HOLY CRAB!
UBC’S Department of Theatre and Film is pleased to host the inaugural
SINOPHONE PLAY READING SERIES
Join us for staged readings IN ENGLISH of three award-winning plays of the World Sinophone (Chinese-speaking) Young Playwright Competition and a full production IN CHINESE of the third prize winner.
Happening on select dates from January 25 to February 11, 2017
Dorothy Somerset Studios, 6361 University Boulevard, UBC, Vancouver, BC
Wayfinding: http://www.maps.ubc.ca/PROD/index_detail.php?locat1=320
Unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh First Nations
Featuring BA & BFA Theatre Students
The World Sinophone Drama Competition for Young Playwrights (aged 18-35) project is an international competition seeking to encourage production of new dramatic works that reflect upon global Chinese culture from a variety of perspectives, and the enrichment of understanding of Sinophone cultures, circulations, histories, and communities. UBC Theatre’s Sinophone Play Reading Series, created by Dr. Siyuan Liu, showcases the most recent winners in a spirit of artistic exploration and cultural sharing. 34 participants from several departments, including undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty, are coming together to animate these exciting new plays.
The first prize winner, HOLY CRAB! by Zhu Yi and translated by Wei-ming Liu, will be directed by PhD student Eury Chang, with stage management by Holly Karpiuk, lighting design by Harika Xu and sound and lighting by Erika Champion, the designer for all three readings. Set in New York City, at the JFK airport, and places in-between, this dark comedy unpacks, layer by layer, the prejudices and cultural misunderstandings that revolve around immigrants coming to North America. The cast includes Angie Ip, Gabrielle Morin, Matt Rhodes, Ashley (Yuna) Mao, Cassandra Phillips-Grande, Sophia Niewerth, Tomas Balli and Rafael Ruiz. There is one performance only IN ENGLISH on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at 7:30pm, followed by post-show talk.
The second prize winner, Dirty Paws, or How to Make a Great Documentary Film by Zhao Binghao and translated by Dan Bao, will be directed by PhD student Katrina Dunn, with stage management by Holly Karpiuk. Set in the chaotic western region of China, a naive young filmmaker gets caught up in a terrorist uprising when he attempts to make a documentary about the child labourers in his father’s vineyard. The cast includes Matt Rhodes, Toph Marshall, Cassandra Phillips-Grande, Eury Chang, and Gabrielle Morin. There is one performance only IN ENGLISH on Wednesday, February 1st, 2017 at 7:30pm, followed by post-show talk.
The third prize winner, Fallacy of the Fist by Chien-jen Wang and translated by Kiat-sing Teo, is being presented in a unique bilingual evening. On Wednesday, February 8, 2017 there is an early start at 7pm with a staged reading IN ENGLISH directed by MA student Anna Holman, with stage management by Becky Gold. Set during China’s Boxer Rebellion of 1900, the play tells the story of the siege at Xishiku Church where the absurdity of war has trapped both the besieged and the besiegers. The cast includes Alina Wong, Ashley Park, Ashley (Yuna) Mao, Ava Maria Safai, and Julia Bowman. After an intermission, watch a full production of the same play IN CHINESE directed by the founder and director of UBC’s Face Drama Club, BA alumna Jaylon Han, and stage managed by Evan Ren and Eva Zheng. The design work is done collectively and the cast includes Yiwen Chen, Qianyi Liu, Tarah Wang, Yifan Sun, Yixin Sun, Chengxi Lu, Siqi Xiao, Chenxi Zhao and Lampo Zeng.
The evening will end with a post-show talk.
Each of these three evenings are FREE for the general public and UBC community: faculty, students, staff, and invited guests. Please arrive early as there is a limited seating.
Additional Chinese-language shows of Fallacy of the Fist will be performed in the Dorothy Somerset Studio (Preview February 7th and regular shows February 9, 10, 11, 2017 starting nightly at 7:30pm) by the Face Drama Club, which formed in 2014 to focus on producing plays in mandarin Chinese. Please note: these additional shows will be ticketed.
Visit: www.facebook.com/ubcfacedramaclub for full information and reservations.
Schedule of Events:
- Wednesday January 25, 7:30pm – Staged Reading of HOLY CRAB! In English – free, no reservation
- Wednesday February 1, 7:30pm – Staged Reading of Dirty Paws, or How to Make a Great Documentary Film in English – free, no reservation
- Tuesday February 7, 7:30pm – Preview of Face Drama Club’s production of Fallacy of the Fist in Chinese – ticketed
- Wednesday February 8, 7pm – Staged Reading of Fallacy of the Fist in English, followed by full production of Fallacy of the Fist in Chinese – free, no reservation
- Thursday February 9, 7:30pm – Face Drama Club’s production of Fallacy of the Fist in Chinese – ticketed
- Friday February 10, 7:30pm – Face Drama Club’s production of Fallacy of the Fist in Chinese – ticketed
- Saturday February 11, 7:30pm – Face Drama Club’s production of Fallacy of the Fist in Chinese – ticketed
