#whiteface theatre

[aquilacalvitium]

HNG CLOWNS

Clowns are cool and awesome and good

Hmmmmmmm instead of brain there is clown

Thinking

About

Clowns

Reaaaaaaaaally old art form

Fascinating study of theatre and culture and how they've evolved

Allllll the different types of clownnnnnnnnnns

Pierrot (French name for Pedrolino, the "tragic clown" originating in Italy in the 16th century in Commedia Dell'arte and sharing it's origins with Harlequin which then evolved into the pantomime role Harlequinade who is not only the comedic relief but through his comedic foils keeps the plot in motion additionally Pierrot/Pedrolino may also be the origin of the more commonplace Whiteface clown of modern theatre) my beloved

[themacandcheezits]

special interest infodump?

OMG hello kind stranger have you ever heard of the history of clowns and the art of clowning. Well let me tell you! It is quite long 😅

The most ancient clowns have been found in the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt, around 2400 BC. Unlike court jesters, clowns have traditionally served a socio-religious and psychological role, and traditionally the roles of priest and clown have been held by the same persons.

In anthropology, the term clown has been extended to comparable jester or fool characters in non-Western cultures. A society in which such clowns have an important position are termed clown societies, and a clown character involved in a religious or ritual capacity is known as a ritual clown.

A Heyoka is an individual in Lakota and Dakota culture cultures who lives outside the constraints of normal cultural roles, playing the role of a backwards clown by doing everything in reverse. The Heyoka role is sometimes best filled by a Winkte.

Many native tribes have a history of clowning. The Canadian clowning method developed by Richard Pochinko and furthered by his former apprentice, Sue Morrison, combines European and Native American clowning techniques. In this tradition, masks are made of clay while the creator's eyes are closed. A mask is made for each direction of the medicine wheel. During this process, the clown creates a personal mythology that explores their personal experiences.

Grimaldi was the first recognizable ancestor of the modern clown, sort of the Homo erectus of clown evolution. Before him, a clown may have worn make-up, but it was usually just a bit of rouge on the cheeks to heighten the sense of them being florid, funny drunks or rustic yokels. Grimaldi, however, suited up in bizarre, colorful costumes, stark white face paint punctuated by spots of bright red on his cheeks and topped with a blue mohawk. He was a master of physical comedy. he leapt in the air, stood on his head, fought himself in hilarious fisticuffs that had audiences rolling in the aisles as well as of satire lampooning the absurd fashions of the day, comic impressions, and ribald songs.

The first mainstream clown role was portrayed by Joseph Grimaldi (who also created the traditional whiteface make-up design). In the early 1800s, he expanded the role of Clown in the harlequinade that formed part of British pantomimes, notably at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and the Sadler's Wells and Covent Garden theatres. He became so dominant on the London comic stage that harlequinade Clowns became known as "Joey", and both the nickname and Grimaldi's whiteface make-up design are still used by other clowns.

The comedy that clowns perform is usually in the role of a fool whose everyday actions and tasks become extraordinary—and for whom the ridiculous, for a short while, becomes ordinary. This style of comedy has a long history in many countries and cultures across the world. Some writers have argued that due to the widespread use of such comedy and its long history it is a need that is part of the human condition.

[robzombies-hotwife]

I'm glad that one weird bitch got kicked out of the theatre troupe for being transphobic (among other things) because at the last cast party we had, I did NOT enjoy explaining why blackface is wrong and not the same as "whiteface" while two shots and a Mike's hard lemonade deep at 11 pm in the kitchen.

[mona-schreibt]

Lately I was listening to the audio book "Percy Jackson" by Rick Riordan. I love this book series and have read and listened to it so many times. It reminded me that Disney+ plans a TV series based on these novels and I wanted to find out when it will be published. The first thing google shows me when searching for "Percy Jackson TV series" are photos of the actors who will play the main characters. I must admit I stumbled when seeing that Leah Jeffries, a poc girl, will play Annabeth Chase, who was (in the books) described as a blonde girl. I told myself "dont be a racist, she will do well" and continued looking for the date of publication. But what I found on wikipedia was a comment that many fans were apparently discontent with the cast of Leah. And then I found this link to a comment by Rick Riordan, the author:

Leah Jeffries is Annabeth Chase | Rick Riordan

In my opinion, he is absolutely right, what is most important is the character and not the physical appearance. But while reading this comment, another thought came to my mind: This is a fictional story and the skin colour makes no difference to the story.

Several years ago there was a huge discussion that the "Zwarte Piet", a historical character in the Dutch culture, should be forbidden. I agree that it is no longer uptodate that a blackfaced man is the fear spreading henchman and as far as I know they agreed on the solution that the "Zwarte Piet" is now black because of soot. But dont forget that this was a historic character. The story, that they tell, only makes sense when the children are scared because of an aspect in the physical appearence. Fear mostly arises out of ingnorance. Many years ago, before globalisation had started, a huge majority of the people in central europe had never seen or heard about poc. And there was no TV showing them pictures or films or telling them about other cultures. Imagine you just don't know that there are people somewhere on the world who have a different skin colour. And then you see a person looking so different to you. Wouldn't you be scared? This shall not be an excuse that this image, blackfaced man = evil, is still used, just an explanation how it had come to this.

Another thought to it: Concerning the discussion about blackfacing. In the area where I live you cannot see many (sorry for the word but I'm just in miss of a better one) black people. You can see many poc with their roots in Asia, Southern Europe, the Mideast. Still, in the theatre blackfacing is - I don't know if forbidden but at least frowned upon. But who has a solution when there simply is no actor whose physical appearance fits to the role? Of course you can say, like Rick Riordan, I don't care about the appearance, the character is more important. But what about a famous character as e.g. Martin Luther King? His story would be completely different if it was played by a white man. I don't know if in my city (around 500k people) there is at least one black person who works as an actor. I just dont know. I, personally, would not bother, if a poc would "whiteface" if he/she fits best to the character and if it was essential for the role...

