American Repertory Theater In a co-production with Young Vic and Actors Touring Company Presents the World Premiere of Wild Swans
For Immediate Release January 11, 2012
Contact: Kati Mitchell 617-495-2668
kati_mitchell @ Harvard.edu
The world premiere of
Wild Swans
written by Jung Chang • Adapted by Alexandra Wood • directed by Sacha Wares
an American Repertory Theater/Young Vic/Actors Touring Company co-production
begins performances February 11 — March 11, 2012
at the Loeb Drama Center
Cambridge, Mass. — American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) begins performances of the world premiere production of Wild Swans, the first stage version of Jung Chang’s astonishing personal memoir, in a major international collaboration with the Young Vic and Actors Touring Company. Performances run from Saturday, February 11 through March 11, 2012. The production will run at the Young Vic in London from April 13 through May 13, 2012.
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.
Jung Chang commented: ‘This production means a lot to me. To see Wild Swans on stage – transferred into another art form – will be fantastic. It feels great to know that my book is in such good hands.’
Actress Katie Leung, best known as Harry Potter’s girlfriend Cho Chang in the film series, will play Er-Hong, the character based on Jung Chang; and joins an ensemble that is made up of British and American actors including Oliver Biles as Weimin, Eric Chan as Dr. Wan, Annie Chang as Dai, Ka-Ling Cheung as De-Hong, Victor Chi as Heng, Celeste Den as Ting, Joanne Fong as Huifen, Jon Kit Lee as Bolin, Orion Lee as Shou-Yu, Jennifer Lim Ai Hua as Teacher Shu, Les J N Mau as Team Leader Chi, Ron Nakahara as Governor Lin, Zenghui Qiu as Zhen, and Julyana Soelistyo as Yu-Fang. The cast will also include a community chorus recruited from the greater Boston Asian American community.
Wild Swans unites the talents of director Sacha Wares (Sucker Punch, Royal Court), playwright Alexandra Wood (The Eleventh Capital), and designer Miriam Buether (Anna Nicole, Royal Opera House; King Lear, The Public Theater NYC). The production will include specially commissioned video designs by groundbreaking Beijing artist Wang Gongxin, whose work has been seen at MOMA in San Francisco, the V&A and many other major galleries throughout the world. Costume design is by Tom Rand, sound design by Gareth Fry, lighting design by D M Wood, movement direction by Leon Baugh, projection by Tim Reid, music by Zenghui Qiu and puppet design and direction by Michael Fowkes.
ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM:
Celebrated writer Jung Chang was born in Sichuan Province, China in 1952. She became a Red Guard at the age of fourteen and then worked as a peasant, a barefoot doctor, a steelworker and an electrician before becoming an English language student. In 1978 she moved to Britain and in 1982 became the first person from the People’s Republic of China to earn a PhD from a British university. Her most recent book is the bestseller Mao: The Unknown Story that she co-wrote with her husband Jon Halliday.
Director Sacha Wares is an Associate Director of both the Royal Court and Young Vic Theatres in London. Her recent work includes Roy Williams’ Sucker Punch, Debbie Tucker Green’s random, and Mike Bartlett’s My Child (all at Royal Court). Other work includes generations (Young Vic), trade (Royal Shakespeare Company), Platform (ICA), and Caryl Churchill’s A Number at Theatre Project Tokyo. She was also co-director of Guantanamo: “Honor Bound to Defend Freedom” at the Tricycle Theatre in 2004, which transferred to London’s West End and New York.
Playwright Alexandra Wood was awarded the George Devine Award for her breakthrough play The Eleventh Capital, which was directed by Natalie Abrahami as part of the Royal Court Young Writers Festival. She was one of the writers to contribute to Decade, directed by Rupert Goold, which explored the legacy of 9/11 ten years on. Her other plays include The Andes, Unbroken, The Lion’s Mouth and the radio play, Twelve Years.
Set Designer Miriam Buether won the 2010 Evening Standard Award for Sucker Punch (Royal Court) and Earthquakes in London (National Theatre), and was a winner of the Linbury Prize in 1999. She designed The Government Inspector, The Good Soul of Szechuan, In the Red and Brown Water and generations for The Young Vic; and Get Santa!, Cock, Relocated, My Child, and Way to Heaven for the Royal Court. Her opera credits include Anna Nicole (Royal Opera House) and Turandot (English National Opera).
