---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: . . . I felt I was finally in a position…"
description: "\". . . I felt I was finally in a position to affect not only the artistic content of the American theatre, but also its institutional structures. This h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg"
---

#  . . . I felt I was finally in a position to affect not…

![“. . . I felt I was finally in a position to affect not only the artistic content of the American theatre, but also its institutional structures. This has been an important goal of mine, as there have always been a variety of issues - artistic freedom, author's rights, access by minority groups…” quote by David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg)

> “. . . I felt I was finally in a position to affect not only the artistic content of the American theatre, but also its institutional structures. This has been an important goal of mine, as there have always been a variety of issues - artistic freedom, author's rights, access by minority groups - which have concerned me and even influenced my decision to become a playwright in the first place.”

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He aims to influence both artistic content and institutional structures of American theatre, addressing freedom, rights, and minority access.

**In simple terms:** He wants to shape theatre art and its system, focusing on freedom and inclusion.

Key Takeaway

Use art to drive systemic change.

Themes

art social justice institutional reform

Mood

determined critical

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- stage production
- policy advocacy
- community outreach
- grant writing

Key Concepts

Theatre playwriting activism

Questions to Reflect On

- What barriers exist in reforming theatre institutions?
- How can artists balance creative work with activism?

A Different Perspective

Change can be slow and face entrenched resistance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Artistic freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic-freedom/) [Crafts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crafts/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Minority groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority-groups/) [Playwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwright/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Variety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/variety/)

## Related quotes

> [American theatre, to me, represents zeroing down on what the need is to get inside the personal hearts of people. I think it's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/american-theatre-to-me-represents-zeroing-down-on-what-the-need-is-to/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I believe in the American theatre. I believe in its power to inform about the human condition, its power to heal ... its power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-believe-in-the-american-theatre-i-believe-in-its-power-to-inform/)

[August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/)

> [I trained with the American Theatre of Harlem, and by the grace of God, that was my foundation to understanding the art of storytelling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morgan/i-trained-with-the-american-theatre-of-harlem-and-by-the-grace-of-god/)

[Rob Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morgan/)

> [I always describe race as the final taboo in American theatre. There's a real reluctance to have that conversation in an open, honest way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-nottage/i-always-describe-race-as-the-final-taboo-in-american-theatre-there-s/)

[Lynn Nottage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-nottage/)

> [Is it not the glory of the people of America, that whilst they have paid a decent regard to the opinions of former times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/is-it-not-the-glory-of-the-people-of-america-that-whilst-they-have/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Just the pleasure of moving and the pleasure of using your body is, I think, maybe the main point. And the pleasure of dancing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-paxton/just-the-pleasure-of-moving-and-the-pleasure-of-using-your-body-is-i/)

Steve Paxton

> [“Many of us persons of the tinted persuasion care about human rights and artistic freedom too.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-persons-of-the-tinted-persuasion-care-about-human-rights/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [“Anyone I love takes away part of my freedom, but in that case it is I who wished it; and there is so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-de-montherlant/anyone-i-love-takes-away-part-of-my-freedom-but-in-that-case-it-is-i/)

[Henry de Montherlant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-de-montherlant/)

> [I've seen situations where I think comics are really unrealistic about what creative expression and what the artistic freedom, what that entails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-ve-seen-situations-where-i-think-comics-are-really-unrealistic/)

[Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/)

> [More than anything, I’m excited to have the artistic freedom and opportunity to make a sophomore record. Everybody dreads the sophomore slump, whereas I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-bruno/more-than-anything-i-m-excited-to-have-the-artistic-freedom-and/)

[Aaron Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-bruno/)

> [I have as much artistic freedom in my television work as I have in my films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-kotcheff/i-have-as-much-artistic-freedom-in-my-television-work-as-i-have-in-my/)

[Ted Kotcheff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-kotcheff/)

> [“What’s ensued is a battle over ethical conduct, artistic freedom, and censorship in which every side—the activist zealots who threatened violence, the shock-tactic artists,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-k-scott/what-s-ensued-is-a-battle-over-ethical-conduct-artistic-freedom-and/)

Andrea K. Scott

> [I support artistic freedom and always have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-portnow/i-support-artistic-freedom-and-always-have/)

[Neil Portnow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-portnow/)

> [I feel like the internet has encouraged people to look into things and try to find issuesthat because people have a lot of opinions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-coppola/i-feel-like-the-internet-has-encouraged-people-to-look-into-things/)