[srikantabosemimeartist]

Best Mime Artist near me : Who You Should Call To Make Your Event Fun

When it comes to finding the best mime artist near me, there are a few things to consider. The first is what type of event you’re hosting. If it’s a corporate event, you’ll want someone who can perform for a more mature audience.

 If it’s a kid’s birthday party, you might want someone who is more interactive and playful. Another thing to consider is what kind of budget you have for entertainment. Best Solo mime artist can range in price, so it’s important to find someone who fits within your budget.

 Finally, you’ll want to consider the kind of atmosphere you want to create at your event. Do you want something light and fun? Or are you looking for something more dramatic and intense? The One man mime can help set the tone for your event and make it a truly memorable experience.

 What is a mime artist?

 Famous Mime Artist in India are performers who use their bodies and faces to express emotions and tell stories without using spoken words. They often wear whiteface makeup and black clothing to create a clown-like appearance, which helps them to appear non-threatening and approachable to audiences.

 Mime artists often perform in public places such as parks or plazas, where they can entertain passersby with their shows. Some mimes also work as street performers, entertaining crowds in exchange for tips. Others work in theatres, schools, or corporate events. Some mimes are even trained acrobats and perform physical feats as part of their act.

 Mime artists have been entertaining audiences for centuries. The ancient Greeks wrote plays that featured silent actors, and the Roman Emperor Nero was said to have enjoyed watching mimes perform. In the 1800s, French mime Jean-Gaspard Deburau popularised the character of Pierrot, a sad clown who became a staple of the form.

 Mime artists use their bodies and faces to express a wide range of emotions, from happiness and laughter to sadness and anger. They often tell stories or jokes without using any words, relying instead on gestures and expressions to communicate with their audience.

 Mime is a unique form of entertainment that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. If you're looking for something different for your next event, consider hiring Best One man mime!

 What do mime artists do?

 Solo mime performer are performative artists who use their bodies and faces to convey meaning without speaking. They may use props, music, and other elements to create a complete performance, but their primary means of communication is through movement and gesture.

 Mime artists can be found performing in a wide variety of contexts, from street theatre to corporate events. They may work solo or as part of a group, and their performances can be either scripted or improvised. Whatever the setting, mime artists aim to entertain and engage their audiences.

 How to find the best mime artist near you

 There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for the best mime artist near me. First, it is important to find an artist who is experienced and has a good reputation. Second, make sure to find an artist who is willing to work with you to create a custom performance that will fit your event.

  Third, be sure to ask around for recommendations from friends or family who have used a mime artist in the past. This can help you narrow down your search and find the best possible performer for your needs. Finally, find the

Best Mime Artist Performance- One man mime before making your final decision. This will help you get a better idea of what others think of their work.

[nohoartsdistrict]

The Whitefire Theatre Solofest Presents Kevin (Womack) Neighbors' “Versatile” via www.nohoartsdistrict.com

[wonderworldwonderings]

MAJOR ENDING SPOILER ASK/ DISCUSSION AND PICS UNDER THE CUT

Okay, so to preface this, before I read the novel (I have now and I'll be writing a big ole post about it) I have to say I was kind of heartbroken how things ended up for Lance. This ending just felt... Completely off centre from what the storyline was preaching the entire time. You come to the Balance theatre, where two characters combined make BALANCE, and in the end the negative one just gets yeeted, squashed out so positivity only remains?? I understand it could be a metaphor of the idea that negativity can and WILL drag you down if you don't be careful with it, but Balan didn't even try to save Lance?? Balan was built up as this character that completely and absolutely gives himself to other people to help them and be in their lives, yet there was nothing for Lance?? I'm not going to claim I know more about the character than the directors, but to me it just... Didn't feel in character at all. Balan should have reached out to save Lance, done SOMETHING to save them in the end.

I feel that Lance should have been saved. I understand that redemption for villains means they do have a lot of work cut out for them to repair the damages they've done, but fuck man, they didn't even give Lance a CHANCE. There's potential for a sequel if you finagle some things around, and fuck I might even write it myself where they make efforts to save Lance from wherever they went (because they're obv not DEAD, they just got pulled into some weird vortex). And especially to have them saved, RIGHT BEFORE they get killed off? That’s like... not even a victory. It’s just not fun.

The Tim drops being apparent tears is one thing, but I think they're more a creation of intense, positive emotions. Of course Balan crying means they'd create some Tim drops, he was experiencing such love in that moment! I wonder if the colours correspond to specific emotions? The drop looked blue in that cutscene (probably only because the background was a blue tint), but blue Tim drops have shown to give Tim's the ability to destroy obstacles... And Balan in that moment had witnessed Emma and Leo overcome a huge obstacle themselves. So it makes sense!

(This was super cool to hear because I had NO idea there were a lot of rules that go into being bonafide clowns! I’m gonna research it more after this)

And don't even get me started on Balan's 'canon' look under the hat. I DO NOT SEE IT. It's a fine design and all but it's not... Balan, imo. The look he has with the hat suits his personality so much more, this goofy, quirky and kind of weird and mysterious entity that is having a lot of fun with all his interactions. And without the hat he's just... Plain. BUT, talking to a friend who has a lot of info about how the Clown industry works, they actually provided me with a lot of really cool tips! 

- “Balan is most likely wearing traditional Whiteface makeup. Whiteface clowns are generally the leaders of a giggle of clowns, and traditionally all skin must be covered. So YES he and Lance are white, but it's likely just makeup! Especially since there's facial markings around the eyes on top of the white, AND that they're wearing gloves + are fully covered!”

