-
Chinese Workers Imported Into America
In the mid nineteenth century there was a large number of Chinese workers that immigrated to America. These workers were imported to help build rail roads in major cities where theatre was popular and attracted Asian audiences (Brockett 244).This attraction lead to the History of Asian American Theatre. -
Asian Discrimination In use of Yellowface
Yellow face was a way of discriminating the Asian Americans in theater. Caucasian actors would color their faces in order to stereotype Asian Americans. There was a similar tactic was used to represent African Americans. In response the Asian Americans started to make their own plays and founded their own theatres. After this there was many different Asian American theatre companies founded. (Brockett 244). -
East West Players
After the discrimination use of yellowface by the whites, the Asian Americans developed their own theaters and organizations in which included the East Western Players. This program was to increase the cultural awareness of the Asian Americans. The East Western Players company was one of the first professional Asian American organizations in theatre, and is now the most active organization in the Asian American theatre (Brockett 245). -
Frank Chin
Frank Chin was an Asian American playwright who was born in 1940. Chin was first Asian American playwright to have their work staged in a mainstream New York theatre. His plays that produced in the American Place Theater which includes The "Chickencoop Chinaman" in 1971, and "The Year of the Dragon" in 1974 (Brockett 245). -
Northwest Asian American Theatre Company
The Northwest Asian American Theatre Company was an Asian American theatre company. The Northwest Asian American Theatre Company was first called the Asian Exclusion Act and was founded in Seattle 1973 according to Brockett ( 244). -
David Henry Hwang
David Hwang is a successful and one of the best known Asian American playwrights. He was first noticed for his Obie winning play "F.O.B" and his best known play "M. Butterfly' in 1988. Hwang was the first Asian American to win a Toney Award. He had many other successful plays which include, "The Dance and the Railroad" 1981, "Family Devotions" 1981, and "The Golden Child" 1996. Hwang does not only write plays, but he also writes books, and has contributed to some of Disney's Broadway musicals. -
"F.O.B."
"F.O.B." was a play written by the well known Asian American dramatist in 1980 David Henry Hwang. "F.O.B." stands for fresh off the boat, regarding to the Asian Americans immigration. According to Brockett the text states that, "The play explores the contrasts and con-flicts between established Asian Americans and newly arrived immigrants" (246). -
Rick Shiomi
Rick Shiomi lead the Mu Performing Arts in Minneapolis. According to the text Shiomi believed that " that the emerging trend for Asian American drama (and for that of other minorities) involves “crossover” works that “will be part of a larger American canon that’s going to be much more mixed""( Brockett 247). -
"M. Butterfly"
"M. Butterfly" is another play written by David Henry Hwang in 1988. In this play Hwang focuses on gender, race and politics in which implies that western views or Orientals are dominated by the West. Hwang used his real life experiences to influence his writings. Because of the "M. Butterfly" Hwang became the first Asian American playwright to win a Toney Award (Brockett 246). -
Chay Yew
Chay Yew is a popular Asian American dramatist who was born in Singapore whos Plays were produced throughout America Malaysia, Singapore and the United Kingdom. After Chay Yew became the Artistic Director of Chicago's Victory Gardens Theater, he won a Toney Award because of his new plays. his plays included, "A Language of Their Own" 1995, "A Winter People" 2002, "Question 27, Question 28" 2003, "The Long Season" 2005, and "Ameriville" 2012 (Brockett 246-247).
