Tuesday, June 9, 2020

147. THE EMERALD SLIPPERS. From my (unpublished) ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE NEW YORK STAGE, 1970-1975

Ness Lynn Segal, Rob Sadang.
For background on this series and a list of previous entries, click here.

THE EMERALD SLIPPERS [Comedy/Asian/Fantasy/Romance] A/D: Jose Alcarez; CH: Tony Anton; S: Leo S. Cohen; C: Sandra Takahashi; L: Louis Rios; P: Henry P. Testa; T: Gramercy Arts Theatre (OB); 9/1/70-9/7/70 (10)


Inez Perez, Tony Anton.
Supposedly a lighthearted Oriental fantasy for the young at heart, The Emerald Slippers proved a resounding dud with its overly cute Asian stereotypes, all of them played in yellowface by non-Asian actors, including a character called Prince Won Ton (Rob Sadang). The complicated plot, set in the land of Char Chu Ding,/ centered on a conventional prince-princess love affair.

Mel Gussow, referring to one of the characters, rejected the play, saying, “I’d be a Liar Box if I said I enjoyed any aspect of it.” Audrey Berman felt the same and panned it as a totally amateurish production.