘acceptable’ Feminist.
BEYONCE!
Beyonce has a great gift with a ‘lick’ and is an amazing performer, but are her songs feminist thought inspiring?
If Ya Liked It then ya Should’a Put a Ring on it?
Beyonce lives as a Feminist – she owns a business, she has her own money, she gives to charity, she is a mother, she votes , she expresses her opinions and is not mocked for them – all those things are benefits of Feminism. Yes, she lives her life as a Feminist, as all women in this country do – but her songs- they usually revolve around a man. She ‘owns’ her own sexuality, and that is a component of Feminism of course, but TFP does not really think of Crazy In Love as a rallying cry for Feminism.
No tea, no shade, no pink lemonade – it is what it is.
TFP likes Beyonce and her music – but looking for lessons of Feminism from the lyrics?
Whitney Houston, now? Madonna? Lady Gaga? Pink? Those would all be yes.
TFP is now going to tell you why, YES VANESSA…you ARE a Feminist – in case you are asked again…
1. You get to vote
in 1920 – a mere 95 years ago, via the 19th Amendment, women were allowed to vote in elections in the United States
“During the early history of the United States, a man virtually owned his wife and children as he did his material possessions. If a poor man chose to send his children to the poorhouse, (to repay his debts) the mother was legally defenseless to object. …Equity law had a liberalizing effect upon the rights of women in the United States. For instance, a woman could sue her husband. Mississippi in 1839, followed by New York in 1848 and Massachusetts in 1854, passed laws allowing married women to own property separate from their husbands. In divorce law, however, the divorced husband kept legal control of both children and property.”
As a young woman, not only would you be the ‘property’ of your Father, you would have to turn all monies earned, if you were ‘allowed’ to work by him, you would turn it all over TO him, because your money was NOT your own.
And if your Dad was Tom Cruise…it would have been…..
3. You are not the property, should you choose to marry, of your Husband – this was ‘coverture”.
Under coverture, you would turn over any and all property to your Husband as soon as you were married – you would have no say in it’s administration or disposal, and had no legal repercussions if he mishandled the funds. Likewise in the case of a divorce, the courts would favor dispersal to the husband with a small ‘jointure’ perhaps given to the wife at the dissolution of the marriage. Maybe.
You may be familiar with this as the basic plot of DOWNTOWN ABBEY – remember? The Earl has mishandled the funds his wife brought to the marriage which saved Downtown, but cannot be passed on to Lady Mary because….you guessed it – coverture!
4. You can have a ‘line of credit’ aka “a credit card’ in your own name.
That law happened in 1974 – and it was called the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Yes, Vanessa – 1974 was when women in America could get their own credit card! Do YOU have a credit card? Then you should thank those Feminists, male and female, who worked together before you were born, to make sure you could drop into any store you like and buy whatever you want.
5. If you do get married, and you suffer spousal rape, it is now a crime.This law was passed in 1993. You may even have been born, Miss Vanessa – prior to that, if your spouse was in the mood and you weren’t, too bad.
6. You can run in the Boston Marathon…something that women could not do until 1972.
7. You have access to birth control without being subject to ‘decency laws’ or risk being thrown into jail for lewdness.
8. You can get a divorce (if you chose to get married) without having to prove anyone was ‘at fault’.
Prior to 1967, it was rather hard to get a divorce in this country because one needed ‘grounds’. Like, for example, if the Husband was beating the wife all day and night, and he didn’t want her to be able to divorce him, he could (through attorneys and the law at the time) deny that there was a ‘reason’ for the marriage to dissolve. The wife could move out of course, but legally, he was still her husband.
However, it was shockingly easy for a Husband to put aside a wife, because grounds like ‘adultery’ can be given – even if none occurred, and the court in general, found ‘for’ the Husband. Because of course, who would want to live with a cheating wife?
No Fault Divorce has many for and against – even Feminists are divided, however the fact is, if a woman or man is ‘trapped’ within an untenable situation and they want to walk away – they can.
FYI, should you be getting married any time soon whilst on Broadway, it is worth noting that New York State was the last state to ratify No Fault Divorce – in 2010.
9. You do not have to wear a religious or state sanctioned outfit that inhibits your freedom of movement – you have a right to wear whatever you want to wear. You can thank Feminists of the 1960‘s for modern inventions like the miniskirt and so forth.
10. You have the right to star on Broadway in a show about a young girl of 14 who is sold, by her Great Aunts, to an older man in his at least, late 30’s, who is then sooooo overcome by her youth and zest that he ACTUALLY MARRIES HER!
