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New York, New York. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. Guided by these words famously immortalized by Liza Minelli, thousands of international students come to New York City every year to develop their craft, perform on stage, and become stars. They pay thousands of dollars in tuition to learn from the best, study with the best, and become the best.
These international performers and professionals are ubiquitous. Some have accents, some speak flawless English that it’s almost impossible to distinguish them from American performers. But international performers and American performers have one goal: to perform under the bright lights and make it.
The current administration’s ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agency has issued guidance and policy limiting the ability of new international students to study in the US in the fall, if schools remain online. This means that conservatories and BFA programs such as AMDA, AADA, The Stella Adler Studio, The Lee Strasberg Institute, and more will no longer be able to enroll international students who are aspiring theatre performers and professionals unless the school decides to engage in hybrid learning (online and in-person learning). If the international students are required to go back to their home country, they will lose the countless opportunities which are necessary to excel in their careers: networking, auditioning, creating, and performing.
One of these measures has been that Broadway will remain closed through the rest of 2020. The industry said it would refund tickets through January 3, and hopes that shows will be able to reopen “over a series of rolling dates in early 2021.” Some producers have also elected to open a couple of months into the new year. “The Minutes,” a new play by Tracy Letts, hopes to open March 15; “American Buffalo,” a play by David Mamet, is aiming for April 14; “MJ the Musical,” a new show about Michael Jackson, says it will open April 15, and “The Music Man,” a revival starring Hugh Jackman, plans to open May 20.
Since the industry has shut down, international performers and professionals have been without work, meaning that they could be putting their Artist Visas (O-1B Visa) at risk. Similarly, those preparing their Artist Visa (O-1B Visa) applications will most likely be unable to secure future work or prove to United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) that they have future performances. Without future work, international performers and professionals cannot successfully file their application and will be required to return back home.
This is a heartbreaking consequence for a theatre performer or professional that has spent the last 3-5 years studying, living, and working in the US. The inability to be present in the US and work severely limits their ability to maximize their ambition and most importantly, they won’t be able to perform or work on the premiere stages of New York City.
So next time you see a performance of “Miss Saigon,” for example, think of the unspoken voices of the international theatre performers and professionals who are telling the stories of the shows we love to see.
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Elektra B. Yao, Esq. is the founder and principal attorney at Yao Law Group a full service, comprehensive immigration law firm. Elektra is admitted to the New York Bar and she practices U.S. Immigration and Nationality law and Deportation Defense in all jurisdictions of the United States of America. Elektra is a very active attorney and is a member of The American Immigration Lawyers Association and The New York City Bar Association, where is she is a member of several committees. As a multicultural attorney, with immigrant parents from Italy and Cote D’Ivoire, Elektra is fully fluent in French, Italian, and Spanish. She has lived, studied, and worked internationally in the US, the EU, and Africa. Not only does she understand the language her clients speak, she understands the cultural landscape of where they come from. Elektra earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts from Marymount Manhattan College in NYC, one of the top art schools in the nation. During her undergraduate university career, Elektra wrote, directed, and produced two documentaries (N*gga What? and The Choking Game) which were screened in Texas and New York City. During college, she worked for MTV, the Style Network, and other distinguished production companies in the Film and TV industry. More about her academic & professional achievements: Elektra earned her Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark Law School, a nationally ranked, top-tier law school. As a dedicated international professional, Elektra studied in international contexts. She studied in London under Loukas Mistelis, the Professor and Director of the School of Arbitration at the prestigious UK law school Queen Mary University. She also studied at the Peking Law School, the leading Chinese law school, where she earned a Certificate in Chinese Business and Civil law; along with studying at the internationally renowned and prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris, France and in Florence, Italy where she earned Certificates in Comparative Law. Based on her excellent track record, Elektra was also invited to study Eastern European Law at Eotvos Lorand University, the #1 ranked law school in Hungary. She has also completed all of the coursework for a Master’s in Law in European and Spanish Law from the University of Salamanca. Additionally, she holds several Certificates in Italian and European Immigration Law and Policy. Elektra spent several years working for leading boutique immigration law firms in New York City where she developed her expertise in employment-based and family-based immigration law. Throughout her tenure at boutique law firms, Elektra secured artists visas, business visas, and green cards for artists, professionals, and families. The foundation of Elektra’s excellent track record is her belief in customized immigration legal services. Each client has unique needs and Elektra has always recognized that throughout her career. Frustrated at how law firms did not personalize legal services for each client, Elektra founded Yao Law Group. The Yao Law Group offers concierge immigration legal services, in which every client is unique. At Yao Law Group, clients are recognized as people with their own unique story and profile. At Yao Law Group, we understand how delicate the immigration process is, which is why we work together with clients to craft strong, personalized legal petitions to create long-lasting success.
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