Dear White American Theater: Open letter says racism mutes POC plays, musicals

'Soft Power' by David Henry Hwang is one of the few Broadway productions with a largely Asian cast.

ASAM NEWS

In the aftermath of the George Floyd killing, America takes a good hard look at itself in addressing systemic racism in institutions, the glare of the spotlight has turned to the theater industry.

Hundreds of theater industry workers published an open letter Monday condemning racism in the theater industry. Among the signers are dozens of AAPI artists including Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Conrad Ricamora (How to Get Away With Murder, Soft Power) and playwright David Henry Hwang (Soft Power).

The letter comes as protests condemning the killing and mistreatment of Black people continue around the world heightening racial inequities throughout US society, including Broadway.

The open letter was addressed to “White American Theater,” according to TIME Magazine. It called out the theater industry for systemic racism and demanded that changes be made.

“We have watched you exploit us, shame us, diminish us, and exclude us. We see you. We have always seen you,” the letter reads. “And now you will see us.

The letter slams the theater for its acts of racism, patriarchy and white privilege. It accuses theater executives of whitewashing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) stories to satisfy white audiences. It also discusses the theater’s history of tokenism, saying that the theater would promote BIPOC stories and work only when it was convenient for them.

“We have watched you amplify our voices when we are heralded by the press, but refuse to defend our aesthetic when we are not, allowing our livelihoods to be destroyed by a monolithic and racist culture,” the letter reads.

According to an annual study from the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC) found that in the 2016-17 theatrical season, 86.8 percent of shows were written by white playwrights. Around 66.8 percent of roles were held by White performers.

The AAPAC study found that 7.3 percent of roles were held by Asian American performers and 1.5 percent of shows were written by Asian American playwrights.

The letter also specifically called out anti-blackness in theater.

“We have watched you promote anti-Blackness again and again. We see you,” the letter reads.

There is also a website called “We See You White American Theater” which details how the letter began as a small private discussion and evolved into a much larger one. The website has a link to a petition that demands change for BIPOC theatremakers.

“This ends TODAY,” the letter concludes.

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.

'Flower Drum Song' author dies at age 102

David Henry Hwang with author C.Y. Lee.

ASAM NEWS

The best-selling author of the novel Flower Drum Song which spawned two Broadway productions and a movie has died at the age of 102.
The Washington Post reports C.Y. Lee died on November 8, but his family did not announce it until now.

His daughter, Angela Lee, said her father, Chin Yang Lee, who was was born Dec. 23, 1915, in Hunan province of China, died of kidney failure at his Los Angeles home.

The book centered around a first-generation Chinese American immigration family and the generation gap that developed within the family.

Rodgers & Hamerstein adapted the 1957 book as a Broadway musical the following year.

The movie starred Nancy Kwan and James Shigeta in 1961 and became a classic. It was nominated for several awards including a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Miyoshi Umeki. The L.A. Times called it the “first major Hollywood studio film about and starring Asian Americans.” The Library of Congress placed the movie for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2008.

Lea Salonga and jose Lllana in the updated version of 'Flower Drum Song'

Tony award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang revived the play on Broadway in 2001 starring Lea Salonga and Jose Llana. Hwang'sheavily revised version tried to rid the musical of some of the controversial aspects of the original musical that played on stereotypes of Chinese American.

Lee is survived by his daughter Angela and son, Jay Lee.

Some Asian American activist have condemned the book and original movie of perpetuating the image of the exotic culture for the pleasure of White audiences. 

In recent years, the book and play have gained in stature in the Asian American community for its depiction of the issues faced by Asian immigrants. In 2016, AsAmNews published a story headlined “Flower Drum Song” Deserves a Second Look.

The Washington Post reports the book nearly went unpublished. Every major publisher turned down the book for an entire year until an elderly man who screened the book simply wrote down on the book, “read this.”

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.
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Sunday Read: David Hwang's new play 'Soft Power' tells story from an Asian perspective

 Craig Schwartz Photography

Conrad Ricamora and Alyse Alan Louis in David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tosori's 'Soft Power.'

By Jim Gladstone

Reprinted with Permission from the Bay Area Reporter 
Originally published June 7, 2018

"When I first went in to audition for How To Get Away with Murder, it wasn't a part written for an Asian actor," says Conrad Ricamora, the gay actor who plays Oliver Hampton, a gay HIV+ lawyer on the hit CBS series. Ricamora will be in San Francisco through July 8 as part of the cast of the new musical Soft Power at the Curran Theatre.

"The guy who auditioned right before me was white, and the guy after me was black. To me, casting like that is an important breakthrough in American pop culture," says the 39-year-old. "The character's story has nothing to do with his Asian-ness. It's felt good to be a part of this kind of representation. When I was a kid, I saw all of these demeaning stereotypes, like Long Duk Dong in 16 Candles."