Regardless, I’m also going to play around with some fan designs for both Balan and Lance that make them a better mix of their original designs. Because they should have both been alive in the end, both as a mix of each other to show the balance between negativity and positivity, heck, ANYTHING to show balance that the ending didn't provide (the novel KIND of explains this, but it’s still unfortunately LACKING in explanation and leaves the whole ending feeling kinda... hollow). I WISH Balan had of tried to save them, reached out, ANYTHING true to his selfless and caring nature. The ending dance number was something I called would happen all along, but I thought LANCE WOULD BE WITH THEM. 

On another note, the ending with the Inhabitants and Balan? Holy, fucking shit. That was (despite the disappointment with Lance), GORGEOUS, WONDERFUL, HEALING. I loved it A LOT. It was interesting to have the confirmation that they're trapped hearts too! I know the novel goes into way more detail about the actual inhabitants which is really fun too. But good lord, the way Balan interacted with them at the end, it was so fucking sweet. He loves them, he loves them so much. You can Tell IMMEDIATELY when Jose goes over to thank Balan that he’s not at ALL used to receiving praise or thanks for what he does. 

LOOK AT HIM, HE DOESN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR A MOMENT. HE’S SO TAKEN ABACK.

I should wrap this up before it gets too long. I will say, as a footnote, I've since read the novel after having written this all out, to which I’ll upload a separate post abt it before this one gets too long. Reading the novel NOW, it’s put way more into perspective and although I wish they had of done some key things differently in the game, I’m more settled on it. AND, I love this game so, SO much more!

[rataplani]

“Feet of Clay is a fascinating book, and an enthralling script, and I was very excited when invited to direct it. It is a timely play speaking as it does about identity, freedom and truth, all wrapped inside a fun murder mystery.” 

~ Shaun King, Director’s Notes.

Since there’s been a lot of negativity at the moment about a certain adaptation that doesn’t care about its source material, I thought I’d share something more positive. 

So in case there are any Discworld fans in Queensland who don’t know this, there’s this little indie theatre called the Brisbane Arts Theatre that’s been working through all the Discworld books over a number of years now (also atm it’s doing an adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Dodger).

A few weeks back I went to see their production of Feet of Clay and it was pretty good! (and run in line with QLD Covid policy) As it was weeks ago I don’t remember all the details, but one thing I found pretty hilarious was that for soundtrack moments they generally used music that sounded like they’d gotten it from 80s cop comedies. Also I think they did alright with Cheery’s character arc as basically a transgender woman’s coming out story, though I'm hesitatingly ambivalent about the few moments of Cis Awkward Supportiveness(tm) from other characters on stage (though importantly the laughs were directed at them, not Cheery) and of course there were Carrot’s dwarf culture gender issues for a bit until he got his prejudices sorted out.

Although I knew the plot coming in, it was still fun to watch the mystery unfold, and it was funny how over-the-top blatantly evil Dragon was in his introduction scene just for the drama. Dorfl’s storyline cut out the Dorfl vs All The Priests bit and most of his run through the town, but was still good (and I like the design differences between him and the King Golem you can see in the photo below). Overall it was quite funny and a pretty faithful adaptation; can’t wait until next year.

Adaptation-wise, there were a couple of parts where they were able to use the visual element through a couple of physical comedy jokes (Vetinari: I’m Fine Now *passes out five seconds later*) or using props to point out how Carry’s new crest looks very similar to the Assassin’s Guild crest)

On a meta level, a few characters had their gender changed for cast reasons, including ‘Dr’ (Lord) Downey (played by a lady who I swear could play Susan when they get to her books), Drumknott, and Arthur Carrey (the candle maker), who became Artemis Carry to keep the “Art Brought Forth the Candle” pun intact.

Also not only did the guy who played Carrot played Salzella last year when they did Maskerade, but Vetinari’s actor doubled as Nobby so I got a double serve of mental whiplash there.

Here’s the cast photo! (Due to Covid restrictions a lot of cast members played two or three roles, so not all characters are shown, but I’ve bolded the ones that are)

Cast List left to right (then front row left to right):

Simon Lyell as Dorfl Daniel Baker as King Golem & Detritus Julian Hobson as Dragon King of Arms John Grey as Lord Vetinari & Corporal Nobbs Isobel Smith as Doughnut Jimmy, Mr Slant, & ‘French Maid’ Caitlin Smith as Drumknott, Mildred Easy, & Pardessus (of the College of Heralds) Paul Fear as Gerhardt Sock & Wengel Raddley Lucette Eggleton as Dr Downey, Prebble Skink & Mrs Kanacki Steve Durber as Constable Visit & Mr Boggis Daniel Grey as Commander Vimes Stuart Fisher as Sergeant Colon Alastair Wallace as Father Tubelcek, Mr Hopkinson, & Professor Whiteface Samantha Mclaughlin as (Artemis) Carry Tallulah M. E. Gray as Rosie Palm (and Assistant Director) Amanda Lay as Constable (Cheery) Littlebottom Sasha Barclay as Constable Angua Callum Pulsford as Captain Carrot

[oldbaton]

To add to the saturation of Diana content in 2021. Last month a Dutch musical called ‘Diana & Zonen’ (Diana and sons) premiered in The Netherlands. The musical draws parallels between Diana and Meghan and has Diana as a ghostly ethereal figure reflecting on her life (from up in heaven ?!) wanting to give her feuding sons advice etc. A friend of mine saw it and said it was a dreadful production. It has an uncanny valley feel by trying very hard to make the actors look like the real people (they put the southeast Asian actor playing Harry in whiteface?! If that’s a thing?) and by having the English royals singing musical theatre pop songs in Dutch it achieves a whole other level of absurdity… is The Crown to blame for all of this?? youtube(dot)com/watch?v=zhg-29SeG1A

