See Daniel Dae Kim and Ryan Eggold in First-Look Photos of Broadway'sYellow Face(Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

From Left: Daniel Dae Kim and Ryan Eggold in ‘Yellow Face’.Photo:Joan Marcus

Joan Marcus

Daniel Dae Kimreturned to Broadway on Friday, Sept. 13 after nearly a decade away, as performances kicked off forDavid Henry Hwang’s semi-autobiographical play,Yellow Face.

PEOPLE can exclusively debut first-look photos of the play, which also starsNew AmsterdamactorRyan Eggoldin his Broadway debut.

The Roundabout Theatre Company production, which officially opens Oct. 1 at the Todd Haimes Theatre in New York City, stars Kim, 56, as DHH — a character based off Hwang himself.

Daniel Dae Kim in David Henry Hwang’s ‘Yellow Face’ on Broadway.Joan Marcus

Hwang, 67, was among many who spoke out about the casting, penning a public letter of protest and saying that Pryce’s performance, which he had seen in London, was demeaning to Asians and an affront to the Asian community. Despite the noise, and producer Cameron Mackintosh threatening to cancel the show, Pryce went on and even won the Tony Award for best leading actor in a musical.

Yellow Facestarts with DHH making that protest, but then follows the director when he mistakenly casts a white actor as the Asian lead in one of his own plays. Knowing he can’t fire him because of his race, he instead scrambles to cover it up.

“He’s trying to do all the right things, but parts of his personality get in the way of making the right decisions,” Kim toldThe New York Times.

David Henry Hwang in April 2024.Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty

Stephanie Augello/Variety via Getty

The play first premiered in Los Angeles in May 2007, before transferring Off-Broadway in December of that same year. Productions have been mounted over the years in London (2013), Hong Kong (2016) and Sydney (2021), but this is the first time the show will premiere on Broadway.

“It felt funnier than it did in 2007, and fresher,” Hwang told theTimes. “The core issues at the center of the play, representation in casting, what it means to be an actor of color, what it means to get canceled, are so much more at the center of mainstream discourse than they were back then.”

And while Kim is known to audiences for his more dramatic roles, in shows likeLostandHawaii Five-0, Silverman teased to the outlet that theatergoers will soon learn he’s “an enormously funny guy.” She said, “I’m looking forward to seeing this sweaty, panicked person inside the body of the cool, effervescent Daniel Dae Kim.”

“I’ve always loved comedy,” added Kim. “But I am aware that people have not usually seen me in this way.”

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Tickets forYellow Face, which officially opens Oct. 1 at the Todd Haimes Theatre, are now on sale. The limited engagement production is currently scheduled through Nov. 24.

source: people.com