Getting the Role of Gwennie in <em>The World of Suzie Wong</em>

Keeping Japanese Performance Arts Alive in the Camps Passing Time in the Camps with Baton Twirling Takayo Fischer’s Love of Acting Started with Shibai Facing Prejudice as a Japanese American Teenager in Chicago after the War Takayo Fischer on Her First Time Expressing Outward Affection to Her Parents Being Confused about Racial Identity in Postwar United States Shock of Her Granddaughter Not Knowing Her Japanese Heritage On the Difference between Being a Role and Playing a Role Working on the Set of Pirates of the Caribbean and Meeting Keith Richards The Emotional Toll of Being Incarcerated in Camp during World War II Representing her Family and the Japanese American Community in Acting Sister’s Trauma from being Incarcerated during World War II Her Approach to Preparing for Roles Getting the Role of Gwennie in The World of Suzie Wong

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Well during that time that I was married, I did a show on Broadway called The World of Susie Wong, and I played – originated the role of Gwennie: sweet girl, not much sex appeal. But my mother-in-law was appalled – first of all, I’d been to audition originally for Flower Drum Song, and it’s so silly, you know, you don’t get all dressed up to go to audition for these things, but she let – she wanted me to wear her fur jacket. I looked like I was some wealthy girl going in to audition, and they wanted me to be the understudy for Yoshio Miyaki and Pat Suzuki, but then I heard about this other audition playing the prostitute. And then I had a regular part, where I would get to originate the role. So I turned down the “Flower Drum Song” to originate the role of Gwennie, so that was the beginning of it.

Date: November 8, 2018
Location: California, US
Interviewer: June Berk
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

acting actor broadway The World of Suzie Wong