Theatre Esprit Asia's M. BUTTERFLY Opens Tonight

As the recipient of four awards, to include Westword's "Best of 2014: Specialty Theatre Group" and John Moore's "2013 True West Special Award", Theatre Esprit Asia proved a successful inaugural season with a bright future in Denver's theatre scene. Much has happened since the close of their first year with an addition to the artistic team, collaborations with other theatre groups and a change in venue.

Newly added artistic director, Sushma Bagga explains: "For our upcoming 2014-2015 season we will introduce puppetry (not muppets!): the interaction between it and live actors, in dialogue, with movement, music and black lighting. We will continue with traditional dramatic narratives, but also delve into non-linear theatrical essays, reader's theatre, storytelling and cross disciplinary productions by collaborating with other performance groups. We know that by exploring these territories, TEA will remain at the cutting edge of innovation and creativity."

With the exploration of new territories comes a need for different performance spaces. The Aurora Fox Studio Theatre will open TEA's highly anticipated sophomore season with David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly. A classic in the Asian American theatre canon, M. Butterfly will make it's Colorado debut at The Aurora Fox Studio Theatre and will be directed by Hwang's long time friend, Rick Shiomi. Shiomi hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota where he was the former Artistic Director of Mu Performing Arts, one the nation's top Asian American theatre companies. "M Butterfly is one of my favorite plays. It has such great social commentary wrapped in humor and the foibles of human nature. It is a fantastical world of sex, stereotypes and rock the world politics. It embodies David Hwang's classic style of blending comic twists with critical insights. " Shiomi states.

M. BUTTERFLY by David Henry Hwang. Inspired by true events, M. Butterfly fictionalizes the story of a bored French diplomat who falls for a beautiful and charming Chinese opera singer, who personifies his fantasy of the Asian beauty. The twist? With a most shocking reveal, the love of his life was never what she seemed. How could this intimate relationship have lasted for over 20 years without the diplomat ever knowing the truth? Hwang details a compelling drama examining themes of sexual identity and racial stereotyping, Western imperialism, the role illusion plays in perceptions, and the ability for one person to truly know another.

*M. Butterfly contains nudity

September 4 -28, 2014

Opening night, Thurs @ 7:30 pm, Fri & Sat @ 7:30 pm, Sun @ 2:30 pm.

Fox Studio Theatre, 9900 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora CO 80010

Season tickets are on sale at $66 for a 3-play series. Single tickets are $26 Advance, $22 Student & Seniors, $30 Door, Groups 10 or more $22 each. Tickets can be obtained by calling Theatre Esprit Asia box office at 720.282.3447 or visiting their website www.theatre-esprit-asia.org.

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