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We, the undersigned theater artists, are concerned about your upcoming production of THE MIKADO to be produced at multiple Bay Area venues. We recently learned of your March 25 press release stating that “in the spirit of sensitivity,” you intend to alter your original plan and set the production in England. We understand that our conversations and the resulting community pressure have prompted you to rethink your production. Yet, in light of this shift, we have a few remaining questions. The Background First, we feel it important that the community know the background of this evolving conversation. About a month ago, you asked Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company to refer ethnically Asian actor/singers to your production set in Japan. We sat down with your managing director Sarah Vardigans and voiced our concerns about a) casting and b) the inherently racist elements of THE MIKADO and how the show was to be presented on stage. Ms. Vardigans told us that Lamplighters could not commit to hiring Asian or Asian-American actors for the Asian roles. She also stated that you were trying to mitigate the opera’s racist elements by a) not using yellow-face makeup on the Caucasian actors; b) setting the play in Japan during the Meiji Era when people dressed in western clothing; and c) taking out a couple lines in the libretto. Firstly, having non-Asian actors play Asian roles itself constitutes yellow-face; it does not matter what makeup or clothing they’re wearing. Thus, we chose not to refer performers. Secondly, we would not recommend that people in the community participate or endorse a show that perpetuates racial stereotypes. Present Concerns As a response, you are now setting the opera in England, but there are still lingering dramaturgical questions: THE MIKADO’s racist Japanese names were included in the plot summary published in your March 25 press release. Will those names be changed for production? Will any of your non-Asian actors be playing Asian roles and thus incorporating yellow-face? Will any Asian actors be portraying stereotypical Asian characters? How will you handle the orientalism that is present throughout the libretto and score? We hope that you continue to address this matter with social-political awareness. We acknowledge the removal of yellow-face from your Facebook audition posting. However, your website remains full of photos of yellow-face from past productions, and even more concerning, school tours and education programs. If you are sincerely concerned about racial sensitivity, we encourage you to stop perpetuating these images. We hope that your company appreciates the problematic aspects of this material and will work to adequately reinvent it, even in an English setting. As you know, there is a longstanding legacy of White appropriation of Asian cultures that has brought much volatility to the theatre community in recent years, namely at the Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society in 2014 and the cancellation of the New York Gilbert & Sullivan Players production in 2015 at NYU’s Skirball Center. Continuing Discussion Considering this important and sensitive conversation, which started in person, we had hoped to hear from you directly about your evolving approach to addressing our concerns. Lamplighters’ communication with us so far has been somewhat dismissive and disappointing.
For example, Ms. Vardigans implied in a March 21 email that because we didn’t recommend Asian-American actors to your show—one that would incorporate yellow-face—we forced you to forego an opportunity to expand the diversity of your company. We at Ferocious Lotus argue that that responsibility is yours, and you can still make the choice to hire actors of color, including for this current production. Moreover, we encourage you to do so and would be happy to refer talented performers once the production has adequately dealt with the racist elements of its script and presentation. We invite you to continue this dialogue with us and our local and national allies. Signed, Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company and Undersigned Theatre Artists & Theatre Goers Lily Tung Crystal, founding artistic director; actor/singer Mina Morita, artistic director of Crowded Fire Theatre Company Rinabeth Apostol, actor Christopher Chen, playwright Desdemona Chiang, director Tiffany Cothran, managing director of Crowded Fire Theatre Company Eric Crystal, musician Will Dao, actor Leon Goertzen, founding associate artistic director; actor Lauren Gunderson, playwright David Henry Hwang, playwright Cindy Im, actor Min Kahng, playwright/composer May Liang, literary manager/director Jeffrey Lo, playwright/director; company manager/casting associate of TheatreWorks Karen Altree Piemme, director/actor/dramaturg Nonoko Sato, former board member of Asian American Theater Co; community leader Susan Shay, actor/singer M. Graham Smith, director Valerie Weak, actor Phil Wong, actor/musician Ogie Zulueta, actor Marie Apostol-Bernardo, Executive Assistant Abdulrahim Harara, Actor. Writer. Activist. Palestinian Adam Sussman Alan Olejniczak, Playwright / Producer of At Last Theatre Alison Vasquez, Theatre Professor/Playwright Alleluia Panis, Director KULARTS Amy Cortright, Singer/Educator Amy Mihyang Ginther, Assistant Professor and Theatre Maker, UC Santa Cruz Amy Prosser Andrea Romano, Writer/Journalist Andrew Page, Grants Manager, Cal Shakes Anna Lee, Actor Anne Hallinan, Actor Anonymous, Bay Area, CA Anonymous, Brooklyn, NY