Chinoiserie
About the Production
Chinoiserie is a music theatre work organized along an historic arc, beginning with the first encounter between Qianlong, the Celestial Emperor of China and Lord George MacCartney, the trade emissary from King George III of England in 1793. From there, Chinoiserie is collaged from the detritus of East-West relations including the events leading up to the Opium War, the European obsession/addiction to tea, the history of Chinese settlers in America, the murder of Vincent Chin in Detroit in 1983 and the continuing trade disputes between China and America. Chinoiserie features spoken text, live music, movement, Chinese opera movement, projections, and contemporary and traditional western and Chinese costumes.
Chinoiserie is the second work in Ping Chong’s East/West Quartet.
Production Team And Cast
Conceived and Directed by
Ping Chong
Written by
Ping Chong, in collaboration with Michael Matthews, Regine Anna Seckinger and Ric Oquita
Composer
Guy Klucevsek
Choreography
Shi-Zheng Chen
Music
Guy Klucevsek, Steve Elson and Bill Ruyle
Lighting Design
Thomas Hase
Costume Design
Byron Lars
Set and Projection Design
Jan Hartley
Sound Design
David Meschter
Dramaturg
Regine Anna Seckinger
Stage Manageanagerr
Courtney Golden
Cast
Ping Chong, Shi-Zheng Chen, Aleta Hayes, Michael Edo Keane and Ric Oquita
Performance History
Workshop
Yellow Springs Institute, Chester, PA (1994)
The Center for the Arts, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY (September 1995)
Premiere
Lied Center at University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE (September 1995)
Tours
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN (November 1995)
Williams Center for the Arts, Lafayette College, Easton, PA (November 1995)
The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival, Harvey Theater, Brooklyn, NY (November 1995)
Partners
The Lied Center of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln
The Fine Arts Center at SUNY Buffalo
The Yellow Springs Institute, Lafayette College
The Walker Arts Center and the Brooklyn Academy of Music