Face Value was a 1993 play by American playwright David Henry Hwang. It was to be the second Broadway production of the playwright's work, but it closed in previews on March 14, 1993 after only 8 previews, never officially opening.[1] The production was scheduled to open at the Cort Theatre on March 21, 1993.[2] It was directed by Jerry Zaks, with B. D. Wong, Jane Krakowski, Mark Linn-Baker, Mia Korf, and Gina Torres in the cast. The play cost $2 million and was one of the biggest lossmakers on Broadway for a play at the time.[3]

Face Value
Written byDavid Henry Hwang
CharactersAndrew Simpson
Linda Ann Wong
Marci Williams
Bernard Sugarman
Pastor
Glenn Ebens
Randall Lee
Date premieredMarch 9, 1993
Place premieredCort Theatre
New York City
Original languageEnglish
SubjectEast/West cultural stereotypes
GenreFarce
SettingThe Imperialist Theatre; New York City, New York

Its critical failure provided the inspiration for David Henry Hwang's Obie Award-winning play Yellow Face, which premiered in 2007 at the Mark Taper Forum and moved Off-Broadway to the Joseph Papp Public Theater.[4] Face Value has never been published, although sections of the text are briefly presented in Yellow Face.

References

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  1. ^ "Face Value – Broadway Play – Original". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Face Value – Broadway Play – Original". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Broadway's Bombs". Variety. 8 May 1995. p. 8.
  4. ^ Rogers, Diane. "About Face". Stanford Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
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