Straight White Men
by Young Jean Lee
ABOUT
In 2022, we produced the play Straight White Men. The piece was written by Young Jean Lee, the first Asian-American playwright to be produced on Broadway (with this very show in 2018).
Young Jean Lee is an inspirational, barrier-breaking female playwright who specialises in experimental pieces and moving theatrical experiences. She notes that this show was "designed to make audiences notice their own responses and think about their relationships to their own privilege." which is why we felt Straight White Men is a timely and relevant identity-politics play.
We chose this play because it encouraged deep dialogue, but was also a genuinely humorous show. After some trying years, particularly for the arts, what better way to reach people, than through a little bit of laughter?
The show played for one night only on July 2nd, 2022 at Empire Church Theatre, Toowoomba.
SYNOPSIS
When Ed and his three adult sons come together to celebrate the holiday season, they enjoy cheerful trash-talking, pranks, and takeout Chinese. Then they confront a problem that even being a happy family can’t solve: When identity matters, and privilege is problematic, what is the value of being a straight white man?
CREATIVES
Written by
Young Jean Lee
Presented by
Our Yakka
Acknowledged by
Heidi Sellars
Produced/Directed by
Trent Sellars
Starring
Evan Hollis
Tristan James
Justin Tamblyn
Brendan Thomas-Ryland
with
Tech Designer
Emmilynne Major
Production Assistant
Tristan James
Graphic Designer
The Digital Caretaker
Executive Producers
Jesse Lander
Maree Sellars
Donna Lander