Presented by:College of Arts And HumAnities

department of theatre and dance music department

sCHool of PACifiC And AsiAn studies, Center for Chinese studies

Production Stage Manager: Daniel SakimuraAssistant Stage Manager: Philip TumbagaInterpreters & Assistants for the Guest Artists: Mei-Hui Chang, Cheng Wei Chen, Matthew Diemer, Nian Liu, Yang Ming, Qiaona Yu; with additional assistance from Evelyn Leung and Ju-hua WeiScenic Artist: David GerkeProperties Coordinator: D’neka PattenLight Console Operator: Rebekah HarterSound Console Operator: Matthew BiseProjection Operator: Yan MaAudio Area Head: Matthew BiseHead Flyman: Michael HardyMaster Electrician: Daniel SakimuraElectricians: D’neka Patten, Angela Gonsalez, Kelsi Ju, Philip Tumbaga, Students from THEA221 and THEA240Stage Crew: Trevor Craighead, Lilja Addeman, Kevin Lacasse, Jonelle Macapinlac, Pablo PazStaff Technical Director: Gerald KawaokaSet Construction Crew: Chesley Cannon, Luke Cheng, Jeremy Dowd, David Gerke, Angela J.P. Gosalvez, Kelsi Ju, D’neka Patten, Philip Tumbaga, Students from THEA 221 and THEA 240Staff Costume Shop Manager: Hannah Schauer GalliLocal Costume Alterations Crew: Johnna Batiste, Jenilea Heath, Morgan Lane-Tanner, Corinne Powell, Amy SchragHair Coordinators: Sandra Finney & Hannah Schauer GalliHair and Headdressing: Sharon Garcia-Doyle, Evelyn Leung, Corinne Powell, Toby Rinaldi, Amy Schrag, Kristina Tannenbaum, Rachael Uyeno, Rachel Weckhorst EspejoMake-up Advisor: James Sau Tim YoungMake-up Coordinator: Rachel Weckhorst EspejoMake-up Crew: Elisa Diehl, D’neka Patten, Meg ThielDressers: Molly Bell, Aisha Goshi-Otaguro, Kelsi Ju, Neil Nevis, Nelson Rosa, Mao Takemura, Hikari Tsuno, Students from THEA 200D

Staff Theatre Manager: Marty MyersBox Office Manager: Stefannye SlaughterBox Office Staff: Sarah Jane Carlton, Sarah Maurer, Cindy HartiganPublicity Director: Tracy RobinsonPublicity Assistant: Vincent DesrosiersWeb Assistant: Erin SimPhotographer: R. David Beales, Daniel Brown, Shuzo UemotoGraphic Designer: Brett BotbylHouse Manager: Kristina TannenbaumAssistant House Manager: Students from THEA 400E, Sara Skinner-ProbstDepartment Office Staff: Tana Marin, Lori Ann ChunDepartment Chair: W. Dennis Carroll

For large print programs, Assistive Listening Devices or any other accessibility requests please contact the House Manager or call the Kennedy Theatre Box Office at 956-7655.

To arrange a Campus Security Escort from any two points on campus, please see a House Manager.

- Please silence all pagers, phones and digital watches. - No photography or video recording is permitted. - Please refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in the theatre.

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M A I N S TA G E2009-2010 SEASON(Overall artistic supervisor of this Resident Training Program and Production)

Jingju arises from the Chinese people—it embodies and can represent us perhaps more clearly and completely than any other performing art. Yet along with generations of other Jingju artists in China, I believe that Jingju is also an art of international value. To achieve the international recognition that has been accorded other originally-ethnic arts such as ballet, opera, and realistic theatre, Jingju like those arts must be studied in depth—and seriously performed—by non-ethnic artists outside of China. I am deeply grateful to the University of Hawai‘i for its twenty-five years of pioneering work in this area. And I am confident that through their intensive study and respectful performance of Jingju, these University of Hawai‘i students are both helping to bring Jingju the international acceptance it deserves, and preparing to contribute meaningfully to the enrichment of multicultural world theatre.

Shen Xiaomei, Nanjing, ChinaJanuary 2010

Major Support For The 2009-2010 Jingju Resident Training Program and Production Provided By:

The University of Hawai‘i Foundation Chun Ku and Soo Yong Huang Endowment for Chinese TheatreThe University of Hawai‘i Foundation Chinese Theatre EndowmentThe Office of the Chancellor, University of Hawai‘i at MānoaThe University Research Council Special Fund for Innovative Scholarship and Creative WorkThe Jiangsu Province Department of Culture, Peoples Republic of ChinaThe University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Center for Chinese Studies and Confucius InstituteThe University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa College of Arts and HumanitiesThe University of Hawai‘i Foundation Beijing Opera FundThe East-West CenterThe University of Hawai‘i Foundation Sheridan and Julia Ing Family Endowment for Asian Theatre

Thanks Go To The Following Individuals And Private Groups For Making This Training Program And Production Possible:

