The 2021 Broadway Asian Men (BAM!) calendar is now available for purchase on Unapologetically Asian’s website, featuring Marc delaCruz of “Hamilton,” Zachary Noah Piser of “Dear Evan Hanson” and more.
Unapologetically Asian collaborated with New York-based Japanese portrait and performance photographer, actor and stage performer Mari Uchida. The Broadway Diversity Project and Tremendous Communications also helped support the empowering and inspiring calendar. The goal of the project was to challenge stereotypes of Asian masculinity.
“A collective love letter to the Asian American community and aims to challenge how Asian men are stereotypically perceived in mainstream media,” according to an Unapologetically Asian statement.
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Each month of the calendar features different Asian Broadway stars including:
- Marc delaCruz (“Hamilton”)
- Zachary Noah Piser (“Dear Evan Hansen”)
- Devin Ilaw (“Miss Saigon” Revival)
- Billy Bustamante (“Miss Saigon” Revival)
- Marcus Shane (“Mean Girls” National Tour)
- Gen Parton-Shin (“RENT,” “Miss Saigon”)
- Jon Hoche (“King Kong on Broadway”)
- Al Guerzon (“Mama Mia!” “Ghost”)
- George Salazar (Broadway’s “Be More Chill,” “Spring Awakening”)
- Manu Narayan (“Bombay Dreams”)
- Kevin Schuering (“The King and I”)
- Vishal Vaidya (“Groundhog Day,” “Love Life”)
- David Huynh (“Vietgone,” “Henry VI”)
- David Park (“Red Roses,” “Green Gold”)
- Karl Josef Co (“The Unsinkable Molly Brown”)
“With this calendar, I wanted to provide a space for people to celebrate the beauty and talent of Asian men,” Uchida said. “After the challenges we’ve faced in 2020, I can’t think of a better way to usher in the new year.”
Proceeds from Unapologetically Asian’s calendar will directly go to their community programming and Send Chinatown Love, with a goal of relieving hardships in the community. Chinatown businesses are immigrant-run microbusinesses that don’t fit application requirements and were rejected for government loans, according to the organization.
“A community organization providing relief to small businesses in New York City’s Chinatown suffering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads the site.
The organization will provide businesses in Chinatown affected by the pandemic a “sustainable digital community” and an “online platform support.”
Chinese and Asian-owned businesses in New York’s Chinatown, and elsewhere, have been suffering financially since the beginning of the pandemic. Some community members organized events to help struggling business owners amid troubling times, including Chinese American rapper China Mac and actor William Lex.
The 2021 BAM! The Broadway Asian Men Calendar is available for $19.99 through Lulu for you to unapologetically buy.
Feature Image via Mari Uchida, Unapologetically Asian
