Progress Lab To Host DIM SUM DIARIES: SECOND HELPING Industry Reading

An industry read of DIM SUM DIARIES: SECOND HELPING (an anthology play inspired by Mark Leiren-Young's DIM SUM DIARIES) is set for January 28th, 2024 at Progress Lab 1422 in Vancouver, BC.

This is ahead of a week-long workshop presentation which will be performed at the end of March at Granville Island's THE NEST.

The all-star Chinese-Canadian cast includes TONY GIROUX (Motherland: Fort Salem, A Sugar & Spice Holiday), LIAM MA (Apple TV+'s Stream Flows From A River), AURORA CHAN (United Players' Vietgone, Chimerica, VACT's Flower Drum Song) and introducing JANE LOY and Sheridan Music Theatre graduate MIKAYLA KWAN.

DIM SUM DIARIES: SECOND HELPING is a follow-up to Mark Leiren-Young's 1991 radio drama. The first DIM SUM DIARIES gave insight into how Vancouverites felt about the influx of immigrants moving to Vancouver from Hong Kong, from white and Asian perspectives.

32 years later, this original new work examines how attitudes towards Chinese Canadians have evolved since then, this time from a Chinese-Canadian perspective. SECOND HELPING examines the anti-Asian sentiments during COVID-19 and its impact on Chinese-Canadian health workers; the intricacies of being Asian and queer; being a neurodivergent Asian woman; transracial adoption; being biracial; and first-, second-, third-generation Chinese-Canadian family dynamics.

Fabulist Theatre commissioned this play to showcase the diversity and intersectionality of the Chinese-Canadian community, that there is not just one definite Chinese-Canadian experience.

Seven Chinese-Canadian writers from established to emerging including (KEVIN CHONG, AARON JAN, DALE LEE KWONG, Yvette C. Lu, MINH LY, LOUISA PHUNG SUK YEE, Kenneth Tynan) have conducted interviews or have drawn on firsthand experience. MARK LEIREN-YOUNG himself provides material based on interviews with some of Vancouver's most successful Chinese-Canadians. VALERIE SING-TURNER, founder of Visceral Visions, serves as dramaturge. DAMON BRADLEY JANG (recent Stratford Festival Company Member (Alls Well That Ends Well, Casey and Diana)  Associate Director of Tarragon Theatre's Cockroach, and Co-Artisic Director of Fabulist Theatre) will direct the reading and workshop.

JOHN JULIANI and DONNA WONG-JULIANI commissioned Leiren-Young's initial radio drama as part of their company Savage God, in the hopes that it could spark conversation and inspire others to share their experiences. Through this project, Fabulist Theatre honours and celebrates John Juliani's legacy and impact. A great Canadian theatre performer/director/producer/creator, Juliani passed away in 2003 of liver cancer at the age of 63. Donna Wong-Juliani, spent much of her childhood in Vancouver's Chinatown. Wong-Juliani has been a great support and font of knowledge as Fabulist conceived this project. Her own words will be featured in this play.

Fabulist Theatre is thrilled to have support and sponsorship from the Chinatown Storytelling Centre and UBC Learning Exchange.

The reading will be at 3pm, January 28th, at Progress Lab 1422.1422 William Street Vancouver Admission is by donation. Suggested $15.00 .Capacity is limited, email mary@fabulisttheatre.ca to RSVP.