Common themes woven throughout David Henry Hwang’s work describe the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures and the sense of self.

“Hwang’s accomplishments and talent are certainly well known,” said Esther Gray, coordinator of University Lectures. “However, I was most attracted by his insights about the portrayal of diversity and identity in theatre, film, and literature– how theatre has influenced social perception of race and diversity and tried to alter negative stereotypes.”

Hwang, an award-winning playwright, will give a lecture on identity and diversity in theater and film in Hendricks Chapel on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. His lecture, titled “The Fluidity of Identity: Theatre and the Search for Self,” will cover an array of topics including self-perception and racial identity, Gray said.

“When I watched Hwang’s YouTube recordings, I was struck that, no matter which of his plays or amazing accomplishments he was speaking about, there was a common thread,” Gray said.

As a Chinese-American, Hwang has studied the effects of forging Eastern and Western cultures in present day America, Gray said. Many of his plays share this common theme, according the University Lectures website. For example, his play “Chinglish” is about an American businessman living in China.

Hwang, who is a screenwriter and producer in addition to a playwright, is best known as the author of the Broadway show, “M. Butterfly.” The show received a Tony Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, according to the University Lectures website.

Other award-winning plays written by Hwang include “Golden Child,” “Yellow Face” and “Chinglish,” according to the website. He is currently working as an executive producer for the feature film, “White Frog.

Hwang has been honored with numerous other awards, including the 2012 William Inge Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre Award.  He also served on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, by appointment of President Bill Clinton, according to the website.

Although the lecture will be of special interest to film and theater students, it will apply to everyone, Gray said. University Lectures attempts to bring the message of social consciousness and responsibility through its speakers to all students, she said.

Chase Catalano, director of the LGBT Resource Center and a co-sponsor of the event, said in an email that Hwang’s lecture will also connect to the center’s values of awareness and social justice.

“His lecture about searching for self also connects with our vision, encouraging self-reflection and exploring the complexities of our identities,” Catalano said. “We are invested in creating more inclusive communities for all of our social identities.”

Hwang’s message is important for students to hear, he said. Identities are one of the ways people find meaning in themselves and relationships, Catalano said.

Said Catalano, “I believe college can be a time in which we explore who we are,” Catalano said. “His lecture will offer insights about how self-perceptions, activism, and theater intersect to create change.”

Published on April 4, 2013 at 1:08 am

Contact Emma: ecwozny@syr.edu