Asians in "Yellow Face" - David Henry Hwang

[APinhert]

I very much liked this play...it pokes fun at a lot of things including his actual own casting of a white man as an eastern asian is another one of his plays.

[LucidOndine]

I had the opportunity to see Yellow Face in production at the Gutherie; it was nothing short of an amazing performance. I even saw HDW in the audience. Thanks for the show!

[dailun637]

Wow to sfbaygirl, you are seriously retarded.

[mipp0]

Dear sfbaygirl,

Asian Americans are as American as any other American. Please look beyond the American culture vs. Asian culture binary. Freedom and individual expression are not the sole possessions of Western culture. You have to understand that Asian American culture is individualistic in itself, as it rejects hegemonic, cultural definitions, is not static, and is dynamic, as it defines and redefines itself through history, the present, and the future. Take Asian American ethnic studies :)

[aconblu]

You sound like a person who took nothing but silly Foucault studies classes.

[mipp0]

And you sound like a silly troll : ) I'm sorry, I'm not a fan of the man. I took nothing but silly bioengineering, poli sci, and ethnic studies classes I'm afraid. Boo hoo, now I'm in a top tier medical school : (

[aconblu]

all that "false binary, hegemony, dynamic" carp is foucault derrida or lacan... horrible postmodernist europeans that all studies courses take as all knowing rather than studying groups without a guiding ideology. Name one culture that isn't dynamic. Nazis had excellent doctors too so that is irrelevant.

[moonphoenix1]

@mipp0

Stop complaining. He makes a very good point, don't take it so personally.

[APinhert]

@mipp0

hey, i'm in a similar boat

oh no! the horrors of successful careers

[sfbaygirl]

I think Asian Americans need to just BE Americans. I am half Asian, but I am ALL American. I have embraced Western and American culture and heritage as my own, and yes I find Western culture preferable to Asian culture in many ways.. Western culture places an emphasis on individual fulfillment and identity, while Asian cultures consider the individual a cog in the machine.

[jstele]

Don't blame Asian Americans. No matter how "American" they are, most of white America will not see them as such.

[JESUSISGREATEST]

@jstele Wow! What an insightful fact!!

[hockeyhatesgooglnow]

@jstele I don't know what you mean. I see America as a messed up nation and so far every person living in America whether their asian, black, white, hispanic, native american, they're all messed up with the rest of humanity. That's the most American thing that comes to my head when I think of this country.

[sunzoo1]

Yeah....because of course, most Asian Americans don't act like Americans. If Asian Americans just stop being so damn Asian, they would be accepted just as regular Americans.

[sorinajima]

There are asians who assimilated to the American culture. There are also asians who have been here long, but they have been marginalized and foreced to be in their own culture unable to assimiate. And there are asians who just have not been here short and got a ph.D in the US ,but know nothing about american culture. Which group are you talking about?

[sunzoo1]

this is sarcasm for those that didn't notice.

[GokuisFuckingAsian]

so theres blackface, yellowface, so wheres whiteface and redface?

[Sidepocket2600]

Redface already exist, even white face to a minority degree.

[theatrelover559]

i love noah bean!

and this show is great, it really makes you think

[ixnayontheamspay]

i love how he expresses the complexity of identity, which is surprisingly rare

[TooAsians]

I was lucky enough to see this for free during a school field trip. It was good.

[aitch3]

The play looks hilarious and fun. Looking at a serious issue with a light touch. The best way.

[sunawave]

although they are good points, i am a little bored of "exploring" these issues... can't they make a play with asians in it that doesnt have to be all about being asian?

[DragonRomeo]

I agree with you. I think the best way to think about this situation is to overlook it. "Making it the norm" happens to be my motto when it comes to this situation. I'm not an Asian director, I would rather be a director that happens to be Asian.

[blahmeblahblahblah]

I agree to a degree: I would love to see Asian people portrayed as people first, whatever that manifests into: Falling in love, struggling with money, hating life, etc, all done in a way that does not reference Asia but just being a person!

[iwasteourtime]

I think that is the point David Henry Hwang is making. What would a play that isn't "all about being Asian" be like when you have Asian actors in it? I picture it would be something riddled with stereotype even if it's unintentional.. This is what he is trying to move away from. He is not just making a big deal of unnecessary issues. They come up automatically especially when you try to ignore it.

[ethtsai]

where can we see this play anyway?

[Maineah]

Having an Asian/Pacific Islander partner makes me anxious to read/see this play. I'm forwarding him this video. Thank you for the expressive art.  Peace

[SilentFilms26101]

I dont like this one as well as i did the last one......

[HGLatinBoy]

I went to see this with some kids boy were all the teachers freaked out about this. So much cussing in it. Overall the play was borring.