<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3APlve_0vrsh1x200" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3APlve_0vrsh1x200" width="970" height="546" ><figcaption>David Henry Hwang, Leigh Silverman, and Daniel Dae Kim Jalen Gregory</figcaption></figure><p>In 1993, David Henry Hwang's comedy Face Value came to Broadway. It then abruptly left after just five performances, with critics panning it as "M. Turkey" (a reference to Hwang's previous hit M. Butterfly). In the years since, Hwang has referred to the play as a "flop." So it wasn't lost on Hwang October 1, at the opening of his play Yellow Face at the Todd Haimes Theatre, how far he'd come—especially when critics met <i>Yellow Face</i> with almost unanimous raves.</p><p>"In some ways, this is the end of a journey that began in 1993 when the predecessor to this play, <i>Face Value</i>, closed in previews on Broadway," the Tony Award-winning playwright told Playbill on the red carpet of <i>Yellow Face</i>. "So now, many decades later, to be able to open <i>Yellow Face</i> on Broadway just feels like the most amazing journey a show could have."</p><p>In <i>Yellow Face</i>, Hwang presents a mockumentary of the creation of <i>Face Value,</i> making himself a character in it to comedic effect. That's because in <i>Yellow Face</i>, the playwright in the story accidentally casts a white actor in an Asian role in his Broadway play. As with any classic farce, hilarity ensues. And with it, a potent examination of race. </p><p>"That's kind of the magic trick of the show, is that David has written this play that takes a very serious subject and puts it in a light that makes it accessible and funny and interesting and clever," says actor Kevin Del Aguila, who plays multiple real-life figures of the show of varying races (including Ed Koch and BD Wong). "It's kind of this documentary. It's sort of this autobiographical thing, but it's also a backstage comedy, but it's also a political intrigue, but it's also a love letter to David's father and to theatre in general. It's got all of these things happening, and the fact that it all works together in one play is kind of an amazing thing."</p><p>Speaking of a blast from the past, Playbill showed the cast and creators of <i>Yellow Face</i> their old yearbook photos and recorded their responses. See their surprise and delight in the video below.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAoYB9aJVeh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAoYB9aJVeh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewbox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div><div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAoYB9aJVeh/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Playbill (@playbill)</a></p></div><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);delay=function(){window.instgrm.Embeds.process()};setTimeout(delay,500)"></blockquote><p><i>Yellow Face</i> isn't a new play. It first premiered in Los Angeles in 2007. Leigh Silverman directed that production, and has returned to direct the Broadway production. For Silverman, who's also directed Hwang's <i>Chinglish</i> and <i>Soft Power</i>, this Broadway run is a vindication that she and Hwang were onto something 17 years ago in the way they were exploring race and representation and who can say what is cultural authenticity.</p><p>"I think when we did the original production, it just felt sort of a little niche," she said. "And now it feels like talking about representation on stage is kind of what we all do now—audiences are really well-versed in it." And to her, this production is "a celebration of all the years of collaboration that David and I have had...It feels really exciting, and very special."</p><p>Francis Jue was in the 2008 Off-Broadway production of <i>Yellow Face</i> in the same role he's playing now: Hwang's father, Henry Yuan Hwang. To him, revisiting the show has been a joy.</p><p>"I have never, ever laughed so much during a rehearsal process as with this show," he enthused. "And returning to this show and sort of in my mind, knowing what the potential could be, and then seeing it realized now is just overwhelming. I'm just overwhelmed by the amount of love coming from the audiences."</p><p>And in that audience are many who have never been to the theatre before. For Daniel Dae Kim, who plays Hwang in the show, what's been the most special to him has been seeing all the young Asian Americans in the audience. </p><p>"That's so meaningful to me, because the theatre needs to expand its audience, and we need to find younger people that want to come to this to see our shows," he said. "I want them to support, not only the theatre, but shows that have been written by people like David Henry Hwang, that feature Asian performers and address the themes that are so important in our own lives on a daily basis. So all of these things are the ways that we can help inform people about the things that we're going through, the experiences that we've had, but most importantly, to entertain them. And you know, in a world where everything is on our phone and in 30-second clips, it's nice to be reminded that there's a human-to-human interaction that only theatre can provide, and it's special because of that."</p><p>Though that's not all. For actor Shannon Tyo (who also plays a variety of people in the show, including producer Cameron Mackintosh), her favorite part of <i>Yellow Face</i> may be many audience members' highlight: "I think, honestly, a big part of [the comedy], besides the writing, is Daniel Dae Kim being such a neurotic, sweaty mess on stage. Which is something we've never seen him do before. So it's really wonderful to watch him just run around and try to, you know, bury his dark secret. It's hilarious."</p><p>Below, see photos from the red carpet of <i>Yellow Face</i>, including attendees Kara Young, Vanessa Kai, Cecily Strong, and understudy Olivia Oguma and her bespoke <i>Yellow Face</i> purse.</p><h2>Photos: Opening Night of Yellow Face on Broadway</h2><p><i>Yellow Face</i> runs on Broadway until November 24. The cast of <i>Yellow Face</i> also includes Ryan Eggold as Marcus, Marinda Anderson as Actor B, and Greg Keller as Reporter. Casting is by Carrie Gardner and Jilliam Cimini.</p><p>The creative team includes set designer Arnulfo Maldonado, costume designer Anita Yavich, lighting designer Lap Chi Chu, sound designers and composers Caroline Eng and Kate Marvin, and projection designer Yee Eun Nam. Charels Means is production stage manager.</p><p>For more information, visit RoundaboutTheatre.org.</p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

, David Henry Hwang on How He Turned His 'Flop' Into a Hit

In 1993, David Henry Hwang's comedy Face Value came to Broadway. It then abruptly left after just five performances, with critics panning it as \"M. Turkey\" (a reference to Hwang's previous hit M. Butterfly). In the years since, Hwang has referred to the play as a \"flop.\" So it wasn't lost on Hwang October 1, at the opening of his play Yellow Face at the Todd Haimes Theatre, how far he'd come—especially when critics met Yellow Face with almost unanimous raves.

In 1993, David Henry Hwang's comedy Face Value came to Broadway. It then abruptly left after just five performances, with critics panning it as "M. Turkey" (a reference to Hwang's previous hit M. Butterfly). In the years since, Hwang has referred to the play as a "flop." So it wasn't lost on Hwang October 1, at the opening of his play Yellow Face at the Todd Haimes Theatre, how far he'd come—especially when critics met Yellow Face with almost unanimous raves.

, David Henry Hwang on How He Turned His 'Flop' Into a Hit

Comments / 0