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In 1834, 14-year-old Afong Moy was brought from China to the United States and put on display as an “exotic” curiosity, purportedly the first Chinese woman in America. Moy is the protagonist of “The Chinese Lady” by Lloyd Suh, which follows Moy as she struggles to maintain her identity and find purpose in her life. It’s one of two plays running in repertory April 19-May 12 at the Pear Theatre, alongside “Love Letters” by A.R. Gurney, with both productions directed by Wynne Chan.
Eiko Moon-Yamamoto, who is double cast with Joann Wu in the role of Moy, said part of what drew her to “The Chinese Lady” was the chance to give voice to a perspective that has been neglected by the dominant, Western-centric narrative.
“You can certainly see in our political climate today there is a huge lack of information across the United States,” Moon-Yamamoto, who majored in history with a minor in Asian American studies, said.
“For me as an actor to be able to do a play about something that I feel strongly about, about immigration history – this country was built on the backs of immigrants – also, specifically, being Asian American myself, I was very attracted to this play.”
Chan, too, appreciates the opportunity to help bring history to life, and to light.
“One of the interesting things about storytelling is, how do we make sure that we are actually sharing these pieces of history to people, and (that) people are seeing that and reflecting that on modern day, and how they think about immigration, and how they think about Asian Americans, and how they think they think about the world,” she said.
While Moy is a historical figure who came to introduce and represent Chinese culture to her audience of American spectators, much remains unknown.
“There is so much information that is lacking about (Moy’s) history. The only things that we know about her (are the) things that the newspapers wrote and even then, you know, they didn’t get things right, like her name. Some of the newspapers made up names for her, which were very offensive,” Moon-Yamamoto said. “And then she just kind of drops off and she disappears. And also that is very reflective of the fact that if history is not written, then people disappear.”
Several special events will be held alongside “The Chinese Lady,” including a post-show presentation about the real Afong Moy by historical and cultural consultant Patrick Chew on April 21; an AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) matinee with snacks April 28, a post-show AAPI industry mixer on May 4; and a May 5 post-show panel discussion with Asian American playwrights.
The play’s themes of objectification and discrimination are very relevant to modern day, Moon-Yamamoto and Chan said, noting the rise in anti-Asian racism during the pandemic.
As Chan wrote in her director’s note, “We are not as far from the violence against and the exotification of Asian bodies as we think we are. With this play, we carry on the hope of Afong Moy — to continue to build a platform for shared understanding across cultures and differences.”
While the second show, “Love Letters,” is quite a different story from “The Chinese Lady,” there are parallels that make it a fitting companion piece, Chan said, including the fact that both plays are two-handers (requiring a two-person cast).
“Love Letters” is a tale of two best friends and soul mates, Melissa and Andy, that, like “The Chinese Lady” follows its protagonists for many years. It’s a tale told through their correspondence with each other from childhood throughout their lives.
In “The Chinese Lady,” Moy has a longtime aide and translator, Atung, played by Joseph Alvarado. While the circumstances and relationships are not at all the same, Chan said she recognizes a dynamic between Melissa and Andy that to her is in some ways similar.
“Even though they’re not in that situation where they are oppressed and they have no one else to go to, it does seem like that in the entire world, the only people that really understand each other (are) the same partner in the show,” she said. “You see how one character impacts the other.”
Part of the fun of the Pear’s “Love Letters” comes from the fact that the cast changes each time, and that most performances feature real-life couples from the local theater world: Bryan Moriarty and Vanessa Alvarez, Paul Braverman and Robyn Ginsburg Braverman, Curtis Murray and Naomi Evans, Michael Saenz and Michael Rhone, Chris Mahle and Kristin Walter, Michael Champlin and Katie O’Bryon-Champlin, Fred Pitts and Kelly Rinehart, and Max Tachis and Roneet Aliza Rahamim.
“Each performance is going to be different than the other, which is really exciting,” Chan said. Additionally, the real-life couples perform “Love Letters” as a cold reading – not preparing with the script or rehearsing ahead of time.
“We’re encouraging them to come into this completely cold without knowing what happens in the story so they can truly react to each letter that they’re receiving from the other person,” Chan said.
The exception is the May 3 performance, at which Alvarado and Moon-Yamamoto, who are not a real-life couple, will play Andy and Melissa, and who have served as “guinea pigs” helping develop the production with Chan and the crew in terms of logistics such as sound and lighting design. For their turn in “Love Letters,” Chan said they will draw on the bond they’ve forged and the discussions they’ve had about their characters in “The Chinese Lady.”
“At the heart of it really is the connection,” Chan said of all the actors participating in “Love Letters,” whether they’re a couple off stage or not.
“It’s seeing what type of real-life connection they’ve built and how that impacts this play, which I think is a really powerful thing.”
“The Chinese Lady” and “Love Letters” run in repertory April 19-May 12 at the Pear Theatre, 1110 La Avenida St., Mountain View; $38-$40. Check online for specific performance and cast schedules at thepear.org/whats-playing.