Asian American musical theater actors need to be given more opportunities to originate “non traditional” roles and originate shows. We shouldn’t just be an “ooh we’re thinking outside the box” replacement thought.
If you are fortunate to sit in the audience of a theater tonight or the next few days, applaud louder than you normally would. Our industry is facing more hurdles with Omicron and we could use the love. Oh and get vaccinated and wear a mask and hand sanitize. Please.
It was a pleasure to meet
@AOC
this morning on Memorial Day 2019. Ella made a drawing for her which she loved, and we got the chance to thank her for all that she does & and for being such a wonderful inspiration to so many. AND we also talked about our love for
@NinaWest
🇺🇸
Casting trans actors in classic roles is NOT a gimmick. It’s authentic. It’s beautiful. It’s necessary. What IS a gimmick is casting a white guy in an Asian role back in the day and giving him eye prosthetics to look more Asian.
I got to originate a principal role on Broadway tonight. Been dreaming of this moment ever since I was a little kid listening to Broadway cassettes in my bedroom.
Made my Beadle Bamford debut today in
@SweeneyToddBway
. And it’s AAPI month. I feel so fulfilled, relieved, and proud. Thanks to the entire Sweeney cast, crew, orchestra for having my back today.
#Broadway
#UnderstudyLife
#SweeneyTodd
(📸: Jonathan Christopher)
How come more theater press outlets and allies aren’t cheering loudly that the cast of SOFT POWER, an Asian American cast of an Off-Broadway show is going to perform tonight on
@pbs
? 🤔 Tune in tonight at 9pm as we represent.
We ran Act 2 of
@SweeneyToddBway
today. Y’all…I was on the edge of my seat watching our principals tell this incredible story and had to remember to actually do my entrances and cues…I was THAT invested and lost in the storytelling. Just wait…y’all ain’t ready.
I’m still shaking. Just got off the phone with my family.
To the Korean Christian church community - I’m here to tell you Donald Trump is lying to get your votes. He is a racist and he has proven himself to be a liar. Please don’t be duped. Please. Vote for
@JoeBiden
.
There’s going to be a day when Kelly Marie Tran leads a Broadway musical and I can’t wait. A heart of gold, an inspiring spirit, an Asian American pioneer, and a wonderful leader. An absolute blast singing with her last night.
#Democracy
Let swings and standbys join in the final curtain call of a show. Maybe just my opinion but they work so damn hard and should also receive the applause.
When I was in a Broadway show - I had a principal actor mistake me for another Asian actor, after being in the show together for almost 6 months. She asked me about my wife, realized her mistake, said "Whoops wrong one," and then walked away.
#TrueStory
Hey Prince George - Go take that ballet class! Boys dance and sing and do theater and perform. And shame on anyone, especially a grown ass ADULT who mocks that. Art soothes the soul.
I am ugly crying watching
@Karamo
teach these young straight men how to express and deal with their emotions. It’s something I am still figuring out. Bravo to
@QueerEye
for letting people know it’s important to learn how to process, express, and handle your FEELINGS ❤️
#QueerEye7
The next time schools want to cut arts funding, take a look and see how artists are helping during this pandemic. They’re trying to spread joy, create awareness, and are sewing masks for people on the front lines. Arts are important.
Broadway will be back one day. National tours will be back. Regional theater will be back. Community theater will be back. High school musicals will be back. And I cannot wait for that day! We’ll get back to that stage with so much new appreciation. 🎭
Yes there will be a
@SweeneyToddBway
cast album! As a kid who grew up listening to Sondheim Broadway albums and now knowing I get to be on one…I’m just incredibly grateful.
Excited for y’all to hear what we’ve all put together in the studio.
So that song last night with James Corden, Josh, & Sara is a parody of “Michael In The Bathroom” from Broadway’s
@BeMoreChill
originally performed by the fierce
@georgesalazar
and written by the brilliant
@MrJoeIconis
. I have watched every
@YouTube
performance of it for YEARS!!!
It's always been a giant dream of mine to voice a character on a cartoon and to sing as well. Meet Hyun-Soo on KIPO AND THE AGE OF WONDERBEASTS on
@netflix
. Season 3 drops October 12! Thanks for having me Team
#DreamWorksKipo
and making this dream come true :)
Meet Hyun-Soo & the Narhartz, a group of musical narwhals! Dive into the all new season of Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, coming to
@Netflix
October 12th!
#DreamWorksKipo
Me: “Hi Bette. So honored to meet you. I’m the first one that dies.”
Bette Midler: “Oh I remember!”
💀
Wednesday, September 6.
I’m good now. Thanks. Bye.
@ChelseaClinton
We are grateful every day that our daughter came home. Shame on any lawmaker who would deny a gay parent the gift of being a mommy or a daddy.
#GayDads
It’s 2018 and there are fierce Asian American athletes and fierce openly gay athletes and fierce athletes of all colors and sizes and shapes representing America at this years Winter Olympics. How inspiring and beautiful! Go Team USA! 🇺🇸
And that’s a wrap. Thank you Fleet Street. Thank you
@SweeneyToddBway
I will cherish you forever.
