PlayGuide - "The Heart Sellers"

SUH

About the Play

This World Premiere play takes place on Thanksgiving Day of 1973, just five days after Richard Nixon’s infamous “I am not a crook” speech. Two young immigrant women, Luna and Jane, have met at the supermarket and have returned to Luna’s apartment. Both women are married to medical residents who are working on the holiday. The women have given up all they have known for the men they love, but the intensity of their husbands’ schedules has left them both isolated in an unfamiliar place. The women try to prepare the unfamiliar traditional American Thanksgiving meal, while finding connection and conversation with each other. Can this new friendship be a lifeline for them both as they navigate this new world and their changing dreams?

The Heart Sellers is part of the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program; the script was commissioned by Milwaukee Rep from playwright Lloyd Suh, the writer of The Chinese Lady (2018/19 Season).

Characters

LUNA

Luningning Ignacia Mangahas de la Rosario Bustos, 23, Filipina. Outgoing, talks a mile a minute, kind and generous in her spirit.

JANE

Hong Jae Ha, 23, Korean. Shy and unsure of her new friend, finds solace in cooking shows and dreams of new experiences.

Immigration

Milwaukee is proud to be a city of immigrants. This city has long been a place where many different cultures and immigrant groups settled. Although the story of Milwaukee’s immigrant history is rich and varied, it is also one that saw most of these ethnic groups being highly segregated into specific neighborhoods. These “ethnic neighborhoods” are an interesting part of Milwaukee’s legacy, but also continue to impact the people of Milwaukee and different parts of the city in many ways.

Encyclopedia of Milwaukee

Resources from the Wisconsin Historical Society: “19th Century Immigration and Growth” “20th Century Immigration” ________ In Wisconsin book series (details specific immigrant groups in each text)

Cream City Chronicles by John Gurda

The Making of Milwaukee by John Gurda (also a television special and website)

Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods by John Gurda

Germans in Milwaukee: A Neighborhood History by Jill Florence Lackey & Rick Petrie

Voices of Milwaukee Bronzeville by Dr. Sandra E. Jones

Milwaukee Black Historical Society

Milwaukee County Historical Society

Hmong girls perform in traditional dress. Photo credit: Milwaukee County Historical Society.

Mexican Independence Day parade, 1930. Photo credit: Arnoldo Sevilla, WisContext.

Early African-American settler to Milwaukee, Susanna Watson. Photo credit: Milwaukee Public Museum.

International Students in American Universities

International students have attended American universities since the 1800s, although numbers of international scholars grew as time went on.

• 1854 - Yung Wing became the first Chinese person to graduate from a U.S. university. After graduating from Yale, he helped create an education exchange with China and later became one of the first Chinese diplomats in the U.S.

• 1921 - More than 8,000 international students enrolled in U.S. universities (1stChina, 2nd - Canada, 3rd - Philippines).

• 1930s - More German and European scholars came to the U.S. in the face of the rise of the Nazi regime.

• 1947 - Fulbright program was founded to help fund international educational exchanges. By 1949, 26,000 international students were in the U.S.

• 1950s - As China began its isolationist policies, the number of Chinese students in the U.S. dropped dramatically.

• 1960s - JFK had the Kennedy foundation pay for airfare for 250 Kenyan scholars (including Barack Obama Sr.). By 1969, there were 135,000 students, mostly from Canada and India.

• 1970s - OPEC countries expanded overseas scholarship programs. By 1979, Iran had 50,000 students studying in the U.S. out of 260,000 international scholars.

• 2000 - More than half a million international students studied in the U.S.

• 2001 - After the events of September 11th, tighter screening led to a 2.4% drop in enrolled international students nationwide in 2003.

• 2007-2008 - American universities expanded efforts to recruit international students in the face of the impact of the global financial crisis.

• 2015 - International students (who usually pay full tuition) contributed $9 billion to public universities across the country, 28% of their total revenue.

• 2016 - Nearly a million international students studied in the U.S. More than 30% of those students were from China.

• 2018-2019 - In the 2018-19 school year, international students contributed $39 billion to the economy.