Anonymous, San Francisco, CA Anthony Clarvoe, Playwright Ashley Smiley, Freelance Technician/SM/ASM/Director Ben Landmesser Bert van Aalsburg, Stage Manager/Actor Beverly Sotelo, Theater education administrator/actor Blair Leatherwood, Actor Bob Young, Lighting designer and collective member of Sapphic Underground Bobby August Jr., Actor/Teacher Brian P. Luce, Theater administrator at Cal Shakes Brooke Jennings, Costume Designer Caitlin McGarty, Casting Director at TheatreFIRST Carla Corona, Theatre Educator/Arts Admin Carla Pantoja, Actor/Fight Director Carlos Aceves, Set Designer Carlos Aguilar, Set Designer Casey Worthington, Actor Cassidy Brown, Actor Chloe Bronzan, Actor/Director Chongren Fan, Stage Director Chris Mahle, Theatre educator Christian Cagigal Christine Tanabe, Actor Christopher Morrison, Writer/Director laire Tran, Playwright Clive Worsley, Director, Artistic Learning, California Shakespeare Theater Cody Rishell, Graphic Artist Conrad Panganiban, Playwright Consuelo Brennan, actor Cordelia Miller, Stage Manager Corey Ruzicano, Artist/Teacher/Administrator Courtney Flores, Costume Designer Cristina Anselmo, Actor/Educator Crystal Whybark, Actor Daniel Olson Danielle Gray, Actor/Variety Performer Danielle Perata, Actor David Milligan, Production Manager, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Deanna Zibello, Scenic Designer/Educator Dennis Markam, Actor/Teaching Artist Dennis Yen, Actor Devon LaBelle Elizabeth Sung, actor/director/teacher Ellicia Elliott, Artistic Director of The Rude Mechanicals (WA) Emliya Cachapero, Director of Artistic and International Programs, Theatre Communications Group Esther Hyun, Special Ed. Teacher Eugenie Chan, Playwright Eunhye Kim, Acupuncturist and herbalist Fred Tung, Law Professor, Boston University Giovannie Espiritu, Actor/Educator Guy Tiphane Hanah Zahner-Isenberg, Production Manager / Stage Manager Hannah Birch Carl, Multi-Disciplinary Theatre Artist Hesed Kim, Acting & Dance Student Jai Sahai, Actor/Musician Jamie Asdorian Jeanette Harrison, Actor/Director/Producer Jeffrey Countryman, Contracts Administrator Jennifer Roberts, Playwright/Producer/Co-Founder Ex Nihilo Theater Jerome Joseph Gentes, Playwright and Producer Jessica Powell, Actor Joel Roster, Artistic Director, Town Hall Theatre Joel Sass, Theater director/designer Jon Tracy, Artistic Director, TheatreFIRST Jonathan Castanien, Stage Manager Joseph Yang, Performing Artist Joyce Liu-Countryman, Producer/Actor Julie Frumkin Julie Kuwabara, Actor/ New Media Consultant/ Resident Artist BINDLESTIFF Jully Lee, artistic director of Cold Tofu; actor/director Katherine Lee Katherine Park, Actor/Singer Kathleen Antonia, CEO, What The ... Productions; Novel Approach, LLC; filmmaker/thespian/singer/dancer Kathryn Han, Actor Kathryn Zdan, Actor Katie Vroom, Theatre Artist Keiko Carreiro, actor/costume designer Ken Narasaki, Actor/Writer Laura Shapiro, Marketing Manager Lauren Spencer, Actor/Educator Lauren Villegas, Actor, Founder Project Am I Right? For Ally Actors Lauren Yee, Playwright Laylah Muran de Assereto, Producer/Playwright LeeAnn Dowd Leslie Ishii, Stage Director/EWP Diversity Liaison/Actor/Arts Educator Liam Vincent, Actor Lisa Marie Rollins, Playwright / Director / Dramaturg Lydia Garcia, Literary Manager/Resident Dramaturg, Marin Theatre Company Maggie Whitaker, Costume Designer Marilee Talkington Martin Rojas Dietrich, Actor/Director Maryssa Wanlass, Actor Matthew McCoy, Artistic Director, Bay Area Musicals Megan Kilian-Uttam, Actor/Product Manager Mei Ann Teo Melissa Locsin Melpomene Katakalos, Professor of Theatre and Scenic Designer Michael Locher, Designer/Educator Michael Robertson, Managing Director, The Lark Michelle Ianiro, Actor/Producer/Playwright Michelle Talgarow Midori Francis, Actor Miyoko Sakatani, Actor Monica Ho, Actor Mylissa Malley, Actor/Teaching Artist Nicholas Pilapil, Producer Nick Kumamoto, Lighting and Video Designer Nicole Meñez, Director/Actor/YouthAware Associate at New Conservatory Theatre Center Nijeul Porter, Program Manager, artEquity norman gee Oliver Saria, Managing Director, Bindlestiff Studio Olivia George, Communications Associate, The Lark Patricia Garza, Artistic Development Program Manager, CTG Patricia Milton, Playwright/Librettist/Lyricist Paul Silverman Perry Aliado, actor/educator Peter J. Kuo, Director Rachel Lu, Actor/Producer Rebecca Apostol, Consultant Rebecca Novick Rey Simon-Igra, Sales Associate Rob Seitelman, Actor/Writer/Director Ron Muriera Ryan Marchand, Actor/Artistic Director Handful Players Sal Mattos, actor/writer/webmaster Sango Tajima, Actor Sheila Devitt, Actress/Herbalist SK Kerastas, Visiting Artistic Associate, Berkeley Rep, TCG Leadership U Slater Penney, Actor/Creator/Teacher Sonia Fernandez, Associate Artistic Director/ Dramaturg Stefanie Lau, Producing Artistic Leader, Artists at Play Stefanie Zadravec, Playwright Stephen Pawley, Actor/Western Principal Councilor, Actors Equity Association Steve Workman, Manager, Security Engineering at Mozilla Tasi Alabastro, Actor Taylor Edelhart, Theatremaker and Activist Tiiu Eva Rebane, Actor/Arts Administrator Tracy Camp, actor/singer Ty Defoe, Artist | artEquity Velina Brown, Actor/Singer/Director/SFMT Collective Member Vera Sloan, Director/Actor/Artistic Director Emertius Silicon Valley Shakepeare Vikas Menon, Writer/Nonprofit fundraiser Wahab Shayek, Performer Wayne Lee, Actor/Educator Wes Gabrillo, Actor / Performer-Educator William Hodgson, Co-Artistic Director, Ubuntu Theater Project
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