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Karly-Paige Im

February 22, 2020

An Exploration Of In Thoroughly Modern Millie And Its Relevance ​ ​

I remember the first time I saw the hit musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie at my ​ ​ local high school in Ohio. It was 2012 and as a 13 year old loyal fan, I was beyond excited to see the amazing musical that broke her into stardom. Little did I know my heart would drop to my stomach as I watched multiple white actors walk onstage wearing yellowface and speaking with an incredibly offensive Chinese accent. As the show ended with a standing ovation, I sank lower into my seat wondering if there would ever be a place for an Asian actor like me onstage.

Thoroughly Modern Millie tells the story of a young flapper named Millie seeking a job ​ ​ whilst navigating her evil landlord, Mrs. Meers (a white woman who pretends to be Chinese) and

Mrs. Meer’s Chinese minions who plan to human traffic Millie. The 2002 hit Broadway musical went on to win multiple and in 2007, through Musical Theatre International, the

[5] show was opened for licensing as well as a “Jr.” licence for younger performers .​ Musical ​

Theatre International reports that their annual EdTa list puts Thoroughly Modern Millie as #5 on ​ ​

[5] the list of the most performed musicals in high schools across the United States .​ At almost ​ every high school with a longstanding drama club, you can see past production photos of

Thoroughly Modern Millie. This show is popular among colleges as well, making it financially ​ Im 2 very successful. Although the show is popular to perform, it carries much controversy as experienced in the several high school protests across the country.

These protests are particularly seen in areas where there is a large Asian American

[10] community. This can be seen in Levittown ( Image 1 below )​ where “nearly three dozen ​ ​ ​

Asian-American

groups on Long Island said the play disparages

Chinese-Americans and is offensive to them — and they plan to take their objections

[10] to local and county elected officials” .​ Long Island is not ​ alone in backlash against high school productions of Millie. “I Love Newton, MA” blogger, Mia ​ ​ Wenjen who goes by “Pragmatic Mom” was shocked and hurt as an Asian American that her city of Newton (that has a large Asian American population), decided to produce this musical at their local high school. Wenjen writes, “, Jeanine and Dick Scanlan are not Asian

Americans nor did they seem to study Asian American history and therefore wrote a 2002 musical that is historically inaccurate with dated Asian stereotypes. They are using the wrong stereotypes and erasing the history of what actually happened to Asian Americans during the

[6] 1920s. We, as Asian Americans, don’t need this kind of help” .​ The all white creative team of ​ Im 3

Mille that Wenjen mentions, Michael Mayer, and Dick Scanlan, disagree that ​

[5] their show perpetuates harmful stereotypes and they argue that it is anything but racist. ​ They ​

Specifically, book writer Dick Scanlan notes in a 2016 Musical Theatre International podcast that he considers the musical to actually be an attempt to end harmful Asian stereotypes ​ ​

[5] often seen in media and even seen in the original movie of the story .​ Although, Thoroughly ​ ​ ​

Modern Millie the musical was created in 2001, it was based off of the 1967 film of the same ​ name and in which the two yellow faced Asian characters were named “Oriental #1 and #2”. ​ Broadway director Michael Mayer was even hesitant to direct the show that was based off of the

[5] racist movie, refusing to sign on it until “[It’s] understood how to attack the Asian characters” .​ ​

Instead of working with Asian Americans, writer Dick Scanlan insisted that giving the characters of “Oriental #1 and #2” their own names, backstories, and language would “end” the original

[5] racist stereotypes of the characters .​ Although these characters do get the chance to speak in ​

Cantonese, Mia Wenjen points out that the names given to them of “Bun Foo” and “Ching Ho ''

[6] aren't even authentic Chinese names .​ ​

In fact, there is a lot about the show that is culturally inaccurate. This idea that in the

1920s most Asians survived fnancially by selling women into human trafficking is not historically accurate and instead is a recocurring stereotype that causes the fear of and backlash

[6] against particuarly Asian and Arab minorities .​ As Wenjen notes, “While there were some ​ ​ examples of Chinese mafia members engaging in human trafficking during the 1920′s, the sad distortion is that in actuality, many more Asian women and children were and still are trafficked

