Historical Context of the Play (Ryan)

Historical Background of M. Butterfly

David Henry Hwang

Asian American playwright

Plays usually focused on the role of the Chinese American and Asian American in the modern world.
For the early half of the 20th century, Asian Americans in theatre were mainly portrayed as stereotypes.
Starting in the 60s and 70s, however, Asian America theatre companies started opening up which allowed for an increase in Asian American representation. Also allows for more Asian-American centered shows to be produced.

Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (1977), Asian Exclusion Act (1973), Asian American Theater Workshop (1973), and East West Players (1965)

M. Butterfly (1988)

Among surge of plays written by Asian-American playwrights between the 70s and 80s

Bernard Boursicot- French diplomat seduced by She Pei Pu in order to get French secrets, believed the spy was a woman.
Set right after the Indochina War, where France fought to reclaim control of their Asian colonies (Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam), so we can see the direct themes of colonialism and Asian oppression in this play.
After the war, there was a purge of Western Ideology and values, hence why Song is sent to a rural commune since the opera was associated with the upper-class westerners.
Plays with the stereotype of passivity and femininity that is shown in Madame Butterfly.

Hwang and B. D. Wong (original opera singer for M. Butterfly) have both gone on to be very vocal about proper Asian-American representation in theatre, (both protesting the hiring of an English actor as a lead for Miss Saigon).

The David Henry Hwang Theatre

M. Butterfly