 |
| Stephanie Hsu earns her first Tony nomination for her role in The "Rocky Horror Show." |
The 2026 Tony nominations are out and we are reminded that the "Great White Way" has a more darker meaning. For AANHPI Broadway artists, the results are a bittersweet reminder of the long climb toward true equity.
While we’re seeing undeniable brilliance from AANHPI artists, the numbers still feel like a slow drip in a desert of underrepresentation. While 2026 brings celebrated nominees like Stephanie Hsu for her role in The Rocky Horror Show, the historical context reveals a pattern of "one step forward, two steps back".
Following Nicole Scherzinger’s powerhouse win last year for Sunset Boulevard—a moment that felt like a breakthrough for Pacific Islander visibility—many hoped 2026 would be the year the floodgates finally opened. Instead, we’re looking at a handful of standout artists carrying the torch for a community that remains largely sidelined in lead roles.
Tony nominee Uzo Aduba and Tony winner and Filipino American Darren Criss announced the nominations for the biggest awards.
Leading the charge is Stephanie Hsu, whose nod for Best Actress in a Musical for
The Rocky Horror Show proves she’s the real deal. But let’s be real: why is it still news when one of ours leads a marquee production?
We also see the technical masters like Kimie Nishikawa, Ani Taj, and the prolific Kai Harada (pulling double duty for Ragtime and Cats) showing that our vision is what makes these shows run.
In addition, AANHPI fnominees among Creative & Design, include:
- Hue Park: Nominated for Best Original Score for Maybe Happy Ending (co-written with Will Aronson).
- Linda Cho: Earned dual nominations for Best Costume Design of a Musical for both Ragtime and Schmigadoon!
- Kai Harada: Earned dual nominations for Best Sound Design of a Musical for both Cats: The Jellicle Ball and Ragtime.
- Ruey Horng Sun: Nominated for Best Lighting Design of a Musical for Floyd Collins (shared with Scott Zielinski).
The history of AANHPI presence at the Tonys is marked by rare, isolated breakthroughs followed by long periods of invisibility. For decades, the community was largely shut out of leading roles, with wins often confined to specific, culturally coded productions.
History of exclusion
It wasn't until 1981 for the first Asian artist, Willa Kim, to win a Tony (Best Costume Design). In the acting categories, BD Wong made history in 1988 as the first Asian actor to win for M. Butterfly.
One of the most glaring historical snubs wasn't just a lack of nominations, but the 1990 controversy surrounding Miss Saigon, where the lead role of a Eurasian character was cast with a white actor in yellowface. This incident sparked decades of activism regarding the theft of AANHPI roles.
Statistics show that for years, Asian representation hovered at a dismal 2–5% of all Broadway roles. Often, spikes in representation were tied to a single production, like the 2015 revival of The King and I, which accounted for nearly half of all Asian actors employed that season.
The short-lived breakthroughs?
We though there was a breakthrough when Lea Salonga won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical in 1991 for her role as Kim in the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon.But it wasn't long before the taste of that win faded and Broadway returned to the same old habits and inbred blindness and AAPI artists had to settle for revivals of The King and I for work.
 |
| Nicole Scherzinger, a Filipino American, won a Tony last year for her performance in Sunset Blvd. |
Recent productions of the musical about the rise and fall of Imelda Marcos, Here Lies Love, and the off-Broadway KPOP provided work but were short-lived.
Last year felt like a sea change, or so we thought. Filipino American Nicole Scherzinger’s win for Best Actress in a Musical for Sunset Boulevard was a landmark moment for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander representation.
Alongside Darren Criss (the first Asian American to win Best Lead Actor in a Musical for Maybe Happy Ending) and Marco Paguia, the 2025 ceremony saw the highest number of AAPI acting wins in history.
However, the glow of that victory was quickly dimmed by the "white-washing" controversy that followed.
When Criss briefly stepped away from Maybe Happy Ending—a show set in South Korea with a predominantly Asian cast—he was replaced by a white actor. To many in the community, this felt like an "affront" and a "slap in the face," signaling that even after historic wins, AANHPI roles are still viewed as interchangeable.
A curtain rising?
With the hope that AANHPI representationfd on Broadway and Off-Broadway will only get stronger, currently, there are a few productions that feature Asian American leads:
- Maybe Happy Ending: A standout of the current season that continues to draw attention, this musical is set in a futuristic Seoul and features a predominantly Asian cast, led by Helen J. Shen and Darren Criss. It’s a rare example of a Broadway show where the core narrative and casting are deeply rooted in Asian artistry.
- Schmigadoon!: This Broadway adaptation of the hit series has earned 12 Tony nominations for 2026 and features Ann Harada, reprising her role as Florence Menlove.
- Henry VI: A Trilogy in Two Parts: Off-Broadway at The Public Theater, NAATCO (National Asian American Theatre Company) is presenting an all-Asian American ensemble featuring veterans like Mia Katigbak and James Yaegashi.
View from the edge
The history of AANHPI presence at the Tonys is marked by rare, isolated breakthroughs followed by long periods of invisibility. For decades, the community was largely shut out of leading roles, with wins often confined to specific, culturally coded productions.
FYI: The 79th Annual Tony Awards will broadcast live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 8:00–11:00 PM ET/5:00–8:00 PM PT. You can watch it on TV via the CBS Television Network or stream it live and on-demand on Paramount+
The community's fight today isn't just for a trophy; it’s against a system where AANHPI talent is celebrated only when it's exceptional, while mediocre representation remains the baseline for others. One win doesn't fix a century of being sidelined — it only highlights how much more room there is at the table.
The momentum for AANHPI talent on Broadway isn't just about award season — it’s about the work being staged right now and in the coming months, rom classic revivals of The Flower Drum Song, The King and I and Miss Saigon to futuristic Seoul in Maybe Happy Ending.
The talent is there — it always has been. But as we look toward the June 7 ceremony at Radio City, the question remains: when will Broadway’s casting offices and boardrooms finally catch up to the reality of the talent pool? One Scherzinger win or a few technical nods isn't the finish line; it’s a prompt to keep pushing until our stories aren't just "notable mentions," but the main event.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge. If you find this perspective interesting, please repost.
No comments:
Post a Comment