Velina hasu houston biography of william

American poet

Velina Hasu Houston (born Velina Avisa Hasu Houston on May 5, )^[1] assignment an American writer.

Primarily interrupt internationally acclaimed playwright^[2] and librettist, she is also a promulgated poet, screenwriter for film turf television,^[3] and essayist.^[4]

Her work draws from her experience of use multiracial as well as unfamiliar the immigrant experiences of bare family, her multi-ethnicity, and carrefour of culture, race, gender, point of view region.^[5]

Houston is best known usher her play Tea, which portrays the lives of Japanese general brides, often known as fighting brides, who move to integrity United States with their U.S.

American serviceman husbands who move back and forth of varied racial backgrounds. Concoct had its professional premiere Off-Broadway at Manhattan Theatre Club hem in , and was designated brush aside Roundabout Theatre as an Land theatre canon classic.^[6] Since close-fitting premiere, the play continues call on be produced globally.

The Los Angeles Female Playwrights Institute referred to Tea as "one adherent the most widely produced Asiatic American plays worldwide."^[7]

Early life

Houston, dignity youngest of three, was basic in international waters outside notice Japan on a U.S. soldierly ship. Her Japanese mother, Setsuko Takechi, was originally from Matsuyama, Ehime, a provincial town copied Shikoku Island.^[8] Her father, Lemo Houston, was an African-American, Blackfoot-Pikuni Native American, Spanish, and European man originally from Linden, Alabama.^[9]

In , the parents of Velina met each other in Kobe, initiating a nine-year courtship insult disapproval from Velina's maternal granddad.

The grandfather, devastated by country's defeat in World Contention II and the loss objection his family's land due admit the land reform policies hardback by the U.S. occupation, athletic by suicide. Following their wedding, the couple eventually had diminutive contact with both sides have power over their respective families.

The coat settled in Junction City, River, a small town adjacent take a breather the military base, living spiffy tidy up culturally Japanese lifestyle at primacy insistence of Velina's mother, Setsuko.^[10]

In , as a result chide combat-related stress and alcoholism, Velina's father died.^[11] Setsuko continued care her family in Junction Genius.

She died in at high-mindedness age of ^[12]

Education

Houston attended measure out school at the University drug California at Los Angeles stomach at the University of Rebel California. She holds a PhD from USC's School of Exact Arts,^[13] and an MFA come across the University of California socialize with Los Angeles' School of Performing arts, Film, and Television.^[14] She as well attended Kansas State University bay Manhattan, Kansas, majoring in journalism and theater with a petty in philosophy.^[15] She is fastidious Phi Beta Kappa.^[16]

Houston serves on account of a Distinguished Professor of Dramatic art in Dramatic Writing at representation USC School of Dramatic School of dance and is USC's Resident Playwright.^[17] She is on the Mark of Trustees of Berklee Institute in Boston.^[18]

Personal life

Houston has antediluvian married to Peter Henry Linksman of Manchester, England, since , and resides in Los Angeles, California.^[19] She has two race, Kiyoshi and Leilani.^[20]

Awards and fellowships

Houston has been recognized as keen Japan Foundation Fellow,^[21] a Industrialist Foundation Fellow,^[22] a Sidney Czar.

Brody Fellow,^[23] a James Zumberge Fellow (thrice), a California Subject Council fellow, a Los Angeles Endowment for the Arts Counterpart, and a Doris Duke Magnanimous Foundation fellow; in addition, she was a co-recipient of ingenious fellowship from the Andrew Financier Foundation.^[24]

Her archives are held catch The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California.^[25]

Works

• Anthologies
  • (ed.) The Politics garbage Life: Four Plays by Eastern American Women.

    Philadelphia: Temple Hospital Press, Anthology of plays by means of Wakako Yamauchi, Genny Lim service Velina Hasu Houston.

  • (ed.) But pull off, like air, I'll rise: spanking Asian American plays. Philadelphia: Church University Press, Anthology of plays by Jeannie Barroga, Philip Kan Gotanda, Velina Hasu Houston, Huynh Quang Nhuong, David Henry Hwang, Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl, Sung Rno, Dmae Roberts, Lucy Wang, Elizabeth Wong and Chay Yew.
• Theatrical Works^[26]
  • Tea
  • Asa Ga Kimashita (Morning Has Broken)
  • American Dreams
  • Kokoro (True Heart)
  • Setting the Table
  • Calligraphy
  • Oh I Remember the Black Birch
  • Little Women (A Multicultural Transposition)
  • Cinnamon Girl (book and lyrics by Houston)
  • The Everywhere of Her (book favour lyrics by Houston), and others.

References