Spotlight on...
Red Bean's 7th Annual
Performance
Reunion at West River
A short feature skit
Stacey and Erick recently sat down to interview each other and talk about their upcoming performance.
E: It’s the second lead role you’re doing. Compared to the first play you did, this one is not as lively. It’s more emotionally heavy. Which do you think is harder? In what areas do you think it’s more challenging this year?
S: I think it’s definitely a
challenge. Not only am I tragic,
I’m also a wife, a mother. My
character’s probably, in actuality, younger than me, but she is definitely in
a different stage of life than I am. I
think it’s more difficult to be like her, whereas in my first role, I could be
cutesy. I guess in general, it’s
easier for me to act cutesy and lively.
S: Plus, both characters are such drastically different genres.
In the first play I was “mo.” Now,
it’s more challenging, because it’s not just about being in sync with each
other. I think our interaction is
much deeper than just having the right movements.
E: What do you think is the
hardest part in this play? What’s
the biggest challenge?
S: Definitely the singing and
just being able to empathize with my character. I can think about how she feels, but it’s really different
to know how she feels. First of all
there’s the timeset, and second of all I’m FAR from being married, and even
farther from being a mother! As for
Kwok Song Ngon…I know some stupid people (laughter), but NEVER anybody like
that. So those are my two biggest
challenges.
E: The first play, you had a
lot of martial arts action. Quick
action. In this one, the action
requires much more fluidity and grace. Which
do you prefer? After all, each
genre has its own qualities.
S: It’s a difficult question to
answer because I think both speak to a different side of me.
For example, I love having water sleeves, and I like having skirts
because it’s more flattering to feminine movements.
On the other hand, a skirt covers up nice things like good extension and
clean lines, and I have to move soooo slowly, sometimes I want to do something
quick and bubbly. I think “mun” choreography is a greater test of one’s
experience than “mo” choreography.
E: It’s the second time
working with Bak and Lum Sifu. Do
you like working with them?
S: I think they have a great
rapport with each other, and it rubs off on their students.
They have this vision of how things should go, but if you do it more
easily and nicely in another way, then that’s even better for them.
The most important thing to them is that you’re comfortable and
natural. I think that they bring
out the best in everybody.
E: A lot of people have
commented that this particular play may not be right for us, especially you.
How do you feel about that?
S: It worries me.
For females, flower eggs, the change from single to married is very
drastic. Like I said again, I’m
far from being married with children, but I think of it as a challenge.
It definitely stretches my acting and performing skills.
Fortunately, we added in a lot of movements that accentuate our
abilities, so at least we have something to fall back on.
S: What is going through your
character's head in the skit (refer to West
River website)?
E: I’m pretty upset and bitter
from the outset. I can’t even
imagine how he feels, because his wife was almost killed, and his father’s
dead, and his brother’s dead. His
whole family is messed up. It’s
beyond pissed. It’s crazy.
I try to think about it myself. If
my wife almost got messed up like that, I would go insane.
S: Are you having a better
time sympathizing with your character this year?
I remember last year, you were so confused, and always asking me, “How
in the world do they fall in love while fighting?”
E: (laughs) I can see the sense
in this more than I can see the sense in last year’s. Last year’s skit was really based in olden days –fight
for love, fall in love. Anger’s
always there.
S: Revenge and cruelty have
always been very common themes in humanity.
Love nowadays is different. Nowadays it’s like, “Can I buy you a drink?”
E: Yes!
Revenge and anger – you always feel that.
S: What do you find the
hardest about this skit?
E: I think the singing will be a
huge challenge for me. The song is
so tragic, and if you don’t sing it well or with enough emotion, it’s going
to be boring. Lau Gum Ding was so
much more lighthearted and fun to watch. This
time, you want the audience to empathize and feel what you feel.
S: And it’s harder to make
people cry than make them laugh.
E: Yeah, and West River isn’t
even about movements. It’s about
the feel, and making others feel with you.
Plus, you and I have to stare into each other’s eyes as if we haven’t
seen each other in years…Oh my Gosh. It’s
so hard. (laughter) We
can’t do it! Like in Lau Gum
Ding, when we made eye contact, we could laugh, but this time, if we laugh,
we’re screwed! (more laughter)
E: It’s fun working with
someone my own age where we can discuss the play, instead of feeling forced into
it. I can get more into character
because I’m working with a friend. You
give me a lot more stability and insight about my character.
Sometimes, I don’t think in that many ways, but you help.
Every time I talk to you, you help me think more deeply and from
different angles.
S: Last year, you both said
the best thing about working with each other was communication and being open.
It’s been a year since then. How
has your partnership developed since then?
Have any roles changed?
E: I think we’ve grown together
more because we’ve been through more “trials and tribulations” together.
I think we have a deeper bond. I
still can’t see our relationship as strictly a business relationship. I still see you as a friend, so that’s how I see us
growing.
S: What are your biggest
concerns for this performance?
E: I think it’s the singing and
the emotional forces of the show. I
think I’ll have a hard time getting into character. Becoming him, and feeling all that he feels, while I’m on
stage.
S: And what is the one thing
that puts you most at ease?
E: You and Bak Sifu and Lum Sifu!
And Jared too. Working with
someone I’m comfortable with. It
inspires me.
Red Bean's 7th Annual
Performance
The Lioness Roars
a full length play
Interviewed by Erick
Transcribed and translated by Stacey
Erick (E) was able to catch Auntie Laura (LM) and Auntie Linda (LL) during one of the rehearsals, and here's the scoop!
E: How do you feel about
your cast members?
LL: I trust them. I have confidence in them.
E: What does each character do well?
LL: The best thing about them is they learn from those more experienced
than them, and they help those behind them.
LM: I think each character has their challenges, and they are all
important.
E: It looks like you're
having fun with rehearsals! How have the cast members made your practices
memorable?
LM: I think the best thing is we all communicate, and we all think
of each other. Everyone makes open suggestions; they are honest but
don't aim to hurt us. We all try to see where we can improve and make the
best show possible.
E: You're working again with
Bak Sifu and Jing Liang Sifu. What's good about working with them?
LL: These Sifus are very open. They teach us, but they also are
flexible and work with us on our individual needs. We discuss everything
openly.
LM: We've worked with them many times, and they know exactly what we can
do, and what we need.
E: How have the Sifus made
your play special?
LL: In the Bay Area, this can be considered the first time that all
amateurs (except Edward Ma) produced a full-length play.
E: In your team, it appears
that Laura is the more serious one, and Linda is the most casual one.
LL: I'm nervous inside, but I just don't show it! (laughter)
E: ARE you nervous?
LL: Of course! I have to memorize my lines! In my experience,
the most important thing is knowing your lines.
LM: I'm pretty serious about everything, but this time it's a HUGE
challenge (laughter). At first, I only thought I'd have a few scenes, but
as it turns out, I'm in every scene! I don't have enough confidence in my
experience, so of course I'm quite nervous.
E: You've done various other
skits before. Now that you're doing a full-length play, how is your
relationship changing?
LM: This play has many emotions: tender, fierce, mean, loving.
