Introduction
This year’s CUSA Show reimagines the early life of the Monkey King from Wu Chengen’s classic novel, Journey to the West. Born out of a rock, raised by nature and friends with beasts of all species, the Monkey becomes king when he discovers a permanent residence for his fellow creatures. The next day, an old monkey drops dead. Surprised, the Monkey learns to fear the temporality of life and contingency of death. He sets off to learn the Dao from a master, hoping Enlightenment will help him escape. Eventually he faces the King of Hell, only to destroy the Life and Death inventory. The underground adventure brings him cross-pathed with the heavens, where he wanders, fights, and learns to obey. This is a story about a monkey that disrupts institutional powers for a simple belief, the bildungsroman of a rebellious child into a loyal servant, and a lonely wanderer who finds home where least expected.
Cast and Crew Information
Director Ariel Pan
Assistant Directors Shicheng Liu, Miya Lyu
Stage Managers: Yuyang Zhang, Yichen Zhu
Script Writer: Susie Xu
Sound Manager: Jiayi Lin
Lights Manager: Tianhao Hou
Prop Manager: Leon Du
Wukong: Ivy Liu
Old Monkey/Master/Xuanzang: Jeff Qiu
East Sea Dragon King: Linda Zhuo
Student 3/Very Important Person/Official/Monkey 1: Carol Ma
Earth Spirit: Ling Lin
Jade Emperor: Amy Bi
Buddha: Elaine Zhang
King of Hell: Ariel Pan
Monkey 2/Earth Spirit/Young Student 1: Cherry Ying
Monkey/Earth Spirit/Young Student 2: Alice Ying
Young Monkey/Earth Spirit: Emily Chen
Squire 1/Student 1/Bajie: Calvin Zhu
Student 2/Squire 2: Wendy Zheng
Sha Heshang/Monkey/Taibaijingxing: Tuoyuan Li
Missed the show? Watch it on Youtube here!
