Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

HAPPY ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH (Not to mention the month of my birthday, but that's not what this post is for.) The Asian community is one of the most

Mimi Lien

overlooked communities when it comes to talented individuals. Are you aware that only 11 people of Asian descent have won a Tony?

1. B.D. Wong- Best Featured Actor in a Play for M. Butterfly in 1988
2. Clint Ramos- Best Costume Design of a Play for Eclipsed in 2016
3. David Henry Hwang- Best Play for M. Butterfly in 1988
4. Lea Salonga- Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Miss Saigon in 1991
5. Lena Hall- Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Hedwig and the Angry Inch in 2014
6. Linda Cho- Best Costume Design of a Musical for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder in 2014
7. Mimi Lien- Best Scenic Design of a Musical for Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 in 2017
8. Ming Cho Lee- Best Scenic Design for K2 in 1983
9. Robert Lopez- Best Original Score for Avenue Q in 2004 and The Book of Mormon in 2011/Best Book of a Musical for The Book of Mormon in 2011
10. Ruthie Ann Miles- Best Featured Actress in a Musical for The King and I in 2015
11. Willa Kim- Best Costume Design for Sophisticated Ladies in 1981 and The Will Rogers Follies in 1991

    

    Linda Cho

And do you know that 3 people have won a Tony for portraying yellowface? (This is not even mentioning the countless others that have been nominated.)

1. Jonathan Pryce- Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Miss Saigon in 1991
2. Juanita Hall- Best Featured Actress in a Musical for South Pacific in 1950
3. Yul Brynner- Best Featured Actor in a Musical for The King and I in 1952

Asians/Asian-Americans are bursting with talent and yet the theatre world barely seems to use them. Now, granted things have gotten much better as of recently, but it still could be much better. There is so much that I could say on this subject, and I do plan on writing it out one day, but I have finals to study for and a paper to write so I'll just stop here. Don't forget to have yourself a little Youtube concert of some of these outstanding actors/actresses. My personal favorites are Emily Bautista, Ethan Le Phong, Eva Noblezada, Hong Kwang-Ho, Jon Jon Briones, Megumi Hamada, Oak Joo-Hyun and of

David Henry Hwang

 course the fabulous Rachelle Ann Go. However, this year is a year to celebrate the Tony's because there are at least 10 nominees of Asian descent this year! They are in a vast amount of categories too which makes me so happy!

1. Ayad Akhtar- Best Play for Junk: The Golden Age of Debt
2. Ari’el Stachel- Best Featured Actor in a Musical for The Band's Visit
3. Ashley Park- Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Mean Girls
4. Clint Ramos- Best Costume Design of a Musical for Once On This Island
5. David Yazbeck- Best Original Score for The Band's Visit
6. Jamshied Sharifi- Best Orchestrations for The Band's Visit
7. Jenna Ushkowitz- Best Revival of a Musical for Once On This Island
8. Kai Harada- Best Sound Design of a Play for The Band's Visit
9. Robert Lopez- Best Original Score for Frozen
10. Tony Shalhoub- Best Leading Actor in a Musical for The Band's Visit