NEWS RELEASE
STRATFORD FESTIVAL
**********************
It’s an exciting time in Stratford as a major artistic endeavour, Salesman in China, prepares to make its world première, with previews beginning on Saturday, Aug. 3. Leanna Brodie 白仁耐 and Jovanni Sy’s 施崇梵 new play brings to life an ambitious and daring act of cultural cross-pollination: the 1983 Mandarin production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman in Beijing. The play, a Stratford Festival-Banff Centre co-commission, produced in association with Canada’s National Arts Centre, is directed by Jovanni Sy 施崇梵 with Chinese translations by Fang Zhang. It will be presented in English and Mandarin with surtitles in both languages.
The production features two titans of the stage, Tom McCamus as Arthur Miller and Adrian Pang 彭耀順 as Ying Ruocheng, the historical figures whose diaries inspired the play.
In 1983, playwright Arthur Miller made history by travelling to China to direct a production of his classic play Death of a Salesman starring Ying Ruocheng. Working with the Beijing People’s Art Theatre, Miller and his collaborators struggled to bridge the gap between languages, cultures and national identities for an audience long shut off from the West.
“I know the feeling of living between worlds and serving as a bridge between cultures,” says Sy, who is at the helm of the production, which features 22 actors, and is thrilled to bring “so much incredible Asian talent” to the Stratford stage.
Salesman in China features Jo Chim 詹翠珊 as Wu Shiliang, Phoebe Hu 胡馨勻 as Zhu Lin, Derek Kwan 關顯揚 as Cao Yu, Ying Qianli, Mo, Street Busker, Sarah Orenstein as Inge Morath and Agnes Tong 唐若馨 as Liu Jun, Qiu with George Chiang 江重仁 as Zhu Xu, Harriet Chung 鍾浩賢 as Auntie Zhao, Hui Li, Howard Dai 戴中豪 as Ding, Policeman, Justin Eddy as Chinese Opera Performer, Theatre Patron, Tai Wei Foo 符岱微 as Chinese Opera Performer, Theatre Patron, 郝邦宇 Steven Hao as Li Shilong, Kim Horsman as Understudy, Ziye Hu as Guan, Nestor Lozano Jr. as Chinese Opera Performer, Gordon S. Miller as Anthony Calderon, Matthew Wang as Ying Da, Nick Fangzheng Wang 王方正 as Understudy, Asher Albert Waxman as Ying Da, Angus Yam 任孝聰 as Mi Tiezeng, Red Guard, and Harmony Yen as Shen Huihui, Red Guard.
The creative team includes Set Designer Joanna Yu 余頌恩, Costume Designer Ming Wong 黄慧明, Lighting Designer Sophie Tang 汤语菲, Composer and Sound Designer Alessandro Juliani, Co-Projection Designers Caroline MacCaull and Sammy Chien (Chimerik 似不像), Co-Dramaturges Nina Lee Aquino and Bob White, Fight Director Anita Nittoly, and Movement Director Harriet Chung 鍾浩賢.
Salesman in China, which hits the stage on August 3, officially opens on August 23 and runs until October 26 at the Avon Theatre. Tickets are available online or by calling 1-800-567-1600.
The 2024 season also features Twelfth Night, Something Rotten!, Romeo and Juliet, London Assurance, La Cage aux Folles, Wendy and Peter Pan, Cymbeline, Hedda Gabler, The Diviners, The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? and Get That Hope. For more information, click here.
This production is dedicated to the memory of scenic carpenter Gordon Balmain, a remarkable craftsman who was central to the Festival’s work for 42 seasons.
The 2024 season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.
Developed with support from the National Arts Centre's National Creation Fund.
Proud 2024 Season Partners: BMO Financial Group and RBC.
Production support is generously provided by Marilyn Gropp, Martie & Bob Sachs, Esther Sarick and Sylvia Soyka.
Cast (in alphabetical order)
- George Chiang 江重仁 - Zhu Xu
- Jo Chim 詹翠珊 - Wu Shiliang
- Harriet Chung 鍾浩賢 - Auntie Zhao, Hui Li
- Howard Dai 戴中豪 - Ding, Policeman
- Justin Eddy - Chinese Opera Performer, Theatre Patron
- Tai Wei Foo 符岱微 - Chinese Opera Performer, Theatre Patron
- 郝邦宇 Steven Hao - Li Shilong
- Kim Horsman - Understudy
- Phoebe Hu 胡馨勻 - Zhu Lin
- Ziye Hu - Guan
- Derek Kwan 關顯揚 - Cao Yu, Ying Qianli, Mo, Street Busker
- Nestor Lozano Jr. - Chinese Opera Performer
- Tom McCamus - Arthur Miller
- Gordon S. Miller - Anthony Calderon
- Sarah Orenstein - Inge Morath
- Adrian Pang 彭耀順 - Ying Ruocheng
- Agnes Tong 唐若馨 - Liu Jun, Qiu
- Matthew Wang - Ying Da
- Nick Fangzheng Wang 王方正 - Understudy
- Asher Albert Waxman - Ying Da
- Angus Yam 任孝聰 - Mi Tiezeng, Red Guard
- Harmony Yen - Shen Huihui, Red Guard
Artistic credits
- Director - Jovanni Sy 施崇梵
- Set Designer - Joanna Yu 余頌恩
- Costume Designer - Ming Wong 黄慧明
- Lighting Designer - Sophie Tang 汤语菲
- Composer and Sound Designer - Alessandro Juliani
- Co-Projection Designers - Chimerik 似不像
- Co-Dramaturge - Nina Lee Aquino
- Co-Dramaturge - Bob White
- Fight Director - Anita Nittoly
- Movement Director - Harriet Chung 鍾浩賢
- Assistant Director - Nick Fangzheng Wang 王方正
- Assistant Set Designer - Jung A Im
- Assistant Costume Designer - Claudia Tam
- Assistant Lighting Designer - B.C. Batty
- Assistant Projection Designer - Corwin Ferguson
- Stage Manager - Bona Duncan
- Assistant Stage Manager - Erika Morey
- Assistant Stage Manager - Brian Scott
- Assistant Stage Manager - Ken James Stewart
- Assistant Stage Manager - Yvonne Yip 葉澔暉
- Production Stage Manager - Bruno Gonsalves
- Production Assistant - Ava Robitaille
- Technical Director - Eleanor Creelman
**********************