A Satirical Look at Identity and The Roles We Play
in "Yellow Face" Starring Daniel Dae Kim
Daniel Dae Kim stars as DHH in Great Performances "Yellow Face". Photo Credit: Joan Marcus.
The Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting stories that reflect the diversity of Asian American experiences, is offering its 2025 film festival, CAAMFest, in San Francisco Japantown May 8-11. Narrative, documentary and short films explore many themes in the Asian American diaspora.
Yellow Face
One of the films showcased is "Yellow Face", a satire/mockumentary play that examines racial identity and belonging. There will be a screening at AMC Kabuki May 11 at 8 pm, followed by Q&A with three of the actors.
The Broadway play by David Henry Hwang, from Roundabout Theatre Company in late 2024, follows DHH (Daniel Dae Kim), a fictionalized version of the playwright, as he protests against the casting of a white actor as the Eurasian lead of the musical Miss Saigon – a real-life controversy in the 1990s. Comedy ensues when he mistakenly casts a white actor (Ryan Eggold) as the lead in his next play. DHH’s immigrant Chinese father (SF native Francis Jue) is targeted by the U.S. government and faces a challenge to his faith in his adopted country.
Yellow Face on PBS' Great Performances
The play was filmed on Broadway for PBS’ Great Performances, and will premiere on May 16 at 9 pm, on PBS, pbs.org/gperf and the PBS app.
The Tony Awards
Yellow Face, Daniel Dae Kim, and Francis Jue have received nominations for the 2025 Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play, respectively (to be awarded June 8).
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Article contributed by AAPIC Member Mary Jue.
