Yellow Face at Todd Haimes Theatre

Tony Award® winner and three-time Pulitzer finalist David Henry Hwang (M. Butterfly) is ready to take the world by storm with the Broadway premiere of Yellow Face, his witty is-he-or-isn’t-he comedy all about identity and show business, with a dose of autobiography. Starring Daniel Dae Kim from Lost and directed by Tony nominee Leigh Silverman, this show at the Todd Haimes Theatre is an absolute must-see! This Obie Award-snagging and Pulitzer finalist show is a laugh-out-loud skit about the complexities of race. Book your tickets now to secure your spot! 

Yellow Face Tickets

Synopsis

Inspired by real events, the play follows a fictionalized doppelgänger who protests yellow face casting of the original Broadway production of Miss Saigon, only to accidentally cast a white performer as the Asian lead in his own play. 

David Henry Hwang won a Tony Award for his play M. Butterfly, and now he’s returning to Broadway with this revival of his 2007 play, which only becomes more and more topical. This Obie Award-winning laugh-out-loud riot explores the crossover of politics, media, and cultural perception. Yellow Face could be described as a memoir — a very funny memoir — of David Henry Hwang’s early career. The show follows the main character, called “DHH,” who is staging David Henry Hwang’s earlier 1993 production, Face Value. 

Creative Team

Yellow Face is a semi-autobiographical play created by David Henry Hwang. Directed by Leigh Silverman, the cast is led by Daniel Dae Kim (DHH), who returns to Broadway after his 2016 debut in The King and I. Other cast members include Kevin Del Aguila as Actor A, Ryan Eggold as Marcus, Francis Jue as HYH and Others, Marinda Anderson as Actor B, Greg Keller as Reporter/NWOAC, as well as Shannon Tyo as Leah and Others.

The creative team will include the incredibly talented set designer Arnulfo Maldonado, costume designer Anita Yavich, lighting designer Lap Chi Chu, sound designer Caroline Eng, projection designer Yee Eun Nam, and composer Kate Marvin. The production of Yellow Face is facilitated by the Champions for Inclusive Theatre and Roundabout’s Forward Fund.

Reviews and Awards

A laugh-out-loud riot about the complexities of race, Yellow Face has snagged a well-deserved Obie Award. Playwright David Henry Hwang won a Tony Award for his play M. Butterfly, and now he has returned to Broadway with this revival of his 2007 play. The semi-autobiographical play stages David Henry Hwang’s 1993 play Face Value. 

In May 2007, Yellow Face premiered in LA at the Mark Taper Forum in association with East West Players. Fast forward to May 2013, and the play crossed the pond, making its way to Park Theatre in Finsbury Park, London for its UK premiere. Produced by Special Relationship Productions and directed by Alex Sims, the production transferred to the Royal National Theatre the following year. In April 2021, Yellow Face debuted in Australia at the Kings Cross Theatre, Sydney, with a sold-out run. The show was nominated for a whopping six Sydney Theatre Awards that year, winning for Best Direction (Independent Production) and Best Performance in a Leading Role (Independent Production). The play will premiere on Broadway in September 2024 via Roundabout Theatre Company. Previews are set to begin on September 13 with the opening night planned for October 1.