Because we've worked together before, we've worked on these emotions as
well. For example, Jun Fei had loving and tender emotions; The Spoiled
Princess had the whole spoiled, fierce bit. So we include them into this
play.
E: How do you feel about your working
relationship?
LL: We're ok. The only difference is we're spending a lot more time
together now.
This next
spotlight features interviews with performers regarding Red Bean's 6th annual
show!
Interview with Linda Lee and Laura Ma, by Stacey and Erick
E:
So after your performance are you guys happy?
Linda Lee: HAPPY!
Everyone is happy.
Laura Ma: And HIGH too.
E:
So how did you think you guys did?
Linda: I think that the program
was very well put together. The
audience was very pleased with our performance.
All the skits met their standards.
S:
(To Linda) How about your own performances?
LL: Well
my first show was a singing act and I found it pretty challenging.
Luckily I didn’t forget any of the lyrics.
So I am quite satisfied. Jun
Fei is my favorite skit out of the three and I already had a feeling that it was
going to be a success. As for
Thunder, the skit owes its success to the large supporting cast, all the
soldiers and palace maids.
S:
How about you Auntie Laura?
LM: Well
I only had one skit, so it wasn’t too difficult.
Out of all my previous shows this one was the most enjoyable because
it’s a deeply emotional skit and the singing style presented quite a
challenge. The costumes for Jun Fei
were very unique, but the Ching Dynasty shoes were a pain.
Luckily though, I had a lot of help from the Sifus so this time I
didn’t stumble around. (laughs)
And of course Linda is a great partner and we have a connection and an
understanding so we got really into it. So
I really felt like I was Jun Fei. The show turned out a lot better than I
expected.
S:
When you were waiting in the wings, what types of feelings did you have?
LL: I
didn’t feel much. I was just
getting into character.
S:
What kind of feelings did you have on stage?
LL: I
was just in character. Feeling all
that my character was going through.
S:
What about after the show?
LL: The
audience responded enthusiastically, so I am comforted that all our hard work
has paid off.
S:
Auntie Laura, same three questions.
LM: Well
in the wings I was telling myself not to be scared and to remember lines and
choreography. On the stage, I was
already in character so I wasn’t nervous at all; I was pretty calm.
S:
How did you react when one of the musicians dropped their cymbals?
E:
Did it break your concentration?
LM: I
was a little startled but it didn’t affect me that much. I was in the middle of singing so luckily it didn’t throw
me off track. After the show was
over I was really pleased. I was
very happy with the performance, that’s why towards the end of the skit my
smile was so toothy. (she laughs)
I’ve been trying not to smile too big but I couldn’t help it, but it was ok.
Liang Jing Sifu said it was very natural.
(we all laugh) We all had a lot of fun this time and everyone is very
happy.
LL: Yes
everyone is happy; the people on stage, the audience, even the musicians are
very happy.
E:
(to Linda) This time you asked Ah Sung to be the lead percussionist.
He doesn’t have as much experience as some other people but how did you
feel about his performance?
LL: Well
this time I think I picked the right person for the job. Ah Sung is a really nice guy.
He’s very eager and willing to work with us. We all feel comfortable giving him suggestions and vice
versa. So its like we’re all a
team. I’m very happy with his
performance.
S:
This performance we had the opportunity to have three rehearsal at the
theater. Do you think it helped?
LL: A
LOT! I think it was very beneficial
to everyone including the musicians.
LM: I
think that it helped everyone feel more comfortable.
E:
So how do you feel about your working relationship?
LL: I
think that Laura is an ideal partner because she is hard working and very
serious about the performance. So
hopefully we can work together in the future.
E:
What about you Auntie Laura?
LM: As
I said before Linda is a great person to work with because she can lead me into
character. After all, she does have
more experience than me. We both
got really into character.
S:
Yea…you guys were pretty….ah…..close.
(laughter)
LM:
Yea I was chewing gum right before the show.
(laughs) I was pretty into
the whole thing so I didn’t smell Linda’s breath.
(laughs) Well we had a lot
of emotions flying back and forth so even my son was a little concerned.
He was watching and thought that my husband would get jealous.
( Laughter from all ) So even they saw the kind of steam coming from us
both.
S:
So what is the best thing about working with each other?
LL: We
both know what the other person needs, so we communicate very well.
LM: I
agree. I think communication
is very important.
S:
What was your favorite scene from the skits?
LL: I
like the end, after I put my robe on Jun Fei.
It got very emotional.
LM: I
also like the end. I like the part
where we’re happy too, because the whole skit is very sad and tragic, so I do
like the short part where we talk about being happy together. My favorite parts overall are where we’re holding each
other, because my husband never cuddles me like that.
(laughter) So I got a chance
to be “dair” and helpless!
LL: In
Thunder I also like the end, because in the beginning there’s not a lot of
connection between myself and Amy Law. There’s
more emotion at the end.
Interview with Liang Jing Sifu of Red Bean, by Stacey and Erick
E:
Are you satisfied with RB’s show this year?
J:
I’m very happy. We had a
lot of time to prepare for the show, so I was very confident about the success
of the show. And the show did meet
all my expectations. It was very
well balanced.
S:
You had a performance yourself, and you also worked with the Hundred
Flowers and Jun Fei show. Can you
comment on those?
J:
For my own performance, I was quite happy with it.
In the beginning it was like doing a show, and at the end it was
dramatic.
J:
Hundred Flowers was very good. The
skit is very well put together. There’s
mostly mun but a little bit of mo.
Leighann is a very hard worker and she put a lot into this
performance. She herself said,
“Success doesn’t come suddenly.” I
agree with her. Anna has basic
skills because she learned Chinese dancing when she was young.
So needless to say, she was superb.
This was a different type of skit for her because she’s done tragedy in
the past, and this is a happy skit. So
it’s good, it lets her broaden her horizons.
Of course Janet Ma was excellent. I
really respect her attitude towards the show as a whole, because she was a lead
role in Little Miss So, and then she was willing to be a supporting cast in
Hundred Flowers.
J:
I did Jun Fei together with Bak Chiu Hung Sifu.
We’ve worked before, so the choreographing went very smoothly.
It was my first time working on a Ching Dynasty show, so there are no
water sleeves or other customary opera moves.
Both Linda and Laura, especially Laura, have a great work ethic.
They were really into character. Laura
was really nervous before going out onto the stage, but I told her, “Relax and
perform like you know you can.” Somehow,
I had a feeling that they would do well.
Interview with Erick and Stacey, by Emma Fong
Stacey and Erick with Lum Siu Qun and Bak Chiu Hung
Sifu
EF:
Now the show is over. How do
you feel about the show overall?
EL: Oh
it went pretty well. It went really
well considering that when we were doing it, I just thought it was ok.
I was having fun, but the crowd was so loud and rowdy, I got pretty high
and into it myself. I felt like
they really enjoyed it, so I guess we succeeded.
EF:
When the audience was so rowdy, what was going through your head at the
time?
S:
It was nice.
EL: Yeah,
it was like WOW. “If you thought
that was cool, wait till you see this!!”
S:
It made me really happy that the audience was laughing when we were
acting too, like when we were flirting with each other.
