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.
After all, she had brought up a few uncomfortable topics in the last week – the TONYS and AFTER MIDNIGHT not having a Cast Recording…she thought she was done for the week. Plus which, she was just informed that – in what could only be termed as excellent timing – Lincoln Center Archives announced that they were going to tape AFTER MIDNIGHT for their records, so the show will not go quietly into that dark night, never to be heard from again.
The Fairy Princess was feeling good!
Dance Break!
Until she read the New York Times review of the revival of The King & I currently up in Paris till June 29 –
The Fairy Princess has a few objections to this sentence in general – first, Rogers and Hammerstein’s The King & I is not a musical comedy. Which tells me that the ‘critic’ writing this piece has already veered away from credibility. He could have said that Théâtre du Châtelet is the premiere house for English language musical productions or something, but he chose to focus on comedy as the main characteristic of this house’s renown.
To that end, The Fairy Princess must concur because when she perused the article further, this production could only be labeled a farce, once one has seen the casting.
But let us look back…yet again….at the real King of Siam that is the basis for this character:
King Mongkut (18 October 1804 – 1 October 1868), was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851–1868. He was one of the most revered monarchs of the country.
Ah yes, King Mongkut – quite a dignified man – a beloved man, a Siamese (now what we would call Thai) man.
An actual man.
Who actually lived and ruled and had children and prospered and was an actual living, breathing Asian man.
And this is what Théâtre du Châtelet and it’s Scottish director, Lee Blakely came up with:
Actor Lambert Wilson
The Fairy Princess is confused. With over 66,000 views of her blog on these varying incidents, she would have thought that she could actually retire now, we all have been seen, repeatedly telling the white people that this:
Oh BUDDHA, GIMME THE AID OF YOUR STRENGTH AND WISDOM BEFORE THE FAIRY PRINCESS GOES TO FRANCE AND PUNCHES A SCOTSMAN…..OHM!
is not ok.
As one can clearly see from this photo – there are indeed, Asian heritaged dancers and singers in France, because there they are right behind the esteemed Lambert Wilson.
So the white washing of this production only applies to certain leads – check out Lady Thiang:
Scottish Soprano Lisa Milne in Fidelio
Yep, totally getting Queen of Siam from this photo – anyone else getting it?
The Fairy Princess is lying, there is no getting Lady Thiang from this photo.
That is what is a puzzlement about this production – they clearly know where Siam is, and they clearly know that Asian heritaged peoples should be IN Siam – because the singers playing Tuptim and Kralahome and Lun Tha not to mention the choir et al are, in fact, Asian heritaged singers and dancers.
It is just the two leads that are the ‘star’ roles where the story does not matter. It seems, in fact, a bit like friends got together and thought about a show they would like to do and then hired all the Asians as backdrop for their ethnic hubris, believing no one would notice.
It’s like hating brie or Impressionism or wine- how can you hate MISS FRANCE?
Miss France 2014, Flora Coquerel
Though, curiously, you loved Josephine Baker…
American born singer, Josephine Baker
So ironic – take it away Gigi –
Perhaps it is better to say, that while there is plenty of racism in France, both then and now, in the Arts, there has always been a home for Artists of Color. Some even called the freedom offered to People of Color in Paris in the 1920’s, a Renaissance.
Which is why it is curious that Théâtre du Châtelet would pick a piece that is meant to represent the ultimate struggle against racism and imperialism – The King & I – to perform, and then negate by it’s casting, the very lessons it was meant to impart.
Lessons about how exchanging and appreciating a different culture can be mutually beneficial, and ultimately, can lead to a new world order. For a country so steeped in the writers and efforts of Age of Enlightenment, it is sad that the France of literary traditions is making this choice – it is going against reason and individualism, and with the ‘tradition’ of yellow face.
A red headed Anna is also a puzzlement considering it is now widely acknowledged that the trueAnna Leonowens was, in fact, Eurasian – or rather an Anglo -Indian as it would have been stated at the time. Which means that there could be a most interesting dynamic – a Eurasian schooling Asians on how to act British to save themselves from Caucasian invasion.
It would be… a sensation.
You may sense my frustration.
Perhaps, on another occasion.
(Apologies, could not stop myself)
In that scenario, one could take inspiration from Anglo-Indian actors of the past like, for example, Merle Oberon.
Merle as Cathy in Wuthering Heights with Sir Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff
It would be both a startling and historically interesting way to go, The Fairy Princess would welcome a chance to view that kind of production of The King & I. That kind of production would take a Director of extreme vision and knowledge, and that would be a Director that The Fairy Princess, for one, would want to work with.
However one cannot just blame the Parisians for this casting kerfuffle, because they had help. They hired a formidable director and ultimately he chose the cast.
Director Lee Blakely does not hail from France, he is from the UK.
Here is where the BAME (Black Asian Minority Ethnicity) Artists are going to go mad, because in the grand tradition of The Royal Shakespeare Company cleansing The Orphan of Zhao of its British East Asian Actors in a story about China, he chose a Caucasian to play an Asian – actually he chose two.
The Fairy Princess took a look at the resume of good ol’ Scotsman, Director Lee Blakely, and mostly, he directs Opera – which is a great thing. However in Opera, there is a carelessness and often a blatant disregard for the appearance of the singer – either racially or size wise (which is changing a bit, which is a shame) or anything else – which is a conceit that The Fairy Princess has discussedbefore, and which was answeredby the English National Opera.
Sometimes the ethnicity of the character, in opera, cannot be accomplished by casting due to the restrictions placed on the role by the vocal demands. Again, things are changing, but in Opera, change is slow, and there is no ‘message’ in most operas – it is mainly about the love story and it is definitely about la voce.
Black World Class Heldentenor for Verdi’s Otello? Not yet.
However – The King & I isnot an Opera, it is a Musical, and there is a message in it – as in all Rogers & Hammerstein musicals – issues of racism, sexism, imperialism and what those three things do to people caught in those circumstances. You cannot separate The King & I from those issues, or you have no show. Why? Because Oscar Hammerstein was concerned with and worked actively on those issues all his life.
Which any Director worth his or her salt should have known. Particularly one who studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, as Mr. Blakely did. Because when you study at a Royal Academy, they include theatrical history as part of your University courses.
The Fairy Princess knows this, because her MOTHER is an Advanced Teacher of Ballet in the Royal Academy System and she grew up hearing all about it. (The Fairy Princess did her Uni study in the USA, at Carnegie Mellon, so she has not studied at a Royal Academy herself – full disclosure.)
