Customer Reviews

But Still, Like Air, I'll Rise: New Asian American Plays

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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Most of these plays don't succumb to the pressure (as does much of Asian-American fiction and non-fiction literature) to try and represent ALL Asian-Americans at once - it is in the specific that a people are expressed, and as the drama in this anthology gets more and more specific, we see how many voices we really have.

BUT STILL, LIKE AIR, I'LL RISE is a delicious anthology that celebrates refreshingly original voices that frequently go unheard, unseen and unnoticed. The book showcases 11 exciting plays by Asian American playwrights, underscoring the depth and range of the Asian American experience. The plays raises provocative questions and offers wonderful insights on identity, family, language, trust, betrayal. A must have for any library.

i was taking an acting class and we were required to prepare 3-4 scenes. we were encouraged to seek out classics as well as ethnic plays/playwrites, which is how i happed upon BUT STILL, LIKE AIR, I'LL RISE. and man, there is good stuff in here. inevitably the playwrites address cultural issues, via idividual characters' lives, but everyone, regardless of race or roots, should be able to appreciate the masterful writing, the universal themes, and the imipressively wide range of plots. even though i'm not a serious actor, i couldn't NOT buy this book.

BUT STILL, LIKE AIR, I'LL RISE is from cover to cover an angle on America Theatre often left alone by most of the mainstream, except during ethnic appreciation month, or whatever. So, yes it is very refreshing to have an anotholgy so compact. It's like a treasure for your library of great Asian America plays.

However, the content of the plays is not G, PG, or PG13 on average. Some of the plays are dirty for the sake of being dirty. I don't think that is a reason to not buy BUT STILL, LIKE AIR, I'LL RISE, but I'm sure you'll appreciate the warning.