• Even though they only make up about 5 percent of the total student population, international students earned nearly half of all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Masters and Doctor degrees.

• Despite all of the good that international students contribute, the pathway to permanent residency or citizenship after graduation is not easy. There are no special visas for post-graduate work or a specialized pathway to legally working in the U.S. after attending an American university.

• Unfortunately, these difficulties faced by international students coupled with the Coronavirus pandemic and increased recruitment efforts by other countries has led to declining international enrollment numbers.

• The U.S. has long been the most popular destination for international students, but the appeal has gone down in recent years. In the 2019-2020 school year, the U.S. saw a decrease of 20,000 international students at universities around the country. In the 2020 school year, enrolled students dropped 16% (in-person and virtual combined) and new enrollments dropped 46%.

Image Source: Institute of International Education (IIE), “Enrollment Trends: International Student Data from the 2020 Open Doors Report.”

International students wave their country flags at a Northeastern University commencement ceremony. Photo credit: U.S. State Department.

The Hart-Celler Act

(Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965)

“This bill that we will sign today is not a revolutionary bill. It does not affect the lives of millions. It will not reshape the structure of our daily lives .... This bill says simply that from this day forth those wishing to immigrate to America shall be admitted on the basis of their skills and their close relationship to those already here. ... Those who can contribute most to this country—to its growth, to its strength, to its spirit—will be the first that are admitted to this land.

The fairness of this standard is so self-evident that we may well wonder that it has not always been applied. Yet the fact is that for over four decades the immigration policy of the United States has been twisted and has been distorted by the harsh injustice of the national origins quota system. Under that system the ability of new immigrants to come to America depended upon the country of their birth. Only 3 countries were allowed to supply 70 percent of all the immigrants. It has been un-American in the highest sense ... Our beautiful America was built by a nation of strangers. ... Those who do come will come because of what they are, and not because of the land from which they sprung.”

American Immigration Timeline

March 1790

Congress passes the Naturalization Act of 1790, the first immigration law in the new nation. Any free white person of “good character” who has been living in the U.S. for two years or longer may apply for citizenship.

1808

Congress bans the “importation” of enslaved people.

1819

Steerage Act of 1819 passes and requires better conditions on ships of immigrants arriving to the U.S. The bill also requires captains to document demographics of passengers, creating the first record of the ethnic makeup of immigrants arriving.

1849

The U.S.’s first anti-immigrant political party forms: The Know-Nothing Party.

A second in response urbanization. than 20

August 1790

The first U.S. Census is taken. The English are the largest ethnic group counted, but nearly one in five Americans are of African descent.

1815

Peace is reestablished after The War of 1812. Immigration from Western Europe explodes. This wave of immigration lasts until the Civil War.

1820 – 1860

One-third of immigrants to the U.S. are from Ireland, especially due to the extreme famine the Irish faced. Over 5 million Germans also come to the U.S.

1875

In response to the Civil War, some states have passed their own immigration laws. In 1875, the Supreme Court declares that immigration law is clearly under federal purview.

- President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the Hart-Celler Act of 1965.

President Johnson signing the Hart-Celler Act into law on Liberty Island, October 3, 1965. Photo credit: Bettmann Archives, Getty Images.

A census enumerator’s records from the 1790 census. Photo credit: National Archives.

Illustration of a Irish famine-era “coffin ship” carrying passengers. Image credit: Illustrated London News, Hulton Archive, Getty Images.

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, more commonly known as the Hart-Celler Act (after its two sponsors Senator Philip A. Hart of Michigan and Representative Emanuel Celler of New York), was a landmark piece of immigration legislation. For decades before the passage of the new law, a federal quota system severely limited the numbers of immigrants from outside of Western Europe. This discrimination prioritized the immigration of white Europeans over people of other races and nationalities. Bill co-sponsor Celler noted, “Forty years of testing have proven that the rigid pattern of discrimination has not only produced imbalances that have irritated many nations, but Congress itself, through a long series of enactments forced by the realities of a changing world saw fit to modify this unworkable formula so that today it remains on the books primarily as an expression of gratuitous condescension.”