Along with the progress indicated by an increase in colorblind casting, Ricamora is also pleased to be part of a major production like Soft Power, by playwright David Henry Hwang and fellow Tony winner, composer Jean Tesori, that is addressing Asian and Asian American perspectives in a far more nuanced manner than past works of musical theater.

"This is very different than being in 'Miss Saigon' or 'The King and I,'" both of which Ricamora has done. "Soft Power is written from the perspective of an Asian person. When you watch The King & I, you're looking at the Asian characters through the eyes of white people. They represent 'the other' to the white characters. Soft Power actually gets the audience to look through Asian eyes and see the otherness of the white world of the U.S."

Craig Schwartz Photography

Francis Jue is featured in 'Soft Power.'

Among the show's almost indescribable interwoven plotlines, set in the present and 100 years in the future, is the story of China becoming the world's dominant power in the wake of the 2016 election. An actress playing Hilary Clinton sings and dances. The majority of the cast is Asian American, but many of the characters they play are citizens of China. Ricamora recognizes some deeply embedded ironies in that fact.

"I was called 'chink' all the time growing up," says Ricamora, whose father, an adoptee, is assumed to be of Filipino descent. His mother has Irish and German bloodlines. "The cast of this play includes actors with Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean and Hawaiian backgrounds," he says. "White America tends to lump all Asians together.

"In Soft Power, I play a Chinese character," Ricamora explains. "But the play doesn't try to explore the Chinese psyche; it focuses on what it's like to encounter the racism and stereotypes that are traditionally placed on all Asians and Asian Americans."

Ricamora was raised by his father, who worked for the U.S. Air Force, after being abandoned by his mother when he was seven months old. Growing up in the macho environment of military bases, he never imagined he would be an actor.

"If you were artistic, you were ridiculed and shamed," Ricamora recalls. He channeled his restless energy playing competitive tennis. "I grew up idolizing tennis players. Being an athlete was a way to avoid having my ass kicked all the time."

It was not until his junior year of college, where he was a psychology major, that Ricamora took an elective theater class and had an epiphany.

"We had to do monologues, and I chose a piece from Lanford Wilson's 'Lemon Sky.' The character is talking about being estranged from his biological father, and I connected with that, thinking about first meeting my mother when I was 8 years old.

"I stood on that stage with a sense of authority and just ripped into it. There was this huge electricity. The whole room went dead silent. And I was like 'Holy shit! This is for me.'"

It was also not until his junior year that Ricamora began to open up to his own sexuality.

"Allowing myself to do theater and to come out were related," he says. "I was paying my own tuition. I wasn't dependent on my family. And I thought, if I'm paying for myself I really should be myself. Ultimately, I don't really think it's possible to make genuine connections with other people unless we're true to ourselves."

Today, while Ricamora sees progress being made in portrayals of gay men and Asian Americans in theater and film, he is painfully aware that the two are rarely seen in a single character.

"The experience of gay Asian men just hasn't been shown in mainstream media," he says. "It's incredibly important to me. There were years of online dating where I'd get messages and blocks from white guys who wanted to totally rule me out of their world just because I was Asian."

Ricamora and two friends from the theater world are currently working to assure that the gay Asian American experience doesn't remain hidden. They're four episodes into the writing of a serial called "No Rice."

Soft Power plays the Curran Theatre in San Francisco June 20-July 8. sfcurran.com.

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AAPI Heritage: More than films at CAAMFest: 'Culture In Every Sense'

As part of CAAMFest, Ruby Ibarra will be one of the featured hip-hop artists in concert.

SO YOU MISSED the Opening night party of CAAMFest36 held last night (May 10); and you missed out on eating the delectable Filipino food offered after the screening of ULAM: Main Dish yesterday (Friday). Don't despair.

There's still so much going on over a span of two weeks that will keep you busy, not to mention all the movies and videos being screened all over the Bay Area.

Fulfilling this year's theme: "Culture In Every Sense," you can dance to the latest hip-hop numbers by some of the up-and-coming artists; or munch on Asian food, or laugh at the inside jokes from Asian/American comedians.

CAAMFest:

• For a list of all the screenings, click here. 
• For a list of live performances, click here.

Beyond film, here are some of the other events offered by CAAMFest:

Anatomy of a Music Video with Warren Fu: The noted music video director talks about working with Daft Punk, Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams, A Tribe Called Quest and others. Fu is a former art director at Lucasfilm. (2:40 p.m. Saturday, May 12, New People Cinema).

Asian Americans and Hip-Hop Panel: The Oakland Museum of California hosts this free panel co-curated by CAAM and the Asian American Music Conference. Arrive early and check out the museum’s exhibit “Respect: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom.” (5:30 p.m. May 18).