[6] from China and other Asian countries to the United States” .​ ​ Im 4

In fact, in the 1920s, discrimination against Asians was a widespread norm and yellowface was a reflection of the cultural feelings toward Asian immigrants, especially Chinese immigrants at the time. It is important to know that during the 1920s, The Immigration Act of

[7] 1924 was passed which completely excluded Asian immigrants from America .​ Through this ​ act, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, and Indians were fully excluded by law, denied citizenship and naturalization, and prevented from marrying Caucasians or owning land/equity which was

[7] extremely important at the time .​ In addition to that law came even more xenophobia and ​ racism towards Asian Americans. This is even when the infamous phrase, “The Yellow Peril” was emerged stereotyping all Asians and classifying them as an existential danger to the Western

7] world and white blood .​ ​

So although the idea of involving Chinese immigrants in a story about America in the

1920s makes sense, the fact that these Chinese characters revert to the harmful stereotypes of the time instead of overcoming them is problematic. Therefore, the show seems to highlight the

Chinese characters in a bad light and they’re seen as characters to laugh at. This stereotype heavy, yellow faced storyline that’s causing productions across the country to close is practically begging for a rewrite. Fortunately, the show itself is getting just that and a rewrite is set for

[8] 2021 .​ In the new Thoroughly Modern Millie, immigrants are showcased overcoming obstacles ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and stereotypes instead of being defined by them. The main character of Mille will be played by

Korean American Broadway star, Ashley Park who says, “It’s one of the characters that I’ve loved, always, but I always figured I’d never play it just because of the race stuff that’s in [the

[8] show]” .​ The original creative is set to work on rewrites and will hopefully take in the ​ Im 5 experiences that many Asian Americans have had with the show. This production has gained a lot of excitement in both the theatre world and Asian American community and there is a lot of pressure for the rewrite to be something Asian Americans can be proud of.

As exciting as it is that this musical is getting a rewrite, we must examine why it took so long and why so many theatres across America deem yellowface as acceptable still today. First it is important as it is to understand that the term “yellowface” includes Asian stereotypes and historical inaccuracies, but of course there is also the literal definition which is white actors putting on a yellow face. This means that while the script is inherently a product and enabler of yellowface itself, the physical production of it poses an entire other conversation.

Although there is no exact number recorded of yellow faced productions of this show, the very fact that this was a noted concern when putting out the high school/ JR. license for it goes to show that it is a common issue. The Broadway producers/writers agreed that if there’s not a white actor dressing up as an Asian character and the roles are originated by Asian actors, it’s acceptable enough even if the material itself is problematic. The creative team even went as far to say that “A school somewhere in America where they don’t have any Asian performers and they have other performers, probably white performers, playing those two characters but with integrity”, isn’t that problematic even though it's a physical yellow face. Award winning composer Jeanine Tesori responded that there is an unclear “interesting line” if perhaps none of the Asian community “wants” to participate, if they [white actors] understand the character it

[5] “feels okay” .​ She furthermore says that “In the context of a learning institution it should be ​

[5] developed empathy to learn to walk in the shoes of another” .​ However true this is, it should ​ be noted that there is intense care before showing any performance and the goal is always to tell Im 6 the story. This popular idea that white people can play roles that are people of color is often seen as the basis of acting instead of what it really seems to be which is the absolute opposite--a false misleading narrative.

Although it is ignorant to assume that all Asian Americans have the same mindsets and opinions, throughout my research I’ve noticed there seems to be a clear disconnect between the creative team and Asian audiences. In response to Tesori it seems clear to me why many Asian actors would not “want” to participate in a show where their characters are mocked, ridiculed, and portray a harmful stereotype. These stereotypes come from deeply rooted racism in which

Asian’s are seen as inferior yet also a threat. Asian theatrical reviewer Toddish McWong said, “I felt uncomfortable watching the perpetuation of racist stereotypes in this way. There are many people in today’s audience who don’t realize the origins of such stereotypes, nor the harm that

[6] was caused over decades of racism” .​ Stereotypes are extremely harmful and as long as we ​ repeditley see them in shows, books, and musicals like Millie, we will continue to suffer the consequences. According to The National Institutes of Health, evidence shows that stereotypes can change the quality of life for someone and their potential to be the best they can for society is

[9] decreased .​ This occurs particularly when a group of people through language, media, or other ​ social attitudes show difference to a group based off of stereotypes, “Social psychologists have a long history of studying stereotypes and their effects on judgment and behavior. As outlined in more detail below, stereotypes people have about others can influence how those others are treated and in turn elicit particular behaviors from the others that are consistent with those

[9] stereotypes” .​ That is why the Asian community largely has been participating in the protests of ​ Im 7

Millie. They understand and have experienced the consequences of stereotypes and don’t want to put that onto their children/the future generations.