Instead of, as was the custom in the era in which the show is set, signing a contract with her Family as to how many dresses, spending money, carriages, what kind of house she was to have, what the care and feeding of any children resulting from their sexual congress would be, and which gave HIM the ability to terminate, at any time, his support of a woman who was for all intents and purposes ‘ruined’ in the eyes of society because she was no longer a virgin. Also in the contract would likely be how many times per week she was to expect to receive his ‘attentions’, and perhaps even the times with which she must wait up till, before she could make the determination that he was not coming, so she could go to bed.
After her Swain was done with her, and the contract was terminated, she would have to find another ‘protector’, as long as she still had her looks. If she was lucky, she would receive a ‘settlement’ with which she could invest, if not perhaps she would be able to get enough ‘gifts’ that she would then be able to sell as she aged and became less desirable to wealthy men. This would continue until she succumbed perhaps, to one of a host of venereal diseases while all her former lovers were married to ‘respectable’ women and had long and productive lives. She would be left in ‘genteel’ or abject poverty till her death.
Thatis what happened to Courtesans – if you do not believe, TFP, go and ask Fantine, she is a few theaters down from you.
That this current version of GIGI is being produced by women who have updated and changed the ages and have made this Gigi more palatable, (according to your Director, Eric Schaeffer “We had to get the perv factor out of it“), to modern tastes… is a result of Feminism.
Because….de facto – you have Women in power positions on this production, addressing concerns modern women might have with the show – which is the direct result of people laying down in marches and protests, burning their undergarments, going on hunger strikes, marching, legislating, and in general, trying to assure that you, as a 26 year old woman of today, would never have to go through what women in the past have gone through.
Do the freedoms given to you by women of the past alleviate your concerns that people might think of you as angry or aggressive?
Are there any that you would like to give back?
The reason that we are all able to stand up for ourselves and decide for ourselves is because those are rights that were won before we even got here on this planet, by Feminists, also call Suffragettes, also called Interfering Women, also a slew of derogatory names as well as ‘Too smart for their own damn good”. Not all of them were women, either.
The women of the past have paid it forward to us, and now it is our job to continue to encourage young women to embrace being Feminists, to embrace thinking, to embrace striving, not to scare them by denying what it actually is – which is equality in all things. It is striving for equality – struggles that still go on today.
If one is going to be in a show about a Prostitute…
(which, don’t get TFP wrong, Musical Theater LOVES us some Prostitutes, they get ALL the best songs!)
….who is fighting for her right to decide her own future – then does it not reason that the star of that show should EMBRACE FULLY AND COMPLETELY THE NOTION OF FEMINISM AS IT STANDS TODAY?
You do know that the French Monks who invented Champagne by accident were actually not thinking of Happy Hookers and their Swains when they invented the bubbly beverage, right? Lerner & Lowe just made that up?
Look let’s not drag this on and on and on because here is the short list:
You are Feminist if you have ever begun, as a woman, a sentence with “Well, I think….”
You are a Feminist if you have ever stated, as a woman, “I don’t like that….”
You are a Feminist if you, as a woman, have expressed your option to not have sex with a man who requests it
You are a Feminist if you have, as a woman, encouraged a little girl to dream about her future, and dream big
Those are four VERY SIMPLE examples of how one can be a Feminist.
For equating Feminism with trying to be a man, and denying that you yourself are the recipient of the benefits of Feminism – TFP sentences you to 20 whacks with the wand, a wonderful Opening Night, and a reading of The Personal is Political by Carol Hanisch, which you should then talk about with the very brilliant Ms. Thomas with whom you work!
The next time someone asks you – and they will again, TFP would appreciate it, as a person of Mixed Asian descent and as a WOMAN if you would simply reply
“I would not be where I am today without Feminism. Next question.”
After Midnight, the kickass Broadway show that takes the audience on a ride through the music of Harlem’s well known Cotton Club, has announced it is closing – far quicker than originally planned. Originally it was in August, and now, it is June 29th.
Shows close, that is the nature of the business, but one of the great things about After Midnight was that it brought some of the living legends of the African American singing community to Broadway – some for the first time…
Patti LaBelle & Dule Hill
some Broadway veterans who had been there before – and all were incredible.
Vanessa Williams
Fantasia & the men of After Midnight
However because of this early closing, there are some that were announced who will, sadly, not make their Broadway debuts….like Gladys Knight and Natalie Cole.
While it was fantastic that some of these Divas appeared on the TONYS…
not everyone did.
This, also, is very sad – both for those Artists and for their fans – but mostly for their fans because….wait for it –
There is no Cast Recording of AFTER MIDNIGHT!
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!
Nor, apparently, are there solid plans to record one!
Which is a huge loss. Many of these artists did not, ’tis true, make their names singing the type of music that is in AFTER MIDNIGHT, but they grew up on it.