Lori Admiral, Tessa Ahsing, Thomas Bingham, Mangmang Qiu Brown, W. Dennis Carroll, Hui-Mei Chang, Rosita Chang, Che Ning, Larry and Lily Chiang, the Chinese Opera Association of Hawai‘i, Julia Chu, Lori Chun, Joseph D. Dodd, Peggy Eu, William Feltz, Sandra Finney, Christopher Gregory, David A Griffith, Donna Gutierrez, Linda Hamada, Martha Hanson, the Hawai‘i Rainbow Kunqu Society, Anita Hodges, Judy Hughes, Keoni Jeremiah, Gerald Kawaoka, Daniel W.Y. Kwok, Susan Lampe, Scott Larson, Frederick Lau, Nathan Lee, Leslie Lewis, Gregg Lizenbery, Chin-t’ang Lo, Tana Marin, Harold McArthur, Zihong Miao, Byron Moon, Sherrie Morinaka, Marty Myers, Ryan Nakagawa, Patti Nakamoto, Kathy Nelson, Cynthia Ning, Hannah Schauer Galli, Shanghai Tang, Shen Xiaomei, Kathleen Shimabuku, Barbara Smith, Betty Tam, Tracy Lee Teixeira, Kathy Todoki, Ricardo Trimillos, Dr. Shuang Troy, Daniel Tschudi, Donna Vuchinich, Wang Chenyang, Wang Renyuan, Yao Hong, Diane Yoshida, Colleen Young, Donald B. Young, James Sau Tim Young

The White Snake (Bai She Zhuan)

Script based on Tian Han’s 1953 version. Performance text based on

Mei Lanfang-style master Du Jinfang’s 1960 version.

Feb 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13 at 8pm Feb 7 and 14 at 2pm Free pre-show chats on Feb 6 and 13 at 7pm

Production Staff

Front of House Staff

A Note from Madam Shen

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Adapted and taught to the student actors and musicians by Lu Genzhang, Zhang Ling, and Zhang Xigui of the Jiangsu Province Jingju CompanyUnder the artistic supervision of Madam Shen XiaomeiTranslated by Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak and Hui-Mei ChangProduced and directed by ElizabethWichmann-WalczakAssisted by Kristina Tannenbaum, and by Nicole Tessier (English-language coach) and Evelyn Leung (dance captain)Musical direction by Frederick LauScenic design by Joseph D. DoddProperties design by Daniel SakimuraCostume coordination by Lu Genzhang and Hannah Schauer GalliTraining for headdressing and dressing by Sandra Finney and Hannah Schauer GalliLighting design by David A GriffithºSound design by Matthew BiseProjection design by Maria Liu

Jinghu...................................................... Charlotte D’Evelyn Sunhee KooErhu......................................................... Bernard EllorinYueqin.......................................................Lisa AsanoSanxian .....................................................Wataru Isoshiro Pipa..........................................................Edean KinoshitaZhongruan/Dizi........................................Frederick LauSuona........................................................Frederick Lau Sam Schank

Conductor, Bangu.....................................Man Yang (Scenes 1-4) Daniel Tschudi (Scenes 4-12)Daluo........................................................Kenneth Fong, Yuan-Yu KuanNaobo.......................................................Sam SchankXiaoluo.....................................................Kenneth Fong, Man YangDatanggu.................................................Yuan-Yu KuanXiaotanggu...............................................Frederick Lau

The Kennedy Theatre production program is generously supported by a grant from the John Young Foundation.

The UHM ticket program is supported in part by a grant from the Student Activities and Program Fee Board.

Artistic Staff Cast (In Order of Appearance)Our production of the Jingju play The White Snake is based on Tian Han’s 1953 script and Du Jinfang’s 1960 performance text. In Chinese terms it is therefore considered a special type of newly-created play, one set in the mythological past but created in the modern period. In production, such plays generally use the full range of traditional costuming, makeup, and performance techniques, while their sets often combine modern design approaches with the use of traditional furniture and the need for substantial open spaces. We are following these authentic Jingju performance practices as closely as possible. Our costumes and stage properties are from China, generously provided by the Jiangsu Province Department of Culture, and our headdressing crew has trained for many weeks to construct the elaborate headdresses worn by the female characters. Our evocative set and lighting are original creations by Joseph Dodd and David Griffith respectively, while our stage crew is costumed and appears in full view, in keeping with the very traditional practice of jianchang stage assistants. The stylized quality of Jingju verse sung in Chinese often makes it difficult for Chinese audiences to understand, and we have worked hard to recreate that stylized quality in our English version; we are therefore following the Chinese practice of projecting the verse on both sides of the stage. In contemporary performance practice, leading roles are often shared among two or more actors in successive scenes of the same performance, and we have three performers successively playing each of three leading characters: the White Snake, Green Child, and Xu Xian; this allows us to feature three different interpretations of each of these characters as well as a wide variety of performance skills. We also have women playing men and vice versa, following the traditional aesthetic of assigning roles according to vocal and physical abilities rather than sex. Most importantly, however, every actor and musician in our company has received in-depth, professional training in preparation for these performances.

