American Conservatory Theater Welcomes Wu Hsing-Kuo

Internationally acclaimed performer Wu Hsing-Kuo, will be giving a unique presentation at American Conservatory Theater on Sunday, April 13 at 5 p.m. Recognized for his unique interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear, in which he plays all ten roles himself, Wu's multimedia presentation will focus on interdisciplinary elements, including Chinese opera styles, Buddhist chanting, contemporary music and electronics, Western performance styles, and traditional theater. The event is free and unticketed. For further information, please visit www.act-sf.org/koret.

An international cultural treasure, Wu Hsing-Kuo began his training at age 11 with the Fu-Hsing Chinese Opera School, subsequently entering the Chinese Culture University and studying Shakespeare and other Western classics. After graduation, he performed leading roles for the Cloud Gate Dance Theater. Keenly aware of the decline of traditional Chinese Opera, Wu and a group of friends founded the Contemporary Legend Theatre to revitalize the art form by adapting classical Western plays to the style and technique of Peking Opera. He is a three-time winner of the Military Golden Award for Best Actor, and in 1992, he received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in New York and the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Actor. Wu has also acted in films, playing the leading roles in Ho Ping's Eighteen and Tsui Hark's Green Snake. In 2005, he was commissioned by the Asian Cultural Council to reconstruct traditional theater in Cambodia. In 2007, he directed and performed A Taoist's Dream with Kunqu actress Qian Yi.  Wu won the 1994 Hong Kong Film Award as Best New Actor for his role in The Temptation of a Monk directed by Clara Law.

As part of a generous partnership with A.C.T., Koret has made a three-year commitment to support A.C.T.'s audience programs, including artist panel discussions and A.C.T.'s regularly scheduled Audience Exchange and Prologue discussions. The Koret Visiting Artist Series features exciting talks with acclaimed artists from the American theatrical community, moderated by A.C.T. artistic staff. Held at the American Conservatory Theater before and after select performances throughout the season, the discussions are designed to illuminate the ways in which a theater affects and strengthens a community, the responsibilities of the artist in modern society, and the challenges of the creative process.

About Koret

An entrepreneurial spirit guides Koret in addressing societal challenges and strengthening Bay Area life. Investing in strategic, local solutions, Koret helps to inspire a multiplier effect-encouraging collaborative funding and developing model initiatives. In the San Francisco Bay Area, Koret adds to the region's vitality by promoting educational opportunity, contributing to a diverse cultural landscape, and bolstering organizations that are innovative in their approaches to meeting community needs. With roots in the Jewish community, Koret embraces the community of Israel, especially through Koret Israel Economic Development Funds (KIEDF). Koret believes that economic stability and free market expansion offer the best hope for a prosperous future. At Koret, we understand our responsibility to make an impact-to honor the legacy of our founders, and to find long-lasting solutions that improve people's lives. 

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