Which is to say they are making it their own in ways that is almost too delicious to contemplate, and which, given how often Broadway embraces the music of that era (Black & Blue, anyone?), may be the last time we get to see some of them sing it.
I mean, BLACK AND BLUE was celebrating the Renaissance in Paris!
AFTER MIDNIGHT is celebrating the Harlem Renaissance right here in New York City!
The women who are guest starring in the show, save for Fantasia, have a connection to this music that is visceral, because they are within one generation of being the first people to hear that music – and that kind of thing makes a difference.
The Fairy Princess feels lucky to have seen this show as soon as it arrived on Broadway, but now that it is closing – in part due to ticket sales, she wonders if enough of ‘the kids‘ have seen some of these Divas for it to be an inspiration?
She remembers how lucky she felt as a child, to live in New York, and to see some performances that stay with her to this day. However, being Eurasian
she did not have the opportunity to look at a show and say, “Not only do I love it, and I am inspired by it, but those people up there look like me, maybe I can do that too!”
Because there just…ummm….were no Eurasians actively starring in a Broadway musical back then. (Just as it is now, as a matter of fact. Hmmmm…..)
She wishes she could have had a moment to be THAT kind of inspired – she thinks everyone should have it at least once in their lives – to see one’s own people, all different ages, all different experiences, telling their stories through dance and song – come on, that has to be a magical thing.
From left, Desmond Richardson, Phillip Attmore, C. K. Edwards, Christopher Broughton and Daniel J. Watts
When The Fairy Princess saw AFTER MIDNIGHT she was juggling concerns of her day and thinking about other things, as one does, until the lights came down and the first notes of a bygone era started playing – The Jazz at Lincoln Center All Stars – on Broadway! Then she just sat back and enjoyed it all – forgot about everything, it is that good a show.
The singers, and the dancers, and the costumes – it was 90 minutes of amazement, laughs, and pathos
Karine Plantadit
– and it has not been given a Cast Recording.
In an era where any ding dong can whip out a phone and launch embarrassing moments on to the Internet for all to see – how is this show, which has been the recipient of so much love from the Broadway Community and the vehicle for so much talent across the generations – how is it not going to have a Cast Album?
It’s criminal. It’s a crime against theater. If this Cast is not recorded, then you know who loses?
We all do. Young kids – who should be being bused in for the last dozen performances as a public service by the big record labels so that they get to see and hear their history – are going to lose.
We of the Broadway are going to lose – think about it – to NEVER be able to hear the sultry voiced Carmen Ruby Floyd sing “Creole Love Call” again in your life?
CRF in Carmen Marc Valvo at The TONYS
Not to hear the Master Class that is Adriane Lenox sing her numbers?
Adriane Lenox
Criminal.
Total loss.
Not to mention that Divas who were booked until the show was scheduled to close in August now will not be able to make their Broadway debuts. Which is a shame, because no matter how big a singer you are, no matter how many stages you have performed on in your life – there is nothing like stepping on a Broadway stage and singing for those crowds.
If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Even if you have ‘made it’ somewhere before, it is still like nothing else.
The Fairy Princess does not know who to ‘talk to’ about getting AFTER MIDNIGHT recorded,
The Big O? Anyone have her number? Or her checkbook?
Clive Davis? Who could call Clive Davis?
but someone needs to start talking – because once a show closes, and the Cast scatters to new jobs….that will be that.
Truthfully, it should be a double album, because of the Guest Stars, singing, perhaps, not just what they sang in the show, but songs that perhaps were cut from the show or are ‘of that era’? That would, The Fairy Princess believes, be a huge seller – and, wouldn’t it make sense to record this cast if rumors are true, and there is a tour being talked about?
Just a thought.
Thank you, all the Cast of AFTER MIDNIGHT – you were breathtaking – and The Fairy Princess hopes you have sell out crowds and standing Ovations for the rest of your run – y’all danced and sang your butts off.
Dennis is a writer, a director, and most recently, was one of the Writers for Fashion Police with Joan Rivers, on E! We have been friends for a ton of years, and I find him outrageously delightful. He also has two books I heartily recommend – Screening Party and MisAdventures in the (213)
The Fairy Princess appeared on Global Village Broadcasting, on the show, Cabarabia, Hosted by Director/Producer Clifford Bell. Clifford directed me in my very first cabaret show, They Shoot Asian Fosse Dancers, Don’t They?, so it was great to catch up with him.
AND…just to wrap up, she found this really fun little clip from when she went on the Frank DeCaro Show on Sirius, Jim Colucci was hosting, and she talked about the 10th Anniversary of Avenue Q.
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