This production is the culmination of a six-month Jingju Resident Training Program held at the University of Hawai‘i from August 2009 through January 2010. During this program more than 60 students have undergone intensive training in the techniques of Jingju movement, vocalization, musicianship, makeup, costuming, and staging utilized in today’s performance. Their teachers have been three master artists from the Jiangsu Province Jingju Company: Mr. Lu Genzhang, an award-winning performer of both traditional and modern Jingju; Ms. Zhang Ling, an accomplished Jingju performer with a wide range of performance skills; and Mr. Zhang Xigui, an accomplished Jingju musician skilled in both melodic and percussion instruments. From the inception of this project three years ago through these culminating performances, overall artistic supervision has been provided by Madam Shen Xiaomei, a personal disciple of the legendary Master Mei Lanfang and one of the most respected creative artists in Jingju today. The experience of working closely with these master artists has been an exhilarating, expanding, and immensely rewarding one for all of us. We are all extremely grateful to them for sharing their extraordinary skills as creative artists and teachers with such dedication, patience, and generosity, and hope that our efforts to capture and convey a part of their vast and rich art meet with their approval.

Elizabeth Wichmann-Walczak February 2010

Director’s Notes

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BAI SUZHEN, the WHITE SNAKE, a highly-evolved snake spirit.....Elisa Diehl* (scenes 1,2,4) Michelle Boudreau (scenes 5,7,8) Sami L.A. Akuna (scenes 10-12, Feb 5, 6, 10, 12-14) Jillian Blakkan-Strauss* (scenes 10-12, Feb 7, 11)GREEN CHILD, the GREEN SNAKE, the younger sister of BAI SUZHEN....Meg Thiel* (scenes 1,2,4) D’neka Patten* (scenes 7,8,10, 11) Nicole Tessier (scene 12 , Feb. 5,6,10,12-14) Michelle Boudreau (scene 12, Feb. 7,11)XU XIAN, a handsome young man............................................Donald Quilinquin (scenes 1,2) Ju-Hua Wei (scenes 4,6) Maseeh Ganjali (scenes 9-12, Feb 5, 6, 10, 12-14) Ju-Hua Wei (scenes 9-12, Feb. 7,11)BOATMAN, an elderly riverman...............................................................Angela J.P. GosalvezFA HAI, a powerful monk.............................................Dan D. Randerson* (Feb. 6,7,10,12-14) Yang Ming (Feb. 5, 11)SHA MING, a young monk................................................................................K. Leigh RiveraZHAO DA, a neighbor of Xu Xian......................................................................Ronald GilliamWANG SHI, a neighbor of Xu Xian....................................................................Sara Robertson*QIAN JINXIU, a neighbor of Xu Xian........................................................Maria L. S. L. LiuSUN BAO, a neighbor of Xu Xian...........................................................Yvette Z VandermolenLI XIAO’ER, a neighbor of Xu Xian........................................................................Marcus LeeDEER CHILD, a youthful immortal guardian spirit...........................................Jackie OkimotoCRANE CHILD, a youthful immortal guardian spirit..........................................Nick IshimaruIMMORTAL ELDER, a powerful immortal spirit....................................................Luke ChengDIVINE WARRIORS, the army that supports FA HAI...............................Luke Cheng, Elisa Diehl*, Ronald Gilliam, Angela J.P. Gosalvez, Nick Ishimaru, Marcus Lee, Donald Quilinquin, Yvette Z VandermolenHU FA SHEN, the DIVINE PROTECTOR, a leader of the DIVINE WARRIORS........James Schirmer*QIAN LAN, a leader of the DIVINE WARRIOR............................................Futoshi Terashita*WATER SPIRITS, the army that supports the SNAKE sisters.....Evelyn Leung*, Maria L. S. L. Liu, Frances Marguerite Mammana, Rhiannon McCullough*, Jackie Okimoto, Nicole Tessier, Meg Thiel*, Devika WassonTURTLE GENERAL, a leader of the WATER SPIRITS....................Matthew Xi Mao ToyamaXU SHILIN, the son of BAI SUZHEN and XU XIAN........................................Evelyn Leung*FIRE SPIRITS, the army that supports GREEN CHILD................................Maria L. S. L. Liu, Frances Marguerite Mammana, Rhiannon McCullough*, Jackie Okimoto, Sara Robinson*, Meg Thiel*, Matthew Xi Mao Toyama, Devika Wasson

Understudies (listed alphabetically)Sami L.A. Akuna.....................................................................................................FIRE SPIRITJillian Blakkan-Strauss* ....................................................................................WATER SPIRITNick Ishimaru.....................................................................................................WATER SPIRIT FIRE SPIRITYang Ming...................................................................................................DIVINE WARRIORSara Robinson*..................................................................................................WATER SPIRITYvette Z Vandermolen.............................................................................XU XIAN (scenes 1,2)

*In partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Master of Fine Arts degree in Performance

Percussion Ensmble

Melodic Ensmble

The White Snake will be performed with one intermission following scene 7

Special Thanks

º Member of United Scenic Artists Local USA 829