Fordham University Will Host BEYOND ORIENTALISM Public Forum on Race and Identity in Theatre

How can the creative community advance race equity in the theatre? How do artists and producers agree to work together to eradicate yellowface and brownface? What are lessons learned that can be shared? On Monday, May 2nd, 2016, at 7 pm, Beyond Orientalism: The Forum will be held at Fordham University's Pope Auditorium to explore these vital questions. This interactive public event, in which every attendee will play a role and have a voice, features panel conversations, a breakout session, and multimedia components, more than just a series of talking heads.

This three-hour forum will include two panels and a breakout session. The first panel will be a conversation among influencers in the American theatre-artistic directors and producers impacting the American theatre landscape. The second panel will feature Asian Pacific Islander (API) artists who are activists for diversity in the theatre community. Composed of theatre artists and allies, the public forum will also explore collaborations among API and primarily white arts organizations around the country. The first panel features cultural influencers Chay Yew of Victory Gardens, David Wannen of New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players and other panelists pending. The second panel features playwright Lloyd Suh, director Nelson Eusebio and NAATCO artistic director and actor Mia Katigbak. The full roster of participants will be announced shortly. Both panels will be facilitated by founder and director of artEquity,Carmen Morgan.

After a series of yellowface/brownface productions across the United States in 2015, including multiple revivals of Gilbert and Sullivan's THE MIKADO, API theatre artists across the country felt a necessary dialogue was missing from the theatre community. Beyond Orientalism conversations began in November 2015 with a Town Hall gathering of API theatre artists in response to the persistent practice of racial impersonation in U.S. theatre. Beyond Orientalism: The Forum is the launch of a national initiative to directly address the harmful effects of yellowface and brownface in US theatre, while advocating for diverse representation of API people- and all characters of color - on all stages.

"The Asian American Arts Alliance is proud to be working with our tremendous partners on Beyond Orientalism: The Forum," said Alliance Executive Director Andrea Louie. "In a political climate that is increasingly polarized, the issues of yellowface and brownface have never been more important. Asian Americans make up 15% of the NYC population and represent its fastest-growing racial group. But there is a glass ceiling in nearly every sector of the creative workforce, most obviously on New York City stages, which do not reflect the vibrant and diverse world in which we live."

Angel Desai, a steering committee member of the Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC), said, "There is an imbalance in the theatrical world, a gap between how Asian Pacific Islanders see ourselves and how some theatre makers see us. Yellowface/brownface is but one symptom of this imbalance. We hope our May 2nd forum can be a step toward bridging that gap. AAPAC is excited to share the conversation about Asian American representation in New York City theatre with such dedicated, passionate partners."

"TCG renews our call for color-conscious casting to help end the harmful practices of yellowface and brownface," said Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG. "We're proud to partner with organizations who have been leading that work for years, and hope that Beyond Orientalism: The Forum will spark transformative conversations about cultural appropriation, stereotype, racial equity, and more."

"It seems every day brings a new account of a film, of a TV show, of a theatre production, that fails to represent the variety and breadth of America's cultural life, and in many cases, with seeming intent, denies truthful depictions of our diversity. Only by engaging with one another, and challenging practices that create barriers, can we ever hope to have our entertainment reflect the true nature of the country," said Howard Sherman, interim director of Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts.

Beyond Orientalism: The Forum will take place from 7 to 10 pm at Pope Auditorium on Fordham University's Lincoln Center Campus, located at 155 West 60th Street in Manhattan. Admission is free. Interested attendees should RSVP via BeyondOrientalism@inclusioninthearts.org

Asian American Arts Allianceis dedicated to strengthening Asian American arts and cultural groups through resource sharing, promotion, and community building. Since 1983, the Alliance has sought to unify, promote, and represent the artistic and cultural producers of one of New York City's fastest-growing ethnic populations. The organization is a diverse alliance of artists, organizations and arts supporters who believe that working together as a pan-ethnic, multidisciplinary community is essential to nurturing the development of artists and arts organizations and to providing meaningful and innovative ways for civic engagement in society www.aaartsalliance.org

The mission of Asian American Performers Action Coalition is to expand the perception of Asian American performers in order to increase their access to and representation on New York City's stages.

Theatre Communications Group, the national organization for the U.S. theatre, was founded in 1961 with a grant from the Ford Foundation to foster communication among professional, community and university theatres. Their mission is to strengthen, nurture and promote the professional not-for-profit American theatre. www.tcg.org

The Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is America's leading advocate for full diversity as a key to the vitality and dynamism of American theatre, film, and television, with a particular focus on artists of color and artists with disabilities. www.inclusioninthearts.org