Because if we fight, we know that the audience will be impressed with
whatever big moves we do anyways. However,
when we were flirting, and they laughed, it meant that they were getting into
it. To me, that meant a lot.
EL: Yeah,
some Sifus told us that everyone knows that we can fight, but whether we can
act, sing, or do, that’s a real test of our ability.
S:
So by their enthused responses to our acting, it meant that they believed
in what we were doing, and they were getting emotionally involved as well.
EL: Plus
I added in those little moves like grunting or scoffing, which seemed to work
well.
EF: That’s
easy for you, huh? Because you
learned it at home! (laughter)
EL: The
emotions were hard for me, because there’s not much I can do. I don’t really know what the heck I’m talking about.
And the emotions were pretty simple.
I wasn’t trying to “dair” Stacey; I was just responding to what she
was doing to me.
EF: But
on the actual day, the little moves you added in really worked.
EL: That
was all ad-libbing. I just go by
whatever feels natural on the day. (laughter)
This photo provided by Ben Lee.
EF:
What is the first thing you were thinking when you got on stage? Were you really confident?
Tuesday’s rehearsal wasn’t too great.
At least, Stacey wasn’t very happy about it. So what was it like on stage with all those people out there?
S:
Yeah, Tuesday’s rehearsal was really bad, but we came home and watched
the tape, so Wed and Thurs went ok. So
on the day of the performance I actually felt really confident. I think Erick was nervous, though.
EL:
(nodding) Yeah I was pretty
nervous. My dad was nervous too!
He kept grabbing Stacey and going, “Don’t be nervous!
Be calm! But remember this
and that, and this and that. But be
calm!” I could tell he was really
nervous. I was really nervous too.
S:
Yeah, you kept grabbing my shoulders and going, “Are you nervous?”
But actually, I felt really excited, not nervous.
S:
I actually felt really in control out there.
But I can’t tell you what exactly I was feeling because I was on a
cloud, sort of.
EL: Me
neither. All I remember was that
when I was in the wings, I was really concerned that I would forget my lines.
Because all three times we practiced on stage, I forgot my lines at some
point. So I was really scared about
it. I felt pretty confident about
the movements though.
EF: But
you guys didn’t miss anything.
EL: No
we didn’t. After like the first
five minutes I was fine.
EF:
How did you feel in the week leading up?
EL: I
was fine. Even all the times we
practiced, if I forgot my lines, I was like, “Ok whatever.”
S:
I was REALLY uptight. I
could tell I was getting stressed out. Especially
with the stage rehearsal the first day. I
was lost on the stage. I was really
upset. But afterwards we watched
the video and discussed improvements, and it got better Wednesday and Thursday
so I felt more confident as the performance day neared.
EF:
Now it’s over. How do you
feel?
EL: Very
happy! I didn’t think it was THAT
great when we were doing it. It
felt pretty natural, like we were just playing.
But afterwards a lot of people complimented us on a job well done.
Especially people that don’t usually give compliments.
So that made me REALLY happy.
S:
I agree.
EF:
You had stage rehearsals before the performance.
Do you think it helped?
S:
I would have died without them. It
would have been like Tuesday, when I was totally lost on stage. I think Erick would’ve been fine, but he would’ve had a
tough time adjusting to my being lost.
EL: I
really needed it too. It was really
important for me because there’s a spot on the stage that is hollowed into the
ground. On the second day of
rehearsal, I tripped on it. So I
was watching out for it.
EF:
How is your working relationship?
EL: Really
good. We’re like the same age,
and we talk on the phone a lot about stuff in general, not just opera. Communication’s pretty good.
S:
Yes, we have a good friendship, on top of our working relationship.
I think that’s really good because we can talk about everything.
EL: And
we can joke around with each other about everything too, so it’s pretty laid
back.
This photo provided by Ben Lee
EF:
What’s the best thing about working with each other?
EL: She
makes me work harder. (laughter)
Usually with these performances, I’m really laid back.
But she’s like, “Tuesday, Thursday, wake up at 9:00!!”
At first I would wake up late all the time, but then I got used to it.
I lost a lot of weight too! (laughter)
It helped a lot because it kept me in check, kept me practicing at least
twice a week. It’s good for me
because sometimes I’m too laid back.
S:
To add to that, I think it’s good that we complement each other on many
levels.
S:
For me, I like that we watch out for each other, and we can take care of
each other when the other needs it. He
takes care of everything I can’t take care of, like my costumes, headdresses
(laughter). If I’m nervous, he
calms me down, and if he’s nervous, I calm him down.
EL:
(nodding) I also like that
in the past when I’ve worked with other people, I don’t dare to say anything
or give any suggestions. With
Stacey we can talk about everything.
S:
Yeah we’re always discussing if it would be better this way or that
way.
EL: I
really like the openness.
EF: What
was your favorite part of the skit?
S:
Of course I felt very confident about the fighting.
EL: Yes,
the first fight scene was very comfortable for me.
S:
But on the day of the performance, I REALLY liked the way the
coordination came out when I used my feathers to stroke his face.
EL:
(enthused) Yeah, that came
out REALLY well!! Sometimes she
misses when she strokes me, or sometimes I have to fake it.
But on that day it came out really, really nicely!!
EF: So
you like the same part?
EL: Yeah,
that one was good, because we both did really well on that one.
Everything was right on the money.
EF:
What are your plans for the future?
EL: (to
Stacey) We’re sticking together,
right?
S:
Sure!
EF:
What kind of show do you plan to do?
EL: Well
since this time we did fighting, we want to do something different next time,
maybe mun genre. In plays
where we fight, I don’t have many emotions to play with.
In mun plays, there are more emotions and more plot. Something where there’s stuff happening instead of just
expressing our feelings.
EF:
What kind of emotions do you want to explore in the next show?
EL: Something
cute.
S:
Yes, something with lighthearted emotion, that allows us to use our youth
to our advantage.
EL: We
definitely can’t handle the tragedies yet.
S:
(agreeing) I also think that we would reject the plots of most opera
tragedies altogether, with the ultra-traditional views and such.
We just wouldn’t be able to relate –
EL: It’s
hard.
S:
It is, because we don’t live in that type of society anymore.
It’s harder to understand.
EL: Yes
something cute and young is something we would relate to much better, because
all young kids go through those stages.
Erick and Stacey with supporting cast (L-R)
Angelina, Becky, Denise, Tami.
7/10/02
Our next spotlight falls on Linda Lee! Stacey and Erick interviewed Linda about Red Bean and its upcoming performance.
E: What shows are you doing?
L: I'm doing two skits and one singing performance. The singing
performance is with Nancy Lee, "Iron Hand Refuses Tender Love."
I'm playing the part of the General "Dik Yun Geet."
E: What is your character like?
L: Mo Just Tin (the queen) wanted to secure her power, and the General was a
very high-up official. Mo Just Tin wanted to get the General on her side,
so she tried to use her feminine charms to sway the General. In this skit,
she summons the General, but her purpose is to seduce him.
S&E: Oooooooooooooooooooooooo.
E: What feelings do you have towards this performance?
