The Dance and the Railroad (Magill’s Choice: American Ethnic Writers)
At a glance:
- Author: David Henry Hwang
- First Published: 1983
- Genres: Social realism, Satire, Drama, Comedy, History play
- Subjects: West, U.S., Singing or singers, Migrant labor, Chinese Americans, Railroads, Strikes or lockouts, Opera, operas, or operettas
- Locales: California
The Work
The Dance and the Railroad is a history play based on the Chinese railroad workers’ strike of 1867. It reveals a significant event in the Chinese American past, rejecting the stereotype of submissive coolies and depicting assertive men who demanded their rights in spite of great personal risk. Originally intended as a contribution toward the reclaiming of the Chinese American past, it accomplished much broader artistic goals.
Ma, a young Chinese emigrant who has been in America only four weeks, comes to warn Lone, a performer, that the other Chinese do...
[The entire page is 695 words long]
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