Joanna Wan-Ying Chan papers, 1970-2020
Summary Information
Abstract
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#2120
- Bib ID:
- 17041889 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Chan, Joanna
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 20 Linear Feet (38 manuscript boxes, 1 audiocassette box, 2 CMI boxes, 1 flat box)
- Language(s):
- English , Chinese , Chinese .
- Access:
- You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
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This collection is located off-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
Audiovisual content must be digitized prior to use. Some unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized. Email rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
The collection also includes an extensive amount of digital material which has been preserved but is not described or processed. Please contact the RBML at rbml@columbia.edu to discuss access options.
Description
Content Description
The Joanna Wan-Ying Chan papers (陳尹瑩檔案) document the life and activities of Joanna Chan, who is a Chinese-American and Cantonese speaking Maryknoll sister, the Director of Youth Services at the Transfiguration Church in New York's Chinatown from 1969 to 1976, and she is also an artist, playwright and stage director, at the Four Seas Players 四海劇社, which she founded in 1970 in New York City and led for 22 years; the Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America 美國長江劇團 which she founded in 1992 in New York City and led for 24 years; the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre 香港話劇團 of which Joanna was the Artistic Director in the 1980s and where she worked as a guest director and playwright for 25 years; and the Sing Sing Rehabilitation Through Arts program in Westchester, New York, for which she served as guest playwright and director. The collection contains personal materials, business records of the three theatrical repertories she worked at, and production files of the plays she produced and directed, dating from 1970 to 2020. The materials comprise correspondence, minutes and agendas, business and financial records, printed materials, and theatrical production files including programs, scripts, casts, schedule, scenery plans, clippings, research materials, photographs, and memorabilia. Among other formats are some born-digital records and audiovisual materials. Series I-III contain materials related to her career as a prolific playwright and her involvement in various theatrical repertories as well as her activities within the larger Chinese-American and Asian American community in New York City. The highlight and the bulk of the collection is in Series IV: Production Files, which focuses on the creative theatrical productions produced and directed by Joanna Chan, many of which feature traditionally known Chinese stories throughout the generations as well as new and innovative plays which challenge the beliefs and norms within the Chinese American and Cantonese speaking community.
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Series I: Personal=個人文件, 1975-2004
Series includes personal materials related to and collected by Joanna Wan-Ying Chan, dating from 1975 to 2004.
Subseries I.1: Special Events consisting of materials related to Joanna Chan's relationship with New York Chinatown and the Church of Transfiguration, dating from 1975 to 2002.
Subseries I.2: Playwright Symposiums contains files related to the playwright festivals and symposiums that Joanna Chan attended and contributed, from 1993 to 2004, in conjunction with her activity in the Yangtze Repertory Theatre and the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre.
Subseries I.3: Printed Materials comprise serials and books collected or authored by Joanna relating to art, Chinatown history, and Chinese culture, dating from 1974 to 2013.
Subseries I.4: Memorabilia includes a wallet gifted by the casts and crew of the Oedipus Rex from the Sing Sing RTA program, circa 2006.
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Series II: Theaters=劇團, 1970-2016
Series comprises documents from three repertories: Four Seas Players 四海劇社, Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America 美國長江劇團, and Hong Kong Repertory Theatre 香港話劇團, dating from 1970 to 2016. Joanna Chan was one of the founders and the Artistic Director at Four Seas Players from 1970 to 1977 and from 1983 to 1992. She also founded the Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America in 1992 in New York City and led for 24 years until around 2016. In addition, she was the Guest Director of Production at the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre in 1985, and the Artistic Director from 1986 to 1990. The materials include administrative and financial records such as meeting minutes and agenda, reports, correspondence, memoranda, programs, programming arrangement materials from the three repertories.
Subseries II.1: Four Seas Players 四海劇社 consists of board meeting minutes, administrative and financial records, and programs from the Four Seas Players, dating from 1970 to 1992. The materials include the founding materials of the Four Seas Players and highlight the theater as a collective of dramatic repertory in the heart of New York's Chinatown. The Four Seas Players of Transfiguration Church was founded in 1970 by Dr. Joanna Chan, Ms. Sun Fu Lo, Dr. Leo Yam, and Mr. Chung Lo in October 1970. Its purpose is to cultivate the talents and skills of the Chinatown community, to promote a spirit of unity and cooperation, and to nurture an interest in the dramatic arts. The name "Four Seas" represents the first two Chinese characters in the ancient saying: "Within the four seas, all men are brothers." Since 1970, the Players has been mounting three full-length theatrical productions yearly in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, at the nearby Schimmel Center, Pace University. Under the artistic direction of Joanna Chan (1970-1972, 1984-1992), Yeh Yung-Ching (1973-1983), Liang-Tee Tu (1993-1998, 2004-2006), and Jackie Huang (1999-2003, 2006–Present), the Company has presented more than one hundred productions, ranging from Chinese and Western classics. Website: https://fourseasplayers.org/
Subseries II.2: Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America 美國長江劇團 includes records related to the Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America, dating from 1993 to 2014. Materials consist of board meeting minutes, financial records, and documents related to dance, exhibitions, concerts, and programming funded and supported by Yangtze. The subseries highlights the various arts programming that Joanna Chan created in conjunction with Yangtze for Asian American artists and its community as a place to showcase their works.