L: I was supposed to do this as a skit, but then Nancy Lee had a personal
situation arise, so she couldn't rehearse. Therefore, we decided to switch
to just singing. There's actually more pressure than acting, because I'm
not used to just standing there singing, and plus I have to memorize the
lines. When acting, the movements help me to remember the lyrics, but
standing there, it's harder to remember. Of course, I'll try my best.
E: What about the other skits?
L: I'm doing a skit with Laura Ma, "Emperor Gwong Shui Warms Jun Fei with
Love." This is our second time working together, so we have a little
more chemistry with each other.
S: Can you tell us what the Emperor is like?
L: He's a very sensitive and dependent person. Ever since he was young, he
was manipulated by the Dowager. So even though he was, in name, the
Emperor, he was just a puppet king. He became close to Jun Fei and
actually wanted to make her queen. But the Dowager favored her own niece,
and made HER the queen. The Emperor had no feelings towards the queen; he
only loved Jun Fei. Jun Fei is a very strong person. She wanted to
make improvements in the politics, but the Dowager found out and hated Jun Fei.
She imprisoned her in a deep dungeon, separating Jun Fei from the Emperor.
So both the Emperor and Jun Fei missed each other a lot. The Emperor was
thinking of Jun Fei one night, and kept hearing someone call his name. He
wandered into the prison and was reunited with Jun Fei. The skit is about
the torment of not being able to be together.
E: And the last skit?
L: The last skit is with Amy Law, "Thunder and Golden Drums."
The skit is about the Chiu country. Chun country was at war with the Chiu
country and wanted the Chiu princess to marry over to Chun, so there would be
peace. Actually, the princess loved the General Ching Wun, but for her
country, she had to marry another. In this skit, the General is seeing the
princess off. He hates her because he thinks she's betrayed him, and yet
he loves her. The princess expresses her true feelings to the
General. Even though he knows the truth, he must still send her off to the
Chun country.
E: Can you relate to any of your characters?
S: Do you think you're similar to or different from them?
L: I'm not like any of them!
E: What are you like then?
L: My personality is tough-looking, but actually tender on the inside.
Maybe all three of these men together are like that, but on their own they only
make up a part of me. The General Dik Yun Geet is a very fiery
person. The Emperor Gwong Shui is very sensitive. The Ching Wun
General is also very passionate.
E: Since none of these characters are similar to you, how do you make yourself
into them? Is it hard?
L: At first I thought it was hard, but to get into character, I read the script
over and over again. I try to understand the whole story, and the
situation. I tell myself that I AM that character. I hope that I do
a good job at it!
E: You have two skits and one song. One skit is the Ching Dynasty, the
other is traditional clothing, and the song is modern dress. Which do you
feel most comfortable with?
L: I've worn many different costumes in the past. But I've never worn
Ching Dynasty clothing. It's a challenge for me, because the clothing
styles are new, and I've never been such a soft and weak king
before.
S: All three of the performances are tragic, with maybe the exception of the Mo
Just Tin. But nevertheless, none of the skits are COMEDIC.
L: The Mo Just Tin is not tragic but it involves excitement and surprise.
I'm surprised that the queen is trying to seduce me, and I'm excited, yet I'm
afraid to fall under her spell, and I don't know what she's after.
S: Why did you pick all of these plays? I think you would do quite
well in a comedic role.
L: Well it's not COMPLETELY my choice. I have to respect my flower egg's
decision too. With Nancy Lee, it was her first time doing a skit, so she
wanted to be beautiful. Princesses and queens are most beautiful! So
we picked this play. As for Jun Fei, I asked Laura Ma to do it, because I
think that she sings it quite well, and it's a great challenge. It's a
skit with deep and varying emotions, from love to tragedy to frustration.
Out of all the skits, this is my favorite. It's not easy to display such
deep emotions. As for "Thunder," Amy Law picked it out.
She wanted to do a show with lots of choreography.
E: Would you ever want to try a comedic play?
L: Of course I'd like to. I think it would come to me more naturally.
E: This time you have three flower eggs. What is your working relationship
like?
L: Nancy Lee was never able to rehearse with me, so I can't comment on
that. Of course, singing is no problem because her voice is so beautiful
and she has experience. Laura Ma is a great partner. She's very
serious. I like people who take themselves seriously. I feel very
comfortable working with her. As for Amy Law, she is a very experienced
flower egg. This is the first time working with her as a main
character. I've known her a long time, so working together is very
natural.
E: Who's the boss?
L: None of us, really. The Sifus are the boss. We may speak up if
there's a movement that we can't do, or that we don't think flows
smoothly. But it's really up to the Sifus.
S: What's the best thing about working with them?
L: I really like the mutual dependence. I can rely on them, and they can
rely on me. There's more communication that way.
S: What expectations do you have from them?
L: I don't dare to say, "Expectations." But I do hope they do
their best. I expect nothing less from myself.
S: Laura Ma has done an interview with us before. In it, she commented
that the best thing about working with you is your experience and your ability
to lead her emotionally. Do you agree?
L: Yes, I do, because she does have less experience than I do, but she's very
open to suggestions. She can read my signals, so we communicate very well.
E: How are practices coming along?
L: It shouldn't be a problem now, just working with the percussion.
E: How much confidence do you have?
L: I'm brimming with confidence.
S&E: REALLY??????????
E: How about your partners?
L: I have a lot of confidence in my partners as well.
E: How about the supporting cast?....the ones getting ripped off???? (referring
to Stacey and Erick's minor supporting roles in "Thunder")
L: Let's not say that. The supporting cast are leaves, and we are the
peony. Without the leaves, the peonies would not be beautiful.
Without you, the play is not the same.
E: So the next time we are peonies, you would be our leaves????????????
L: Noooooooooooooooooo problem! (laughter) As long as I'm physically
ABLE to....don't ask me to do a few somersaults...
E: Nah, I just want you to be a stage prop for me.
L: Noooooooooooooooooooooo problem!!
E: Now YOU said it!
L: Yes yes, and we have the camera bearing witness!!
E: Do you feel any pressure?
L: Not at all. Actually, out of all the shows I've done, this is the time
I've felt the LEAST pressure.
E: You're the Executive Director of Red Bean.
L: Yes.
E: Do you think that the performers of Red Bean have made any improvements?
L: Certainly. For example, Janet Ma and Laura Ma have made significant
progress. So has Stacey Fong ---
S: That's only because my partner leads me well.
(Erick laughs)
L: Well you have to be able to catch on quickly. If you don't have the
ability, even if your partner was Yoon Siu Fai, it'd be useless!!
S: (joking, to Erick) True.
(laughter)
E: What are your plans for Red Bean next year?
L: Actually I haven't made any plans, but since you asked...Tentatively, if the
Great Star Theatre doesn't close down, we'll stay there. I want to do one
full length play on one day, and then have a second day of skits. If the
Great Star Theatre closes, we'll return to the Calvin Simmons Auditorium.
In that case, we'd only have one day of skits.
E: If you do a full length play, what type would you choose?
L: Probably something comedic, with a large cast, so that a lot of people can
participate and have fun.
6/26/02
Tracy Shao, a freelance journalist, interviewed Stacey and Erick about their upcoming Red Bean Performance.