With the passage of the Hart-Celler Act priority was given to “highlyskilled” immigrants, those with family already living in the U.S., and refugees, creating a merit-based system over a system that revolved primarily around national origin. The act also set a national cap of 20,000 for all countries, including those from North, Central, and South America, which had previously had no caps. The bill was very popular in Congress and passed in the House 318-95. Since the passage of the act, the immigrant population of the U.S. has more than quadrupled, with more than 14% of the population being immigrants. The passage of Hart-Celler fundamentally changed immigration to the U.S., even if those who supported the bill saw it as a much less influential bill than

it actually became. In 1960, 84% of immigrants were from Europe or Canada; by 2017, immigrants from Europe and Canada totaled 13.2% with the balance shifted towards immigrants from more parts of the world.

While the Hart-Celler Act opened up more immigration to people from Asia, Africa, and other non-European nations, it did prioritize family reunification and “skilled” workers over other immigrants. Immediate family members of those already living in the U.S. were not counted towards the national caps, so bringing families back together became one of the most prevalent reasons for immigrating. People who choose to immigrate to the U.S. have to be “sponsored” unless they are under one of the visas given for work or study. The Hart-Celler Act led to a boom in international students, workers in STEM fields, and other “highly valued” immigrants arriving in the U.S. Unfortunately, the law does not value those in “unskilled” fields, such as agricultural workers, tradespeople, and others, which gives them a much rougher road on their immigration journey. Sometimes these journeys can take decades or end in deportation or other negative outcomes.The cap on immigration from other countries in the Americas has changed the face of agriculture in the U.S. and has led to an immigration crisis, problems at the southern border, and a much more difficult journey for many Mexican, Central, and South American immigrants. As such, millions of people have immigrated to the U.S. without legal sponsorship or authorization in order to find new opportunities for themselves and their families.

Ellis Island, America’s first immigration station. Photo credit: Ellis Island Foundation.

1880 - 1920

second boom of immigration occurs response to industrialization and urbanization. During this period, more 20 million immigrants arrive.

1891

The Immigration Act of 1891 further expands who cannot immigrate to the U.S. including polygamists, people convicted of certain crimes, and “the sick and diseased.”

The act also establishes a federal office of immigration and a formal system of immigration officers.

1907

U.S. immigration peaks, with 1.3 million people being processed through Ellis Island alone.

1910

An estimated three-quarters of New York City’s population consists of new immigrants and first-generation Americans.

continued on next page...

1882

The Chinese Exclusion Act bars Chinese immigration to the United States after years of Chinese laborers immigrating and working in the country. Even though Chinese nationals only comprise 0.002% of the population at the time, anti-Chinese sentiment is common.

January 1892

Ellis Island, the U.S.’s first immigration station opens. Between 1892 and 1954, more than 12 million immigrants will be processed through Ellis Island.

February 1907

Due to anti-Japanese sentiment, the U.S. and Japan sign “The Gentleman’s Agreement” which will limit emigration from Japan to the U.S. to certain categories of professionals.

Family arriving at Ellis Island, 1905. Photo credit: Lewis W. Hine, The Miriam and Ira D.

Division of Art, Prints and Photographs:

1917

The Immigration Act of 1917 creates a literacy requirement for immigrants and ends immigration from most Asian countries.

Political cartoon in response to the Chinese Exclusion Act. Photo credit: Library of Congress.

Wallach

Photography Collection, New York Public Library.

A naturalization ceremony in New Jersey. Photo credit: Drew Angerer, Getty Images.

Historical Context: Korea and the Philippines in 1973

The political climates in both Jane’s and Luna’s home countries are quite fraught at the time of the play. Korea and the Philippines were experiencing much turmoil and change in the early 1970s and the years preceding.

KoreaAt the end of World War II, Japanese occupation of Korea ended. The Soviet Union occupied the area north of the 38th parallel and U.S. troops were in the south. A few years after the conclusion of the war, the Republic of Korea was established (1948). In 1950, South Korea declared independence, prompting an invasion by North Korea. The Korean War lasted until 1953 and devastated the country with over 2 million casualties; an Armistice was signed in July of 1953.

