TIGER TALES: HMONG FOLKTALES Runs 5/1-23 At SteppingStone Theatre

SteppingStone Theatre for Youth Development and Mu Performing Arts is presenting a world premiere production, Tiger Tales: Hmong Folktales, May 1-23 for a 20-day run in SteppingStone's beautiful new theatre in St. Paul's Historic Hill District. Tiger Tales is the fifth collaboration between SteppingStone Theatre and Mu Performing Arts, and is written by local artists R.A Shiomi and Cha Yang, with music by well-known local musician and composer Gary Rue.

Tiger Tales is the story of the quintessential American dream-that of immigrants struggling to find a place in the New World, embracing their new lives while retaining their traditional culture. A Hmong family living in St. Paul is having trouble adapting to life in their new home until Grandmother shares some traditional Tiger stories with them. Through these three stories, the children find a deeper connection with their own culture, and learn how they can use the stories' messages to help them defeat the "tigers" of American life. Tiger Tales is a story that speaks to the history of every American family, and should be experienced by all.

According to Rick Shiomi, Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts, "Tiger Tales is a fun look at a Hmong American family in the throes of adjusting from memories of village life in Laos to the urban jungle of the Twin Cities. Through her stories, the grandmother shares the traditional Hmong world with her grandkids who think that it's long gone, but learn her stories can apply to their own lives. The story brings monkeys, tigers and crows into the family living room in ways that are fantastical, fun and fitting to the challenges of life today." Today...(immigrants) still struggle with the same issues people struggled with (throughout the history of our country). We also share the same hopes and ambitions, and of course, the burning desire to learn, change and grow that Americans are so famous for."

Tiger Tales is a total collaboration between SteppingStone Theatre and Mu Performing Arts. The play was developed collaboratively by Richard Hitchler, Artistic Director for SteppingStone, and Rick Shiomi, Artistic Director for Mu, along with Cha Vang. The two artistic directors worked together on production concepts, designs, and throughout the entire production and rehearsal process. On stage, Mu provides an adult actor from their company, and SteppingStone provides the youth actors. This type of collaboration is good for both companies, and good for the actors, young and old alike. Most importantly, it provides audiences an exciting and unusual theatre experience.

Hitchler says, "The great thing about collaborations with Mu Performing Arts, is that our two missions are complementary, but we serve different audiences. A production like Tiger Tales gives us a chance to collectively expand our artistic horizons, and to reach people who may not usually attend shows by the other company."

Performance Information:

All performances of Tiger Tales: Hmong Folktales are in SteppingStone's new theatre, a beautifully renovated 100-year-old architectural gem located at 55 Victoria Street North, one block north of Summit Avenue in the Historic Hill District of St. Paul.

Tiger Tales: Hmong Folktales is appropriate for all ages. SteppingStone Theatre is disability-accessible, and has regularly-scheduled ASL & Audio Described performances. Interpreters can be scheduled for other performances at no additional cost upon request. For more information, call 651-225-9265.

Tickets are $11 for adults and $9 for seniors and children 2-17. Performance times and tickets are available at (651) 225-9265 or www.steppingstonetheatre.org.

SteppingStone Theatre produces high quality, affordable family entertainment, created by professional artists and performed by and for youth. Serving nearly 70,000 youth, families, and educators from diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds each year, SteppingStone has become a premier destination for interactive, youth-centered theatre.

 

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