IN BETWEEN: A Collection Of Short Plays Comes to Center Theatre at Seattle Center

Center Theatre at Seattle Center - Yun Theatre, an up-and-coming Seattle theater company founded by young Chinese creatives, will present the premier of their latest production, "IN BETWEEN: A Collection of Short Plays".

"In Between", comprising seven 10-minutes stories, is an expansive exploration of transition and migration. The inspiration behind the production lies in the "in-betweenness" experienced by immigrants - a feeling of not completely belonging to any one group and the feeling of being an outsider. It investigates the perennial questions: Why do we migrate? How do we migrate? What happens after we migrate? What are the limitations, and how do we adapt?

The narratives span diverse landscapes, offering insights into Cambodian, Mexican, and Asian immigrants, delving into the struggles of identity, the distressing outcomes of discrimination, and the impacts of enforced violence. Beyond conventional storytelling, "IN BETWEEN" crafts immersive experiences, from the mystic Buddha Hall to bustling airports, illustrating the tumultuous journeys of travelers, the heartfelt homecomings, and the poignant reunions of generations long separated. In an unexpected shift, the play also peers into the animal kingdom, portraying a small mule's struggle in a farm and an intimate gathering of endangered species.

Yuelan, the resident artist & composer at Yun Theatre articulates, "Immigrants are often described in numbers - what percentage of the population, what percentage of jobs, average amount of money earned, etc. There is a disconnect between these statistics and the actual lived experiences of the people behind the numbers; thus, we are often seen as 'others'. We want to recognize our humanity by telling stories of our immigrant experiences of being 'in between' - between cultures, between homes, and between lives."

From a competitive pool of 170 global submissions from playwrights all over the world, Yun Theatre selected 7 plays for the "In Between" production. To honor the outstanding quality of the submissions, an additional six plays will be presented in a staged reading on the afternoon of August 19th. For further details, please visit: https://yun-theatre.com/in-between-staged-reading.

This program is supported, in part, by grants from the Washington State Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and 4Culture.

Who: Yun Theatre, yun-theatre.com

What: In Between: a collection of short plays; in English, Mandarin, Spanish with Chinese and English subtitles

When: August 17 - 20 and 24 - 27, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30 PM, Sundays at 2:00 PM

Where: Center Theatre at Seattle Center (305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109)

Ticket Info: https://yun-theatre.com/in-between ($15 - $45 sliding scale and limited number of $0 tickets upon request)

Cast:

• Zoe Ding
• Xinyuan Zhang
• Jen Lee
• Abigail Tsai
• Jianqiao Liu
• Iveliz Martel

Band:

• Yuelan (vocals, guitar, keyboard, viola)
• Yiyi (Keyboard)
• Yihan Lin (Guzheng)
• Josh Valdez (Drums)

• Director: Christie Zhao
• Playwright: Rebs Chan, Jillian Blevins, Dr. Catalina Florina Florescu, Renzi Li, Maya Fleischmann, Harvey Yang
• Production Manager: Harvey Yang
• Dramaturg: Mona Merhi
• Stage Manager: Albert Chen, Harper Shen
• Costume Designer: Tianxing Yan, Xiaoyan Yu
• Set Designer: Xun Wang
• Projection Designer: Shenshen Lei
• Light Designer: Anna Shih
• Sound Designer: Renzi Li
• Movement Coordinator: Olga Kravtsova
• Props Master: Hazel (Hao Zhu)
• Music Director/Composer: Yuelan
• Production Assistant: Hazel (Hao Zhu), Yide Cai, Elodie Li, Rongdi Huang
• Assistant Set Designer/Assistant Projection Designer: Jiamin Shi
• Photographer: Elodie Li
• Videographer: Ray Chiu, Chun Lin

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