Tracy: Can you first
tell me what your show is about? Who
are you playing, characters?
Erick: (to Stacey) That’s all you!
Stacey: No, you talk first.
E: No, that’s more your thing, like the synopsis and stuff.
S: Well the synopsis is already on the website, but basically my character is a
martial arts warrior and she’s looking for a hubby –
E: A hubby? (smiling)
S: Yep. And she wants one who’s
just as good as she is. She falls
in love with Go Gwun Bo because he’s soooo cute –
E: (proud smile) That’s right.
S: (giggling) Yes, so in the first
half of the scene she’s very cutesy. She has spirit and fire but she has to kind of hold it back
because she wants to impress him and not turn him off.
Then after they fight she’s supposed to be very tender because she has
to convince him that she’s the one for him and he’s the one for her…all
that lovely stuff.
T: And Erick’s character?
E: Well (smiles) I’m not a general per se, but I’m an officer of the
vanguard. I’m on my way to save
the king and I’m in the mountains and I see the sign. And
I find it really offensive and stuff, so I tear down the sign and rip it up.
And she gets all pissed off and we start bickering. In a way, I AM attracted to her but yet, I’m still appalled
by her audacity.
E: So we start fighting, and we end up getting together and exchanging our
flowers.
T: What a euphemism!
(laughter)
T: Do you identify with your character, or do you find it fun
to play something different from you?
E: Well it’s hard to totally relate to what they’re going through because
it’s a totally different time period. You don’t often come across a sign like that nowadays.
But in a way it is fun to play someone who’s totally different.
S: I think there’s some of her in me. I’m
no pushover but I can be very tender with people I care about, I try to
“dair” them all the time. But
she’s a lot more forward and aggressive with men than I am.
I’m very shy. But after
all, we’re in a different time period. There
are a lot of things she does that I don’t agree with, like meeting and
marrying some guy within one day.
T: How did you pick this show?
S: Actually, my Kite Ma picked it out (laughter)
E: Yeah, I had nothing to do with it! My
mom called me and said, “Ok you’re doing a show with Stacey.
You’re doing Lau Gum Ding.” I
said “Ok.” She’s like my
manager. She’s done this show
before so I’m a little familiar with it.
S: Yeah my mom, godsisters, Kite Ma, and I were at a press conference and
Erick’s mom came up to our table and asked if we knew anyone who could play a
“little flower egg who can sing.” So
Mom thought they needed a maid or something so she nudged me and said, “Mui,
why don’t you help them out?” And
then she said to Erick’s mom, “So what show do you need help for?”
And she said, “No, it’s to do a show with my son!”
We were very shocked! Then
Kite Ma picked a show and that was that.
T: So this is your first starring role?
S: Yes
T: How do you feel about it?
S: Nervous and excited of course.
T: Proud too?
S: I guess?
T: How have practices been coming along?
Take us through the process.
E: (to Stacey) When did we start?
S: Spring break.
E: Yeah, Sifu and Stacey already had choreographed the whole thing, so Sifu
filled me in on it. A lot of it was
a work in progress. We had ideas of
our own that we wanted to incorporate and talked about it, and then asked the
Sifus if it was ok. It was actually
pretty good because we’re both just as enthusiastic about the show.
S: At first I was really concerned because I was afraid I wouldn’t get things
in time, because like I said it’s my first time.
But the more we practiced the more comfortable I got, so now I can let go
and have a bit of fun with it. He’s
very good about that.
T: What kind of ideas did you incorporate into it?
S: He had a lot of ideas in the spear fighting.
I had some ideas for the fist fighting.
E: Yeah she added a lot in the first fighting.
It was all her.
S: But the spear fighting is all him.
(laughter)
T: Because you’re both young and you’re both ABC, do you
feel that your show takes on a different perspective, a different feeling?
Is it more modern?
E: It’s more lively. We’re
physically able to do more just because we’re younger.
S: Yes.
E: There’s a lot more fighting stuff. We
have more power, more enthusiasm.
S: Plus, it’s a very young show and it’s about young love.
So I think it fits us better than if we tried to do something mature.
T: How about the rest of the cast? How are you getting along?
S: We’re getting along great.
T: Stacey, you have to take care of 4 other girls.
How do you feel? Is it annoying?
S: No, not at all! Because if I
think about it, Erick has to take care of 5 other girls!
E: (laughs) No!
S: So, it’s not that bad. And
they’re all smart and catch on very quickly. (laughter)
They’re all easy to work with.
T: Are you
nervous about the show?
E: I’m actually not too bad. I’m ok. The
only thing I’m scared of is if I have a big movement that I could fall or
trip. Or that my hat will fall off.
But other than that, I should be ok.
I’m saying that NOW, but later….five minutes before stage
time…(laughter)
S: I think I have the same feeling, but I have three major concerns: One that my
headdress will fall off because we have a lot of big moves and it’s fallen off
before. I’m afraid I won’t be
able to get up from the split. And it’s hard for me to remember my teeny little round
table steps when the guy’s sticking a spear in my face! (laughter)
T: Erick, how have you managed to balance college and the
show?
E: Well during Spring Break we practiced, and Stacey recorded it for me.
So it was good because I could go back to the dorms and watch it.
I also brought my spear and boots down with me.
T: (laughing) How did your dorm mates feel about that?!
E: It was interesting! I walk
around in my boots and they’re like, “Oh my gosh, you grew!”
Then I point to the boots. I
couldn’t go to the gym though, I thought it’d be weird with all my
equipment. So I couldn’t practice
the big stuff. But it’s
difficult. Like at home, I can get
up and start singing as loudly as I can. But
at the dorms, I can’t. But,
it’s ok, overall.
T: Do you feel you miss out on doing other teenage
activities?
E: I don’t think so. I don’t
dance, I don’t like to club. I
don’t drink, don’t smoke. I
still watch movies. There are just
those activities that we don’t care for, like dancing.
S: (nodding in agreement) Not everyone can dance like you Trace.
T: How do you find your working relationship?
E: Pretty good. We’re both open
so if we have suggestions we’re upfront.
T: Do you feel you’re more similar, or more opposite?
S: I think that in some ways we’re very similar, and in other ways we
complement each other. I think we
have the same philosophy and enthusiasm for the show.
But he’s very lighthearted, and I can be very serious.
I like to organize stuff. He
likes to work on the costumes and the details.
So it works out very well.
E: She’s VERY well organized. (Tracy starts laughing)
Last week we planned out this whole week and what we’re going to do.
Usually I’m just like, “Ok. Whatever.
Sure!” She’s very
good, keeps me on track. Like with
all the emails arranging the final goks, there are so many emails.
I can’t handle it! Stacey
will plan and write, “I’m ok. Are
you ok Erick?” I just say,
“Yes!”
T: Have you learned anything from working with each other?
E: It’s a LOT more fun working with someone your own age!
S: I agree.
E: Our communication is a lot better. If
I work with older people, I feel inferior to them, so I don’t want to point
things out like, “Oh…that doesn’t look right.”
I don’t want to offend them. But
we can be open with each other.
