We Just Got Gutted
You’ve probably heard stories like this, but I want to bring it home with a real life example.
Recently, the National Endowment for the Arts began stripping away grants that it had already approved, targeting projects it considered “woke.” Small theater organizations depend on these grants. So when I heard that East West Players, a theater dear to my heart, got stripped of funding, I decided to help. And I hope many of you will, too, especially in honor of AANHPI Heritage Month this May.
East West Players is the oldest Asian American theater company in the country. Its alumni include George Takei, Daniel Dae Kim and Tamlyn Tomita, to name a few. Kim made history this year for being the first Asian American ever nominated for lead actor in a play on Broadway (!!) for his work in Yellowface by David Henry Huang, who is also an East West alum.
The Artistic Director of East West Players is Lily Tung Crystal. Small world: She once played a Korean mother, modeled after my own MA, in my musical Homeland. Happy Mother’s Day! Lily recently conveyed the heartbreaking news that the NEA yanked $20,000 that was going to support a groundbreaking new work, Paranormal Inside by Prince Gomovilas. So I pledged to try to make up at least half that shortfall, and I hope you can help.
People often ask me what they can do to resist this administration and support communities under attack. If you truly believe in diversity, equity and inclusion, and you are tired of seeing it treated like a punching bag by the right, then give the White House the middle finger by donating to East West Players today. No amount is too small. It only takes a couple of minutes, and it will feel good, I promise!
East West Players was founded in 1965 by nine artists who sought to promote positive images of Asian Americans beyond the stereotypical roles they were offered in Hollywood and to increase access, inclusion, and representation for AANHPI artists nationally.
It develops new works for the stage and offers three arts education programs providing essential skills development for students. It is dedicated to fighting racism and nurturing the next generation of minority artists. The Ford Foundation named it an “American Cultural Treasure” in 2020.
But now its mission is threatened by these NEA cuts.
I had the honor to receive a Visionary Award from East West Players at their 50th anniversary gala for bringing the story of the Japanese American internment to Broadway in Allegiance, for which I composed the music and lyrics. East West Players also produced Allegiance’s Los Angeles premiere!
As my big smile shows, no honor has ever meant more to me personally.
Thank you in advance for considering a donation to East West Players and a bit about this side of my life as a theatre artist. Representation matters, and it makes us a better, stronger, nation and society. I’m throwing the donation button up once more in case you made it this far!
Have a great Mother’s Day!
Jay
Hey remember when they started and it was all about “protecting” children in school from “radical ideology”? Remember how we pointed out conservatives’ long history of open, proud, explicit racism and said it was the first step in the elimination of all non-white stories and history from American life? Remember how we were told we were hysterically overreacting?
Because I sure the F do.
It’s everywhere, Jay. Was just reading in my small hometown paper that in both the Americorps those supporting the arts have had grants and stipends yanked. They appear to be small amounts on the surface but are the backbone of many of these vital programs.