Yellow Face (play)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:23:42 PM Wikipedia source
Yellow Face is a semi-autobiographical play by David Henry Hwang, featuring the author himself as the protagonist, DHH, mounting his 1993 play Face Value. The play's themes include questions of race and of the interaction between media and politics. The play premiered in Los Angeles at the Mark Taper Forum in association with East West Players in May 2007. In December, it played off-Broadway at the Joseph Papp Public Theater in December 2007 and January 2008. After several other productions, it played on Broadway from September to November 2024 at Roundabout Theatre Company.
Infobox
Written by
David Henry Hwang
Date premiered
May 2007
Place premiered
Mark Taper Forum
Original language
English
Subject
Culture, race
Genre
Drama
Setting
1990 to the present, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Guizhou Province
Tables
· Casts
DHH
DHH
Character(s)
DHH
Los Angeles (2007)
Hoon Lee
Off-Broadway (2007)
Kevin Shen
London (2013)
Daniel Dae Kim
Marcus G. Dahlman
Marcus G. Dahlman
Character(s)
Marcus G. Dahlman
Los Angeles (2007)
Peter Scanavino
Off-Broadway (2007)
Noah Bean
London (2013)
Ben Starr
Broadway (2024)
Ryan Eggold
Announcer / Reporter
Announcer / Reporter
Character(s)
Announcer / Reporter
Los Angeles (2007)
Anthony Torn
Off-Broadway (2007)
Christy Meyer
London (2013)
Greg Keller
Stuart Ostrow / Rocco Palmieri / others
Stuart Ostrow / Rocco Palmieri / others
Character(s)
Stuart Ostrow / Rocco Palmieri / others
Los Angeles (2007)
Lucas Caleb Rooney
Off-Broadway (2007)
John Schwab
London (2013)
Kevin Del Aguila
Leah Anne Cho/others
Leah Anne Cho/others
Character(s)
Leah Anne Cho/others
Los Angeles (2007)
Julienne Hanzelka Kim
Off-Broadway (2007)
Gemma Chan
London (2013)
Shannon Tyo
Jane Krakowski / Miles Newman/others
Jane Krakowski / Miles Newman/others
Character(s)
Jane Krakowski / Miles Newman/others
Los Angeles (2007)
Kathryn Layng
Off-Broadway (2007)
Davina Perera
London (2013)
Marinda Anderson
HYH / others
HYH / others
Character(s)
HYH / others
Los Angeles (2007)
Tzi Ma
Off-Broadway (2007)
Francis Jue
London (2013)
David Yip
Broadway (2024)
Francis Jue
| Character(s) | Los Angeles (2007) | Off-Broadway (2007) | London (2013) | Broadway (2024) |
| DHH | Hoon Lee | Kevin Shen | Daniel Dae Kim | |
| Marcus G. Dahlman | Peter Scanavino | Noah Bean | Ben Starr | Ryan Eggold |
| Announcer / Reporter | Anthony Torn | Christy Meyer | Greg Keller | |
| Stuart Ostrow / Rocco Palmieri / others | Lucas Caleb Rooney | John Schwab | Kevin Del Aguila | |
| Leah Anne Cho/others | Julienne Hanzelka Kim | Gemma Chan | Shannon Tyo | |
| Jane Krakowski / Miles Newman/others | Kathryn Layng | Davina Perera | Marinda Anderson | |
| HYH / others | Tzi Ma | Francis Jue | David Yip | Francis Jue |
· Awards and nominations
2008
2008
Year
2008
Award
Drama Desk Awards
Category
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
Nominee
Francis Jue
Result
Nominated
Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
Year
Pulitzer Prize
Award
Drama
Category
Nominated
2025
2025
Year
2025
Award
Drama Desk Awards
Category
Outstanding Revival of a Play
Nominee
Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Year
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Award
Outstanding Revival of a Play
Category
Nominated
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Year
Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play
Award
Francis Jue
Category
Won
Tony Awards
Tony Awards
Year
Tony Awards
Award
Best Revival of a Play
Category
Nominated
Best Actor in a Play
Best Actor in a Play
Year
Best Actor in a Play
Award
Daniel Dae Kim
Category
Nominated
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Year
Best Featured Actor in a Play
Award
Francis Jue
Category
Won
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
