David Henry Hwang

From Frank Rich’s NY Times Review of Dance and the Railroad March 31, 1981

David Henry Hwang, a Chinese-American playwright, is a true original. A native of Los Angeles, born to immigrant parents, he has one foot on each side of a cultural divide. He knows America – its vernacular, its social landscape, its theatrical traditions. He knows the same about China. In his plays, he manages to mix both of these conflicting cultures until he arrives at a style that is wholly his own. Mr. Hwang’s works have the verve of well-made American comedies and yet, with little warning, they can bubble over into the mystical rituals of Oriental stagecraft. By at once bringing West and East into conflict and unity, this playwright has found the perfect means to dramatize both the pain and humor of the immigrant experience.