Written by David Henry Hwang
Performed by Signature Theatre Company, U.S.A.
Directed by May Adrales
“Moving! An evocative portrait of the immigrant experience. Book a ticket!”
-- Frank Scheck, New York Post
“A theatrical poem!”
-- Roma Torre, New York 1
“Four Stars!"
-- Helen Shaw, Time Out New York
“Hwang's works have the verve of the well-made American stage comedies and yet, with little warning, they bubble over into the mystical rituals of Asian stagecraft. By at once bringing West and East into conflict and unity, this playwright has found the perfect way to dramatize both the pain and humor of the immigrant experience.”
-- Frank Rich, New York Times
About the Dance and the Railroad
David Henry Hwang’s THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD, directed by May Adrales, comes to the Wuzhen Festival following a sold-out run at Signature Theatre, where it followed the twice-extended GOLDEN CHILD as part of Hwang’s Residency at Signature.
Set on a California mountaintop near the Transcontinental Railroad in 1867, The Dance and the Railroad tells the story of two Chinese railroad workers struggling through poverty and hunger to reconnect with the traditions of their homeland. Lone, once an actor in China, separates himself from the other men to practice the art of Chinese opera. When the Chinese laborers go on strike for better wages and hours, Ma, who wishes to become a performer and play the role of legendary warrior Gwan Gung, convinces Lone to teach him. Lone reluctantly agrees to teach Ma, whom he believes to be like the other “dead men,” who lack discipline and trust the “The Gold Mountain’s” promises of wealth and prosperity. When the strike ends, the men must weigh what is gained and lost in this new land, and how each must change in order to survive.
Production Staff
The production features Ruy Iskandar as Ma and Yuekun Wu as Lone. The design team includes Mimi Lien (Scenic Design), Jennifer Moeller (Costume Design), Jiyoun Chang (Lighting Design), Broken Chord (Sound Design), Huang Ruo (Music), Qian Yi (Chinese Opera Consultant), Leah J. Loukas (Wig Design) and Grace Zandarski (Vocal Coach). Casting by TELSEY + COMPANY, William Cantler CSA. The production stage manager is Michael Rico Cohen.
About David Henry Hwang
David Henry Hwang’s plays include M. Butterfly (1988 Tony Award, 1989 Pulitzer Finalist), Golden Child (1996 Obie Award, 1998 Tony Nomination), Yellow Face (2008 Obie Award and Pulitzer Finalist), and FOB (1981 Obie Award). His Broadway musicals include the books for Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida (co-author), Flower Drum Song (revival, 2002 Tony Nomination), and Disney's Tarzan. As America's most-produced living opera librettist, he has written four works with composer Philip Glass, as well as Osvaldo Golijov's Ainadamar (two 2007 Grammy Awards), Unsuk Chin's Alice in Wonderland, and Bright Sheng's The Silver River. He penned the feature films M. Butterfly, Golden Gate, and Possession (co-writer), and co-wrote the song “Solo” with pop star Prince. Hwang attended Stanford University and the Yale School of Drama, and sits on the boards of the Dramatists Guild, the American Theatre Wing, and the Lark Play Development Center. From 1994-2000, he served by appointment of President Clinton on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. His newest play, Chinglish, opened at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, winning a Jeff Award for Best New Play, before moving to Broadway in 2011. The world premiere of his new play Kung Fu, based on the life of Bruce Lee, will be presented at Signature Theatre in early 2014.
About Signature Theatre >>>
Founded in 1991 by James Houghton, Signature Theatre exists to honor and celebrate the playwright. Signature makes an extended commitment to a playwright’s body of work, and during this journey, the writer is engaged in every aspect of the creative process. Signature is the first theatre company to devote an entire season to the work of a single playwright, including re-examinations of past writings as well as New York and world premieres. By championing in-depth explorations of a living playwright’s body of work, the Company delivers an intimate and immersive journey into the playwright’s singular vision.
Signature has presented entire seasons of the work of Edward Albee, Lee Blessing, Horton Foote, Maria Irene Fornes, Athol Fugard, John Guare, David Henry Hwang, Bill Irwin, Adrienne Kennedy, Tony Kushner, Romulus Linney, Charles Mee, Arthur Miller, the Negro Ensemble Company, Sam Shepard, Paula Vogel, August Wilson and Lanford Wilson. At The Pershing Square Signature Center, the Company’s expanded programming includes: Residency One, the continuation of Signature’s core program which provides audiences with an immersive exploration of the work of a singular playwright; Residency Five, which provides five-year residencies for multiple playwrights, guaranteeing three full productions of new work over the course of each playwright’s residency; and the Legacy Program, which honors the lifetime achievement of playwrights who have previously been in residence at Signature through the production of a premiere or earlier play.
Signature, its productions and its resident writers have been recognized with a Pulitzer Prize, fourteen Lucille Lortel Awards, sixteen Obie Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and twenty-two AUDELCO Awards, among many other distinctions. The National Theatre Conference recognized the company as the 2003 Outstanding National Theatre of the Year. For more information on Signature please visit us on-line at signaturetheatre.org.
The Pershing Square Signature Center is the new, permanent home of Signature Theatre. Spanning an entire city block at 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenue, the Frank Gehry-designed Pershing Square Signature Center features three intimate theatres, a studio theatre, rehearsal studio, and a public café, bar and bookstore and serves as both a theatre community hub and neighborhood destination. Working hand-in-hand with Signature leadership and architect of record H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture LLC, Gehry’s design is carefully calibrated to foster interaction among playwrights, artistic collaborators and the public. The Pershing Square Signature Center has allowed the Company to expand and enhance its programming, introduce new initiatives, and build audiences. The Center serves as the artistic home for as many as 9 playwrights at any one time, fostering a dynamic creative community where playwrights engage directly with audiences and one another.