In 1960, student protests against election fraud led to the resignation of President Syngman Ree, and a new constitution formed the Second Republic. Political freedom in Korea remained limited and in 1961, a military coup put General Park Chung-hee in power. General Park restored some of the political freedoms for Koreans and a rapid period of industrialization began.

Park maintained power throughout the 1960s and in 1972 declared martial law, changing the constitution and giving himself a broader range of power. During U.S. President Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972, he said that the U.S. would help to reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula and promote exchanges between the two countries. In response, Park’s administration began secret meetings with North Korea and both sides hoped for dialogue about reunification. On

1924

The Immigration Act of 1924 limits the number of immigrants using nationality quotas. The law limits visas to two percent of the total number of people of each nationality according to the 1890 Census. Great Britain, Ireland, and Germany account for 70% of all available visas. The Act excludes all immigrants from Asia except the Philippines.

1942

Labor shortages lead to the passing of the Bracero Program, which allows Mexican agricultural workers to enter the country temporarily for work.

1952

The McCarranWalters Act formally ends the exclusion of Asian immigrants.

July 4, 1972, both governments made a public statement providing guidance for reunification. Unfortunately, the extremely different ideological and political viewpoints of the two countries and reescalating aggression from North Korea made the talks less than fruitful.

Political unrest in South Korea increased after the kidnapping in August of 1973 of Kim Dae-Jung by agents of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency. Kim had been conducting an anti-government campaign in the U.S. and Japan and was considered a threat to Park’s regime.

1960 - 1962

Operation Peter Pan brings roughly 14,000 unaccompanied children from Cuba to the U.S. to escape the Castro regime.

April - October 1980

Roughly 125,000 Cubans face a treacherous crossing during the Mariel boatlift to seek political asylum.

1924 In response to the new restrictions, illegal immigration increases. The U.S. Border Patrol is established.

1948

The first refugee and resettlement law is passed in response to the influx of refugees from World War II.

1956 - 1957

Over 38,000 refugees from Hungary are part of the first Cold War era resettlement.

1965 The Hart-Celler Act is passed (See more in the expanded article on page 8)

1986

The Simpson-Mazzoli Act is passed which grants amnesty to over 3 million undocumented immigrants.

2001

The U.S. Patriot Act is passed in response to 9/11. The act reduces the rights of immigrants by expanding deportation powers and allowing for detainment without cause or due process.

2001

Senators Dick Durbin and Orrin Hatch propose the first DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children (Dreamers). The law and its subsequent iterations fail to pass.

The then-opposition politician Kim Dae-jung talks to reporters after he was rescued from being kidnapped by the then-authoritarian regime in Seoul in this 1973 file photo. Photo credit: Korea Times.

Agricultural laborers who came to the U.S. during the Bracero program, 1943.

Photo credit: Marjory Collins, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Cuban refugees arrive in Key West during the Mariel boatlift, 1980. Photo credit: Britannica.com.

Jane would have not only been a woman who spent her youngest years in a country at war, but also would be experiencing the upheaval of her country throughout her teenage years and now as a young woman watching from afar.

Philippines

The Philippines came out of hundreds of years of colonization by Spain at the turn of the 20th century through assistance with their revolution from the U.S., but the United States had other plans for the island nation.

The Philippines became a U.S. territory after conflict between the U.S. and Philippine independence forces after the conclusion of the Spanish-American War. The U.S. allowed numerous autonomous governing bodies and policies, but still maintained control. In the 1930s, several bills were passed by Congress that attempted to set a timeline and specifications for Philippine independence. A commonwealth was established in 1935.

During World War II, Japan launched an intense assault on the Philippines, leading to a U.S. and Philippine surrender in May 1942. Japan took over the U.S.’s role in the Philippine government and put in place leaders who were part of the Japanese regime. During the aggression from Japan and subsequent Japanese rule, guerilla opposition groups formed. The U.S. pushed back Japan in October of 1944 and the commonwealth was restored in name, if not in practice.

In 1946, the Republic of the Philippines was established. Post-War Philippines faced rebuilding from massive wartime destruction,

an economy in disarray, political corruption, and objectionable conditions placed on assistance from the U.S.

