What is your name? Andrew Kwan
What is your role in the show? Chiropractor/Newscaster/Ensemble. The Chiropractor is an important character in Chinatown that Lauren must visit to start her journey of discovery. Don’t want to give too much away but he’s pretty well known in these parts.
Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? This is a charming, fun, and insightful dramatic comedy about institutions and culture that many people aren’t aware of. Its a story about family and the bonds that hold us together.
What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? Being a part of an all-Asian cast (with an Asian director and SM) has been such a delight. Most of us are like Lauren in many ways, continuing to learn and discover more about our roots. As a Canadian-born Asian person we are between two worlds and navigating life isn’t always straightforward. To be able to go on this journey with people with similar backgrounds, and then to be able to perform and display this on stage, will be a true joy.
Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? I think growing up there is an immense pressure to fit in and to be ‘less Asian’. I went to a school that did not have a lot of diversity and so I did what I could to be a part of that crowd. As I grew older and met more people, its been more important in my life to embrace my cultural background and to learn more about others as well. Our diversity is what makes us stronger and better people because of it.
What was the best birthday party you attended? My son’s first birthday party! Cake smash, name that tune, outdoor BBQ… and in bed at a reasonable time!