Wang Gongxin is one of China’s most respected and influential contemporary artists. His work Here? Or There? (created with Lin Tianmiao) is considered to be among the most important video works in recent years. His piece The Sky of Brooklyn: Digging a Hole in Beijing was one of the first site-specific installations in China. His work on video includes The Old Bench, Baby Talk, Public Hallway, and Shepard. His work has been exhibited widely all over the world, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Jerusalem, Athens, Helsinki, London, Moscow, Berlin, Amsterdam, as well as Denmark, Poland, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, among others.
Tom Rand has been nominated for an Oscar and BAFTA for his costume designs for A French Lieutenant’s Woman directed by Karel Reisz. His other film work includes The Duellists, directed by Ridley Scott, Young Toscanini, directed by Franco Zeffirelli, and Un Pont Entre Deux Rives directed by Gerard Depardieu. His theatre credits include designing costumes for Relative Values in the West End, Fiona Shaw in Medea directed by Deborah Warner in Dublin, London and on world tour, and The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic, directed by Jerry Zaks.
Movement Director Leon Baugh is an acclaimed dancer, best known for his work with the Hofesh Shechter Company; and has also danced with Frantic Assembly and Stan Won’t Dance. He won the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for Roy Williams’ Sucker Punch in 2011.
There will be two ASL interpreted performances of Wild Swans on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 2:00 pm, and two Audio Described performances, on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 2:00 pm. The audio described performances will be preceded by a touch tour. Attendees for the audio described performances are encouraged to arrive one hour prior to curtain.
Wild Swans is a recipient of a 2011 Edgerton Foundation New Plays Award, presented with the support of the British Council, and also made possible by funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is one of the country’s most celebrated theaters and the winner of numerous awards, including the Tony Award, the Pulitzer Prize and Elliot Norton and I.R.N.E. Awards. In May of 2003 it was named one of the top three regional theaters in the country by Time magazine. The A.R.T. was founded by Robert Brustein in 1980, who served as Artistic Director until 2002, when he was succeeded by Robert Woodruff. In 2008, Diane Paulus became the A.R.T.’s Artistic Director. During its 31-year history, the A.R.T. has welcomed many major American and international theater artists, presenting a diverse repertoire that includes premieres of American plays, bold reinterpretations of classical texts and provocative new music theater productions. The A.R.T. has performed throughout the U.S. and worldwide in 21 cities in 16 countries on four continents. Since becoming Artistic Director, Diane Paulus has programmed innovative work that has enhanced the A.R.T.’s core mission to expand the boundaries of theater. Productions such as Sleep No More, The Donkey Show, Gatz, Porgy and Bess, Prometheus Bound and Death and the Powers: The Robots’ Opera have immersed audiences in original theatrical experiences. The A.R.T.’s club theater, OBERON, which Paulus calls a "second stage for the 21st century," has become an incubator for local artists and has also attracted national attention for its groundbreaking model for programming. Through all of its work, the A.R.T. is committed to building a community of artists, technicians, educators, staff and audience, all of who are integral to the A.R.T.’s mission to expand the boundaries of theater.
The Young Vic presents the widest variety of classics, new plays, forgotten works and music theater in England, tours and co-produces extensively within the UK and internationally. Their shows are created by some of the world’s great theater artists alongside the most adventurous of the younger generation. This fusion makes the Young Vic one of the most exciting theaters in the world. The Young Vic audience is famously the youngest and most diverse in London. The company keeps its prices low and donates 10% of their tickets to schools and neighborhood communities irrespective of box office demand.
Actors Touring Company (ATC) challenges and inspires a wide-range of audiences by touring ambitious contemporary theater with a strong international focus. Their work is made by bringing together emerging and established artists from many spheres and backgrounds. Based in East London but working closely with regional, national and international partners, ATC takes excellent theatre everywhere. ATC is flexible in its response to new inputs and steadfast in its quest to create and deliver genuinely innovative theatre practice. With their proven track record, ATC will continue to ensure they reach the broadest possible audiences.
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries, and builds trust between them worldwide. Working in more than 100 countries, they create long-term relationships with the UK that provide cultural, diplomatic and economic benefits. With offices in Washington, New York and Los Angeles, the Council is re-energizing the transatlantic relationship through the arts, education, society and English, develops networks and partners with international organizations to work on shared agendas. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.org/usa.
