Asian performers/shows research and info needed

You may want to get in touch with Philip Chung of Lodestone Theatre.

http://www.lodestonetheatre.org/Contact%20Us.html

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You should definitely check out Esther Kim Lee's book "A History of Asian American Theatre" (Cambridge University Press, 2006). You may also want to take a look at James Moy's "Marginal Sites: Staging the Chinese in America" (Iowa, 1993). Good luck-- it sounds like an interesting paper...

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I randomly came across this website, which may be of interest to you in your research:

http://www.asianamericansonbroadway.com/home.html

A few other Asian actors that came to mind:
Mako - Pacific Overtures (Tony nom).
Miyoshi Umeki - Flower Drum Song (Tony nom).
Pat Suzuki - Flower Drum Song.
June Angela - Tuptim in the 70s revival of King and I, Shogun the Musical (Tony nom).
BD Wong - M. Butterfly (won Tony), You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, the short-lived Face Value
Alec Mapa - M. Butterfly.
Baayork Lee - A Chorus Line, Promises Promises, others
Francis Ruivivar - Shogun the Musical, Engineer in Broadway Miss Saigon (the first Asian-American in the role)
Barry Bernal - original Thuy, Broadway Miss Saigon
Kam Cheng - original alternate Kim, Broadway Miss Saigon, ensemble in King and I
Joohee Choi - Tuptim in King and I revival
Jason Ma - Thuy/Engineer in Miss Saigon
Luoyong Wang - Engineer in Miss Saigon
Leila Florentino, Roxanne Taga, Rona Figueroa - Kim in Miss Saigon
Margaret Anne Gates - Ellen in Miss Saigon

(There are a lot of other actors that were cast in Miss Saigon over the years - the ones above are just the ones that came to mind. I'm sure you can find a list somewhere).

If you want to talk about leading/featured Asian roles, you should be sure to touch upon the handful of other Asian-themed Broadway shows, including Pacific Overtures, Flower Drum Song, South Pacific, M. Butterly and Shogun the Musical (in addition to Miss Saigon and the King and I, which you already mentioned). There aren't that many so you can't really ignore any of them. There are also some smaller Asian roles in a few shows, including Avenue Q, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Chorus Line and Asian actors have been cast in smaller roles in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Mamma Mia, City of Angels, Company, Rent, etc.

Beyond Broadway, you may want to take a look at off-Broadway, including the Pan Asian Rep and other companies that specialize in productions starring Asian actors or Asian themed shows. And you should see if you can read Yellow Face, David Henry Hwang's latest play at the Public, which was a Pulitzer finalist this year and discussed the issue of Asian actors and non-traditional casting.

Good luck!

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Jon Jon Briones is one of my favorite Filipino male performers. He was in the original cast of Miss Saigon as an ensemble and later became the Engineer in the tour. Also Leo Valdez was in the UK tour.

Btw, be sure to mention that not only was the Engineered originated by a white person in Miss Saigon, Thuy was as well.

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Updated On: 4/25/08 at 02:02 PM

Alan Muraoka

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Jennifer Paz, Ma-Anne Dionisio - Kim in Miss Saigon
Joanna Ampil, Joan Almedilla- Kim in Miss Saigon, Fantine Les Miz

Updated On: 4/25/08 at 05:11 PM

Thanks everyone. I appreciated the PMs and comments you left. All the information will be very helpful

~Jkor

Contact east west players out in los angeles..they do great work. eastwestplayers.org

I've seen Asian Americans on Broadway, and although the banter is painfully cheesy, it's a good show.

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