T: Erick you’re the one with all the experience, but
you’re younger than Stacey. How
does that dynamic work out? Is it
awkward?
E: Well it doesn’t bother me because we’re pretty open with each other.
And it’s not like the age difference is big, like 6 years or more.
Our thinking is still the same. And
she helps me with other things too, like my resume.
So it’s a give and take thing.
S: Yeah, I have no problem taking suggestions from him.
I trust him.
E: Cool!
T: What do you find are each other’s best and worst
qualities? HONESTLY!
S: I think he makes me feel like I’m very well taken care of.
E: I do?
S: Yes! So I feel very safe,
poetically speaking, because he’s holding my hand.
But at the same time I feel a great sense of freedom and abandon.
I don’t feel like he’s holding me back from myself.
T: And worst quality?
S: He makes me look bad.
E: Oh come on! No I don’t!
You’re tripping!
S: Yes you do!
E: No, no no no.
T: Ok, Erick, your turn.
E: Good quality - I like the openness in working with each other.
I’ve given a lot more input on this show than any of my other ones.
Everyone else I’ve worked with, I can’t be as open with.
This way there’s a give and take.
She put a lot of input on the fighting and helps me out, since I’m not
here all the time, she fills me in on things like the plot and choreography.
Because I don’t know what the heck I’m saying, she’ll explain,
“I’m saying this, and you’re saying that.”
I’m like, “Oh ok, that makes sense.”
T: Worst? One thing you would
change about her?
E: (scratching head) I don’t know. There’s really nothing!
Everything’s pretty good!
T: Anything the other can improve on? Performance,
working wise?
E: I think she’s pretty good for a first lead role.
It’s REALLY good. She can do a lot more than most other people.
T: Do you like the singing better, or the fighting?
S&E: The fighting, definitely.
S: The singing’s not AWFUL, but it’s really hard for him.
He has to scream the whole time.
E: Yes, it’s a very high pitch. But she has a lot more singing than I do.
S: Yes but mine is very much playing with the melody and tune.
E: See I like that kind of stuff! I can’t play much with my tunes because it’s so high, I
can’t go anywhere else. With
yours your voice doesn’t have as many limitations.
T: What’s your favorite aspect of opera, performing,
rehearsals, costumes?
E: I like the costumes and makeup, just because I like to fiddle around with
what I like to wear. (wrinkles forehead) That
sounds kind of girly though (laughter) …but I do like mixing and matching what
I want, according to what I’m doing. I
love fiddling with my headgear, to make it look better.
T: It’s artistic.
E: Yes.
S: I think I like the fact that in opera, or any performance arts, it’s a safe
way for you to act out your fantasies and almost do them.
Except in this show, I flirt with him the whole time and he doesn’t
really respond.
T: That’s not a dream!
(laughs)
S: That’s basically what happens to me in real life anyways.
(Erick laughs) So next
time around I’ll make him flirt with me!
(laughter)
T: Stacey in real life you’re kind of shy and quiet-spoken, so on stage,
it’s very different.
S: Yeah it lets me show off a bit. (laughs)
E: What’s good about opera is that even in performing arts, I don’t feel
secure because my outward appearance is still me.
But in opera, you have your makeup and your costume, and you can do all
these things. You’re totally
covered from head to toe. In Western plays people can still recognize you.
In opera, it’s fun to be able to appearance wise be another person.
T & S: Great point!
T: Do you feel this is just a hobby for your, or something
you want to develop?
S: Both.
E: Yeah. (smiles)
T: Where do you have to go with it?
E: Nowhere. (laughs)
S: (giggling) I’d like to know what happens when we get older and our voices
mature, and our faces mature. Will the accent improve?
How will we grow? It’ll be
fun to track our development.
T: So you plan to keep going.
E: Yes, I intend to continue on.
T: What do you take from opera that improves you as a person?
E: I learn a lot about my culture. And it keeps me in shape.
If I didn’t have this, I wouldn’t be doing anything else, be sweating
any other way. So it keeps me in
shape. I love learning about my
culture. I take literature classes
in college and we read the translations of the stories, and I know a lot of them
from opera! It’s really
interesting.
S: I think I can definitely read more Chinese than I could when I started opera.
I took Chinese school of course, but reading song sheets and karaoke, I
can guess the second half of the words if I know the first half.
E: Her Chinese is a lot better than mine. I
can only read maybe 1/32 of all the words.
T: Both your Chinese is a lot better than mine. (laughter)
T: Ok now I’m going to ask you questions about each other, and you have to answer at the same time, quickly.
T: Who’s more naturally gifted?
S: (very fast) Him.
E: What? (laughs)
Naturally? I don’t know. You can’t tell.
S: Well…it’s hard because he’s more experienced.
E: Yeah, but overall….gifted…I don’t know!
S: I guess we could venture to say
we’re fairly matched.
E: Yeah.
T: Who’s more stubborn?
E: I don’t think we’re very stubborn at all!
S: Yeah we’re not stubborn!
T: Everybody’s just like ok?
E: Yeah we’re like, “Sure, ok, whatever!”
T: Who’s more laid back?
S: Him.
E: Yeah I think so.
T: Who works harder?
E: I think she does. I can tell she
puts more effort in it than I do.
S: Well I have to catch up with you!
T: Who’s the better singer?
E: That’s hard to say (Stacey starts laughing)
We’re both not very good (he laughs).
T: Who’s the better fighter?
S: Him.
E: I think that’s just experience, since I know more.
T: Who’s more of a leader?
E: I think she is.
T: Who’s more bossy?
E: I don’t think we’re bossy. We don’t boss each other around.
We ask.
S: Yeah, we talk.
T: Who’s more patient?
S: Him.
E: Well you’re not very impatient.
S: I’m not impatient with you, but I’m impatient with myself.
But luckily when I’m with him that side doesn’t come out because he
balances me out.
E: I don’t see a lot of impatience from her.
T: Who’s more confident?
S: Him.
E: Yeah I think so. You seem very,
“Oh no…” (he imitates Stacey’s scared expression.
Stacey laughs) That’s totally understandable.
That’s why I try to make you feel more comfortable, because you should
be.
T: Who’s more scatterbrained?
S: My mom. (hysterical laughter) I love you Mom!
T: Who’s more humorous?
S: Him.
E: Yeah, I’m more of a hee-hee-ha-ha kind of person.
6/17/02
We interviewed Laura about her upcoming Red
Bean performance, and about her managerial skills.
Stacey:
Can you explain the scene to us?
Laura: This scene is set in the Ching Dynasty. It’s about the romance btwn
Jun Fei and Guong Siur. Chi Hay, the empress, was very jealous of Jun Fei
because she got involved in the politics and was so close to Emperor Guong Siur.
So she locked Jun Fei in a deep dungeon. In the scene Guong Siur is thinking
about Jun Fei and wanders into the prison.
What
is your character like? How is she feeling or thinking in this scene?
Jun Fei is very strong and not afraid of power, and she really wants to help the
emperor to improve the politics of the time. But she couldn’t overcome the
power of the Dowager. In the scene she’s so very happy to see the emperor, but
they are also angry about the situation and the Dowager. So there are lots of
emotions – very tender and loving, very angry, and very tragic. It goes from
high to low.
