Francis Jue Speaks Up for Asian Representation During BroadwayCon AANHPI Celebration

By Melissa Griegel…

Avenue Q alum Erin Quill hosted a celebration of AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander) artists at the recent 2026 BroadwayCon during a mainstage event at The Palladium Times Square featuring AANHPI Broadway luminaries. In addition to the many wonderful singers, dancers, and actors who delighted with audience with breathtaking performances, Tony-Award-Winner Francis Jue (M Butterfly, Yellow Face) gave an impassioned speech that was such a powerful call for more Asian representation and acceptance in American theater, that I wanted to share his speech here. In addition to his speech, I have included captioned photos of all the performances.

Click on video to watch Francis Jue‘s speech.

Francis Jue:

Hello, everyone! Erin asked me to say a few words to keep it real, and so I thought I would start with a little confession. I don’t know how much it’s just me, or how much it’s because I didn’t see very many Asians on screen or on stage when I was growing up, but I always felt I needed to ask permission. I always needed to apologize for asking for your attention. I don’t necessarily want, nor am I qualified, to be an ambassador for Asians, but that’s part of the job when you’re in a country, and when you work in an industry, that continues to see us as perpetual foreigners incapable of telling our own universal human stories.

Ali Ewoldt and Telly Leung duet of “All I Ask of You” from Phantom of the Opera

What’s worse, many Asians feel like I did—that we had to ask for permission, that we needed to prove that we belonged. When I first came to New York, I thought I could only survive in this business if I did classical theater in theaters that were doing non-traditional casting. I thought I could prove my humanity by playing roles that were traditionally played by white people.

Dancers performing to Albert Guerzon singing “There Were Lights”

As artists, we aren’t insulated from the pernicious idea that we are foreign, a variant from the norm, adjacent to humanity, but not fully human ourselves. It’s taken me a long time to understand how deep those prejudices go, and how insidiously they affected my own work and my own sense of self. It took me a long time and a lot of self-reflection, finally to say, “Fuck that shit!” (Loud applause from the audience.)

Jaygee Macapuguay and Kai Edgar perform “There is Santa Claus” from Elf

An audience member once said to me, “When I see you on stage, I don’t see an Asian, I see a human being.” (Audience member gasped out loud: “Oh my God!”) That was my response, and I actually did say to him, and this was a revelation to me at the time when as I said it, “One day, I hope that you can see me as an Asian and a human being.” (More loud applause.)

Shoba Narayan serenades the audience with “A Whole New World” from Aladdin

I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had to play roles like The Emcee, Mozart, Puck, but honestly, I am proudest of playing the Asian roles that I’ve had the opportunity to play because they were both Asian and human. I am enraged, and I mourn for all the roles not played, the songs not written, the plays not produced, because of underrepresentation of Asians on Broadway and in the American theater across the country.

Erin Quill introduces Anne Fraser Thomas, Claire Kwon, and Grace Yoo to perform “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters

Anne Fraser Thomas

Claire Kwon

The tragedy is incalculable. But here’s the thing—we are still here. We are powerful and we are necessary. Being Asian is a big ingredient in our secret sauce. Whether I’m playing an Asian role or not, it’s part of my humanity. Asian stories are universal human stories and Asians are as qualified to tell universal human stories as anyone else.

Grace Yoo belts out “Democracy” from Soft Power

When I look at the artists on this stage, I am hopeful. I am moved to be motivated to try to be a better artist who sees being Asian not as an obstacle, but as an asset, a boundless resource of what it means to be human, to be an artist, and a citizen. The American theater will never fulfill its true potential until it includes Asian artists. It will never actually be American theater until it includes Asian artists.

Telly Leung sings “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” from The Lion King

I’m proud to be an Asian artist. I’m humbled by the courage and the talent of the artists on this stage. Thank you to Erin Quill and BroadwayCon for showing us what it could sound like indeed. Thank you very much.