[Sofia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-coppola/)

> [I moved from Boston to Los Angeles, and took every opportunity that came along my way, trusting that God had a great plan for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gianna-simone/i-moved-from-boston-to-los-angeles-and-took-every-opportunity-that/)

[Gianna Simone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gianna-simone/)

## More by David Henry Hwang

> [I felt pretty good growing up. I didnt feel a lot of prejudice or racism. But I do remember, if there was going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-pretty-good-growing-up-i-didnt-feel-a-lot-of-prejudice-or/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [I visited a new cultural center in Shanghai in 2005 that was pretty much perfect, except for the really badly translated Chinglish signs: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-visited-a-new-cultural-center-in-shanghai-in-2005-that-was-pretty/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [My first plays were amazingly bad, but I had a teacher who thought I had promise, and he kept working with me. I finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/my-first-plays-were-amazingly-bad-but-i-had-a-teacher-who-thought-i/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [I think that plays are probably the most personal, because it's just me in charge, but sometimes it's just really - I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-think-that-plays-are-probably-the-most-personal-because-it-s-just/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [“And you wonder, what's wrong with me? Will anyone beautiful want me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/and-you-wonder-what-s-wrong-with-me-will-anyone-beautiful-want-me/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [As Asian-Americans, the charge that is often lobbed against us is sort of the least original: the idea that somehow we're perpetual foreigners, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/as-asian-americans-the-charge-that-is-often-lobbed-against-us-is-sort/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [Death with honor is better than life... life with dishonor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/death-with-honor-is-better-than-life-life-with-dishonor/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [Chinese culture in general is not very religious. Confucianism is more a code of ethics than a religion, and ancestor worship is a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/chinese-culture-in-general-is-not-very-religious-confucianism-is-more/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [My new play 'Chinglish,' which will go to Broadway, is about a white American businessman who goes to a provincial capital in China, hoping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/my-new-play-chinglish-which-will-go-to-broadway-is-about-a-white/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [Yes, I am one of those people who feels that most of my work is adaptation of one sort or another. For me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/yes-i-am-one-of-those-people-who-feels-that-most-of-my-work-is/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [Time flies when you’re being stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/time-flies-when-you-re-being-stupid/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [If I do a play, it's my vision, and everybody else is working on the production to support that. If I do an opera,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/if-i-do-a-play-it-s-my-vision-and-everybody-else-is-working-on-the/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [Why, in the Peking Opera, are women's roles played by men?...Because only a man knows how a woman is supposed to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/why-in-the-peking-opera-are-women-s-roles-played-by-men-because-only/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [There's something about China and its rush to capitalism that I find confusing. At the same time, we live in an America where capitalists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/there-s-something-about-china-and-its-rush-to-capitalism-that-i-find/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

> [“It just hangs there. This little... flap of flesh. And there's so much fuss that we make about it. I think the reason we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/it-just-hangs-there-this-little-flap-of-flesh-and-there-s-so-much/)

[David Henry Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

[Explore all 55 David Henry Hwang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/)

## More Access quotes

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/)

[Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/)

> [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/)

[Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/)

> [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/)

[Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/)

> [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/)

[Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/)

> [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/)

[Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/)

> [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/)

[John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/)

> [Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. I used to watch a lot of Fela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/because-the-internet-s-there-i-have-access-to-a-lot-of-the-legends/)

[King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/)

> [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/)

[Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/)

> [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/)

[Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/)

> [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/)

[Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/)

> [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/)

[Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/)

> [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/)

Andrew Nikiforuk

> [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/)

[Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/)

> [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/)

[Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/)

[Browse all 2,178 Access quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": ". . . I felt I was finally in a position to affect not only the artistic content of the American theatre, but also its institutional structures. This has been an important goal of mine, as there have always been a variety of issues - artistic freedom, author's rights, access by minority groups - which have concerned me and even influenced my decision to become a playwright in the first place.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Henry Hwang"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-affect-not-only-the-artistic/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Access"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-affect-not-only-the-artistic/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0aa/david-henry-hwang-12258_access_i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-af_556278.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“. . . I felt I was finally in a position to affect not only the artistic content of the American theatre…” — David Henry Hwang",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Henry Hwang",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-henry-hwang/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": ". . . I felt I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-affect-not-only-the-artistic/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-henry-hwang/i-felt-i-was-finally-in-a-position-to-affect-not-only-the-artistic/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