How
is she similar/different from you? How do you relate to her emotions in this
scene?
I’m also a very strong-minded like Jun Fei and a stubborn person. I
treat people fairly and very honestly – if people treat me well, I treat them
well too, and vice versa. Of course, I’m not used to being a concubine, so
maybe I don’t know how to pamper the “king,” but there are some
similarities between me and Jun Fei.
Why
did you pick this skit?
Actually it wasn’t me. It was Linda Lee, who thought that I sung the song with
a lot of emotion, and she wanted me to try out an
emotional skit. And the skit is also very unique – it’s set in the Ching
Dynasty so the costumes and movements are different from the traditional opera. She
is the one who talked me into it.
What
kind of roles do you like to pick – those that are similar to you in
personality, or those that are different? Why?
It doesn’t really matter to me. Because I want to have fun, I want to try out
different personalities, from a spoiled brat to a very grand person. Usually I
pick the skit first and then decide if the character is similar to me or not.
This
role is unique for you in that you wear a Ching Dynasty costume: no water
sleeves, and special shoes. Does this present a challenge for you?
The dress is
different of course, but the most unique are the shoes. I don’t even know what
they’re called but they have the “heel” in the center of the shoe. It’s
a huge challenge, so I ordered the shoes very early on, and learned to walk at
home so I won’t look like I’m tripping around. Although it’s very
difficult to walk in these shoes, in the skit, Jun Fei is supposed to be injured
and hurt because she’s been beaten and mistreated. So it kind of helps me a
bit! People won’t know if I’m tripping because I can’t walk right or
because I’m hurt and frail. I named this movement as the famous Jun Fei
painful walk!
How
is it easier?
Of course it’s easier without water sleeves because I hate handling the water
sleeves! But I do have a handkerchief, and Sifu loves to use this handkerchief
in all my movements. But because I don’t have the water sleeves, I can’t
hide any of my flaws in my hand movements! So I do have to work on those.
The
last show you did, you played a spoiled princess. Jun Fei is a much more tragic
character. It’s a complete opposite. Can you compare the two shows? Which was
easier/harder?
Each show had it’s own aspects. I think Spoiled Princess was easier because
there were lots of little movements, no long melodies, and the emotions –
because I was a spoiled brat, I feel the emotions were “shallower” and
easier to display, rather than inwardly expressed emotions as with Jun Fei. And
there was also a lot of dialogue in Spoiled Princess, which made it easier to
communicate with the partner.
With Jun Fei, there’s a lot
of long melodies and very mun [see About
Opera for reference], plus
there’s a lot of tender and loving movements and emotions in it. I wasn’t
used to it at all at first. But Linda is a very experienced performer and she
brings me into the skit very well. So now I think it’s fun!
How
does the tragedy affect your mindset going into the show?
My mindset is that I have to be in character. I have to really love Guong Siur
and feel helpless to help him. It’s very challenging.
Which
character do you think you’re more like – Jun Fei or the Spoiled Princess?
I’m like both of them! I’m not as tender as Jun Fei, but I do have some of
the “spoiled” aspects. I’m also very strong and brave, stubborn, like Jun
Fei. But, I’m a very happy person, so I haven’t completely gotten to the
tragic side of her yet.
Would
you prefer to play a tragic or comedic character in the next show?
The next one I want to beat people up!!! I want to be a powerful character!
I’ve done mun (dramatic?), tragic, dancing, but never a mo [see About
Opera for reference] play before. Of course, at my age I’m not about
to do what you youngsters can do, like the splits, etc. But I do want to
try to do it once.
What
is it like working with your partner?
Very nice. She’s very experienced so she can bring you into character. She’s
also done a lot of mun plays so she
can lead my emotions very well there. She’s always watching out for me,
reminding me. She even remembers my lines too! I feel very comfortable and I
feel like we’re helping each other out, watching each other. We’re not
picking on each other. So it’s a good relationship.
Who’s
the boss? :)
There’s no boss – except for the Sifus, of course! But if we think
something isn’t smooth, we talk about it openly. We’re all very agreeable
and in sync with the other.
What’s
the best thing about working with her?
She’s a good performer and leads me along. So I don’t have to worry about
her, just myself
You’re
working with Leung Ching Sifu for this skit. How has she helped develop your
skills as a performer?
She demonstrates for me and explains the character, meaning of the movements,
eye contact and emotion contact with my partner, and demonstrate how music and
movement works to me. She’s also worked with me from day one, so she
customizes things to my abilities and knows how far she can push me. Helen also
helps us to tape each practice so I can watch the tape and train myself at home.
That's really helpful to speed up and help out with my
training.
What
do you expect from yourself in this skit?
Of course I want to do well, because I spend a lot of time and effort on each
skit. The song is very hard to sing this time so I’ve worked a lot on that
with Fun Sifu ahead of time. There are the movements I have to worry about. Of
course I have to think about my emotions with my partner as well.
What
do you expect from your partner?
Nothing really because she’s exceeded all my expectations!!! (laughs) I just
hope I can meet HER expectations.
What
do you expect from the skit overall?
I hope it works out well because I’m really happy with the choreography. I
hope we can perform it to the best. A lot of friends have seen the Karoake
version and said that our choreography was much better. So that gives me a lot
of confidence. So, I hope that the Sifus will be happy with our performance.
What
do you expect overall for the RB show?
Naturally that everyone does their best and puts their best effort into the
skit. The audience doesn’t go JUST to watch me or just one skit. I hope
everyone can do well so that the audience will enjoy the whole show, not just
one. This will not only reflect well on Red Bean, but on all the performers.
What
inspires you as a performer? What made you want to become a performer?
I got into the character, into the skits. The character really inspires me and
draws me into it. The song and the choreography, of course, make a difference.
For example when I agreed to do this show, I just knew that I loved to sing the
song. But then I discovered that the character was so tender and close to the
king, and it made me fall in love with Jun Fei’s character because I wanted to
do it well. Plus, my partner leads me into it very well.
Now
let’s talk about your skills as a manager!
You’re playing a lead role in
RB’s show in July, but you’re also organizing rehearsal and singing goks for
all the performers.
You also organized the Tri-Valley
performance last year, and we hope you have more coming up!
These
abilities are not easy to come by.
How
do you manage to play a difficult lead role AND take care of your supporting
cast, AND take care of the entire show?
First
you have to think through and have a
well- organized plan. What do I want? Why I want to do it? Do I have enough
time? Who I should involve? if I am
the other person? What do I expect? If it’s teamwork, everyone has to be
willing to put an effort into it. You always need a middle person to coordinate
stuff. I ask everyone’s opinion and respect it. Of course, you have to know
what people can help you out, and what you can do yourself.
What
do you think is more stressful – performing or organizing? Why?
Of course, performing is more stressful! (laughs) Organization – I do that
every single day at work, so it’s just another day at the office for me but it
does take lots of time Performing comes second – it’s my hobby, just
something I like and learn but I do get stress out from it. Because of my laziness
and too busy with other personal life and enjoyment, I don’t spend that much time to put into it in advance . But, I want to do
well when I face the audiences! So, it leads to some conflicts and pressure come
along . It usually leads to “praying at the last minute” and testing of my
natural talent! However, the result of performance is so excited and fun after
all. Therefore, I don't mind to perform once for while as something to lighten
up my life when time allows.