A communist rebellion and some political unrest followed the war, but later in the 1950s and early 60s, dissent was often channeled into protest, political action, and the electoral process. In 1965, Ferdinand Marcos was elected President of the Republic. His administration faced extreme economic problems, which were exacerbated by its own corruption, tax evasion, and smuggling. Marcos was reelected in 1969. As Marcos neared the end of his constitutionally limited eight-year presidency, he pushed for a change to a parliamentary government so he could remain in power.

In September of 1972, Marcos declared martial law, claiming that it was the only defense against the alleged threats of a communist insurgency, the Muslim separatist movement, and increasingly violent student protests. He used the unchecked power to arrest opposition politicians, prohibit labor strikes, reduce violent urban crime, collect unregistered firearms, launch a land-reform program, and suppress some communist insurgencies. Marcos also proclaimed the passage of a new constitution which seated him as president and prime minister, installing him as a de facto dictator in January 1973.

This is the political world of her home country Luna reflects on in the play.

2019

2002

The passage of the Homeland Security Act establishes the Department of Homeland Security.

2012

President Obama signs Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which shields some Dreamers from deportation, but does not provide a path to citizenship.

2014

President Obama signs an executive order expanding the rights of DACA to some parents of Dreamers as well.

2018

In April, travel restrictions on Chad are lifted. In June, the Supreme Court upholds the third version of the travel bans on the remaining seven countries.

The Trump administration passes a Public Charge Final Rule, indicating that a “noncitizen who is deemed likely to become a ‘public charge,’ meaning that they are likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence, can be denied admission or lawful permanent residence (known colloquially as a green card).”

2020 - 2022

The Biden administration works to reverse some of the Trump administration’s immigration policy, with plans to increase refugee admission, preserve deportation relief, expand Temporary Protected Status, and not enforce the “public charge” rule. The restrictions on visa numbers are also lifted.

2004

Congress passes the H-1B Visa Reform Act, allowing for expanded visa availability for “high-skilled” temporary workers with degrees from American universities.

2013

The “Gang of Eight” immigration reform bill is proposed, passes the Senate, but dies in the House. If passed, this bill would have huge impacts on immigration reform and the U.S. economy.

2017

President Trump signs two executive orders to curtail travel and immigration from six majority-Muslim countries as well as North Korea and Venezuela. Both of these orders are challenged in various state and federal courts. The Trump administration also seeks to halt DACA.

2020

In response to the pandemic, the Trump administration drastically reduces visas, both immigrant and nonimmigrant. During Trump’s tenure, visas for refugees are also drastically reduced.

Propaganda poster depicting the Philippine resistance movement. Photo credit: National Archives.

Front page of the Philippines Daily Express after Marcos declared martial law. Photo credit: Wikipedia.

People protesting the Muslim travel ban gather at O’Hare International Airport on Jan. 28, 2017. Photo credit: Hillary Bachelder.

Demonstration in support of DACA in downtown Los Angeles, 2020. Photo credit: Frederic J. Brown, Getty Images

Holiday Traditions

KoreaSeollal (Lunar New Year): One of the most important holidays in both North and South Korea, this celebration usually lasts for three days during which Koreans visit family, perform ancestral rights, eat Korean food, play folk games, and wear the traditional hanbok.

Jeongwol Daeboreum (The Great Full Moon Festival): This Korean holiday celebrates the first full moon of the new year with many traditions such as the cracking of nuts, drinking Gwibalgisul, eating other special foods, hiking, playing a traditional “mouse fire” game, and the lighting of bonfires (although this tradition is not as prevalent as it once was).

Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving or Harvest Festival): Chuseok is celebrated in autumn with the making of special foods such as songpyeon (a rice cake), giving of gifts, and spending time with loved ones.

Independence Movement Day: This celebration on March 1st commemorates one of the earliest public displays of Korean resistance on March 1st, 1919, after which an estimated 2 million people attended demonstrations to protest Japanese occupation in the months to follow. Koreans celebrate by displaying flags, attending concerts and events, and visiting Tapgol Park where the Korean Declaration of Independence was first read.