As an Asian American actor myself, I would struggle with having to decide if I wanted to take on a role based off of stereotypes if it meant a Broadway hit show that would kickstart my career and do more financially than just pay my rent. It is interesting to note that Asian actor, Francis Jue who originated the character of Bun Foo on Broadway sticks up for the show despite knowing how Asian communities largely feel about the show. He says, “The Asian

American acting community has real problems with anyone playing an Asian role with an accent, speaking not in English, playing somebody of lower class. From my point of view, a coolie is a person, too. They were coolies ... There were coolies, but they were people.” The term coolie which was popularized during the Chinese Exclusion Act, carries racist connotations towards Asian people and is usually avoided in today’s language. I find it interesting that an

Asian actor not only uses the language but supports it as well as the show. It definitely is clear that he has faced criticism for this, but continues to stand by his work and the role that really helped his career. However, other Broadway Asian actors feel differently about playing their stereotyped roles.

The overall disconnect with Asian audiences and yellow face is also seen in the popular Broadway musical . Saigon actor and academic Asian writer, B.D. Chow ​ ​ ​ ​ notes that although he found agency in his character he still struggled with the stereotypes and yellowface that Miss Saigon presented such as the “East Asian trope: Kim – submission, ​ ​ devotion; Gigi – hypersexuality; the Engineer – venality, corruption; and Thuy – inscrutability,

[1] fundamentalism” .​ There was also the infamous controversy in which the lead Asian character ​ Im 8 was portrayed by a white actor in yellow face, Jonathan Pyrce. Alan Eisenberg, executive secretary of Actors’ Equity says in response to this that “The casting of a Caucasian actor made to appear Asian is an affront to the Asian community. The casting choice is especially disturbing when the casting of an Asian actor, in the role, would be an important and significant opportunity

[2] to break the usual pattern of casting Asians in minor roles” .​ This beloved musical is often ​ overlooked when it comes to exploring these harmful stereotypes and the effects that it has on the theatre community. Similarly to Millie however, the controversy around the show and the ​ ​ yellowface participation makes Asian Americans feel like they don’t have a place in the theatre community.

Asian American writer Sarah LaFlamme points out in her article “The Stage Through ​ Slanted Eye” that not only does yellow face casting hurt Asian actors, but that “the tendency to ​ cast primarily white is part of a vicious cycle: white shows are performed by white actors to attract white audiences. In order for the state of Asian American actors to advance, American

[2] society must fully accept that we are American too” .​ This suggests that theatre is a reflection ​ of America and that as long as America stays rooted in its racist past, unfortunately so will representation. Teresa Mok suggests that “the media does not portray the diversity that is inherent within the Asian American culture and that such a paucity of Asian images may greatly affect perceptions Asian Americans may hold both of their own racial group and of the larger

[4] society” .​ The reality of yellow face being so excusable and relevant still today is due to this ​ very fact that Asian American representation has always been lacking in authenticity and agency because of how the larger society sees us. It’s an endless cycle that results in misrepresentation.

Until the cycle is broken, misplaced judgement and racist ideals will continue. Im 9

The Asian American Performers Action Coalition (AAPAC) was founded in 2011 by a group of frustrated Asian American actors who wanted to find out more about the

[3] misrepresentation they have experienced .​ Their first 2011 report stated that although Asian ​

Americans are considered the New York City’s fastest growing minority group, they were only

[3] seen on stage 2% compared to the 80% of caucasian actors casted .​ Although the report states ​ that the number from their latest report of 2016-2017 is now 7% thanks to shows like Allegiance, ​ ​ Miss Saigon and Hamilton, it seems likely that number will drop in the 2018-2019 report as the ​ ​ ​

