David Henry Hwang may never be able to answer the question “Who am I?” but he’s OK with that.

“The process of asking, ‘Who am I?’ is what makes us who we are,” he said.

Hwang, an award-winning playwright, related his personal experiences in the entertainment industry to a theme of defining one’s self-identity during his talk at Syracuse University on Thursday. His talk was part of the University Lecture series and took place at 7:30 p.m. in Hendricks Chapel.

In talking about self-identity, Hwang discussed his experiences growing up in the Los Angeles area as a second generation immigrant and Chinese-American. Hwang said he originally didn’t think much of his ethnicity, comparing being Asian to having red hair. But he said he later began to realize the Asian characters he watched on TV or in movies seemed one-sided and un-relatable, describing them as either “inhumanly good” or “inhumanly bad.”

Hwang said he is influenced by numerous different cultures. He prefers the concept of “transculturalism,” rather than “multiculturalism,” because he said it removes barriers and allows for fluidity.

“I ended up incorporating fluidity into any definition of identity,” Hwang said.

Hwang got his start in the entertainment industry when he began to study playwriting with Sam Sheppard, a celebrated playwright, actor and director. He originally had trouble creating complex characters with their own opinions, he said, but eventually learned how to succeed at it.

“If you don’t fail, you’re not trying hard enough,” Hwang added.

As his writing skills evolved, he said, so did his understanding of himself.

Hwang said he became a better writer after he learned to bypass his conscious thoughts and instead make use of emotions and impulses. He found that, subconsciously, he had a deep interest in his own cultural heritage. Most of Hwang’s plays tackle questions related to ethnicity or identity.

The social and interactive nature of theater helped him develop a sense of self and share it with others, he said.

“The sense of watching a play is both internal and external,” Hwang said.

He read the audience an excerpt from his most famous play, the award-winning “M. Butterfly.” The plot focuses on the crisis a French diplomat faces when he falls in love with a Chinese opera singer, only to discover that she is actually a male spy in disguise.

Another one of Hwang’s popular plays, “Yellow Face,” was inspired by the practice of “yellow-faced casting,” which means casting a white actor for an Asian role. He described his involvement in a group of protestors who opposed this idea. Hwang also briefly discussed his play “Chinglish,” which is about an American businessman working in China.

Ryan Barbour, a local high school student and aspiring playwright who attended the lecture, said Hwang had recently read one of his own plays, and that he was excited to get advice from such a prominent industry figure.

“I loved the insights on how Hwang discovered his interest in playwriting and began his career,” Barbour said.

Leah Slater, a junior drama major, said she enjoyed the lecture, especially because it was relevant to her studies.

Said Slater: “I liked hearing about how Hwang discovered himself through his writing.”

Published on April 5, 2013 at 1:34 am

Contact Emma: ecwozny@syr.edu