The University of Pittsburgh's Humanities Center will host Dr. Esther Kim Lee for a discussion of her book Made-Up Asians: Yellowface During the Exclusion Era on April 11, 2024.
The talk is based on the recently published book Made-Up Asians: Yellowface During the Exclusion Era, which traces the history of yellowface, the theatrical convention of non-Asian actors putting on makeup and costume to look East Asian. Using specific case studies from European and U.S. theater, race science, and early film, the book examines the development of yellowface in the U.S. context during the Exclusion Era (1862–1940), when Asians faced legal and cultural exclusion from immigration and citizenship. By examining the makeup technology of yellowface, the talk analyzes how theatre historians should rethink key foundational concepts and historical narratives. It questions the dominance of mimesis in discussions of acting and racialize performances and argues for a broader conceptualization of theatre history.The talk runs from 12:30 to 2:00 pm and is hybrid, held in both 602 Cathedral of Learning and online via Zoom.