(And by the by, what the heck are they now teaching in those Royal Academy Conservatories that they are sending out Directors who regularly white wash minorities out of productions on every stage, in every art form?)
Not to mention that being from the UK and working within the UK, one would be unable to not see Actors of color as part of your regular activity as a Director. Yes, the BBC is having a problem with it’s diversity on screen, but Glasgow is in Scotland – and Scotland hosts the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the largest international theater festival which hosts artists from all over the world. So it would be categorically impossible for Mr. Blakely to have been unaware of Singers of Color, or that they exist in the world. Not to mention he has directed in the USA, in London, in France, and so forth.
While Mr. Blakely could, if he was casting Otello, legitimately say that he ‘could not find any‘ Black Heldentenors at this time in our history, could he say that he could not find Asian Actors to perform the role of The King and of Lady Thiang at Théâtre du Châtelet t?
No. He could not.
In fact, he has a ton in this production,
Je Ni Kim as Tuptim and Damian Thantrey as Lun Tha
Small House of Uncle Thomas Ballet
Buddha send an Angel to Eliza
just not The King of Siam nor his First Wife, Lady Thiang.
So one has to ask oneself about this strategic white washing, the arrogance of having a white couple play “King & Queen of the Asians” and have the Cast of actual Asians have to fall to their knees every time at least one of these Caucasians enters the room.
There are times I almost think I am not sure of what I absolutely am looking at here
It has to be difficult for this Cast.
Do these Monks look happy to you?
The Fairy Princess would not like it herself.
It is a clear and potent message that the Director and Theater send to Actors of Color with this production – you will always have to kow tow to Caucasians, even if you hope to tell a semi-authentic story based on a historic events where you are supposed to be represented. It tells them, even in a story about you, we can erase you, and we will get rave reviews for doing so.
Ouch. Double ouch.
Are there Asian Heritaged Actors and Actresses who have extensive Broadway, West End, and World Credits to perform The King and I in the two of the leading roles written for Asian heritaged people?
The Fairy Princess is very tempted to LIST them, very tempted – but that would play into the supposition that they are hard to find, or that there are not these wonderful people called CASTING DIRECTORS whose job it is to keep that information handy.
Casting is not accomplished by magical little elves that leap out of the woodwork and whisper choices into a Director’s ear – they are hard working, theatrically savvy people who have an eye and an ear for talent, and they can and do, regularly go on massive searches to find the ‘right’ person for a role. It is a hard job, and given how much American stages and screens are changing now, it is worth acknowledging that without their dedication, this would not be the case.
Mr. Blakely and his team could have done what theAustralian National Operadid when they screwed up and cast someone’s boyfriend as The King in their tour of King & I, (who was not Asian and the Aussies pitched a fit), they sent an email and got Jason Scott Lee in from Hawaii to finish the tour. They fixed it. Bravo to them for doing so.
But they will not ‘fix it’ in France. They will take their rave reviews and chalk up this kerfuffle to some cheeky Yank making a fuss over nothing.
Which is, of course, the danger because….wait for it…
The publishing of this ‘review’ in The New York Times, where the “oriental‘ decor and costumes is lauded, along with the three Caucasian leads, where the names of those playing Tuptim and Lun Tha are not mentioned, though they are part of the structure on which the story is built, and where they give such a glowing review for the Director – is cause for concern.
Giving space in a paper like The New York Times to a production in which a white man is crowned “King of the Asians’ by a Director from the UK, is the wrong thing to do.
It is the wrong thing to do, New York Times.
Frankly, it is shocking that The New York Times, given how much coverage it has had to give to diversity representation on Broadway in the last two years based, in a large part, on the initial writings of this blogger,
would not think about how they are all but endorsing this Parisian production! Or of the ramifications?
Which is why The Fairy Princess writes this piece today – though yes, this Parisian production will close relatively soon, what lingers on is the glowing review in the highest regarded paper in New York – and that could make people at Lincoln Center bring Mr. Blakely in for a general interview. Though Bartlett Sher has been announcedas the Director of the Lincoln Center Revival, there is always the ‘unexpected’ that can pop up, and ‘back up choices’ are always on a list somewhere.
Frankly, Asian American Actors who make their living on the stages of Broadway do NOT need a director like Mr. Blakely coming into our theatrical scene where we often have to contend with things like this:
Revival of The Mystery Of Edwin Drood with Andy Karl and Jessie Mueller
Asian American Performers are already under represented, they do not need to provide the ‘oriental setting’ for some Caucasian Actor with a King complex, repeatedly falling to their knees when he strides on stage.
On a Broadway stage?
No.
The New York Times should have said “NO” too. If they could not, in good conscience, refuse to publish this ‘review’, then the reviewer should have mentioned at least that it is perhaps a tradition at that theater to use movie stars like Mr. Lambert Wilson and that is perhaps why he was Cast – something to acknowledge that for Americans reading a review of a French production, that there are cultural differences that we may not, as Americans agree with.
The reviewer could have included a review of the Asian performers as well – like, their names, a photo, how they sang their duets…that endemic racial bias is infuriating to see in a paper of the stature of The New York Times.
That ‘review’ endorses ignoring the Asian Performers in The King & I – the reviewer loves the “oriental’, but could not be bothered with the Asians! They were just ‘set dressing’!
Overall, this production is not one that API Actors may even think to consider as being a threat to them –and that would be a mistake – because the sets are gorgeous, the direction, while hard to see in stills, could be absolutely magnificent – but we would be stupid to discount the message that in this King & I, it’s all about the white guy.
Because easily, they could do that here in the States – basing it on the ‘success’ in France.
We do NOT want that esthetic on our side of the pond – get it? We do not want it – it’s insidious, it’s dangerous, and it’s endorsed by The New York Times!
So start writing letters and sending emails, Asian Americans, to The New York Times and let them know what you think about their endorsement of this Parisian production, express yourself like Madonna always told you, because even if you think that people would say
about casting a Caucasian as Asian in New York City, let’s be clear, we are hanging on to Diversity in casting on Broadway by a very slender thread – and we are not being supported by regional theaters for the most part – they are doing what they want, when they want to and how they want to.
That could easily be a protest against a Caucasian King in The King & I, and we could be just as ignored. Because that Hugh Jackman does love to sing and he sells tickets….just sayin….
Shall we Wolverine? Bum, da dum….