The balance of the A.R.T.'s 2011-12 Season includes the world premiere of FUTURITY: A Musical by The Lisps, with music and lyrics by César Alvarez with The Lisps; book by Molly Rice and César Alvarez; directed by Sarah Benson (Oberon • March 16 – April 15) and WOODY SEZ, with words and music by Woody Guthrie, devised by David M. Lutken with Nick Corley (Loeb Drama Center • May 5 – May 26).
The Loeb Drama Center, located at 64 Brattle Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge, is accessible to persons with special needs and to those requiring wheelchair seating or first-floor restrooms. Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons can also reach the theater by calling the toll-free N.E. Telephone Relay Center at 1-800-439-2370.
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries, and builds trust between them worldwide. Working in more than 100 countries, they create long-term relationships with the UK that provide cultural, diplomatic and economic benefits. With offices in Washington, New York and Los Angeles, the Council is re-energizing the transatlantic relationship through the arts, education, society and English, develops networks and partner with international organizations to work on shared agendas. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.org/usa.
For further information call 617-547-8300 or visit americanrepertorytheater.org
CALENDAR AND RELATED EVENTS AT A GLANCE
WHAT:
WILD SWANS
Creative team:
Set Designer Miriam Buether
Costume Designer Tom Rand
Video Designer Wang Gongxin
Sound Designer Gareth Fry
Lighting Designer D M Wood
Movement Director Leon Baugh
Projection Designer Tim Reid
Music Director Zenghui Qiu
Puppet Design and Direction Michael Fawkes
Movement Associate Joanne Fong
UK Casting Julia Horan CDG
US Casting Zoe Rotter
CAST
(in order of speaking)
Yu-Fang Julyana Soelistyo
De-Hong Ka-Ling Cheung
Shou-Yu Orion Lee
Ting Celeste Den
Bolin Jon Kit Lee
Heng Victor Chi
Zhen Zenghui Qiu
Huifen Joanne Fong
Dr Wan Eric Chan
Governor Lin Ron Nakahara
Team Leader Chi Les JN 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.
Annie Chang, Eric Chan, Ka-Ling Cheung, Victor Chi, Celeste Den, Jon Kit Lee, Les JN Mau, Ron Nakahara and Julyana Soelistyo are members of Actors’ Equity Association
Oliver Biles, Joanne Fong, Orion Lee, Katie Leung and Jennifer Lim Ai Hua are appearing with the permission of Actors’ Equity Association.
The Producers gratefully acknowledge Actors’ Equity Association for its assistance of this production.
WHEN:
Sa Feb 11 7:30pm
Su Feb 12 7:30pm
Tu Feb 14 7:30pm
We Feb 15 7:00pm
Th Feb 16 7:30pm
Fr Feb 17 7:30pm
Sa Feb 18 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Su Feb 19 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Tu Feb 21 7:30pm
We Feb 22 7:00pm
Th Feb 23 7:30pm
Fr Feb 24 7:30pm
Sa Feb 25 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Su Feb 26 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Tu Feb 28 7:30pm ASL interpreted performance
We Feb 29 2:00pm and 7:00pm Audio Described performance
Th Mar 1 7:30pm
Fr Mar 2 7:30pm
Sa Mar 3 2:00pm and 7:30pm Audio Described performance
Su Mar 4 2:00pm ASL interpreted performance
Tu Mar 6 7:30pm
We Mar 7 2:00pm and 7:00pm
Th Mar 8 7:30pm
Fr Mar 9 7:30pm
Sa Mar 10 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Su Mar 11 2:00pm
WHERE: Loeb Drama Center, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA
RATING: Recommended for 10 and older.
TICKETS: begin at $25. Tickets may be charged to American Express, Visa, or Master Card. Group rates are available
Box Office Phone and A.R.T. InfoLine: (617) 547-8300, tickets also available online at www.AmericanRepertoryTheater.org
MEDIA INFORMATION:
PRESS OPENING INVITATIONS WILL BE SENT AT A LATER DATE, TBA.
Email Address: press@amrep.org
Production photos of Wild Swans will be available beginning 2/13 at
http://www.americanrepertorytheater.org/media-room/press-kits/wild-swans
