Behind the Scenes with Actors Sylvia Kwan and Jacob Yeh

In this podcast, actors Sylvia Kwan and Jacob Yeh discuss their many roles in Lauren Yee's play The King of the Yees--a semi-autobiographical comedy about community, culture and the connection between fathers and daughters—now playing at Arlington, Virginia’s Signature Theatre. It is funny and wildly imaginative— with Act II centered on a fabulous quest through San Fransisco's Chinatown. Kwan and Yeh discuss the challenges and fun in playing multiple characters in the play, the intricacies of comedic timing, and physical comedy while ensuring authentic portrayals of the characters as well as the meta aspects of the play and continual breaking of the fourth wall. The actors talk about working in a play that puts Asian-American stories front and center with a creative team that was largely Asian-American.  They discuss the play's physical demands: rapid pacing, choreography, puppetry, and quick changes and their strategies to maintain their stamina as well as their individual journeys to acting.  We’d love to know your thoughts--email us at artworkspod@arts.gov.