For crimes against theater – The Fairy Princess sentences Théâtre du Châtelet, it’s Director, Lee Blakely, and this ‘reviewer’ from The New York Times, 10 whacks of the wand because
I am writing an Open Letter, not to confess anything, or reveal shocking details, or even to kvetch about the weather, which of course, every New Yorker holds Al Roker personally responsible for….
Al Roker from The Today Show
Just kidding Mr. Roker, we love you…after all, The Fairy Princess knows (from having met you during a prank Matt Lauer pulled on you) that you are a huge afficianado of the show tunes! And anyone who loves Broadway musicals enough to sing a few bars while working on what turned out to be a fake photo shoot, is good enough for me!
Sparkly Jacket? CHECK!
But that is what this open letter is about, oh Today Show dwellers…because I have a quick question –
why when Il Divo comes to perform they get to do it here:
Oh where are they? oh right – INDOORS!
But when Broadway’s new musical, BEAUTIFUL, the Carole King Story came to The Today Show, they performed here:
?
This was yesterday, February 27, 2014. That’s right, and what was the weather like yesterday?
It was around 39 degrees Fahrenheit, on average. Which, can be considered fairly cold. It’s a bit cold for performers who do 8 shows a week, and have to maintain their health in order to continue to work to be singing and dancing in their show clothes OUTSIDE with NO COATS!
The Anchors are outside in down coats, hats, and gloves – they know it’s cold. We all know it’s cold. Even if you did NOT know it was cold because..well, who knows why you would not know it was cold outside if you were in NYC but hypothetically…I suppose it is possible. So even IF you did not know what the weather is outside…
Let’s face it, you could have asked this guy who, you know, works for you…
Is this thing on? The jacket? Yes.
You had the cast of AFTER MIDNIGHT out there in their scanties on January 21, 2014.
On January 21, 2014 it averaged 33 Degrees Fahrenheit!
But when Tony Bennett came to see you on October 9, 2013, he was here –
Legendary Tony Bennett on the TODAY Show
Inside.
When WICKED showed up on October 30, 2013 they were….
Now, it is obvious that Broadway and The Today Show go together like a time step and a glittery hat, but enough is enough! There is a polar vortex going on, and you have trained performers going out in this horrible weather almost nekkid for enough minutes that they could come down with some serious bronchitis – and that is not ok.
I know that lots of other performers sing outside – you have your Country stars, and your Rock stars, and so on – but they dress themselves, and in general, they seem to dress for the weather. (And if they don’t, that is their own damn fault because they have a choice).
Show People have no choice in what they wear because it is set – that is what it means when we say that the show is frozen – all costumes, lyrics, books, music is set into place for the run of the production. If they are promoting their show, which they ARE and THANK YOU, TODAY SHOW for that, it is really the best reason to tune in for me, when a Broadway show is going to be on – they have no choice in what they are wearing.
By the time they get to you, their show is frozen – now they are too.
It ain’t right, Today Show – it ain’t right!
The Fairy Princess is requesting that you move all these highly trained, beautiful people INSIDE until Spring. (And not just, you know, beginning of Spring, like WAY into Spring – LATE SPRING)
Please?
There is a room that’s full of heat, I want to go there when I sing….
You have the studio space – you let other people use it…..
Look, everyone from Broadway who performs for your TV audience and for your live crowd wants them to come see them in their theaters, and they want to give the best performances they can. Broadway people do not want to call out for illness, they want to hit the stage in their high heels and give y’all a fabulous damn show!
But how can they do that with viral pneumonia?
Whaddaya mean NO COATS?
The Fairy Princess finds it hard to concentrate on the performances being given when all she is thinking is ‘DAMN, they must be FREEZING!”.
You with me KINKY BOOTS? Say Yeah for moving The Broadway indoors in winter!
They were in June, look how happy they are!
Perhaps you will not listen to The Fairy Princess…(after all, I’m just a blogger with over 55,000 views) but you do have ONE person on staff who may advocate for showtunes and those who dwell there –
From you to me, Kathie Lee
C’mon Kathie Lee! Would you want YOUR show out there with no coats on? I think not.
These are people I know, these are people I admire, and these are people who deserve a little respect…and, heat.
Finally, I thank you TODAY SHOW for shining the light on amazing performances all year around, you do a fantastic job that lends credit to your Staff and your show – it is seeing Broadway performances on your show that brings people to New York and puts their tushes in theaters!
Doing all you do it can not be easy, but it CAN be indoors….just till Spring.
– after all, it has been a year since the British East Asians had their dust up with The Royal Shakespeare Company, an anniversary chronicled quite nicely by Anna Chen in her Madame Miaow blog.
It had been several months since her speech at LA Stage Day, chronicling why Yellowface in theater should meet its untimely end…here it is, in case you missed it.
There have been endless panels on diversity, on co-opting experiences and on whether or not empathy is key to bringing us all together (Which, btw, The Fairy Princess was j‘accused of having none of, but now, now….I do,it’s just reserved for dolphins in The Cove, LGBT people who live in places like Russia and Nigeria, and orcas trapped in captivity- that kind of thing ), so she kinda thought that we were done!
That she could toddle off to book signings…
Yes, that is Debra Monk signing my copy of NOTHING LIKE A DAME by Eddie Shapiro
And to see good friends in shows where she could meet Actors that she admires….
ALL THE WAY is one of the best plays I have seen in a long time, limited B’way run, DO NOT MISS IT!
The Fairy Princess relaxed! She did! She thought that her message had been heard – after all, VARIETY even reiterated her points about Diversity = Dollars! VARIETY!
The best part was that they mostly deal with Movies and Television, therefore The Fairy Princess assumed the message had moved on from theater, to more lucrative hills alive with the sound of commerce. But you know what happens when you assume? Felix?
The Fairy Princess thought that American theater had gotten the message – that Asian American Actors are plentiful, and even if there is not a large percentage in your own city, if you require them because you are choosing to use their culture to set your play, you can put a casting call out in a city like New York or Los Angeles – where MOST ACTORS ARE (we do not just store API Actors on the Coasts, we store almost all of them regardless of ethnicity on the Coasts), and they could do this amazing thing that Actors do….travel.
Who doesn’t love a good, singing Howard Keel? The man was magic!
However, The Fairy Princess was WRONG – the Fairy Princess has been GOBSMACKED by the City of Brotherly Love’s Lantern Theater.
