A DEAL 杂音 By Zhu Yi 朱宜
English Version Directed by Michelle Aguillon
Mandarin Version Directed by Tianding He
English Version: April 2, 7:00PM
Mandarin Version: April 9, 7:00PM
Pao Arts Center, 99 Albany St, Boston, MA 02111
A young actress from China brands herself as an orphan and human rights victim to enter the mainstream theater in America and land her immigration status, while her parents smuggle one million dollar cash from Shanghai to buy her an apartment in Manhattan.
A DEAL is a dark comedy that follows a Chinese family's home buying journey in New York under the backdrop of a China-US economic crisis originally in winter 2015, while still touching on many of the great issues of today: Chinese values versus American; the family versus the individual; what constitutes truth and in whose eyes; the immigrant’s dilemma—to remain voluntarily ghettoized or to assimilate.
《杂音》讲述了刚从哥伦比亚大学表演专业毕业的的中国姑娘李苏，梦想在舞台上发光发热，渴望在美国获得成功，可即便拥有名校文凭的她也面临着找不到工作的危机。为了获得关注，李苏不惜将自己伪造成人权受害者。与此同时，李苏的父母筹集了百万美金从上海飞往纽约，想为女儿买一套房，让她更有底气地在美国社会立足，融入精英阶层。这趟美国之旅却导致女儿孤身留美，父母凄惨归国……朱宜敏锐地捕捉到经济波动下人们的焦灼不安，借以极具中国特色的“买房”行为作为故事契机，用黑色幽默的戏谑笔法呈现出东西方意识形态在当代的碰撞。
About the artists
Michelle M. Aguillon (she/hers/hers) - Director
Michelle has worked in Boston-area theatre for more than 25 years as a director, actor, producer, and writer. Directing credits include (virtual): The Walking Plays (Lyric Stage Company), Boston Resilience Project Plays: East Boston, Nos Vemos (Speakeasy Stage Co.), Home for the Holidays (Open Theatre Project for the Boston Theater Marathon), Asian/American in Harvard Square and Torched, Incantation, Voice of Reason, and An Elegant Storm (Umbrella Stage Co.), the Annual Asian American Playwright Collective Playfest (2018-2021). Directing for the stage: Fences, The Joy Luck Club, Disgraced, To Kill a Mockingbird, True West (Umbrella Stage Co.), Augusta and Noble (Emerson Theater), Vietgone (Company One), Sylvia (Theatre Uncorked, Calderwood), Proof (The Nora, Central Square Theater), Clybourne Park, Terra Nova, Of Mice and Men (Quannapowitt Players). Other favorites: Rabbit Hole, Marjorie Prime, Pillowman, Kimberly Akimbo, Looking for Normal, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and G.R. Point.
Bowen Huang (she/her/hers) - Li Su
Bowen is a second-year BFA in Musical Theater at Emerson College. Emerson College credits include Musical Theater Against the Grain’s Rock of Ages (Mayor), Musical Theatre Society’s Cabaret of Color 2022; Emerson Dance Company (Dancer). Outside of Emerson College, her performance credit includes Blue Note Shanghai: Musical Theater Cabaret, Soloist. IG: on_bw
Vivian Liu-Somers (she/her/hers) - Mrs. Li
Vivian is an actor/writer/director based in the Boston area who has performed or participated in readings with the Asian American Playwrights Collective (AAPC), Asian American Theater Artists of Boston (AATAB), the Newton Theater Company, TC Squared, the Nora Theater Company, the Umbrella Stage Company, Company One, Fresh Ink, Pao Arts Center, the Boston Theater Marathon, Boston One Minute Play Festival, and SlamBoston. You can see examples of her work at rebrand.ly/vliusomers
Kai Chao (he/him/his) - Mr. Li
Kai is excited to work with AATAB, in English and Mandarin! Born in Taiwan, he immigrated with his family at 2 years old. English quickly became his primary language. Disney gave him his first opportunity to perform in Mandarin when he returned to Taiwan for a brief tour. Regionally: Pacific Overtures, Joy Luck Club, La Cage aux Folles, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Beauty & the Beast, Mame. Thank you for the love and support Al!
Jeff Lee (he/him/his) - Peter
Jeff began performing later in life at age 49, acting in college student films and other independent films. His first stage experience was at the Asian American Playwright Collective's 4th Playfest in 2021, playing Math teacher Mr. Kato in Rosanna Yamagiwa Alfaro's 'Inside Outside' and Vietnam War refugee Mike in Michelle Aguillon's very personal story 'Two Sides, Same Coin'.
Trinidad Ramkissoon (he/him/his) - Josh Haley
Trinidad is honored to be participating in the reading of A DEAL. His passion for storytelling began at Central Sq Theater (CST). The journey that started at CST propelled Trinidad to Boston and beyond— including Broadway where he represented the area as a finalist in the August Wilson Monologue Competition. Trinidad believes gifts are best unpacked when they have been recycled. With platforms provided by the Boston Public School district, Trinidad shares his love of theatre with his students at the Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School. Shoutout to all my babies!!!!
Karla Lang (she/her/hers) - Ensemble
Karla was last seen onstage in the 2021 Asian-American Playwright Collective Playfest. Favorite roles include Waverly in THE JOY LUCK CLUB (Umbrella Stage Company). Helena in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Hovey Players), and April in COMPANY (Longwood Players). She has also performed with Reagle Music Theater and Concord Players, and she sings with the New World Chorale. Karla is a fifth-generation Chinese-American and is excited to be performing with Chuang Stage/AATAB at the Pao Arts Center.
Hannah Beebe (she/her/hers) - Ensemble
Hannah Beebe is a Boston-based actor and is so excited to be working with AATAB/Chuang Stage/Pao Arts Center! Some past credits include work with Artists’ Theatre of Boston, Newton Theatre Company, and Boston Playwrights' Theatre. Hannah earned her BFA in Acting from Boston University and a certificate in Classical Acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Shoutout to Sarah Shin; I’m so happy to be included in this wonderful play! hannahbeebe.com
This event is a part of
FOUND IN TRANSLATIONS
A series of bilingual new plays produced for Boston, in collaboration with Pao Arts Center and AATAB
“Found in Translation” is a play-reading and community workshop series through Winter 2021 to Spring 22 that amplifies the power and complexities of being multilingual, immigrants, or identifying as AAPI in Greater Boston.
Through the Vietnamese Buddhist afterlife, the American entertainment industry, and a haunted tavern in Taiwan, we hope to connect the AAPI community through conversations about race, language, identity, and our experiences when it comes to relating to our birth country or immigration timeline.
This series is supported by The Boston Foundation Live Arts Boston grant.
OUR PARTNERS
Asian American Theatre Artists of Boston
AATAB is a social collective that empowers and connects Pan-Asian theatre artists in the Greater Boston area.
BCNC Pao Arts Center celebrates and strengthens the Asian Pacific Islander (API) community of Chinatown and Greater Boston through access to culturally relevant art, education, and creative programs.