Yangtze was co-founded by Joanna Chan and others in 1992. Yangtze Repertory Theatre has been a welcoming home for artists whose work is not readily seen in the U.S. and supported them to launch their professional careers in NYC. Yangtze has been responsible for the New York debuts of many artists, including Wang XiaoYing 王小鹰, Deputy Director of China's National Theater in Beijing, and Gao Xingjian 高行健, the 2000 Nobel Laureate in Literature, who was brought to New York by Yangtze to direct his own play, Between Life and Death, and to present a showing of his ink paintings. To date, these events remain the only full-scale presentations of Gao's works in the United States. In the fall of 2005, together with Columbia Promotions, Yangtze presented Beijing People's Art Theater, China's most historic and prestigious theater company, in its signature masterpiece, The Teahouse, in its New York debut during the company's first U.S. tour. The Theatre has been funded by the New York State Council on the Arts (since 1994), the Alliance of Resident Theaters/New York (1995-2007), the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (since 1999), New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (since 1997) and the Asian American Arts Alliance (in 1998; 2008). It received a special development grant for emerging artists from the New York State Council on the Arts (1995).
Yangtze has also co-presented art exhibitions, dance performances, and musical concerts, featuring artists and choreographers from China, Hong Kong, Philippines and Taiwan as well as associates of Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey companies. In the past, the company has featured the famed novelist/composer/vocalist, Sola Liu 刘索拉; the pianist Margaret Leng Tan, a noted collaborator of John Cage; and, presented with Columbia Promotions, Li Guyi 李谷一, one of China's best known folk vocalists; and China's renowned pianist, Liu Shikun 刘诗昆, at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Website: https://www.yzrep.org/
Subseries II.3: Hong Kong Repertory Theatre 香港話劇團 includes two folders of board meeting minutes and financial records related to the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, dating from 1983 to 2012. Joanna Chan was the Artistic Director of HK Repertory from 1986 to 1990 and was the guest director and playwright for 25 years. The Hong Kong Repertory Theatre is the longest standing and largest professional theatre company in the city, established in 1977 and incorporated in 2001. Financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre operates under the guidance of its Governing Council, and employs a team of over 80 full-time professionals including the artistic director, assistant artistic director, actors, drama educators, technical and stage management staff as well as administrators. Since its establishment 46 years ago, it has presented more than 400 productions, many of which have become classics of the local theatre canon. Website: https://www.hkrep.com/en
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Series III: Sing Sing Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA)=新新懲教所藝術治療, 2001-2020
Series consists of documents related to Joanna's work with Sing Sing and its RTA program located in Westchester, New York, dating from 2002 to 2020. She coached RTA members on theatrical writing and directing, taught Catholic and Chinese language and literature classes, and produced and directed plays inspired by RTA members' life stories. Materials in this series include memoranda, class materials, clippings, correspondence, student notes and writings, and case files. The materials highlight the interpersonal connection between Joanna Chan as a coach and a friend with RTA members who are incarcerated at Sing Sing. Also see Series IV: Production Files contain production files for the following RTA productions that Joanna produced and directed: In the Silence of the Heart, Jitney, Oedipus Rex.
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Series IV: Production Files=戲劇文件, 1971-2016
Series comprises theatrical productions that Joanna Chan produced and directed at the Four Seas Players, Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, and Sing Sing Correctional Facility's Rehabilitation Through Art (RTA) program, overall dating from 1970 to 2016. Materials include director's prompt books, correspondence, contracts, production meeting minutes, photographs, programs and advertisements, publicity, clippings, and production files which include scripts, costumes, props, music, schedules, scenery, ticketing, and so on. The series highlights the creative works that Joanna Chan produced and directed during her prolific career as a Chinese-American playwright.
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Series V: Digitized and Born-digital=電子文件
Series consists of digitized and born digital records. The digital material has been preserved but is not described or processed. Please contact the RBML at rbml@columbia.edu to discuss access options.
Arrangement
Collection is in 5 series. 檔案分為5個系列.
- Series I: Personal=個人文件, 1975-2004
- Subseries I.1: Special Events=特別活動, 1975-2002
- Subseries I.2: Playwright Symposiums=戲劇硏討會, 1993-2004
- Subseries I.3: Printed Materials=書冊類, 1974-2013
- Subseries I.4: Memorabilia=紀念物品, circa 2006
- Series II: Theaters=劇團, 1970-2016
- Subseries II.1: Four Seas Players=四海劇社, 1970-1992
- Subseries II.2: Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America=美國長江劇團, 1993-2016
- Subseries II.3: Hong Kong Repertory Theatre=香港話劇團, 1983-2012
- Series III: Sing Sing Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA)=新新懲教所藝術治療, 2001-2020
- Series IV: Production Files=戲劇文件, 1971-2016
- Series V: Digitized and Born-digital=電子文件
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.