How many more times are we going to kill this woman after bringing her to life again

[ambarrassing]

I'm spamming my silhouettes, but these pictures turned out amazing! I don't even recognize myself. #dance #danceofthesevenveils #danceofthe7veils #dancer #behindthescenes #salome #backstage #behindthecurtain #oscarwilde #theatre #theatreproduction #production #show #onstage #theater #acting #actress #theatrestudents #theatrelife #theatremakeup #whiteface #makeup #stagemakeup #butoh #japanese (at Performing Arts Center Thr PAC)

[aquilacalvitium]

A bunch of thoughts that are incomprehensible to people who aren't Cirque Du Soleil fans

Target and Nico have the same energy and would almost definitely be friends

Someone please introduce Aviator from Quidam and Aviator from Kurios to each other, they'd be besties

Klara moves like a clockwork doll and it's mesmerising to watch

You can see Time Master's effects on the flow of time by watching Klara and Microcosmos in the background

This meme I made

I think Gongli (chair balancer from Koozã) would be Carlos' (chair balancer from Kurios) plus one at Klara's dinner parties

Volta's ending is a tad abrupt methinks

Ela is just awesome, everything about her is awesome, I want to be friends with her

Is that other person with blue feathers in Volta another character? Or is he still Waz? It's a bit ambiguous and I'm not good at subtext

Quidam (the character) somehow manages to be somewhat intimidating while also having very strong "safe person" energy

The Seeker suddenly gains two assistants in Creature De Siam that have not existed at all up to this point

They always turn even the singers into characters in the shows and I love that so much

They always manage to do something with the stage itself, from traps doors to a revolving platform to prop tracks and sometimes more than one of the above

I tried learning French so I can understand the characters but it is an evil language and putting myself through that would count as self-torture /j

The wiki refers to the train at the beginning of Kurios as Mister Microcosmos' outfit but he is standing elsewhere on stage when the train comes in so I actually have no idea who that is

Time Master doesn't get enough appreciation, I get that he isn't as merchandise-able as Klara and Nico and Mister Microcosmos but his act, aside from Chaos Troupe 1900, is definitely my favourite

Also the track for his act is not on the ost and that is a crime

Neither is the track that plays between 11h11 and Bella Donna Twist or the track that pays right before Hypnotique

And for some reason Departure is half of the track for Hand Theatre and then suddenly goes into the track before Dangerous Flight? I'm a bit confused there

I've started assigning names to character who don't have names or who's names I can't find anywhere

I refer to them by their actor's names like Carlos and Gongli

If they're a group or I can't find the actor's names I make something up I.e. I refer to the banquine performers in Kurios as The Beachgoers because I mean look at them it's a fitting name

WHY DID THEY RETIRE MICHAEL FROM KOOZÄ HE'S MY FAVOURITE CLOWN IN THE SHOW I WILL FOREVER BE UPSET ABOUT THIS

Also I can't find a single good quality picture of Michael in his grotesque-whiteface-esque costume that he wears for the whole show apart from during his pickpocket routine which is weird

I kinda can't stop staring at Klara or Nico any time they're on stage because their individual styles of body language are just fascinating

How does Quidam (the show) have such specific energy? I can't think of a better word than ethereal. Like it's unsettling but also feels safe and familiar somehow? Idk but I love it

WHY isn't Bella Donna present for the finale? That woman carried so much of Bella Donna Twist and then dips??? Give that woman the standing ovation she deserves!!!

The Quid Pro Quo/Mr Wow Show scene has probably more dialogue than the entirety of most of Cirque Du Soleil shows I've seen

Waz's outfit on Quid Pro Quo is. Something. I really want to know how that was made and what materials were used - this is coming from a guy with ZERO interest in textiles

Actually all of the outfits in Volta are crazy, even the Grays have interesting stuff going on, major props to the costume department

The fourth wall may or may not exist at any given point in time and it's fun to look for it

Especially when there are characters who thrive of off breaking the fourth wall (all clowns) vs characters who never once break the fourth wall (I.e. The Innocent or Ela or the Curios)

I DID NOT MEAN TO HIT POST THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT

I guess if I have any more thoughts I'll just come back and edit this post

[thefederalistfreestyle]