| 2008 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Francis Jue | Nominated | |
| Pulitzer Prize | Drama | Nominated | |||
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated | ||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play | Francis Jue | Won | |||
| Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor in a Play | Daniel Dae Kim | Nominated | |||
| Best Featured Actor in a Play | Francis Jue | Won | |||
References
- ParkTheatre.co.ukhttp://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/yellow-face
- Variety.comhttps://variety.com/2007/legit/markets-festivals/yellow-face-2-1200559161/
- lortel.orghttp://www.lortel.org/lla_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=5091
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/see-whos-joining-daniel-dae-kim-in-david-henry-hwangs-yellow-face
- NYTheatre.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20151127053643/https://www.nytheatre.com/Review/martin-denton-2007-12-9-yellow-face
- NationalTheatre.org.ukhttps://web.archive.org/web/20140701142834/http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/yellow-face?cast
- kingsxtheatre.comhttps://web.archive.org/web/20210429080823/https://www.kingsxtheatre.com/yellow-face
- SMH.com.auhttps://www.smh.com.au/culture/theatre/don-t-miss-this-funny-thoughtful-show-20210429-p57nhi.html
- aussietheatre.comhttps://www.aussietheatre.com.au/news/sydney-theatre-award-winners-announced
- sydneytheatreawards.comhttp://www.sydneytheatreawards.com/history/2021
- "Yellow Face Playbill at Theatre Raleigh"https://theatreraleigh.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/yellow-face-playbill.pdf
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/david-henry-hwangs-yellow-face-closes-on-broadway-november-24
- Yellow Facehttps://www.broadwaynews.com/roundabouts-2024-2025-season-to-include-yellow-face-english-and-pirates-of-penzance/
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/david-henry-hwangs-yellow-face-will-air-on-pbs-great-performances
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/2025-drama-league-awards-nominations-are-out-read-the-full-list
- "2025 Drama Desk Award Winners", Drama Desk Awards. Retrieved June 1, 2025https://www.dramadeskaward.com/winners
- www.tonyawards.comhttps://www.tonyawards.com/press/2025-tony-award-nominations/
- Yellow Facehttps://www.audible.com/pd/Yellow-Face-Audiobook/B0CS1RFKFB
- Yellow Facehttps://www.broadwayworld.com/article/David-Henry-Hwangs-YELLOW-FACE-Audible-Drama-to-Be-Released-in-May-20240429
- Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/style-blog/wp/2014/02/22/bearing-the-yellow-face-qa-with-david-henry-hwang
- American Theatrehttps://www.americantheatre.org/2024/11/19/offscript-david-henry-hwangs-mistaken-identity/
- TimeOuthttps://www.timeout.com/newyork/theater/yellow-face-broadway-review-david-henry-hwang-daniel-dae-kim-asian-american
- New York Sunhttps://www.nysun.com/article/arts-case-of-the-racist-reporter
- Yellow Face programme
- Yellow Face programme
- "Roundabout Theater"https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2024-2025/yellow-face/
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/august-and-passing-strange-win-top-honors-at-drama-desk-awards-com-150197
- Playbillhttps://playbill.com/article/august-osage-county-wins-pulitzer-prize-for-drama-com-149001
- "Boop! Leads 2025 Drama Desk Award Nominations With 11 Nods Including Outstanding Musical; Read the Full List Here"https://playbill.com/article/boop-leads-2025-drama-desk-award-nominations-with-11-nods-including-outstanding-musical-read-the-full-list-here
- Maybe Happy Endinghttps://playbill.com/article/maybe-happy-ending-leads-2025-outer-critics-circle-awards-see-the-full-list-of-winners
- www.tonyawards.comhttps://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/