Even
though organizing takes time, I can plan ahead and again, I do this everyday, so
it comes more naturally.
What
inspired you to organize so many events, specifically with opera? Is it because
you DO do it everyday?
That’s one reason, because you know, SOMEONE has to do it if no one is willing
to do it!. Once I got committed and get my
hair WET, so I might as well go on and finish the job the best I could. If
people are willing to work with me, I’m willing to organize it if time allows
and the objective of the event is motivated and meaningful. This time with Red
Bean, I’m not the management but willing to help out with rehearsals
scheduling, since I myself need to rehearse, so I might as well make things
easier for other performers as well.
This week's spotlight falls
on...Veronica Lew! We interviewed Veronica
about her upcoming performance.
Stacey: Can you tell us a little about your
character? What is her personality like? What is she going through
in this scene?
Veronica: She is a princess. The scene does not really focus
on her role; it focuses on Ging Ngo, who is the hero. She is a very
graceful princess. I think she's pretty young, just at the appropriate age
for marriage [at that time]. She really doesn't want her husband to go,
but on the other hand, she is proud of him for his bravery. So I think
it's a difficult role because of the mixed emotions. I would say it will
be a challenge.
S: Can you tell us about Ging Ngo's personality then?
V: He knows that all his life he's been waiting for the chance to
become important, and that's the right time for him to become important.
So he accepts the mission and volunteers to assassinate the king.
S: This will be your first show as a female role. How do you
feel about it? What are some of your own emotions going into it?
V: I'm just as nervous as anything!!! I don't think I'm
prepared this time, but I take it as a challenge. This is only my second
time of being on stage, so really I don't have enough experience to comment on
this.
S: Can you compare your feelings in your first show where you
played a male, to this show, where you play a female, in terms of how well
prepared you are, how much pressure you feel?
V: The first time, the experience was more fun than the show,
because I was being motivated by my friends, and at that time, I was not really
ready to put on a show. I was just having fun. It was like a
game. So we could spend a lot of time talking about it, getting things
ready, discussing changes. I was not that nervous, because I really don't'
know what the audience will expect from me. But this time, since it's my
second time, number one I was not well prepared because it was very short notice
and we made the decision only 3-4 weeks ago. I really have not taken any
classes to get this show ready. The second important thing is my partner
is a professional.
S: And how do you feel working with a pro?
V: Well, I have pros and cons about that. The good side is HE
knows what he's doing, so he can help me. Even if I'm going out there with
a lot of bloopers, he can rescue me right there. The bad side is I
probably will look really stupid (laughs) when you're doing it with a professional.
But I'll just give it a try. I will keep a positive attitude and hope
everything's ok.
S: You've played a male before, and now you're playing a
female. Which do you prefer?
V: Honestly, I like to be a male, especially the warrior, on
stage. The reason is because since I'm on stage, I try to be as dramatic
as possible, so it's fun. When you're doing some characters completely
different from your real life, being a warrior, it's fun. I can
exaggerate, and even off stage it's fun to talk about it. Being a female,
I have to be more cautious, because even in real life I'm not a very feminine
person (laughter). It's really hard, and being a princess is even
harder. Every movement has to be very graceful. But I enjoy singing
a female more, because I think I can express the emotions better. So
actually I like being different roles, regardless of male/female. I want
to try different roles on stage.
S: Have you ever
considered just picking one role and sticking with it?
V: Not yet. I really will choose my show based on the stage
character. If I really like that role, I will play it regardless of
whether I'll be a hero or villain, a princess or a prostitute.
S: Can you tell us how you get into character for your role?
How you gather your thoughts backstage. How do you get into it?
V: It comes to me naturally, I think. The more the learn
about the song and know about the story, it automatically comes to me.
Last week, for the first time, I cried at my rehearsal, and I don't even know
why! I have sung the song many many times, know about the story...I've
never cried before. But I guess the more I know about the character, the
more I get into the character, I start to have real emotions, real feelings
towards the character.
S: Can you comment a bit on your partner? What's it like
working with him?
V: I only sang with him, but we haven't rehearsed together yet.
S: How do you feel about that?
V: I really want to
have more practice with him, but I guess that's based on his schedule and we
probably won't be able to do anything together until the next two weeks.
Since he's a professional and it's a short skit, I think he can handle it.
S: Would you prefer, in the future, to do a show with a
professional, or with a fellow friend?
V: It depends. I think I like the process of getting our acts
together, so that would make a lot of difference if I do it with my own friends,
because we have to go through a lot together. A lot of discussions, a lot
of changes. If we're looking at things from the same perspective, I think
we can communicate much better, than if we're from different levels.
Right now I just feel like I'm a little student, holding onto the teacher's
hand, going out on a field trip! It's not like a school project you do
with your own classmates. Right now I'm just like going to the museum with
my teacher and looking at things that are not really initiated by me. I'm
just being told to do this and told to do that. I think there's a little
less inspiration.
I like to learn from professionals to gain more stage experience. But I
would probably not enjoy the process as much as I would enjoy it with my own
friends.
S: Can you tell us what you expect of yourself from the show?
And then tell us what you expect from your skit.
V: Honestly, I don't expect much from myself. I try not to
put pressure on myself, so not making any bloopers is my goal. I really
don't expect to achieve any higher level of my acting skills, or any special
recognition from the audience or from the critics. As long as I'm not
making mistakes I consider that success, because there's really not enough time
and I'm not really ready to play a female role yet. I will try my
best and as long as I'm not making bloopers and people are not talking behind my
back, and I'm not becoming the laughing stock of the town (laughs), I'll be
happy!
I think the show is very good, because the song is very good. It's only a
20 minute show, so I think people will accept it easily. I don't think
they will expect too much from an amateur, so the focus is probably on the
professional anyways. I don't think he will disappoint the audience.
S: And Ho Siu-Po is actually doing three other shows, besides
yours. How do you expect him to be able to handle everything?
V: I think he can handle it pretty well because his career is
opera, and the average full length play they do is about 2.5-3 hours. The
four excerpts won't be more than two hours total. The other plays, I
think, are well known stories, that he's done many times in China already.
For him, it's just another day at the office.
S: Can you tell us what drew you to Chinese opera in the first place?
V: I never paid much attention to Chinese opera 2-3 years
ago. I had not even watched many of them, even when I was in Hong
Kong. Until I went to parties with some friends and started seeing that
they had pretty good Karaoke productions. I met some friends who are
really opera fans, and they sort of motivated me a lot. I started learning
it. And the more I know, the more I like it! So I started doing it!
V: I want to add that I'm in the process of learning this art. One
thing I'm really happy about is I've made a lot of good friends.
Especially the younger generation. We feel like we have a way for this
culture to continue, even when we're not in China. This is heartwarming
and I'm so happy to see that our culture can survive in a foreign land and I'm
proud to be part of it.
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