Jeheonjeol (Constitution Day): In commemoration of the signing of the Korean constitution on July 17, 1948, Koreans celebrate this holiday through ceremonies and other events.

Gwangbokjeol (National Liberation Day): This holiday is celebrated on August 15th in both North and South Korea. It commemorates the end of Japanese occupation of Korea with ceremonies, parades, and other festivities.

Buddha’s Birthday: The celebration of Buddha’s birthday in the spring is not only a holiday for Buddhists, but all. The occasion is filled with lantern festivals, free meals provided by temples, traditional games, acrobatic and dance shows, and other celebratory events.

Children’s Day: On May 5th, Korea celebrates its youngest citizens with parent and child visits to places like zoos and amusement parks, picnics, and quality time spent as a family since most people have the day off.

Performers in Seoul during Korean New Year. Photo credit: “What’s Stewin’” blog.

Korean President Park Geun-hye enjoys a performance with children during an outing to mark Children’s Day on May 5, 2016. Photo credit: Korea.net.

in Korea and the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines has a large population of Christians, so holidays such as Christmas and Easter are important to many Filipinos as well as other Christian religious observances such as Festival of the Black Nazarene, Moriones Festival, and other religious celebrations.

Araw ng Kalayaan (Independence Day): Philippine Independence Day is celebrated on June 12th annually commemorating when the Philippines was freed from Spanish rule in 1898. The day is a national holiday and is celebrated with parades and other commemorations.

Pasko (Christmas): The Christmas season in the Philippines lasts several months starting in September and ending with Three Kings Day in January. Christmas festivals and celebrations are elaborate and popular throughout the months both leading up to and during the weeks after December 25th.

Mahal na Araw (Holy Week): With its large Christian population’s impact on the culture, the week before Easter is an important holiday to many Filipinos. Several days throughout the week include religious observances in preparation for the celebration of Easter.

Flores de Mayo (May Flowers Feast): This month-long festival dedicated to the Virgin Mary is commemorated with religious services, processions, and Santacruzan, an elaborate pageant that occurs on the final day of the festival.

Araw ng mga Bayani (National Heroes’ Day): On the last Monday of August, Filipinos commemorate the beginning of the revolt that began the struggle against Spain for Philippine

independence. The day celebrates all Philippine heroes, both known and unknown, with parades, military events, and wreath layings.

Araw ni Rizal (Rizal Day): On December 30th, the Philippine national hero José Rizal is celebrated. Dr. Rizal was a writer whose novels lit a fire in the Filipino people and helped to bring about independence from Spain. Though he never fought, he was arrested and executed for treason. The day is a non-working day with somber ceremonies and observances of Rizal’s sacrifice.

All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day: On these first two days of November, many Filipinos travel home to pay respects to their lost loved ones through visits to cemeteries and other places of eternal rest.

Flores de Mayo celebration. Photo credit: Philippines Primer.

Performers hold Philippine flags during Independence Day celebrations in Manila, 2010. Photo credit: Cheryl Ravelo, Reuters.

VISITING MILWAUKEE REP

Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex is located in the Associated Bank River Center downtown at the corner of Wells and Water Streets. The building was formerly the home of the Electric Railway and Light Company.

The Ticket Office is visible on the left upon entering the Wells Street doors. The Quadracci Powerhouse is located on the Mezzanine and can be accessed via escalator or elevator.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex is located in the Milwaukee Center downtown at the corner of Wells and Water Streets. The building was formerly the home of the Electric Railway and Light Company.

The Ticket O ce is visible on the left upon entering the Wells Street doors. The Quadracci Powerhouse is located on the rst level.

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✯ Advance the art of theater with productions that inspire individuals and create community dialogue;

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✯ Educate the next generation of theater professionals with our EPR Program which gives newly degreed artists a chance to hone their skills at The Rep as they begin to pursue their theatrical careers. We value our supporters and partnerships and hope that you will help us to expand the ways Milwaukee Rep has a positive impact on theater and on our Milwaukee community.

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THE REP RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM:

MILWAUKEE REP RECEIVES SUPPORT

FROM:

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation

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The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation The Richard & Ethel Herzfeld Foundation

The Shubert Foundation