Study shows number of APAs on Broadway decreasing
Tags: Broadway, Theatre, Musical, Theater, New York

Although the percentage of African Americans and Hispanic Americans on Broadway has steadily gone up, the percentage of Asian Pacific Americans has actually decreased from 3 percent five years ago, according to a study by Crain’s New York Business.

The study shows that only 1.6 percent of available roles in new Broadway productions are performed by APAs whereas African Americans’ number of roles jumped from 8 percent to 14 percent, Hispanic Americans — two percent to four percent, according to Asian American Performers Action Coalition. Yet even without these statistics the lack of APAs is apparent.

“From what I have seen, [Broadway productions] have mostly been black and white; I haven’t really seen a lot of Asian dancers and performers,” freshman biology major Izabelle Mendez said.

In the university’s own theatre department, senior theatre and marketing double major Ruth Ann Watkins recalls only two half Chinese students and about three other APAs who are in the field. “Needless to say, it’s not very good representation on a campus of our size,” she said.

“I think a lot of Asian Americans are mostly involved in schooling and higher professions, like when you go to hospitals and see Asian doctors or Asian chemists and Asian professors,” Mendez added.

This decrease, possibly because of discrimination, contains a complex explanation. “There are just not enough characters … that Asian Americans can connect to or portray because of the certain looks that directors often look for,” junior elementary education major Hannah Stevens said.

According to Izumi Ashizawa, a playwright and assistant professor of theatre at this university, when directors are looking to cast APAs, they are looking for those with identifiable, sometimes even stereotypical, physical features. For mixed APAs like Watkins, this underlying requirement puts them at a disadvantage. “I’m only half Chinese, but there aren’t too many roles available for multiracial kids unless you can pass convincingly for one race.”

The specificity of not just the characters but also the story line and setting also limits the directors’ casting options. “The stories that grab the imagination of the producers tend to be specific to historical times and places,” said Adriane Fang, a dance professor at this university. “Like if it’s ‘The Color Purple,’ there’s definite roles for blacks and whites.”

Although production companies get the say in the end on who is casted for their shows, they are still bound by the guidelines set forth by Actors Equity, an American labor union fighting against inequality within the theater industry and for the performing arts.

“Actors Equity requires that shows do color blind casting unless otherwise specified within the script,” Watkins said. “So it’s a step, but I wish casting directors would take more risks.”

Ashizawa and Fang also attributed the decrease in APA Broadway actors to social expectations.

“I think [discrimination] is too simple. It’s the structure too,” Ashizawa said. “Since the pool of minorities accepted into drama schools is small, Asian American actors are not necessarily going to the top acting schools … each year they either have one Asian or non-Asian.”

“Broadway is expensive. Unless you’re going to draw in a diverse audience, it’s not going to make it.” Fang added.

Despite this, Ashizawa and Fang continue to encourage the performing arts as a potential career path.

“I don’t discourage because there are so many people that are making adaptations … like Romeo and Juliet is being done over and over and over again. It’s opening up,” Fang said. She also added that the key is not to give theater up altogether, but be realistic about your goals. “You can’t ever make a hard fast rule of ‘don’t go into theater,’ but I wouldn’t be training to be on “Dreamgirls.”

Knowing that her prospects for performance may be limited by her race, Watkins continues to pursue theater through another doorway.

“Personally, I’ve switched my focus from performance to stage management,” she said. “However, I can’t pretend that the lack of Asian American roles didn’t factor partly into my decision to switch my focus.”

Another key point is looking for the right opportunities. “There are some casting opportunities where directors are looking for colorblind casting — anybody that can sing well and dance well,” Ashizawa said.

Some, she added, even are looking specifically for APAs and are not casting based on physical features.

“I know there are many in Los Angeles; they have their own theater and they produce Asian American cast performances,” she said. She cited playwright David Henry Hwang’s “Chinglish” as an example of a Broadway show that focuses on APA issues.

Fang also suggested that theater is not the only way to pursue a performing arts career.

“Dancing is more open,” she said. “I think with the dance world, you find your niche. Within the genre and style, you find people that appreciate what your body could do. Theater is more limited.”

Those interested in pursuing the performing arts, “should watch videos of their competitors,” Mendez said. “Be sure their dancing and singing [are] better, that they learn faster, and they can sing in tune with the music and remember their lines better than those already on Broadway.”

“Show business is already such risky business,” Watkins said. “I don’t think being Asian American would make a huge difference. No one goes into the performing arts for money; the people who choose to live this life do it because they’re passionate about performing and aren’t going to let ethnicity get in the way.”