Conversation With Jon M. Chu: The director of Crazy Rich Asians will talk about behind the scenes stories on the filming of Kevin Kwan's novel and the significance of the all-Asian cast of the movie. He will be at the Hotel Kabuki this Sunday (May 13, 6 p.m.)

“Aunt Lily’s Flower Book: One Hundred Years of Legalized Racism”: The closing night presentation of CAAMFest takes place at Herbst Theatre, with storyteller and activist Brenda Wong Aoki delivering a live performance set to music by Emmy Award-winning composer Mark Izu and koto master Shoko Hikage. (6:15 and 7 p.m. May 24).

Directions in Sound: Hip-hop artists Ruby Ibarra, Lyrics Born and G Yamazawa headline this popular annual concert event, which moves to Oakland (Starline Social Club) for the first time. (9 p.m. May 18).

Lost your identity? 'Disoreinted' will help you find it through laughter.

Disoriented Comedy Show: Jenny Yang, D’Lo and Atsuko Okatsuka bill themselves as the “first-ever (mostly) female Asian American stand-up comedy troupe.” Laugh along for two performances at New People Cinema — just about the perfect-sized venue for a comedy show. (7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12).

First Kitchen: A 15-minute sneak preview of James Q. Quan’s upcoming documentary food series, “Bloodline,” a profile of chef Tu David Phu, is followed by a tasting menu presented by Phu himself and a meet-and-greet with filmmakers. Phu was on “Top Chef 15” and was on The Chronicle’s Rising Star list in 2017. He’s still on the rise. The event takes place at Black Cat, the live jazz and supper club in S.F. (5 p.m. May 20).

Heritage SF: The Midway, located in the Dogpatch neighborhood, is the site of this celebration featuring live music, food trucks, retail booths and an awards ceremony honoring community leaders and organizations. (4 p.m. May 19).

“She, Who Can See”: A combination of short film and live performance by choreographer and stage director Alleluia Panis of KulArts. The show promises to be a “love letter to the vibrant Bay Area Filipino American community.” (7 p.m. May 16, AMC Kabuki)

The State of the Art with David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori: What does it take to get a play or a musical from idea to opening night? Hwang (“M. Butterfly”) and Tesori, the five-time Tony Award-nominated composer, let us peek behind the curtain of their new collaboration, “Soft Power,” at the Curran theater. (7 p.m. May 17).
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New TV project: First Rule of Ten should be -- 'no whitewashing'

LET'S HOPE this TV project reaches fruition: A former Buddhist monk trying to balance his beliefs with modern-day Los Angeles. Sounds intriguing.

It's unlikely the producers or the network won't turn the protagonist into a white guy, (i.e.. Iron Fist) spouting Mr. Miyagi-like sayings.

It's a good project coming from actor-turned-producer Daniel Dae Kim's production coming 3AD, using to full advantage the production muscle he has gained through the success of his  ABC drama series The Good Doctor.

Also, having playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) working on the project gives more support for an Asian or Asian/American actor to play the lead.

The television project is First Rule of Ten, based on the successful books by Gay Hendricks and Tinker Lindsay.

First Rule of Ten focuses on a young monk, who after years spent struggling with the teachings of his Tibetan monastery, leaves to find his identity in the unlikeliest of places – Los Angeles, according to Deadline. There, he’s forced to reconcile the differences between the Buddhist teachings he’s grown up with and the new fast-paced lifestyle filled with temptations. His path to self-discovery becomes further complicated when he witnesses a brutal crime and becomes inextricably entwined in its investigation.

RELATED: AAPI actors moving from the sidekick to the star

“3AD is excited to develop First Rule of Ten as our first collaboration with ITV Studios America,” said Kim. “The books tell a beautifully universal story from a uniquely Asian American perspective.”

Kim, who left his Hawaii Five-0 series over a pay disparity dispute last spring, went into the production end of the business, ostensibly to produce more shows with Asian perspectives and storylines.

His first project, The Good Doctor, though derived from a Korean series of the same name, had a white protagonist. He realized to gain credibility among the Hollywood community, his project needed to be a success. He decided to focus more on the autistic angle of the lead character rather than his race.

With the surprise success of The Good Doctor, one of the top shows of the season, he has been able to launch other projects that will have that Asian/American perspective that he has sought.

• Re Jane is a comedy adaptation of the Patricia Park novel of the same name, has landed at TV Land. It's about a Korean/American woman trying to reconcile the conflicting values of Korea and America.
• Exhibit A is a legal drama based on the South Korean series My Lawyer, Mr. Jo, in the works at CBS.  According to Deadline, if Exhibit A is picked up to series, it would be the first U.S. non-action drama to feature an Asian/American lead. 

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