Monkey: A Kung Fu Puppet Parable

An Ancient Wizard of Oz Tale for Our Times

Credits

MONKEY: A Kung Fu Puppet Parable, is a family friendly transmedia opera combining Bunraku puppetry, computer generated images, and live opera. MONKEY is based on the Chinese quest saga, “Journey to the West,” rewritten to reflect contemporary issues from the multicultural mosaic of American life. Besides the two fundamental operatic elements of text and music, the three main characters - Monkey, Pig (Zhu), and Sandwoman (Sha) - are life sized Bunraku puppets. MONKEY delves into the world of computer generated technology through the use of CGI environs and avatars. Live singers on stage will be the voices of the puppets and avatars.

Here's a link to the program book so you can read all about the show!

White Snake Projects' 2023-2024 programming is supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation. Our programming is also supported the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mass Cultural Council, the Boston Cultural Council, Reopen Creative Boston Fund, administered by the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and the Ditson Fund.

About

A new look at old Monkey, the greatest quest hero from ancient times.

With his comrades-in-arms, Zhu, a heavenly Marshall reincarnated into a Pig for his evil, gluttonous ways, and Sha, once a princess, now a sand monster who devours unwary travelers, this unlikely trio journeys west. They become disciples and protectors of the Monk sent by Buddha to retrieve the holy Sutras in the hopes that this journey will bring each of them their own personal salvation. An ancient Wizard of Oz tale for our times.

Cast

Chuanyuan Liu Monkey

Dylan Morrongiello Monk

John Paul Huckle Zhu

Carami Hilaire Mara

Cristina María Castro Guan Yin

Maria Dominique Lopez Sha

Puppeteers

Carlos José Torres López Principal Monkey Puppeteer / Puppetry Captain

Nathaniel Justiniano Principal Zhu Puppeteer

Angela Guo Principal Sha Puppeteer

Eliott Purcell Monkey Puppeteer

Lawrence Chan Puppeteer / Kung Fu Soloist

Amanda Gibson Sha Puppeteer / Puppet Wrangler

Creative

Jorge Sosa Composer

Cerise Lim Jacobs Librettist

Roxanna Myhrum Stage Director

Brenda Huggins Assistant Director

Tianhui Ng Music Director

Tom Lee & Chicago Puppet Studio Puppet Designer

Kristen Connolly Costume Designer

Chris Carcione Projections Designer

Andreea Mincic Set Designer

Kat Zhou Lighting Designer

Jay Sathyanarayanan Sound Designer/Audio Engineer

Calvin Chin Kung Fu Choreographer

Timothy Steele Rehearsal Pianist

VOICES Boston Artistic Director

Nicole Parks Semiosis Quartet + orchestra members

Emma Whiteside Props Designer

Technical and Production

Curvin Huber Director of Innovation

Senia Novak 3D Animator

Mengliu Lu 3D Modeler

Han Huling Production Manager

Anika Nayak Stage Manager

Talene Pogharian Assistant Stage Manager

Orchestra

Nicole Parks Violin I

Madeline Hocking Violin II

Lauren Nelson Viola

Nicholas Johnson Cello

David McGrory Piano

Gillian Dana Double Bass

Dan Pelletier Drum Kit

The Inspiration

MONKEY is one of those beloved folktales every Asian child grows up with.

It’s supposed to be a Buddhist morality tale but as it’s been handed down over the ages, it’s become a great adventure quest saga. I’ve always wanted to write about dear MONKEY, he of the “monkey mind”, the ever restless, ever-changing, ever curious quicksilver mind. Perhaps I feel some affinity for his plight as all around try to tame him and teach him the virtue of stillness.