31 Asian American Plays in 31 Days
#1 The Chickencoop Chinaman, by Frank Chin
It’s May, Asian Pacific Heritage Month. And in honor of that, we’ll see if I can do a little feature I’d call “31 Asian American plays in 31 Days.” Including not just the obvious, but some of the more offbeat shows drawn from decades of history.
Play #1: THE CHICKENCOOP CHINAMAN, by Frank Chin.
The first Asian American play to receive a major production on a New York stage, back in 1972, CHICKENCOOP was a groundbreaking play in many ways. In the nascent Asian American identity movement, this play was a major touchstone in defining the Asian American identity; grassroots organizer counted it as one source that helped define the identity. What may be of particular interest now is how the play handles themes of cultural appropriation (some of the answers may not be suited for the 21st Century).
I also want to emphasize how influential this play was, not just for theatre folks, but for Asian Americans and the movement as a whole. While the arts weren’t everyone’s cup of tea, it was understood that politics, art and activism was one…it was all of one piece.
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