For actors of color, a large determining factor of our success in the business is closely linked to how good we are at translation. Earlier in the year, I was cast in a benefit reading of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town for The Actors Fund in New York. The one-night-only event would feature the talents of B.D. Wong, S. Epatha Merkeson, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and others whom I long respected and admired. These types of nights can be a lot of fun, but preparation is key. They’re well-attended by industry insiders. The evenings are relatively low stakes but high pressure. You want to feel good about how you did because there are no do-overs. A couple days before the first rehearsal, while preparing to play George, the young male lead of the piece, I found myself smack-dab in the middle of a mild identity crisis when asking myself the question: But who am I really? You see, Thornton Wilder’s beautifully wrought Our Town was never intended to be My Town. By that I mean, even though Our Town tells the story of the fictional Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire—a stand-in for a kind of Everytown—when looking at context clues and past productions of the seminal work, there don’t appear to be any people of color drawn in Wilder’s quintessential American town. Our Town, which follows the lives of George Gibbs and Emily Webb and those of their families, as well as the village’s other residents, did have universal dimensions, to be sure. The play is set in 1901 and takes place over the period of twelve years.  Narrated by an all-knowing Stage Manager, the script takes us through different life stages that run the gamut from mundane daily life to the peaks of romance and marriage, to the lows of death and loss.  At the time of its debut, Our Town—staged with no scenery and no curtain—was considered to be a radical departure from traditional theatre. Most critics agree that the setting and story represent a microcosm of the life cycles affecting most human beings. After a thorough read of the play, it was time to begin the process of finding honest empathetic pathways to a credible portrayal of George. It always begins with as strong a vision as I can conjure of myself inhabiting the world of the play. But this time, try as I might, I couldn’t get a clear vision. I couldn’t apply much of my American experience to Thornton Wilder’s fictitious New England town. And I had serious doubts that Mr. Wilder wrote his play with an eye toward color conscious casting someday or a need for diversity. Wilder wrote the truth as he imagined it. He wrote the truth about a small town of white strivers at the turn of the century. It is through his detail and specificity that he is able to tap into powerful and universal truths about the human experience. Obviously, plays about the concerns of a town full of Black people at that same point in American history would have an entirely different tone and language. As audience members, it is through Mr. Wilder’s specific and truthful renderings of these people, that we find our common connections and our capacity for empathy. Still, the more I thought about the dualities, the more it felt like my casting and the text were at odds, and the harder translation became. So am I a Black George in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town? Am I to investigate the way these scenes would play differently as Black George? Won’t my race impact the power dynamics in the play or dramatically alter the temperature in some of these scenes? Or…am I meant to ignore all this? Am I a white person for the evening? Am I, instead of Black George,“George in Whiteface?” My imagination had posed the question: Who am I really? My integrity demanded that I hunt down the answer. As the answers eluded me, I worried about falling short of expectations and I was a little sorry to have said yes to being a part of it in the first place. I had no clue how I was going to translate Mr. Wilder’s text into anything that came close to a truthful rendering onstage. In the midst of something of a downward spiral, I paused and after some deep breaths, the voice of my wiser self took over. No one has the answers. You have been invited into the room to search for the answers alongside your collaborators. You’re afraid. But guess what? So is everybody else. Make space and have compassion for everyone else’s fear in the room too. This experiment will work or it won’t work, but you’ve been invited into the room to explore. The exploration is the mission. You have the permission to fail. [. . .] As for the translation of the text, we discovered that there were more than enough cognates in the Universal language of the heart and language of our shared humanity to bring our light of truth to Our Town. The new depths came as somewhat of a revelation to me and I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to test the limits once more.

Leslie Odom, Jr.’s “Failing Up”: An Excerpt (Breaking Character Magazine)

Leslie’s book can be purchased here

[trhu]

