Wild Swans

February 11, 2012 - March 11, 2012
“An extraordinary memoir and a harrowing narrative that rivals anything in The Last Emperor.”
— The Wall Street Journal

The world premiere stage adaptation of Jung Chang's best selling memoir.

Check out this segment on Wild Swans from WGBH:

China, at the heart of the 20th Century, became a nation transformed beyond recognition. Through the eyes of one fiercely courageous family, Wild Swans takes us on a journey from the early days of Communist hope and struggle, through the chaos and confusion of Mao's Cultural Revolution, to the birth of a superpower. An astonishing human story, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China has sold more than 13 million copies in 36 languages. This first ever stage version brings together author Jung Chang with playwright Alexandra Wood, director Sacha Wares, designer Miriam Buether and Beijing video artist Wang Gongxin.

2012 Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award recipient
An A.R.T./ Young Vic/ Actors Touring Company co-production.

Click here to explore the Wild Swans Community Memoir. 

Read the features on Wild Swans in the A.R.T. Spring 2011-2012 Guide.

Click to launch the full edition in a new window

 

 

Production Photos

"Extraordinary...a masterpiece."
— Sunday Telegraph
“An unfailingly gripping tale.”
— Washington Post Book World
Written by
Adapted by
Directed by
Scenic Design Miriam Buether
Costume Design Tom Rand
Lighting Design D M Wood
Sound Design Gareth Fry
Video Design Wang GongXin
Movement Direction Leon Baugh
Projection Design Tim Reid
Music Direction Joanna Zenghui Qiu
Puppet Design Michael Fowkes
Associate Director Ramin Gray
US Casting Zoe Rotter
UK Casting Julia Horan CDG
Hair and Wigs Campbell Young Associates
Sound Associate Dominic Bilkey
Movement Associate Joanne Fong
Research & Promotion Assistant Hong Yane Wang
Assistant Director Kate Hewitt
Stage Managers Vicky Berry
  Chris De Camillis
Deputy Stage Manager Tamara Albachari
Assistant Stage Manager Terri K. Kohler
Dialect Coach Majella Hurley
Assistant Set Designer Lucy Sierra
Wang Gongxin's video team Zhou Chen, Zhijun, Yao Yu, Yuguang, Young Fu
  Shaun Wang, Guoer Lin, Alice and Yao Wang
   
CAST  
Yu-Fang Julyana Soelistyo
De-Hong Ka-Ling Cheung
Shou-Yu Orion Lee
Ting Celeste Den
Bolin Jon Kit Lee
Heng Victor Chi
Zhen Joanna Zenghui Qiu
Huifen Joanne Fong
Dr Wan Eric Chan
Governor Lin Ron Nakahara
Team Leader Chi Les J.N. Mau
Teacher Shu Jennifer Lim Ai Hua
Er-Hong (child) Emme Fuzhen Ricci
Niu Nekhebet Kum Juch
Dai Annie Chang
Weimin Oliver Biles
Er-hong Katie Leung
   
All other named and ensemble roles are played by members of the company.
   
Community Chorus Members:
Kevin Lin (Chorus Leader), Christine An, Christina Chan, LinAnn Ching, DeAnna Choi, HyoJeong Choi, Kenneth Chung, Lily Hong, Mariko Kanto, Lester Kim, Steven Lee, Michelle Merry, Roxanne Morse, Katherine Sao, Jeff Song, Yi-Jun Tan, Michael Tow, Andrew Tung, Giselle Ty, Paul Sung Ventresca, Jie Wang
 
Annie Chang, Eric Chan, Ka-Ling Cheung, Victor Chi, Chris De Camillis, Celeste Den, Jon Kit Lee, Les J.N. Mau, Ron Nakahara, Terri K. Kohler, and Julyana Soelistyo are members of Actors’ Equity Association.
 
Tamara Albachari, Vicky Berry, Oliver Biles, Joanne Fong, Orion Lee, Katie Leung, and Jennifer Lim (UK) are appearing with the permission of Actors’ Equity Association pursuant to an exchange program between American Equity and UK Equity.
 
The Producers gratefully acknowledge Actors’ Equity Association and UK Equity for their assistance on this production.
 
Kate Hewitt is supported through the Young Vic/Jerwood Assistant Director Programme.
   
Production Staff  
Props Craftsperson Chris Fields
Costume Crafts Eric Propp, Jeffrey Burrows
Dressers Brian Choinski, Robin Rittenour
Wigs Runner Emily Damron
Swing Dresser Amber Voner
Light Board Operator Kirk Miller
Carpenter Nathaniel Drake, Dan Lincoln, Paul Mayer, Garrett McEntee,
  Heather Morris, Jon Seiler, Matthew Sebastian, Bartley Stevens, Ben St. Louis
Paint Intern Benji Boudreau
Stage Crew Brian Melcher
Harvard Office of Career Services Art Fellow Bryan Kauder, Jiayi Li
Props Buyers Nafeesah Butt, Ian Andlaw
Props Makers Anna Bruder, Penny Spedding, Bella Lagnado, 
  Natasha Piper, Ed Wirtz, Bob Weatherhead,
  Fiona Ryan, Nick Benjamin, Anna Tang
Puppet Makers Jan Zalud, Julia Jeulin, Michael Fowkes
Puppet Workshop Assistants Amber Donovan, Fiona Gourlay, Elizabether Peck
Rehearsal Carpenter Dario Fusco
Rehearsal Crew Jack Harding, Stuart Farnell
Stage Management Assistant Tamykha Patterson
Production Assistant Ben Brown
Dyeing Nicola Killeen Textiles
Bound feet shoes Lewis Jones
Trainee Directors supported by the Boris Karloff Foundation Meline Danielewicz, Ola Ince
   
Wild Swans is part of the Young Vic's International Programme and is supported by Bloomberg.


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Performance Dates:

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Venue:

Loeb Drama Center

64 Brattle Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

Need to know:

Recommended for ages 12+

ASL perfomances:

Sunday, February 26 at 2:00 PM
Tuesday, February 28 at 7:30 PM

Audio-described performances:

Wednesday, February 29 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 3 at 2:00 PM 

Discussions:

To accompany Wild Swans, the A.R.T. has organized a discussion series in collaboration with the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. For more information about the series, please click here.

The upcoming dates are:

Wednesday, February 22, following the 7:30 p.m. performance. "The Emotional and Moral Consequences of the Cultural Revolution"

Thursday, February 23, following the 7:30 p.m. performance. "Memoirs of China"

Saturday, February 25, following the 2:00 p.m. performance. Discussion with the cast of Wild Swans.

Tuesday, February 28, following the 7:30 p.m. performance. "What the Cultural Revolution Means for China Today"

Wednesday, February 29, following the 2:00 p.m. performance. Discussion with the cast of Wild Swans.

Wednesday, February 29, following the 7:30 p.m. performance. "Collecting Oral Histories of Chinese-Born Seniors in Boston"

Thursday, March 1, following the 7:30 p.m. performance: "Being Foreign in the Cultural Revolution"

Saturday, March 3, following the 2:00 p.m. performance. Discussion with the cast of Wild Swans.

Wednesday, March 7, following the 2:00 p.m. performance. Discussion with the cast of Wild Swans.

Saturday, March 10, following the 2:00 p.m. performance. Discussion with the cast of Wild Swans.