With four weeks to opening one of the leads of “Good Woman of Setzuan” was fired for being “dissatisfied.”  The emails, which should be released by the theater department so that students can make up their minds, reveal that the student expressed a need for cultural sensitivity in the depiction of Chinese Gods.  The student was the only Asian in the cast and was aware that the first time director, the costumer and the head of the costume department were not Asian and might not be culturally aware.

Calstate east bay is a teaching institution.  The student was asked to rap to a sound bite.  The student said that he could not find the beat.  Rap is music, which is done to and against a beat.  The student, who has an extensive background in music having a musical of his produced by calstate and having appeared in calstate musical, asked for help.  The emails reveal everything.  Including the sound bite the student was asked to rap to.  The csueb community should determine their reaction to the sound bite.  The first time director at calstate eb did not provide instruction or aid saying, “we speak a different language”.  If the instructor, because that is what the faculty of csueb is, has a background in rap then he should have provided the rap help.  Does the instructor have a background in rap or in music?  Is calstate an educational institution?    What is the purpose of calstate and what educational abilities does the instructor bring? The theater department emails reveal all.

The student never expressed disatisfaction with his role only the two issues.