For the Love of an Unworthy White Man

In October 2018, I finally saw Miss Saigon, after deliberately boycotting it for almost thirty years. When it first opened in 1989, between the tired rehashing of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and the yellowface casting controversy over Jonathan Pryce as the Engineer, there was nothing about this show that appealed to me, especially when I had already seen M. Butterfly, David Henry Hwang’s groundbreaking, Tony-winning play that turned the submissive Asian woman trope on its head. M. Butterfly literally changed my life at a time when I was just learning to navigate being an Asian woman in white America, and everything I read about Miss Saigon seemed to be in direct opposition to the lessons I learned from M. Butterfly: resist stereotypes, claim your heritage proudly, never let a man control the direction of your life. So, despite my love of Broadway musical extravaganzas, and my hunger to see Asian performers onstage, I never went to see this blockbuster hit. Whenever a production of Miss Saigon rolled into the Bay Area, people who knew how I loved theatre would ask if I was going to see it, and I’d have to explain once again why I found the basic premise of the story offensive and refused to support it. I got the distinct impression that a lot of people were internally rolling their eyes at my futile protest, but I didn’t care. It was a matter of principle. Until now. So...what changed my mind? Well, first and foremost, Soft Power. That was the Asian American musical extravaganza I’d been waiting for. David Henry Hwang’s absurdist semi-experimental comedy--about Hillary Clinton’s influence on a Chinese entertainment mogul that cast Asian American actors in whiteface and stands American cultural hegemony on its head--had me laughing and crying like nothing else I’ve ever experienced in my life. It was incredibly uplifting--especially in Trump’s America--to see so many Asian faces on the stage, dancing and singing, poking fun at clueless, self-important, white Americans, subverting stereotypes and challenging expectations. That was in July. Then, I saw Two Mile Hollow by Leah Nanako Winkler at the Ferocious Lotus. And Straight White Men by Young Jean Lee, the first play by an Asian American woman ever produced on Broadway. And then To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before on Netflix. And finally, Crazy Rich Asians on the big screen in August. In one glorious and unprecedented summer, I saw more Asian American representation on stage and screen than I had in my whole previous American life. Because I had always watched Chinese films and television shows, I had thought I was OK on the representation front, but really, it’s a totally different experience. Seeing Asian American representation, finally, fed my soul in a way that I hadn’t realized I needed, like I was starving and didn’t even know it until I feasted on all these wonderful stories about people like me. So when I was offered free tickets to Miss Saigon, I was surprised to not feel the visceral anger that had always bubbled up when this show came to town. I decided to go see it, in order to understand it better, and in the hopes that this new revival would have addressed some of the more problematic parts of the story. Also, the tickets had already been paid for, so why not? I wasn’t supporting the production, they already had the money. To be fair, I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t like it. I did try to look for positives: the set was well designed and efficient; the big helicopter scene was pretty epic, as promised; the whole flashback to the fall of Saigon was powerfully choreographed, and once again, I loved seeing so many Asian faces on stage. The kid who played Tam was adorably cute, too. He melted my grumpy heart a lot, for sure. But that story! It was agonizing to watch it unfold, yet again, knowing that the Asian woman we’d been coerced into sympathizing with was going to negate herself, disappear conveniently, so everyone else would get to have everything they wanted. It’s the lesson this world has been forcing down my throat for my entire life, and I’m tired of puking it back up in their faces. And that doesn’t even begin to address all the other tired old tropes: desperate Asian prostitutes clinging to American johns as their only chance at a better life; smarmy, abusive pimps-of-color who are still, somehow, the most practical and clear-eyed counselor for our heroine; conflicted, guilt-ridden white saviors confronted with the limits of their power and privilege. I’d seen it all before, so many times, and it was exhausting to sit through yet another iteration of this sad, incomplete, stereotypical story. Even worse, sitting there in the audience next to my white American husband, I felt embarrassed. I imagined the other playgoers--mostly older, mostly white--seeing us and thinking, “Oh how nice for them. What a lucky girl that one is, unlike poor Kim, to have won her white knight in the end.” If you think I’m being melodramatic, I assure you, I’m not. I’ve encountered that condescending attitude from way too many people--including members of my own family--for three decades now. Because my husband is a conventionally handsome white man from a wealthy family, a ridiculous lot of people assume that he ‘rescued’ me, or ‘lifted me up,’ or was somehow my ticket to a ‘better’ life by conferring upon me proximal access to his privilege and power. They see his love and commitment as an asset that I’m fortunate to have added to my portfolio, as if our relationship was an investment and I’m getting a higher return than he is. The implication, of course, is that he doesn’t gain as much from being with me as I do from being with him, because I don’t bring anything as systemically powerful as white male privilege and hereditary wealth to the table. Instead, his love for me is viewed as beneficent, charitable, a gift I should be eternally grateful for, and so many people are puzzled that I am not. In short, they think he is better than me, because he is white, he is a man, and he has money. What they don’t see, or acknowledge, or recognize as valuable, is the emotional strength and intellectual clarity that I possess, and the very traits that my husband fell in love with, back when he was a troubled young man. What they cannot grasp--because these stories are rarely told, which is why I’m telling it, now--is that in reality, I rescued him from an empty, directionless life of dead-end work and weekend debauchery, and earning my love is what gives his life meaning. When we met (in 1989, the same year Miss Saigon premiered in the West End, the same year I saw M. Butterfly for the first time), my husband was a twenty-three year old college dropout, working construction, drinking to excess, without a plan for the future or hope for a meaningful life. Sure, he came from a comfortably affluent family, but you’d never have known it from the way that he lived. He had rejected most of the trappings of privilege that he was born into, as well as its conventional, materialistic values, but had not yet formulated a coherent set of values for himself or discovered a purpose in life. He also espoused some really off-putting political views, half-jokingly idolized horrible, evil men like Richard Nixon and Charles Manson, and was prone to loud, obnoxious rants about things he clearly didn’t understand. I found nothing remotely attractive about him in our first few encounters. For his part, he didn’t even notice me for the first eight months we were in each others’ social orbit. It wasn’t until we were thrown together in a booth at La Rondalla that he even remembered me for the first time. But for whatever reason--and in thirty years, l still haven’t gotten a clear answer about his reasons, introspection is not his strong suit--that night he decided that I was what he needed in his life, and he set about wooing me despite my initial rejection of his advances. I did not take his courtship seriously at first. The trajectories of our lives were not in sync, and I had no intention of deviating from my goals. So far as I could tell, he had no goals, and I was reluctant to engage with someone who seemed so lost and unclear on his purpose in life. He was, quite simply, not worthy of my time or attention. Luckily for him, he made his move at a time when I was bored, waiting for my life to start--I was taking a gap year, working as a bike messenger in San Francisco, and had just been accepted to my dream college, with four months to kill before heading off to Berkeley--so I agreed to go out with him, figuring it would be a summer fling that would end when I went to Cal. Much to my surprise and consternation, by the time school started, we were in love. This was not what I’d expected, and I tried, repeatedly, to break up with him during my freshman year, to no avail. Every time I worked up the courage to break his heart, I felt terrible and took him back a few days later. I hadn’t counted on that. I’d never been in love before. One thing I’ve learned over the years...assuming there’s nothing fundamentally repulsive about them, it’s really hard to not love someone back who loves you wholeheartedly, without reservation. Chemistry is a mysterious thing, not always logical or rational, and what happens between two people can be hard to understand from outside the relationship. Even though I loved him, it was not easy to live with him. The trollish, aggro behavior that initially turned me off took a long time to for him to unlearn. He was often blind to his own privilege, and harbored deep insecurities that he refused to address. It took years to convince him to seek help, to confront his demons, to become a better man, and it was exhausting to be the constant voice of reason in the household, holding everything together because he hadn’t figured his shit out, yet. Over many years, he did slowly work through most of his issues, ultimately winning me over with his unwavering commitment and devotion, and most importantly, his willingness to change and grow in order to keep me in his life. After over three decades together, through many turbulent times, we’ve finally arrived at a relatively calm harbor in our relationship. It took a long time--a lot longer than I could have ever imagined when I first agreed to go out with him--but he has become worthy of my love. But this isn’t what most people see when they see us. What they see is a tall, handsome, successful, wealthy white man and the lucky immigrant Chinese girl who had the good fortune to snag him, lifting herself and their children into affluence in one generation. What they refuse to consider is the simple fact that falling in love with me, and working hard to become a man worthy of my love is the best thing my husband has done with his life. What they expect to see is 150 years of western imperialism in China played out in human form. What they don’t see is who we really are. Anyone who actually knows us, who understands the dynamics of our relationship, knows better. While my husband’s status and wealth is infinitely helpful in maintaining our materially comfortable lifestyle, and there is no question that he is a loving husband and father who works hard to provide for us, the entire construct of our lives is built upon my deep reserves of emotional strength, confidence, and resilience. I hold everything together, sometimes through sheer strength of will, fighting his self-destructive neuroses every step of the way. I suspect this is true in a lot of long-lasting relationships, but women are conditioned not to let people know this, lest it makes their man look weak. It’s time for strong women to break the silence, to stop hiding their strength in order to make men look stronger. Not too long ago, someone whom I’ve never met, who doesn’t know us and only knew that his wife was Asian, asked him, “Does your wife even speak English?” When he reported this exchange to me, laughing at the absurdity of other people’s assumptions about us, he was very surprised that I was furious that he thought it was funny. To him, and many other people, the fact that I am highly English proficient should take the sting out of these insulting assumptions about my language abilities. What they don’t understand is that the real assumption, the true insult, is that I am fundamentally less than he is, and there’s nothing fucking funny about that.

