We may begin to see the names of more Asian Americans on the lighted marquees of Broadway.
The NY Times reports “An unusual bonanza of jobs is in the offing” for Asian American actors.
The article points to the revivals of the King & I and Miss Saigon and new shows like Here Lies Love which evolves around Imelda Marcos as opportunities for Asian Americans. See clip below.
On top of that, Asian American actors are landing roles that don’t traditionally go to Asian actors.
“Asians are used to being the third actress to the right of the star,” said Ruthie Ann Miles, a Korean-American who wore a blond wig for a role in Annie before landing the role of Mrs. Marcos. “The wig,” she added, “was supposed to make me fit in with my two white sisters. Those were the things a lot of us did to get work.”
So can these shows attract an audience and will this be enough to increase the overall dismal numbers of Asian Americans on Broadway. You can read more about that in the NY Times
