Palo Alto Players Present CHINGLISH, Now thru 6/28
By: BWW News Desk Jun. 12, 2015
CHINGLISH brings you the story of Daniel, an American businessman who sees a chance to expand his family's sign-making business in China, where public signage is often hilariously mistranslated from Mandarin to English. Common signs like "slippery slopes ahead" become "take notice of safe: the slippery are very crafty", which causes great embarrassment to the high-ranking government officials looking to hire Daniel's company. But as the misinterpretations pile up, this business deal isn't the only thing getting lost in translation. Linguistic and cultural confusions abound in this hilarious mash-up of English and Chinese, especially as Daniel begins to fall in love with the one woman he absolutely cannot have.
Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang was inspired to write CHINGLISH after noticing how hilariously mistranslated the public signs in China are. CHINGLISH first premiered at Chicago's Goodman Theatre in 2011, where it quickly jumped to Broadway. Critics called it "one of the funniest plays in memory" and praised it for bringing depth to its characters, instead of lapsing into tired clichés. Palo Alto Players' Artistic Director Patrick Klein explains, "The word 'Chinglish' is a mash-up of 'Chinese' and 'English', which is English language that's influenced by poorly translated Chinese - often with unintentionally funny results, which is what inspired Hwang to write this show. The play CHINGLISH really reflects the surrealism of bringing these cultures together through the context of an American on a business trip to China. [Show director] Lily Tung Crystal was recommended by one of our past directors, Jeffrey Lo (Eurydice, January 2015), and when we met, we both knew we had something really powerful to work with! Crystal spent seven years living in Shanghai, so she really understands the experience and feeling of living in China, and is able to connect to the material and the cast in a truly significant way that audiences will appreciate."
Show Director Lily Tung Crystal's experience living and working in China shaped her approach to directing CHINGLISH, which she describes as a true ensemble piece. "Not only is the cast full of super talented actors," Crystal explains, "but they're also really talented linguists. Six of the seven speak Chinese! And all of them have a relationship with China, so they also understand the experience and the feeling of traveling and living there, which has really helped us paint a full picture of China that we can bring to the audience." Crystal has her directorial debut with CHINGLISH, but she's no stranger to the material, having previously toured with the Portland Center Stage and Syracuse Stage cast, where she played the role of Hotel Manager/Prosecutor Li. Crystal says, "[CHINGLISH] is one of my favorite shows of the 21st century and because I know the play so well, I felt comfortable directing it. I think that David [Henry Hwang] is a genius in many ways. His masterful play on language is hilarious, but underneath all the comedy in CHINGLISH, there's a depth that speaks to the core of human existence and the human yearning for love, success, and acceptance." Crystal is also the founding co-artistic director of Ferocious Lotus Theatre Company, and can be seen on stage in performances throughout the Bay Area, as well as in the upcoming film Steve Jobs (directed by Danny Boyle).
The cast includes:
Miss Qian/Prosecutor Li Dianna Chung, San Mateo
Xi Yan Joyce Liu, Pinole
Daniel Cavanaugh Chris Mahle, San Jose
Peter Timms Michael McCune, Oakland
Minister Cai Guoliang Jeffrey Sun, Oakland
Zhao/Hotel Manager/Tea Server/Waiter/Bartender Isabel To, San Jose
Bing/Judge Xu Geming/Restaurant Customer/Waiter/Driver Phil Wong, Oakland
The production features direction by Lily Tung Crystal, with scenic design by Kuo-Hao Lo, costume design by Sharon Peng, lighting design by Nick Kumamoto, sound design by Jeff Grafton, properties design by Pat Tyler, and hair and makeup design by Shiboune Thill.
Opening night for CHINGLISH is Saturday, June 13, 2015 at 8pm, and the show runs through June 28, 2015; there is also a paid preview performance on Friday, June 12, 2015 at 8pm. Performance times are Thursdays at 7pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Ticket prices range from $31 to $45. Senior, student, and military discounts are available for Thursday evening and Sunday matinee performances only. Special discounts of 20-25% for groups of 10 or more are also available. On Opening Night, Saturday, June 13th, enjoy a post-show reception with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres while meeting the cast. Complimentary with the purchase of a ticket for that evening's performance. Enjoy our Talkback series with Artistic Director Patrick Klein, Show Director Lily Tung Crystal, and members of the cast following the performances on Thursday, June 18 and Thursday, June 25. Complimentary with the purchase of a ticket for any performance. For tickets, call 650.329.0891 or visit www.PAplayers.org.
In cooperation with The City of Palo Alto, CHINGLISH and the shows of the 84th season of Palo Alto Players are produced at the Lucie Stern Theater located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto, California. Use of this facility is made possible through support from The City of Palo Alto, Community Services Department, Division of Arts and Sciences, and from our patrons.
Founded in 1931, Palo Alto Players is the San Francisco Peninsula's first theatre company. Based at the Lucie Stern Theater, built explicitly for the Players in 1933, Palo Alto Players produces a season of comedies, dramas, classics, and musicals from September to June. Audiences and participants come from all over the Bay Area to be a part of Palo Alto Players' productions. Palo Alto Players is committed to providing a meaningful theatre experience for both audience and production participants. Intrinsic in this is the belief that theatre benefits the community-at-large and enhances the quality of life of those who are touched by it through education, enlightenment, and enrichment. Palo Alto Players is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established for public benefit. For more information about Palo Alto Players and upcoming shows, visit www.PAplayers.org or call the box office at 650.329.0891.
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