(No, I do not want to hear theories on who you thought wrote it, it’s My Boy Bill for the historical credit)
Which, The Fairy Princess enjoys – she does love a good rassel with morals and iambic pentameter as much as anyone who has attended a Conservatory training program. She does not even mind when you move the settings around, or place the play in ‘another world’ to shake things up a bit- after all, it’s not like we haven’t seen it, now is it? She even loves diversity in Casting, oh how she LOVES Diversity in Casting.
So why then is her tiara clamping down on her brain?
Not because they cast this guy – who would protest casting this guy in anything? He’s handsome, he’s talented, and he’s a TONY nominee….no, it’s not the casting of this guy or anyone else in this play – they are all likely, very talented….there’s a bit of a, hmmmm, element though that is bothering The Fairy Princess….
TONY Nominee Forrest McClendon as Caesar
Why, oh WHY could The Fairy Princess, who advocates for including Asian American Actors in shows where their own heritage is being used as a setting, WHY could she be upset about The Lantern’s Caesar?
Well, here is a quote from Playbill.com about the show “Influenced by the aesthetic and philosophical similarities of feudal Japan to Shakespeare’s Rome, set, costume and sound design incorporates conceptual elements such as Shoji screen architecture, traditional Japanese warrior clothing and music performed by Philadelphia’s Taiko drum band ensemble, Kyo Daiko“
Influenced.
Right.
They know that Japan is a real place, right? It’s not just a place to grab a robe and a california roll from and call it a day, right? Japan is a real place, with real people who look a certain way. Their DNA makes them look a certain way….
No, not everyone looks like actor, Ken Watanabe…but we can dream, can’t we?
Ummmm….perhaps I am slow, but perhaps we’ll just ask the Assistant Director to explain it to us:
(UPDATE: the above video DID exist and was prominently featured on both The Lantern Theater’s website and on their Facebook page. Since this blog first appeared a few days ago, and since it has been viewed by well over 1,000 people – largely theater people I am assuming, the AD’s at The Lantern Theater chose to take down the video after the resulting internet kerfuffle.
WHAT WAS IN IT: In the video they had the Asst Director of the Production in question talking about why they chose the setting they did. They looked and they thought that Feudal Japan had the most in common with Rome of Caesar’s time, and given that in Shakespeare’s time actors would probably have appeared in doublets etc, they wanted to change the costuming. They were not eager to have everyone in togas. It had been done before, so they needed a NEW Concept. Therefore they changed the setting from the Ancient Rome we have come to expect and they created a new one- this was/is now a Rome that had been invaded by Japan.
At the time of this play as now set at The Lantern Theater, the Japanese have LEFT Rome, but very thoughtfully left all their culture and trappings behind them, which opens up this show to include shoji screens, kimonos, armor, fighting styles, and taiko drums. )
As we CANNOT watch the Assistant Director explain it anymore, please click (HERE)for an interview with the Director from the Philadelphia Metro.
I see.
So…just so we are clear – the show is set in Rome, but a Rome that has been conquered by Japan.
However the Japanese have now left…
BUT THEY TOOK EVERY LAST PERSON OF ANY ASIAN HERITAGE WITH THEM AFTERTHEY CONQUERED ROME?
Well yes, I guess they DID take every Asian person! Photo – Mark Garvin
They took every last Asian heritaged person that would have been there after what would have been a series of battles that would have extended over years? All the children that would have been created by the soldiers as they raped and plundered their way through Rome, they were all Russell Crowe about it?
They just…LEFT?
THEY LEFT?
They left behind their clothes, customs, war tactics, weapons, shoji screens, and taiko drums, but left not even ONE person – not one courtesan, not one general, or lowly foot soldier, or peasant – they rounded them ALL up and put them on a giant boat back to Japan…well I guess that explains why they left all the clothes, they did not have room on the boat!
Well of COURSE you couldn’t get a Shoji screen in there!
Does that seem somewhat RIDICULOUS to anyone else?
Has anyone at the Lantern Theater actually looked at, well, a history of Japanese invasions from, well…the beginning of time, and examined HOW they handled wars and invasions?
His Japanese Contemporary, was Emperor Sujin (in fact, here is a list of ALL his contemporaries). Now, there is not much known about Emperor Sujin, however….he and his sons were able to fend off the Mongols, led by Ghengis Khan. At the same time, he was invading Korea and establishing the Japanese regency.
A regency. Like, a royal thingy – not in their own country. They didn’t leave. They brought stuff with them and they left people there to watch it. People with swords and armor – because they were an invading nation.
They would not, you know, go into only THE MOST POWERFUL WESTERN NATION OF THE TIME AT THAT TIME AKA ROME and conquer it and then turn around and go “ok boys, pack it up, we just wanted to prove a point that we could, and now we are off to figure out how to torment Korea for the rest of time, so…yeah, put everyone in the boat, no, no, leave the screens…we’ll just make more“
So what IS this then? This is just one more production to add to the seeming ENDLESS list of productions where the Director chooses to purloin the culture of an Asian nation, and then, instead of doing the LOGICAL thing, like casting Asian Americans to be in this ‘mythical Rome-pan‘ to show that they had been invaded and conquered, he decides nope.
No Asians in Rome-pan.
Jered McLenigan as Anthony – Photo by Mark Garvin
Rome-pan only has the dress, the settings, the weapons and the drums of “Mythic Feudal Japan” but not the people. (Although, technically, the dress of Japan at that time, actually mirrors Chinese fashion, so probably mythical Rome-pan may have it’s own glitches in authenticity)
Now, The Fairy Princess is of mixed heritages – one of them being Irish. As an Irish person, or rather, a person of Irish Heritage who has read books and so on, she knows that when a country, for instance in her particular case – Ireland, gets invaded, there are things that happen during that time period.
Like rape, and killing, and intermarriage, slaves taken, slaves left, fortresses built, languages shared, languages merged, and what does this mean? Well…it means that you know, we have different hair color that is unusual in an island nation. It means that red hair in Ireland comes from the invading Celts, and black hair possibly from ancient sea routes through Spain, and that kind of thing. Vikings, Gaels, Normans, all have been to Ireland, which was a sea going nation.
It means, that if one is invaded and conquered, the mark of the conqueror is not just in the fact that they bring their ‘stuff’,it is in the DNA they left behind.
WHICH MEANS that in 44 BC ‘Rome-pan’, there should have been some Asians or Eurasians cast up in there!
At the VERY least. WHICH MEANS that the Director was probably not thinking, as the Asst Dir now pundits (and I am not quoting here, I am pundit-ing) that Rome was overtaken by Japan etc, etc, etc….
