Yellow Face
by Ground Floor Theatre
Dec. 08
Ground Floor Theatre (GFT) is holding auditions for our regional premiere production, Yellow Face written by David Henry Hwang and directed by Sandy Lam. Yellow Face is a sharp, semi-autobiographical comedy that blurs the line between truth and fiction. Following Hwang himself as a character, the play tackles questions of race, identity, and representation in the American theatre with biting wit and satirical edge.
[image from cover of publication by First Light Books]
Ground Floor Theatre
Announces auditions for
Yellow Face by David Henry Hwang
GFT is seeking actors to fill all roles.
Auditions will be held at Ground Floor Theatre’s Underground (979 Springdale Rd at Airport) on December 8th 6 – 9 pm with a possible Callback (if needed) on December 10th. Auditions will be by appointment only and will consist of readings from the script. Sides will be sent to you before the audition. When scheduling an audition, please tell us what role you are interested in. Email lisa@groundfloortheatre.org to schedule.
Please bring a physical picture and resume with you to the auditions. If you are unable to, you may send via email to lisa@groundfloortheatre.org. Please name all files with the actor's first and last name and file type (ex. John Smith Headshot, John Smith Resume).
All positions are paid a stipend of $1000.00.
Ground Floor Theatre is committed to inclusivity and as such unless specifically called for in the script, we cast without consideration to ability, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, size, or shape.
Character Breakdown
Actors playing a Single Role:
DHH (Asian Male, 20s-30s): A renowned Asian playwright, He’s proud, slightly arrogant, perplexed at times, and yet honest. DHH exposes his conflicted character throughout the course of the story as he navigates through the complexities of racial casting.
MARCUS GEE (White Male, 20s-30s) - A white actor who is able to pass for other ethnicities, hired to play one of the lead Asian roles in DHH’s play “Face Value”. He’s likable, yet unaware of the severity of his situation. He represents the ambiguity that underlies society’s perceptions of race, ethnicity, and identity.
HYH (Asian male, 40s-60s) - David Henry Hwang’s father. He is the voice and symbol of the American dream throughout the play as he founded the first federally chartered Chinese American Bank. He often challenges his son’s perspective on racial casting, most especially with the show “Miss Saigon”.
Actors playing Multiple Roles:
LEAH ANNE CHO & OTHERS (Asian female, 20s-30s) One of DHH’s past lovers and currently Marcus Gee’s girlfriend. She contests with DHH on Marcus’s background. Leah admits that he does not look one hundred percent Asian, but she tells DHH that it really does not matter. Leah is representative of a community that seeks a voice even at the cost of disregarding obvious truths.
BD WONG/RODNEY & OTHERS (Asian male, 20s-30s) - BD Wong is the Tony Award-Winning star of DHH’s play M. Butterfly. He breaks the news to DHH about the casting of Johnathan Pryce in “Miss Saigon”. Rodney is another actor who gets rejected and passed over in favor of Marcus. All characters seek to better represent the Asian community.
JANE KRAKOWSKI & OTHERS (White female 20s-40s) - Based on the real life actress in DHH’s “Face Value”, she sees Marcus after the show where he gives her a drunk admission of truth. She relays the information to DHH.
STUART OSTROW & OTHERS (White male 30s-50s) - He is the theatrical producer of “Face Value”. Despite DHH’s insistence on casting Marcus in the lead Asian role, Stuart is the one speaks up and calls into question his background.
NWOAOC/ANNOUNCER & OTHERS (Any Ethnicity, Any Age, Any Gender) - A reporter for The New York Times, NWOAOC refuses to be identified. They engage in a critical discussion with DHH. It becomes apparent that the reporter, although trying to trap DHH into admitting that he sees a conflict between being Chinese and American.
Performances will be February 12 - 28, 2026with rehearsals beginning in January. Exact rehearsal schedule will be determined by actor availability.
