Photo Flash: SOFT POWER Meets THE KING AND I With David Henry Hwang And Bartlett Sher At Asia Society
By: Stephi Wild Feb. 07, 2019
Award-winning theatre artists David Henry Hwang and Bartlett Sher engaged in a conversation about the current state of American musical theatre, through the lens of Asian and Asian American representation on Broadway at the Asia Society in New York on February 5th.
The Lunar New Year discussion was framed in the context of two recent productions, David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's Soft Power and the Bartlett Sher helmed revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I. They discussed how Asian representation throughout the history of musical theatre informs our present understanding of the art form, race relations, the current state of representation on- and backstage on Broadway, and more. Hwang and Sher shared their distinctive approaches with a segue of how to improve upon the status quo.
The conversation was moderated by Karen Shimakawa, associate professor of performance studies at the Tisch School of Art, New York University.
Soft Power cast members Jaygee Macapugay, Alyse Alan Louis, Austin Ku and Daniel May, Hwang's Soft Power collaborator Jeanine Tesori, Tina Chen, Jim Dale, Nadine Wong, Alberta Arthurs, consultant in Arts and Humanities and Jacqueline Davis (Executive Director of NY Performing Arts Library) were among the audience members.
Center Theatre Group's world premiere production of Soft Power recently received six LA Ovation Awards - Best Production of a Musical (Large Theatre), Alyse Alan Louis won for Lead Actress in a Musical, Anita Yavich for Costume Design (Large Theatre), David O for Music Direction, David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori for Lyrics/Composition of an Original Musical and David Henry Hwang for Book for an Original Musical.
This program is part of the series "Asian Americans in Theatre: Art and Activism," curated by Marina Rebecca Chan (CC'17) and co-presented with the Barnard College Department of Theatre,Stages of Inquiry.
Watch the panel below:
Photo Credit: Lia Chang
Bartlett Sher and David Henry Hwang
David Henry Hwang, Jeanine Tesori and Bartlett Sher
David Henry Hwang, Bartlett Sher and Karen Shimakawa discuss a scene from SOFT POWER
David Henry Hwang, Bartlett Sher and Karen Shimakawa discuss a scene from SOFT POWER featuring Conrad Ricamora and Alyse Alan Louis
David Henry Hwang, Bartlett Sher and Karen Shimakawa discuss a scene from SOFT POWER featuring Conrad Ricamora and Francis Jue
David Henry Hwang, Bartlett Sher and Karen Shimakawa discuss a scene from SOFT POWER featuring Jon Hoche and the company
David Henry Hwang, Bartlett Sher and Karen Shimakawa
David Henry Hwang and Bartlett Sher
David Henry Hwang, Bartlett Sher and Karen Shimakawa
Karen Shimakawa, Rachel Cooper, Bartlett Sher, Marina Rebecca Chan and David Henry Hwang
Bartlett Sher, Lia Chang, David Henry Hwang and Rachel Cooper, Asia Society Director for Performing Arts and Cultural Programs. Photo by Garth Kravits
SOFT POWER''s Daniel May, Jaygee Macapugay, Alyse Alan Louis, Austin Ku and Jeanine Tesori
Alyse Alan Louis, Austin Ku, Rachel Cooper, Asia Society Director for Performing Arts and Cultural Programs, Shawn Duan, David Henry Hwang, Jaygee Macapugay and Daniel May
Bartlett Sher, Rachel Cooper and David Henry Hwang
Tina Chen, David Henry Hwang and Jim Dale
Jaygee Macapugay, David Henry Hwang and Emily Borromeo
David Henry Hwang is flanked by Nadine Wong, Executive Director of Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management and Jane Safer, both Trustees of the American Theatre Wing.
Alberta Arthurs, consultant in Arts and Humanities, Jacqueline Davis, Executive Director of NY Performing Arts Library and Rachel Cooper, Asia Society Director for Performing Arts and Cultural Program
David Henry Hwang, Jacqueline Davis, Executive Director of NY Performing Arts Library and Bartlett Sher
David Henry Hwang and Marina Rebecca Chan
Austin Ku, Jaygee Macapugay, Lia Chang and Daniel May. Photo by Garth Kravits
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