Paolo Montalban as the King
The Fairy Princess thinks that he was thinking more along these lines – I really, really want to shake it up and use Japanese stuff, because I think it will look fresh and I think people in Philadelphia will think it is exciting to have taiko drums in Ancient Rome.
Which is…kinda lazy, isn’t it?
I mean, if you are going through ALL THE TROUBLE of making up ‘Rome-pan’ and trying to sell it to audiences in a city that embraces tolerance and Quakers and well – brotherly love – wouldn’t you think that it would be nice to show some to those Asian American Actors who regularly do Shakespeare, and who would have enjoyed a fresh take on Julius Caesar?
Honestly though…it’s not really, hate to break it to you, Philly, a ‘fresh’ a take on Shakespeare…cuz there is a little play we Asian Americans like to do called…wait for it….SHOGUN MACBETH
“What? Can the devil speak true?”
(Obviously that is Lady MacBeth, and this is the wrong quote for that moment, but…)
While The Fairy Princess wishes the actors in this production well, again, they all seem quite talented, she cannot, cannot in good conscience stop her magic wand from applying several well placed whacks to the tushes of Director and Artistic Director, Charles McMahon, the Assistant Director and Education Director, Joshua L. Brown (who SHOULD HAVE figured this out and said something prior to Casting), and…The Lantern Theater of Philadelphia.
The production is up and running now – but this HAD to be said – particularly because there are EXCELLENT Asian American Shakespearean Actors and Actresses and yet AGAIN, they have been ‘white-washed’ from partaking of an expression of their own ‘mythical – which is a total cop out because Japan is a real place with real people’ history.
The Fairy Princess is pleased to announce that she will be Co-Hosting the charity event, CELEBRITY DOODLES, which is held annually in Palm Springs, and benefits Desert AIDS Project on APRIL 5th, 2014.
Here is the Doodle I did for them 2 years ago –
It raised $600 for Desert AIDS Project! WHAT? YES!
The Fairy Princess loves Palm Springs, and she is thrilled to have been asked – she began her love affair with Palm Springs 4 years ago with the SPARKLE Concerts produced by Scott Nevins and Mark Jones, and has made many wonderful friends and had a brilliant time each and every time, so – thank you Doodles for asking, see you in April!
The Fairy Princess has not been blogging that much, because well, everything has been depressing, right?
The last few weeks, in terms of the news, have been truly, truly awful – there’s people being attacked in Russia because of the way they were born…
Ireland decided to take away the right to use the word Homophobia from GLBT people and hand it back to actual Homophobes, because it’s defaming (Say WHAT?)
Science came under attack from people who like to…well, I guess, NOT read things and learn stuff…
and a wonderful Actor is no longer among us….
Philip Seymour Hoffman, RIP
What this last one means, honestly, is that there are three young children who are no longer able to get a hug or anything else from their Dad, and this just about kills me – because The Fairy Princess has lost many people to addiction, and whatever your personal thoughts on the addict or the substance, to lose a person to addiction is a horrible, sad thing.
There has also been quite a lot of attention paid to Dylan Farrow, who came forward after years of silence, about abuse she suffered…and that has been an absolute HOTBED of debate on both the mainstream media, social networking, and print journalism fronts – and that, again, is horribly sad.
Because statistics…well…
Which means, if your little girl or boy has a birthday party, and you invite 20 or so children over, statistically, more than one child in attendance at a party – in your own home,could have been sexually abused.
Which is pretty damn disgraceful, and even as rational voices have tried to be heard, the constant attacks on Ms. Farrow – both Sr. and Jr. -would likely guarantee that if there is a young child out there, being abused, they are probably going to look at this and remain silent.
And THAT, America – is the wrong message to send – even if you like someone’s movies.
Statute of Limitations has gone by in this case, however the DA at the time, Frank Maco stated that there was ‘probable cause‘ to move forward with a prosecution, but that his office chose not to. As a Lawyers Daughter myself, that ‘probable cause’ is telling, as is the Judge’s statement -which I have lifted from The Washington Post;“1993: State Supreme Court Acting Justice Elliott Wilk denounces him as an inadequate, irresponsible and self-absorbed father. The judge says he doesn’t know if the molestation happened, but bars Allen from seeing Dylan for at least six months and limits visits with other children. He also criticizes the Connecticut investigation that found no abuse.”
And this is the last word on some of the facts from Vanity Fair (here)
So NOW we are going to focus on some GOOD things that happened this past week, HAPPY things that have to do with song and dance and all things not Olympian, Russian, Drug Related, blah, blah, blah – because we need it. Well, The Fairy Princess needs it.
If you love Broadway, or you know someone who does – THIS is what you can get them for Valentine’s Day, Birthday, whatever holiday you claim in December, it is truly so candid and inspiring – and I am so grateful that I have a copy of my very own!
See, there’s my copy in the left corner – don’t get distracted….
3. ALEC MAPA is on SWITCHED AT BIRTH (and yes, I separated those posts so you would not think that he is Rex or Rex is him, because that is truly ridiculous at this point, folks)
And what this means is that ABC Family is now reflecting MY Family, and The Fairy Princess LOVES that!
4. ANTHONY RAPP is back on The Broadway in a new musical called IF/THEN – and here is a clip of the great work we have all been missing – and yeah, that is Tom Kitt at the piano
5. LILLIAS WHITE is doing a Valentine’s Day concert! Yes, click here for information! I was so happy to see her at the Book Launch of Nothing Like A Dame, and she wants everyone to come to her concert! Norm Lewis does too!
Lillias White & Norm Lewis
6. The Webseries SUBMISSIONS ONLY is back for Season 3, featuring people we all know from the Broadway stages – it’s got cameos from big stars and from your Broadway regulars (it could use a bit more racial diversity, honestly, I would be remiss not to point that out) – but to me, as a member of the Broadway community, it’s a great way to get to know the ridiculous side in a way that is obviously absurd, and not just SMASH absurd.
(Cuz SMASH was totally absurd)
7. Canada made a protest video for the Olympics and it features a song by Human League!
Well played, Canada, well played…
8. PAGEANT, the musical has added a show to it’s existing 4, because they were SRO! What a great thing for Broadway Cares/EFA – do not wait to get tickets to the show added on the 24th, because they are going quickly
Oh Marty Thomas, how I love thee
9. JUSTIN LIN is directing a new Pilot (this is not so much singing and dancing, but it’s diversity) for CBS called “Scorpion” (and no, it’s not about Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in a speedo – we can’t get THAT lucky). It’s about a Super Brainy Guy that becomes a “real life Professor X”. Anyway, Geeks inherit the Universe and save it at the same time is what I am getting. Congratulations Justin Lin!
