Off Broadway play features AA talent

More Asian American related work is appearing Off Broadway. Actor Lawrence Wong will be appearing in this play in August:

butterflies and tigers
presented at the Orenda Theatre. 212-330-7200
reviewed by David Fisco, The Buzz

John Glines' latest work focuses on the social earthquake caused by China's Cultural revolution. The piece journeys from the birth of the revolution in 1966, through the formation of the Red Guards and the attacks on the "bourgeois," to the arrest of the Gang of Four in 1976. Mayhem was the status quo as the incompetent crushed the capable.

The play aims to "tell the terrible stories that no one will believe." Glines does not paint with broad strokes. We hear the incredible tales of the common people...a college professor, a scenery painter, students. Glines focuses on the microcosms of chaos created by Mao Zedong. He creates a winning balance of cerebral and visceral content that serves as a vehicle for his political commentary. The work is intenselyhumanitarian.

Although most of his stories are depressing, Glines does not allow his script to slip into one dimension. The characters never lose sight of their hopes or dreams. The play is a sequence of vignettes, but the stories do not intermingle. Rather, each is told from start to finish with time backing up for the beginning of each vignette. Again, Glines proves his skill as a playwright by not burdening the audience with redundant information, but allowing each story to build on the former.

Costume consultant Yui Fong Wong and lighting designer Garth Reese do an admirable job in the production's minimalist environment. With the help of lighting, each actor transforms his or her symbolic red scarf into everything from backpacks and books to fire and a stage curtain. As a director,Glines provides his cast with an appropriate rhythm that enables the actors to weave their individual performances into the tapestry of an ensemble. In several moments, however, the actors make sub-optimal choices, causing the performance to miss its potential emotional impact. The most notable member of the ensemble is Ann Hu. Hu possesses emotional range and is believable consistently.

Butterflies and Tigers is a welcomed contribution tohistorical drama. The play, however, is more than just documentary. It is a testimony to the endurance of the human spirit and the courage and sacrifice necessary to fight societal change.

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