I was introduced to this script by Kathy, as a potential co-production with SIS Productions. After reading it, I had two seemingly contradictory reactions to it. First I thought, what a fun, light play, which won’t change the world in any way, other than bringing a little laughter into it. There are no social justice themes, no ‘identity politics’, no political revolution in it. Entertainment, for the sake of entertainment!
Second, I thought, here’s a piece about an Indian-American gal and a Chinese-American guy who happen to fall in love and get married. It has nothing to do with him being of Chinese descent, or her being of Indian origin. It is not a play ABOUT people of color, but a rom-com involving two human beings, who happen to be people of color. For such a play to exist - entertainment for the sake of entertainment, that involves Asian-American characters, without it being a play about social justice or identity themes - that in it self is a political statement! That, in itself, represents a paradigm shift who’s time has come, as our storytelling moves beyond ‘identity’ plays.
This seeming contradiction in my reactions after reading the play made me very interested in directing it. A chance to tell a story with people of color, honoring the cultural hues of the play, representing the cultural background those characters bring to it, without getting stuck in the politics of it.
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