The development of Asian-American theatre: The case of the East West Players.

摘要

In this dissertation, I examine the development of the East West Players (EWP) in Los Angeles, the first and most important Asian American theatre company in the United States. The Players was founded in 1965 by Asian American actors, including Mako Iwamatsu, James Hong, Beulah Quo, Pat Li, June Kim, and Yet Lock. Mako Iwamatsu, who identified himself professionally as just Mako, became the first artistic director, a post he held until 1988.;The history of the East West Players during the first three decades represents the development of Asian American theatre as a whole, in as much as leading actors, directors, and playwrights have used this company to present their aesthetic vision as well as their sociopolitical concerns. Through various productions, the EWP has cultivated Asian American performing arts that express Asian American history, the immigrant experiences, and problems of self-identity and self-expression in modern American society. The company's training of playwrights and actors enormously contributed to the growth of Asian American theatre that is now exemplified by the Asian American Theatre Company (San Francisco), the Northwest Asian American Theatre (Seattle), the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (New York City), and Theatre Mu (Minneapolis).;By tracing the history of the EWP, I chart the vital contributions of the EWP to Asian American theatre and society. In this study I also focus on the company's influence on the evolving self-awareness and ethnic identity of Asian Americans. At the same time, I discuss how the company has often compromised with the mainstream tastes in order to gain public recognition. By analyzing changes the company has made in production and administration, I evaluate the company's accomplishments and failures. This research provides the first full study of the East West Players, and in turn it also offers a new perspective on the development of Asian American theatre in the history of American theatre and drama.