The Asian American Theatre Artists Collective
Photo of Christine Toy Johnson
Christine Toy Johnson – photo by Bruce Johnson

I’ve been thrilled to be able to form The Asian American Theatre Artists Collective with the support of the DGF Catalyst for Change fellowship. My goal is to connect, uplift, and amplify AAPI theatre makers across all disciplines; to not only create opportunities to nurture our community, but to elevate our presence within the industry and the public, so we may remove some of the obstacles to those claiming they can’t work with us because they don’t know us, and to expand collective circles of familiarity and hire-ability. 

As of 2024, only 3 Asian women writers have ever been produced on Broadway. Preliminary data from the Asian American Performers Action Coalition’s latest “Visibility report” reveals that in the 2021-22 Broadway season, 0% of the writers, 0% of the directors, and 12% of the designers were of AAPI descent, and 3.7% of roles were played by AAPI actors. Though the numbers are slightly better in NYC’s non-profit off-Broadway theatres and our presence in theatres outside of NYC across the country has grown over the past twenty years, we are still not routinely included in the industry’s diversity dialogue and remain underrepresented on and off stage. The Asian American Theatre Artists Collective was created as a response to the need to find new strategies to build opportunities for AAPI professional theatre artists so that we can become a substantive presence in the American landscape of storytelling and story building. 

In this first year of the project, I’ve been working toward building a community resource directory which will be launched later this year on the website (still in progress) www.aatheatreartists.com. Over 400 AAPI theatre makers from across the U.S. are already in the mix from our initial and ongoing outreach—writers, actors, directors, choreographers, designers, casting directors, fight directors, music directors/musicians, stage managers, dramaturgs, artistic directors, and independent producers. I’ve also been in conversation with the inspirational organizations Maestra and Rise about how we can cross-promote each other’s constituents. AAPI theatre artists can email me for more information on how to be included in the directory at moongateink@gmail.com.

Second year plans are in place to hold an event on May 6, 2025, at the DGF in NYC. This event will be part symposium and part networking opportunity, encouraging smaller meetings between people and the sharing of portfolios, ideas, and fellowship with one another. 

Though I have been doing this kind of advocacy work throughout my entire career, having the support of the DGF—and also BC/EFA [Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS], in the form of an advocacy organization focused grant—for these formative years of the project cannot be underestimated. Shout out to the rest of the Catalyst Fellows: Anu Yadav, Darrel Alejandro Holnes, Erlina Ortiz, Ife Olujobi, Matthew Paul Olmos, Melissa Li and Kit Yan, Noa Gardner, Roger Q. Mason, and Zachariah Ezer. I’m truly honored to work amongst them.

Christine Toy Johnson
Christine Toy Johnson

is a Tony and Obie award-honored writer, actor, and advocate for inclusion. Treasurer of the DG, chair of the Guild’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Access Committee, host of the Guild’s podcast TalkBack on the Broadway Podcast Network. More at christinetoyjohnson.com