My Fair ... Pygmalion
The Chinese Student Association is taking center stage with a production of "Pygmalion," the basis of the 1964 hit film "My Fair Lady."
The CSA will present the play tonight at the Student Activities Building at 8 p.m., free of charge.
Though a traditionally western play - it's set in England - the CSA chose it for exactly that reason.
"We were looking at Asian-American plays in particular, but we wanted to do something different this year," said CSA cultural co-chairwoman Lily Yang. "We took this very western play and managed to give a twist to it to address Asian issues and stereotypes - how they're viewed by westerners."
The play's central theme is the nature of language, Yang said, and the issue is traced through the relationship of Prof. Henry Higgins and his cockney-accented student, Eliza Doolittle.
"We're keeping all the same dialogue," Yang said.
But one of the main twists is that the British dialogue is being presented by an Asian-American cast, she added.
Yang said the play provides a good forum for addressing the same language barriers that can crop up in the United States between cultures.
"Pygmalion" will honor Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which officially begins nationwide in May but is celebrated at the University in April. The commemorative month began as a week-long celebration in 1979 under President Carter and was expanded to a full month in 1992 under President Bush.
"For me, [APAHM] is a great way for Asian students at U.Va. to celebrate their culture," Yang said. "It really gives the Asian students an opportunity to get together and celebrate unity."
However, Yang said another important aspect of CSA's annual play is to address Asian-American issues for the University community at large.
- Catherine Dunn
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