10. The David Henry Hwang play, KUNG FU, is in previews at The Signature Theater in NYC – and it looks AMAZING! WOW!
So if you are a Bruce Lee fanatic, or a DHH fanatic, or if you just want to see some Asian Americans on stage acting in what looks to be a great piece – check it out.
There you go – ten things that have helped me make it through the past few weeks, and I hope they help you and give you something to look forward to. Normally, The Fairy Princess is not so rah-rah, but…it has been an AWFUL few weeks, I have just been gobsmacked.
If I had my druthers, I would grab a mug of hot chocolate, fuzzy socks, and go vacation, well….HERE:
The Fairy Princess has been trying quite hard to remain positive these last few posts…because the ‘real’ news has been fairly hideous – whether you are concerned about riots in Egypt, or Child Trafficking, or Russia hating LGBT people….(Which is ludicrous, because of course, Russia is like…the Gayest Country on Earth…if you are famous for BALLET….that’s pretty Gay, Russia…pretty Gay), so she has not been posting about theater, because, well…she thought everyone learned their lesson.
I mean, she gave a speech at LA Stage Day about the death of Yellowface, and she was totally encouraged by the fact that the audience at LA Stage Day was receptive. Not only were they receptive, the wider, Internet audience that technology makes possible was ALSO accepting of the fact that it’s not cool to put on makeup and bad accents and make fun of Asian people simply because you are too lazy or stupid to do an actual and thoughtful portrayal of Asian culture WITH Asian actors in those roles.
I mean, weren’t we all clear on this? GEORGE? What do you think?
I mean, any educated person would have to take note that demeaning a heritage you know nothing about would be…well… stupid. Any educated person would know that. Educated people, for example, who have just received an Ivy League education at an institution that is known for having high artistic standards….a place like, well…let’s just say it….YALE.
Wow…that is gorgeous…yep, that’s Yale
Yale is a pretty fancy place – it’s graduates include Presidents, Physicians, Performers, Playwrights, in fact, the Fairy Princess’s own cousin holds a PhD from Yale….so she’s been there, and yeah…pretty fancy.
(In case you are reading this post in say….Scotland…or more specifically Edinburgh, it may be worth sharing that Yale Drama School – which is a Masters Program of Study, has some pretty famous Alumni to boast of….much like my own alma mater, Carnegie Mellon….which was founded by a Scot – Andrew Carnegie. GO SCOTS! )
Now, when you think “Yale Drama”, who comes to mind?
So…as you can see, Yale School of Drama has some fairly distinguished Asian American alumni who are gracing our stages and screens, large & small, today. And Yale School of Drama is NOT what this post is about – because obviously they are forward thinking and embrace diversity in it’s students and alumni. And Bravo to that!
However, there are a LOT of people who attend Yale and they are entitled to pursue Acting, Writing, and Directing just the same as anyone else. Their resumes still say….Yale. The word entitledis a very big one here, and it explains the reason for this post.
Though these bright minded individuals do hold degrees from Yale University, they do NOT hold Degrees from Yale School of Drama.
They do not have the training, they do not have the sensitivity, and they do not have, perhaps, their pulse on the beat of the cultural landscape of American Theater to know that there is a…and well…given the subject matter, The Fairy Princess hesitates to use the word, but it is applicable…a REVOLUTION in American Theater in regards to portrayals of Asian peoples.
Nobody binds our feet and leaves us in a corner ANY more….
The definitive answer, in many respects, to cultural misunderstandings
Which is why it was all the more shocking to hear about THIS
A play currently playing at Edinburgh Fringe Festival written & Performed by YALE Alum
You see…this is the Cast of BEIJING CAKE currently playing at Edinburgh Fringe, and….it’s a play about China….do they look Chinese to you? I see….
Cassie DaCosta, Nathaniel Moore, Sara Rosen, Gabriel Christian the cast of BEIJING CAKE
And HERE is a map of CHINA…real, actual, China….it’s not made up, it does not exist only in pure imagination…it’s right THERE…you see?
Wait! Wait a MINUTE you say that CHINA is a REAL and ACTUAL place?
And here is a…well…a Chinese person…one who is actually, supposedly portrayed IN this play:
The Chairman…and no, not a fan as he put my Great Aunt into a concentration camp…but he was a real and actual person of which there are MANY images
Yeah…not so much. Although the repeated GONGS throughout the kickstarter video are a nice touch….
The Fairy Princess has hit a wall….
She has hit a wall because this is a project that is coming from young people! In their twenties! And Whitney Houston always told us that Children were the future!
Whitney lied. These children are as whack as crack.
OK here is the deal….this show at The Fringe is billed as a comedy, it’s billed as hilarious…and apparently, those who have done the billing are the playwright, director and Cast themselves, because when core members of the British East Asians attended the show this is what they saw….
Ummmmm…..
You know who should be upset about this? More than The Fairy Princess, more than the British East Asian Artists?
Man if I went there, I would be SO pissed!
And here is why...they make Yale Alumni look like culturally insensitive a**holes.
Cuz ya wanna see how they bill themselves….?
Wow…yeah, YALE is all over those bios….huh?
Yale, Yale, Yale…and you know what – Yale is actually a very sophisticated school with quite an international reputation. And now this bunch is going around the world to spread Yellowface makeup, made up Chinese and…well…racism. I mean, they do not even seem to be aware that Chinese can be broken down into various dialects like Mandarin and Cantonese!
REALLY? Because even ELMO knows what Mandarin is!
THIS is what they came out of YALE with? An entitled sense of being able to make fun of Asian people…an entitled opinion that they are able to portray us, to speak on our issues, to mock a language that is thousands of years old?
OMG Yale – you failed. You were supposed to educate them to take their place in the world and hold forth the tradition of excellence that you are known for. They ran off waving their sheepskin and decided it was a great idea to mock the Country that holds America’s dollar by the proverbial balls.
What a great endorsement for a Yale Education! I’m sure their Parents will be thrilled that they PAID for their kids to learn that you can step all over Chinese people at tens of thousands of dollars per semester! The one who will be absolutely the MOST proud?
The Director’s FATHER….
