See, without any underlying mythology, a line like “Phoenix and Dragon will unite and we will all be free” just becomes gibberish. All the seeds for a classic tale of family honor and betrayal are here unfortunately, the story is told without the deeper development that’s required when you are attempting to create a new legend from scratch. So the twins each grow up with a different parent, each thinking the other is dead, and that the other parent has betrayed them. Lone Peak’s daughter Little Lotus (Jasmine Chiu, and later Peiju Chien-Pott) falls in with Doug Pince (David Torok), they have twins, and then for some reason Doug Pince rebels and tries to steal control of the spring. This group, led by kung fu master Lone Peak (David Patrick Kelly), protects a spring of the sort that extends life or perhaps provides eternal life (it clearly does something good with life). In brief, there is a “House of Dragon” in Flushing, Queens (a location that seems random until you realize Flushing is home to the second largest Chinatown in New York City). Most of the critique concerns the main narrative, one that is told with all the sign-posting and broad strokes of a classic myth. And I suspect it’s this-what might perhaps be loosely described as a problem with translation-that is at least partly responsible for the drubbing it has received by the New York critical establishment. audiences, and clearly isn’t working out of American theatrical traditions.
But as I sat trying to puzzle through this somewhat confusing work, the thing I kept coming back to was this: although both set and performed in New York City, Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise doesn’t seem to be designed for U.S. It’s a show created by the renowned Chen Shi-Zheng, in collaboration with writers Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (of the Kung Fu Panda), with music (not enough) by Sia.
A so-called “kung-fu musical,” it’s a piece that is part family drama, part mythic creation, part experimental theatre, part martial arts demonstration, and part circus spectacle. A story of greed, betrayal, revenge, devotion, resurrection and transcendence.Co-conceived and Directed by Chen Shi-Zheng Ĭo-conceived and Written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn BergerĪ scene from Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise. Photo by Stephanie Berger.īOTTOM LINE: While clearly a lot of money was spent on this piece commissioned by The Shed, Dragon Spring Phoenix Rise underscores how no budget will make up for the lack of a good story.ĭragon Spring Phoenix Rise tries to do many things. A story of self-preservation and courage, in a time of repression. They possess the essence and power to extend human life. SYNOPSIS: In Flushing, Queens NYC, the orthodox Chinese sect called “House of Dragon” have secretly practiced the magical art of transformation. Performances: June 25 – J(5 weeks in NYC)Īfter performances in NY, production may go to Hong Kong and Beijing. Rehearsal: 15 total rehearsal weeks in 20 Workshop for final selects: October 22 – November 10, 2018 World premiere production commissioned by The Shed (New York, NY) Project classification: Non-Jurisdictional Live Event Theatrical Piece – Still in Negotiations on classification
Project Name (Working Title): DRAGON SPRING PHOENIX RISE
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HOW TO APPLY: please apply to to be considered. WHEN & WHERE: Auditions will take place in LA & NY in JULY – AUGUST 2018.
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