[3] only show still running out of those is Hamilton .​ The lack of representation of Asian ​ ​ ​

American actors also comes due to the fact that it’s that much more of a struggle for them to get that representation. NYU professor Karen Shimakawa puts it perfectly when she says, “Asian

American performers never walk onto an empty stage…that space is always already densely populated with phantasms of orientalism through and against which an Asian American

[2] performer must struggle to be seen” .​ This thought process comes from Christine Toy Johnson ​ who theorizes that because Asian Americans are not perceived as entirely American, theatre

[2] producers are only comfortable with shows that portray Asians from Asia .​ This suggests that ​ in the slim chances Asian Americans are casted, they are often in roles that are based around

Asian culture. This is no surprise when AAPAC reports that this current Broadway season alone,

[3] 95% of all plays and musicals were written by Caucasan playwrights .​ There is a clear lack of ​ material that showcases the authenticity of Asian Acmiercans to be seen as not just Asian. As seen in Millie, the Asian characters exist solely for the fact they are Chinese and have no other story line and characteristics to them. This type of limitation for Asian American theatre must Im 10 change and theatre must shift it’s idea of what Asian American representation means if any progress is to be made.

Yellow face is so much more than just being defined as a white actor dressing up as an

Asian character. And while much progress is being made, such as Millie getting a rewrite, we ​ ​ must understand the burden that yellow face has left on the Asian American community and the change will not come easily. Yellow face is the historical process of Asian Americans consistently being stereotyped, caricatured, and left out by the media due to deeply rooted racism and it’s not a thing of the past it is happening in theatre today. This deeply rooted racism traces back to why it was created in the first place; because many white Americans were fearful of losing their power. This feeling still lingers in our country and causes Asians to be seen as inherently fearful. This therefore results in a lack of representation and the creation of obstacles that Asian Americans must overcome. Hopefully, Thoroughly Modern Millie gets the rewrite it ​ ​ deserves. Hopefully, more stories will be created where Asian Americans are more than just

Asian in them. Hopefully, a future exists in which Asian Americans can find themselves on stage and be there knowing that they’re telling their own story.

Works Cited:

1. Chow, Broderick D.V. “Here Is a Story For Me: Representation and Visibility in Miss

Saigon and The Orphan of Zhao.” Contemporary Theatre Review, Taylor & Francis

(Routledge), 21 Oct. 2014, Im 11

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/citedby/10.1080/10486801.2014.946919

?scroll=top&needAccess=true

2. LaFlamme, Sara M. “The Stage Through Slanted Eyes: An Examination of the Current

State of Asian Americans in Theatre.” University of New Hampshire Scholars'

Repository, 2013, scholars.unh.edu/honors/158/.

3. Lee, Kenneth. “AAPAC - The Asian American Performers Action Coalition.” AAPAC,

2011, www.facebook.com/Aapac-Asian-American-Performers-Action-Coalition-27468

5732556028/

4. Mok, Teresa A. “Getting the Message: Media Images and Stereotypes and Their Effect

on Asian Americans.” Cultural Diversity & Mental Health, vol. 4, no. 3, 1998, pp.

185–202., doi:10.1037//1099-9809.4.3.185

5. Scanlan, Dick. “Thoroughly Modern Millie - Podcast.” Musical Theatre International, 29

June 2016

6. WenJen, Mia. “Thoroughly Modern Millie Is Thoroughly Racist.” I Love Newton RSS, 11 ​ ​ Mar. 2014, ilovenewton.com/modern-millie-racist/.

7. “Asian American History.” Japanese American Citizens League, ​ ​ jacl.org/asian-american-history/.

8. Vulture “Ashley Park Is Ready to Make Thoroughly Modern Millie Thoroughly

Modern.” Vulture, Vulture, 4 June 2019 ​ ​ www.vulture.com/2019/06/ashley-park-thoroughly-modern-millie-rewrite-update.html. ​ Im 12

9. Wagner. The Impact of Stereotypes on Self and Others. National Institutes of Health, ​ ​ 2006.

10. Zachary, D. “School Leader: Musical Won't Be Performed Again.” Newsday, Newsday, ​ ​ 12 Apr. 2019,

www.newsday.com/long-island/education/thoroughly-modern-millie-racist-chinese-prote

st-1.29687492.