This collection is located off-site.
This collection has no restrictions.
Audiovisual content must be digitized prior to use. Some unique time-based media items have been reformatted and are available onsite via links in the container list. Commercial materials are not routinely digitized. Email rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
The collection also includes an extensive amount of digital material which has been preserved but is not described or processed. Please contact the RBML at rbml@columbia.edu to discuss access options.
Conditions Governing Use
Single reproductions may be made for research purposes. It is the responsibility of the user to secure permission for publication or use from the appropriate copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Joanna Wan-Ying Chan papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Joanna Chan, 2023.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Processed by Yingwen Huang, 2023.
Biographical / Historical
Joanna Wan-Ying Chan (Chinese: 陳尹瑩) is a trail-blazing playwright, producer, and stage director in Asian American and Chinese American theatre in New York, as well as Cantonese-language theatre in Hong Kong.
Joanna was born on August 14, 1939 in Fanling, New Territories East of Hong Kong. The family moved to Guangzhou due to Japanese invasion. She grew up in Guangzhou and moved to Hong Kong with her family in 1949. She attended the Tack Ching Girls' Middle School/德貞女子中學, in Hong Kong, from 1950 to 1956, and then attended and graduated from Chung Chi College at The Chinese University of Hong Kong/香港中文大學崇基學院 from 1956 to 1960, with a Bachelor degree in mathematics and she also taught at math at her alma mater. She later received a diploma from the Northcote Teachers College/羅富國師範學院 in 1961, and between 1963 and 1967, she studied theology and mathematics in the Maryknoll College in Quezon City, Philippines. In 1967, she professed a Maryknoll sister.
In 1968, she immigrated to the United States, first in Chicago, Illinois, and then moved to New York City in 1969. As a Maryknoll sister, she was appointed as the Director of Youth Services at the Transfiguration Church in New York's Chinatown from 1969 to 1976. From there, she began her career in performing arts as a playwright and a stage director, and founded the Four Seas Players in 1970. From 1970 to 1977 and 1983 to 1992, Joanna was the Artistic Director at Four Seas Players. In addition, to further her passion and studies, she attended and graduated from Teachers College at Columbia University, with a M.A. in Communications (1971), M.Ed. in Communications (1974), and Ed.D. in Communications with a major in Theatre, minor in Arts and Design. Her Doctoral dissertation was titled "The Four Seas Players: Toward an Alternative Form of Chinese Theatre" (1977) and she received the honor of a Distinguished Alumni Award in 1994 from Teachers College at Columbia University. In 1993, she was an honoree at "An All-Star Salute to Chinese American Cultural Pioneers" at City Hall, NYC, and the City declared July 9 to be named Joanna Chan Day in New York City.
Joanna Chan returned to Hong Kong in 1977. From 1977 to 1981, she worked as the Developer and Supervisor at the Overseas Producer at Diocesan Audio-Visual Centre in Hong Kong. In 1985, she was the Guest Director of Production and a Commissioned Playwright for the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. She was appointed as the Artistic Director of Hong Kong Repertory Theatre from 1986 to 1990. At the same time, she worked as a Columnist for the New Evening Post in Hong Kong from 1986 to 1997, working and traveling between Hong Kong and the US.
After she left her Artistic Director position at the Four Seas Play in 1992, she co-founded the Yangtze Repertory Theatre of America. Much of her work at Yangtze has been to dramatize the forces of Chinese history. The Life and Times of Ng Chung-Yin (NY premiere 1998) was a controversial portrait of a journalist/activist. Joanna Chan's bilingual drama, The Story of Yu-Huan (world premiere 1998), dealt with the celebrated beauty (708-746 AD) whose hanging death exposed the injustices of a society not governed by law. In addition, Joanna's The Soongs: By Dreams Betrayed, caused an uproar in the Chinese communities in 1992, examined the collective responsibility of the populace in the rise of tyranny, the myth-making machinery of modern media, and the delusions of the missionary movement and U.S. foreign policy. Joanna Chan left her role in Yangtze in 2014.
Joanna started working as a volunteer coach in the Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 2002. She coached RTA members on theatrical writing and directing, taught Catholic and Chinese language and literature classes, and produced and directed plays inspired by RTA members' life stories. She has presented plays with RTA members, some of the titles include: In the Silence of the Heart (2008), Jitney (2004), and Oedipus Rex (2006). Moreover, Joanna is featured as a New Yorker with significant impact on the Chinese/Asian New York community at the Museum of NYC's permanent exhibition in 2020.
She is currently living in Ossining, New York.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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