[nothatsabsurd]

John Genet

Born France, 1910, abandoned as a child, and turned to rebellious behaviour. He was sent to juvi at 15, and at 18 joined the French legion, but had to leave due to being gay. 

He supported himself with prostitution and petty theft during some hard times soon after this, and was in and out of prison. During his time in prison, however, he enjoyed to write. 

He completed an experimental novel called “Our Lady Of The Flowers” in 1944.

He was thought of very highly of the French intellectual crowd, and they got him out of a potential life imprisonment sentence. In 1949, they came together with a petition to free him. 

Genet turned to the theatre, with his first play “Deathwatch”, he established themes which would inspire and fascinate for years.

Sex, power, beauty, degradation, ritual, and theatricality itself.

The majority of his characters are playing roles within their situation as well, which can be switched. He focuses on the shift in power and sexual dynamics between people, how each one compliments the other. The reality of his plays are not all that grounded- this can be seen in such plays like “The Blacks”, where a group of black actors perform in whiteface. 

The play “The Maids” by Genet explores some of these themes of psychosexual power dynamics, where maids frame their mistress’s husband to keep him away from the house and try to kill her, while secretly taking it in turns to dress up as a mistress and treat each other like her. One ends up killing herself in roleplay. 

Genet was not trying to emulate realism, and was instead going for the complete opposite. He suggested that adolescent boys should play all the roles to “inhance the unreality”, however that comment sits slightly wrong in some way, especially due to the sexual undertones of the play in general.

Genet died in Paris in 1986. 

[rocklandhistoryblog]

#TBT Star of “The Tempest” to Appear in Nyack on NAACP Program May 14, 1945

Excerpt from the Journal News, May 3, 1945

Photo: Canada Lee, c. 1945 (wikicommon)

Heading a group of colored artists, all well known in various branches of the entertainment world, Canada Lee, noted actor, will appear in “Star-Bright Night,” a performance presented by the Nyack Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at Nyack High School auditorium on May 14, it was announced by Horace Lee, president of the local organization.

Canada Lee, who recently played Caliban in the Broadway production of “The Tempest,” is probably best remembered for his portrayal of the leading roles in Richard Wright’s “Native Son.” However, Caliban is not Mr. Lee’s first Shakespearean performance on Broadway. Under the direction of Orson Welles, Mr. Lee played the part of Banquo in the Federal Theatre’s All-Negro version of “Macbeth.” He took the leading role in the “Brother Mose” and “Stevedore,” has played in “Mamba’s Daughter”, “South Pacific” and “Anna Lucasta” and was in the motion picture “Lifeboat” with Tallulah Bankhead.

“Star-Bright Night” will be a feature of the current membership drive of the National Association for Advancement of Colored People. Mr. Lee stated declaring that he wished also to take the opportunity to set for the some of the aims of the granitization.

“The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is a non-political, non-profit making organization,” he said, “dedicated mainly to the safeguarding of the political, civil and legal rights of colored citizens. We are trying to secure for the negro citizen the right to vote, not only in such places as Nyack, where the denial of the right is unknown, but in all sections of the United States. We want equal opportunity of education for the negro race. In short, through an international educational campaign, we are trying to abolish all forms of discrimination against the negro based on his race or color rather than his qualities as a human being.”

“The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is not affiliated with any political party or any other special group, and it welcomes to membership all people who subscribe to its purposes, regardless of race, color or religious or political affiliation.”

Mr. Lee added that those wish to attend “Star-Bright Night” should get in touch with him at 23 Jackson Avenue, or with any of the following: Mrs. Sadie Parker, 46 South Franklin Street, Nyack, Mrs. Luella Gunnar, Miss Eleanor Deming, South Mountain Road, New City or Miss Kate Savery, Hillburn.

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Biographical information by Keith Hunter, Co-Founder of Harlem Cultural Archives:

Harlem-raised Canada Lee, who the New York Times once called “the greatest Negro actor of his day” has been almost totally forgotten in recent history. After dropping out of eighth grade to pursue a life as a jockey, Lee became disenchanted with his life so he took up professional boxing. But he was forced to retire from boxing due to a devastating injury that left him blind in one eye.

Lee began acting when his friend suggested he do a reading, and soon found himself protecting a young maverick director named Orson Welles, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship. Welles would later become an important director and advocate for the American Negro Theatre (ANT) and black performers. Lee was passionate about justice for those who had been marginalized, having seen firsthand the many lives challenged by the Great Depression. Early in his acting career, he garnered the role of Bigger Thomas in the stage performance of Richard Wright’s Native Son. He performed in front of thousands in theaters across the country, which he frequently had to pressure to reject segregated seating. This role and the play’s critique of black life had a profound impact on his future career.

The actor portrayed a variety of characters and was a vehement opponent of demeaning roles for African-American actors and actresses. Lee brought this resolve to every theater and film presentation of which he was a part. Interestingly, he was also the first African-American actor to perform in whiteface while doing Shakespeare. Even when forced to play traditionally stereotypical roles, critics always noted the respect he would bring to the role.

