Asian American Heritage takes the stage at Shotgun Players in Berkeley
Asian American Heritage will be taking center stage at Shotgun Players in Berkeley, just in time for AAPI Month.
On Saturday, the energy was one of nerves, excitement and importance. As the cast crew prepared for their sold-out, first preview performance of "Yellow Face," a satirical comedy tackling the subjects of race, identity and representation in American theater.
"Representation is still this thing we're trying to achieve," said Director Danial J. Eslick.
As a Filipino American, Eslick knows that all too well.
It's not lost on him that his show is playing during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, he hopes he can contribute to representation for future generations.
"Someone who sees this interview goes 'oh, there's a Filipino American, who's a director and creating work,' they know it's a path they can go down," he said.
Eslick has been working to bring this script to life since 2023.
It started as just a reading, it was so well received that it became a full show and Eslick's directorial debut.
Yellow Face is semi-autobiographical and was written by David Henry Hwang. It follows an Asian playwright as he accidentally casts a white actor to play an Asian role, known as "Yellow Facing."
But Eslick tried not to repeat that blunder by hiring a mostly AAPI cast and crew.
"The team we have is full of people that I'm really happy we were able to put that trust in," said Eslick.
Chloe Wong is one of them. Wong plays multiple roles in the show and is grateful to get to do it with a predominantly Asian cast of people.
"There's just a general understanding with certain cultural attitudes and just the way that we do things, the way that we think," explained Wong. "It sometimes more understanding and there's no need to explain."
The play premiered in 2007 and takes place in the 90s shortly after protests against the casting of Jonathan Pryce, a white actor, for an Asian character in Little Saigon.
Wong says much of the story is still applicable today.
"There's so much to learn from, even though it is technically dated," said Wong. "The people who are referenced, maybe not everyone from the younger side of the spectrum, will understand, but it's still extremely relevant to what is going on today and it's fast paced, it's funny."
Eslick admits he feels some pressure taking on such an influential and important piece of theater.
"It's a little terrifying," confessed Eslick.
Still, he says he's honored and confident the cast and crew will be able to do it justice.
"I think David Henry Hwong has crafted such a tight script, such a beautiful, hilarious script but I think the things we've added in will shed some light on the AAPI experience," said Eslick about their adaptation.
Shotgun Players is doing 'pay what you can', preview showings Sunday, May 11, Thursday, May 15 and Friday, May 16. Opening night is Saturday, May 17. The show runs through June 8.