Because EVERYONE knows that Oscar Winning Screenwriters really want to be known for having Daughters who perpetuate stereotype utilizing Yellowface and made up Chinese adjacent languages! What a shame, when you, yourself, are so meticulous in your brilliant work. But perhaps, she is a late bloomer. You have faith in her.
The Fairy Princess….not so much.
Let’s break it down people, these Actors and this Playwright and this Director are from groups that have ‘Minority’ written all over their names and faces and gender…possibly even their sexual preferences, who knows or who cares, but it’s possible. So if you are, yourself, a member of a Minority group, how DARE you mock another one? Forget what you obviously did NOT learn at YALE about cultural sensitivity, what the heck were you learning at home that makes this in ANY way ok?
Well now, they are probably upset….they are saying HOW DARE I call them on this racist play that they love doing. Who am I to expect them to strive for excellence and artistic bravery? Ok Kids…fine, but let’s turn this around….because turnabout is fair play, yes?
Foghorn Leghorn says Yes, Turnabout is fair play
Now…if Asian American actors were to go over to Edinburgh, slap on some Blackface make up and talk like Amos & Andy – would that be ok?
Yeah, remember when people thought THIS was ok? (TOTALLY NOT OK!)
No.
If Asian American Directors and Writers got together a made up a mockery of the Hebrew language which they THEN set it to the tune of “Yiddishe Mama” would that be ok?
No.
Cuz The Bottle Dance from Fiddler On The Roof is just Jerome Robbin’s choreo…we could learn it
Tradition my ASS!
(BTW, The Fairy Princess knows every damn word to Fiddler On The Roof and made her Mom take her to see it 5 times in a row when she was six years old and then she memorized the Cast recording…but she ALWAYS knew that it was a show she would NEVER do)
But we are not going to. Because we have standards.
I would have thought that you would have them too…being that you know….you went to Yale and all….so many whacks with the wand…you need to grab a mirror and take a good look at yourselves and HONESTLY wonder how you EVER thought that this was in ANY way ok….. OH….and BY THE WAY….
Last Saturday, The Fairy Princess took a coach and four horses (of the theatrical Apocalypse) to LA Stage Day, which was hosted by LA Stage Alliance, and she just wanted to reflect on a few thoughts from the day.
The Fairy Princess was extraordinarily touched to have been asked to be a Keynote Speaker – particularly because no one has ever asked her to comment on what she, in fact, wrote about…nor has she been asked to be on Panel Discussions or anything of that nature in regards to her thoughts on Diversity in theater.
She needs to thank the CEO of the LA Stage Alliance, Mr. Terence McFarland, someone that she has known for a long time, and admired, for inviting her to attend and be provocative.
The Fairy Princess knew exactly what she was going to say, and how she was going to say it, which was why she had hoped that there would be more Asian American faces in the audience…to say that my blood pressure was under control as I watched the audience file in, would be a lie. When she did not see that many API faces attending, it just resonated how far removed most API Actors and Actresses feel from the mainstream Los Angeles theater crowd, I hope most of them missed it because they had a matinee to attend.
However, I was grateful to see Michael Seel, Exec. Dir of The Boston Court Theater,
Drama Desk Winner (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) Deborah S. Craig,
Andy Lowe, Production Manager at East West Players,
and of course, Chil Kong of The Ovation Awards Nominating Committee,
out in the audience, looking at their faces calmed me down.
There was a comment made in a review of the day by Don Shirley, that I was ‘visibly choked by her fervor’, and The Fairy Princess just wanted to comment on that – it was not the ‘fervor’, it was looking out at the crowd and seeing Deborah S. Craig tearing up and Andy Lowe nodding yes, yes, yes at what I was saying, that had her a bit shaken.
Because she knew that they were representative of the friends who had gone through similar experiences that were named towards the end of the talk – being asked to be ‘more submissive’, told that they were ‘too bold’, told to “act more Asian”, and finally, one friend was told to change her makeup’s base color to gray, so that she would appear less ‘yellow’, and seeing them nod and agree, made her very emotional.
The Fairy Princess has been told all those things – well, not the makeup thing, but the other stuff for sure – and when you are repeatedly told those kind of negative things, it takes a toll on you. So as she looked at Deborah and Andy, and by their reactions ‘knew’ that they too, had had those experiences, the emotional response was overwhelming. Through her mind ran all the messages from friends who, throughout their careers, had had some really amazingly awful things said and done to them, in an attempt to ‘make them more Asian’ for theatrical purposes…and a moment had to be taken.
So…’fervor’…I don’t know…maybe?
The Fairy Princess could take a huge professional ‘hit’ for her comments, but if this was the one and only time she was to speak – she wanted it to count. Many people, after reading the blog, will tell her that “you are just saying what everyone else is thinking’, but it is one thing to blog, and it is quite another to stand in front of a few hundred people who may or may not choose to hear what you are saying with an open mind.
The Fairy Princess came to LA Stage Day a bundle of nerves, a bit nauseated, and she was truly humbled by the reception that she received. So many hugs, so many well wishes, so much was overwhelming…who would have thought?
The other Keynote Speakers were engaging and all spoke in their own way, about changing the way theater and the practitioners of theater, think. On inclusion, on fundraising, on innovation, on staying true to their own mission – it was a great group of speakers and I congratulate them all.
The text of the speech has not yet been posted – yes, it was recorded, perhaps it will be released in parts, at this point, The Fairy Princess is waiting to hear about it.
Thank you to all who contacted The Fairy Princess via Twitter and otherwise to let me know you were still thinking about what was said the next day – hope it will keep us all thinking the day after that. And the day after the day after that….
Thank you for listening. The most overwhelming part of the day was being able to say what I have thought in the past – and have it seemed to have been heard, it is an extraordinary feeling.
The Fairy Princess is pleased to announce that she will be a Keynote Speaker at the LA Stage Alliance’s Stage Day Conference on May 18, 2013!
Wait, I have to do a speech? Awww nuts….
This is SO exciting! I mean, we will get to shoot the breeze and talk about all those silly kerfuffles that happened with Asian American representation in Theater over the last year, and oh MY will we laugh because it was all so….
Sorry, wait a minute – what’s that you have there?
Ah yes, Drama Desk nominations – so exciting, The Fairy Princess knows so many on this list, let’s take a look:
Billy Porter for KINKY BOOTS – well, naturally – he is amazing in that show. Christiane Noll for CHAPLIN – she’s so talented, remember her turn in RAGTIME as Mother? Oh, I loved it so much…
The Cast of WORKING is getting recognized! Nice!