A man of immense love and talent, Lee was instrumental to many performers from the American Negro Theatre, who he helped become successful professional actors. Always outspoken and generous in his support of the downtrodden, he and fellow ANT alum Sidney Poitier snuck into Apartheid South Africa in the late 1940s as indentured servants in order to film the motion picture, Cry the Beloved Country. Following his exposure to the daily trauma of African life, he became even more critical of the world’s injustices and spoke out on the radio and in other public appearances.

As Lee became more of an activist, the government witch hunt that would define the McCarthy era, threatened to destroy his life and that of many performers and truth-seekers in the country including close friends Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson and W.E.B. DuBois. While Lee was never a member of the communist party, many people like himself who spoke truth were targeted for their critique of American injustice. It was believed that the leaders of America were fearful that African Americans would embrace communism as an alternative to the daily injustices they faced in this country. Lee had actively campaigned for the United States to defeat Hitler in World War ll, but that same congress eventually took away his livelihood and his passport.

Today the legacy of Canada Lee lives on in the work of American Negro Theatre alumni like Harry Belafonte, who continues to advocate for honorable portrayals of black life in theater and in film.

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Read more about Canada Lee here:

http://www.canadalee.com/

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February is Black History Month. We are pleased to share this story about Canada Lee coming to Nyack in honor of Black History Month.

[blackkudos]

Paul Winfield

Paul Edward Winfield (May 22, 1941 – March 7, 2004) was an American television, film and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder, which earned him an Academy Award nomination. He portrayed Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1978 television miniseries King, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award. Winfield was also known to science fiction fans for his roles in The Terminator, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He received five Emmy nominations overall, winning for his 1994 guest role in Picket Fences.

Early years

Winfield was born in Los Angeles, California, to Lois Beatrice Edwards, a union organizer in the garment industry. His stepfather from the age of eight was Clarence Winfield, a city trash collector and construction worker. He graduated from Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles. From there, he attended the University of Portland, 1957–59; Stanford University, 1959; Los Angeles City College, 1959–63; University of California, Los Angeles, 1962–64; University of Hawaii, 1965 and the University of California, Santa Barbara, 1970-71.

Career

A life member of The Actors Studio, Winfield carved out a diverse career in film, television, theater and voiceovers by taking ground breaking roles at a time when black actors were rarely cast. He first appeared in the 1965 Perry Mason episode, "The Case of the Runaway Racer," as Mitch, a race car mechanic. His first major feature film role was in the 1969 film, The Lost Man starring Sidney Poitier. Winfield first became well-known to television audiences when he appeared for several years opposite Diahann Carroll on the groundbreaking television series Julia. Filmed during a high point of racial tensions in the United States, the show was unique in featuring a black female as the central character. He also starred as Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1978 miniseries King.

In 1973, Winfield was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1972 film Sounder, and his co-star in that film, Cicely Tyson, was nominated for Best Actress. Prior to their nominations, and Diana Ross for Lady Sings the Blues the same year with Winfield and Tyson, only three other black Americans – Dorothy Dandridge, Sidney Poitier and James Earl Jones – had ever been nominated for a leading role. He also appeared, in a different role, in the 2003 Disney-produced television remake of Sounder, which was directed by Kevin Hooks, his co-star from the original. Winfield played the part of “Jim the Slave” in Huckleberry Finn (1974) which was a musical based on the novel by Mark Twain. Winfield would recall late in his career that as a young actor he had played one of the two leads in Of Mice and Men in local repertory, made up in whiteface, since a black actor playing it would have been unthinkable. Winfield also starred in miniseries, including Scarlett, and two based on the works of novelist Alex Haley: Roots: The Next Generations and Queen: The Story of an American Family.

Winfield gained a new segment of fans for his brief but memorable roles in several science fiction television series and movies. He portrayed Starfleet Captain Clark Terrell of the USS Reliant, an unwilling minion of Khan Noonien Singh, in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Lieutenant Ed Traxler, a friendly but crusty cop partnered with Lance Henriksen in The Terminator starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 1996, he was part of the 'name' ensemble cast in Tim Burton's comic homage to 1950s science fiction Mars Attacks!, playing the complacently self-satisfied Lt. General Casey. On the small screen Star Trek franchise, he appeared as an alien captain who communicates in metaphor in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Darmok". He also appeared in the second season Babylon 5 episode "Gropos" as General Richard Franklin, the father of regular character Dr. Stephen Franklin, and on the fairy tale sitcom The Charmings as The Evil Queen's wise-cracking Magic Mirror. He also portrayed the character of Julian Barlow in the television series 227 during its last two seasons.

Winfield also took on roles as homosexual characters in the films Mike's Murder in 1984 and again in 1998 in the film Relax...It's Just Sex. He found success off-camera due to his unique voice. He provided voices on the cartoons Spider-Man, The Magic School Bus, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Batman Beyond, Gargoyles, K10C and The Simpsons, on the latter voicing the Don King parody Lucius Sweet. In his voiceover career, he is perhaps best known as the narrator for the A&E true crime series City Confidential, a role he began in 1998 and continued with until his death in 2004. Throughout his career, Winfield frequently managed to perform in the theater. His only Broadway production, Checkmates, in 1988, co-starring Ruby Dee, was also the Broadway debut of Denzel Washington. He also appeared in productions at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. Winfield was nominated for an Emmy Award for his performance in the King and Roots: The Next Generations. He won an Emmy Award, in 1995, for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, for his appearance as Judge Harold Nance in an episode of the CBS drama Picket Fences.

Personal life and death

Winfield was gay, but remained discreet about it in the public eye. His partner of 30 years, architect Charles Gillan, Jr., died on March 5, 2002, of bone cancer. Winfield long battled obesity and diabetes. He died of a heart attack in 2004 at age 62, at Queen of Angels – Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in Los Angeles. Winfield and Gillan are interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Wikipedia