…Ray, Chadwick, Beadlee, and PiRayLee out.
💈 Sun. Feb 18, 2024 🥧
In less than 24 hours, I get to open a completely original musical in NYC with a predominantly Asian American cast. To know that there’ll be Asian kids who will come to see us & know there’s roles being created for them beyond common stereotypes makes all the hard work worth it.
LGBTQ+ adoptive parents use every opportunity to connect—one way is through hair!💞
Join us in supporting family equality for families like Raymond & Robbi by sharing YOUR family photo w/
#BeautifuLGBTQ
🌈 For each photo shared, we'll donate $1 to
@Family_Equality
(up to $100K)
Maybe it’s just me but can we also check in to see how members of Broadway ensembles are doing during this crisis? Or stage managers? Or choreographers? Or music directors? Etc. I love seeing what the
#Stars
are up to but there are many more members of our community.
I get to open my 7th Broadway show tonight, with one stellar, talented, incredible group of people.
Happy Opening
@HeartofRNRBway
❤️🤘🎸
ROCK AND ROLL!!!!
It has been a mindblowingly incredible week working with Dame Julie Andrews. Several moments where I had to blink and remember where I was.
Excited to present THE GREAT AMERICAN MOUSICAL tonight! What a wonderful cast and team ❤️🐭🧀
Dear
@VH1
- can we please make
@RuPaulsDragRace
about Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent? And not about drama, obnoxiousness, and
#meh
? Some of these eliminations have been absolutely baffling. Sincerely, a
#DragRace
fan since Season 1
Had a young Asian woman tell me tonight in tears how much it meant to see Asian faces on the stage tonight at
@SweeneyToddBway
. She said she wants to be on Broadway and I said “You can!” and we high-fived. Moments like this make it all worth it!
Hey
@NYGovCuomo
&
@NYCMayor
! Broadway brought in $1.758 BILLION dollars last year and now we’re all out of a job until at least January 2021. Time to help a community that gives so much to NYC by extending PUA until Jan 2021.
#extendPUA
Words cannot even describe how excited I am to visit Agrabah!!! This
#DisneyDad
gets to make his
@Disney
#Broadway
debut next weekend as “Iago.” Come see me August 16 - September 8 (minus a few matinees) at
@aladdin
. ❤️
My daughter saw Brandy on the screen and immediately screamed "Cinderella!" excitedly.
Just hit me how important that moment was and is right now. Representation matters.
@HillaryClinton
came to Camelot tonight. I told her she’s an inspiration to our family and our daughter. She asked what my daughters name was. I said “Ella.” She said “Please tell Ella hello.” I love Hillary and
#ImStillWithHer
.
Been trying to explain why the phrase
#BlackLivesMatter
is so important to people this week. Saw this meme on a friends wall and thought it was a great explanation.
Maybe we should revive the concert version of
@Groundhogdaybwy
we did on our first preview when the turntable broke down. I think people would love it like they did that night.
To anyone wishing to pay respects to Abigail and Joshua - there is a memorial shrine at the corner of 9st and 5th ave in Park Slope Brooklyn. Rest In Peace sweet angels
A blast playing Beadle these past 3 shows. Thanks to the entire cast and crew. Now make sure to catch Jonathan Christopher in the role tonight, tomorrow, and Sunday! We miss you John Rapson ❤️
Dear Gay Asians - WE ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! I too dealt with the myriad of "NO ASIANS" responses when I tried online dating or even in person. This behavior in the gay community needs to stop because it is damaging. Thank u
@aaronjalbano
@QueerEye
@outmagazine
.
I was supposed to come back to Broadway this fall with a show that I loved so damn much. It would’ve been a giant dream come true and then COVID-19 had other plans. Sending love and strength to everyone whose shows have been sidelined due to the pandemic. We will persevere. 🎭
The great thing about more Asian actors becoming stars right now is that breakdowns will ask for "Simu Liu"-types, "Awkwafina"-types, "Randall Park"-types, "Tony Leung"-types, "Sandra Oh"-types. We won't all just be lumped into one generic casting category!
#AsianPower
$1 million raised for
@TheActorsFund
last night with
@ratatousical
! This is why so many work so hard during this difficult time. Congrats to the entire team, especially for everyone behind-the-scenes whose face we didn't get to see during the broadcast.
#RatatouilleMusical
We opened
@SweeneyToddBway
one year ago today. Sending love to all the citizens and alums of Fleet Street. One of the most incredible experiences of my life. Happy Anniversary! ❤️🥧💈
(📸:
@andyhenderson
)
It’s
@SweeneyToddBway
album release day!!! Hope y’all enjoy what we’ve created together. And you might recognize a familiar voice asking for some “ale” in God That’s Good 🍻
So...I’m just gonna say it. I hope SOFT POWER enters the 2018-2019 Broadway season. I want New York and audiences around the world to see the amazing work everyone has put in to create this show. Plus our message is so important to todays political climate.
#Manifesting
I just found out two close Asian American friends of mine, people I consider family, had a rock hurled at them in Central Park. Anti-Asian attacks are at an all time high. We need to combat this disgusting behavior. My heart hurts for them and for my community right now.