Oh look, HERE LIES LOVE which is now at The Public is getting quite a few nods – Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director of a Musical, Outstanding Lighting Design, Outstanding Lyrics and Outstanding Music – oh they must be so pleased!
Yeah, they look pretty happy
Ok, going down the list and going down the list and….ummmm – hold please….let me look at this list for Best Featured Actor and Actress in a Musical….oh dear.
The Roundabout Theater agreed to a close door meeting to discuss this…this…the…’Brownface’ and the faux Bollywood accents and the…I feel like I am Foghorn Leghorn and all the Award Committees are trying to prove they are chicken hawks!
Lemme get this straight Drama Desk Awards – in a musical about Asians, played by Asian Americans, there are no Individual Nominations (And btw, that is totally fine and happens a lot and it is not the reason for the following outburst).
But the people wearing heavy makeup and using crazy Bollywood gestures have Nominations for Best Featured Actorand Actress in A Musical!
For being directed to inhabit their roles with what the The New York Times said was “…silly imitation exoticism …in absurd burnt-umber makeup”
(The Fairy Princess wants to be quite clear, that no Actor or Actress takes the stage and gives any sort of performance in a Broadway revival without direction, so she is fairly certain that the choices made to portray Neville and Helena Landless were not from the Actors. This is not about the talent or a personal attack on these particular actors)
(Obviously the Actors do not go around their daily lives striking these kinds of poses – that would be RIDICULOUS)
Those two have the nominations, not these two…
Mr & Mrs. Ferdinand Marcos as played by Jose Llana & Ruthie Ann Miles
Again, so we are clear…these two
Hmm, -Rather unfortunate photo
And NOT any of the people pictured here
HERE LIES LOVE…and Asian Americans…er…Asian American Love
The Fairy Princess has a question for the Drama Desk Nominating Committee – If you nominate Caucasians made up to resemble what is a stereotype of an Asian person, isn’t that, well…endorsing the use of stuff like….oh, I don’t know….
THIS?
Or, well….
THIS?
Oh Drama Desk Committee, you have many, many things to worry about, so I will give you the answer…it’s not B.
THE ANSWER IS YES!
Because you see, the makeup is only a few kick ball changes away from..(.and I so hesitate to use this photo because, well, it’s AWFUL), but you see, by endorsing those kinds of performances with such a distinguished award, oh Drama Desk Nominating Committee, you are only a few shades away from endorsing…uh…THIS
Yeah, remember when people thought THIS was ok? (TOTALLY NOT OK!)
Aha! THIS is the part where everyone is going to get mad, and argue that using Brownface or Yellowface is fairly standard in our industry – alive and well since the 1800’s, and that Caucasians wearing exaggerated makeup to resemble Asians is, in no way, comparable to Minstrel performances that characterized and dehumanized African Americans shamefully in this country.
Because… let’s face it – everyone did The Mikado in High School, and they LOVED wearing the Yellowface, they thought it was fun! They did not, and do not think absurd shuffling, and forgetting consonants and wearing eyeliner from the corner of their eye till it nearly touches their ear was bad! They had a good time!…. And then they went and lost their virginity at the Cast Party afterwards – and yeah, they were probably still wearing the makeup because…’that’s hot’.
Cuz to us….
Cindy Cheung & Christine Toy Johnson at La Jolla’s talkback…they look pissed, huh?
Yellowface or Brownface is the SAME as Blackface.
It really, really is.
Because what it says is – and think about this just a bit before everyone flies off the handle and starts bashing me on Broadwayworld.com – (and yes, I have seen the posts – nice grammar, Crackpots) – when you erase Asian faces from roles where they are possible, have them played in heavy makeup by Caucasians whose very portrayals mock their heritage, and then endorse those portrayals with an AWARD, it tells us one thing – loud and clear.
It tells us we don’t count.
And here’s the thing…if there is one thing we are known for, it’s being able to count.
It says “We are so used to not seeing you, that when we do see you, well…you are not as we had imagined, so we’d rather just forget the you that is you, and you know…make it up.”
Etcetera, Etcetera, Etectera….
I mean, if you can see this from space….
FROM SPACE
But when you go to the theater where there is a South Asian character and you don’t see this…
You see this…
Something is rotten, and we are nowhere near Denmark.
What are ‘we’ supposed to think? What would YOU think?
The Fairy Princess is NOT calling The Drama Desk Awards racist, because that would be absurd!
There have been many past winners of the Drama Desk Awards who are, in fact, Asian American – Francis Jue for David Henry Hwang’s YELLOWFACE
(In context, a title disturbingly appropriate.)
Deborah S. Craig won for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee for her breakthrough performance as Marcy Park.
So it is NOT that The Drama Desk Awards are racist – and let’s stop throwing that word around like a frisbee – it is that…it is that they are so used to seeing Caucasians play Asian, that it didn’t mean a damn thing to them. And that is the saddest part of all.
Theater is supposed to break the stereotypes, not endorse them.
It’s supposed to lift you up, and by ‘you’, I mean everyone.
The Drama Desk Awards DO have 3 Nominations this year for Asian Americans –
Joel de la Fuente: OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE – Hold These Truths
Jane Wang – OUTSTANDING MUSIC IN A PLAY – Strange Tales of Liaozhai
Eugene Ma – OUTSTANDING MUSIC IN A PLAY – The Man who Laughs
The Fairy Princess wishes them well. She actually wishes everyone well – but truthfully what would be great is if the cast of HERE LIES LOVE sits right in front, so no matter WHO wins, they are seen.
We. Are. Seen.
And, scene.
Finally, for all the people who comment, who are sooooo threatened by the ability to see something a different way, I just ask you – why do you like theater? Do you like it because you learn something when you go? Do you like it because it can make the world brighter? Or, do you just like calling me a bitch?
Because the reason I write this is not because I ‘like’ theater, it is because I love theater. I have devoted my life to it. I just want it to be better, for everyone. I want people of all races to be able to GO to the theater and see themselves.
Seeing yourself is powerful. Seeing yourself is empowering. Seeing yourself is halfway to becoming the person you want to be.
I had a friend who is unfortunately gone now, and what he always used to say is “If they knew better, they would do better” – and this blog is to point out that sometimes people do not know, and I just try to explain to them that they need to do better. So simple. I just say it…well….
In a really snarky way.
Because…that’s me.
Anyway, this is a thrilling awards season, and I wish all the Nominees of everything well, besides….
fairyprincessdiaries 