STG Presents KUNGFU THEATER: Tales From Beijing Opera 4/17

Seattle Theatre Group presents Kungfu Theatre: Tales from the Beijing Opera at The Moore Theatre Friday, April 17, 2009 at 7:30pm. Kungfu Theatre: Tales from the Beijing Opera is a selection of comic and dramatic scenes from some of China's most popular stories. Drawn from Chinese history, mythology and folklore, and performed in both Chinese and English this colorful show is fun for audiences of all ages. Several stories are performed using English and Chinese dialogue, music, dance, mime, acrobatics, stage fighting, and singing. It will prove to be as visual and exciting as it is cultural and educational.

The performers are professionally trained Chinese Beijing Opera actors, most of whom began performing before the age of ten. Now living in the U.S. the ensemble is looking to create art that is relevant to American culture while remaining true to the rigorous standards of Chinese theatre.

Scenes performed in Seattle include:
AutumnRiver is a romantic tale of a nun who escapes from her convent in order to pursue the young scholar whom she loves. This episode consists of comic dialogue and mime as an old boatman helps her across AutumnRiver.
Fighting in the Dark uses mime and stage combat to illustrate the comic episode of an innkeeper's attempt to kill one of his guests in the darkened room.
Monkey and Pigsy is a selection from China's most beloved story, Journey to the West, about the naughty Monkey King, gluttonous Pigsy and their master, the monk Tang Sheng who leads them to enlightenment. In this scene Monkey and Pigsy's crimes against Heaven lead them to banishment on earth where they continue to make trouble by stealing a magic weapon from a dragon.

Tickets: Kungfu Theatre: Tales from the Beijing Opera tickets are $22.00 - $28.00 (not including fees) and are available online at www.stgpresents.org, by phone at (877)STG-4TIX, at The Paramount Theatre box office, Monday through Friday 10:00am-6:00pm and The Moore Theatre box office Tuesday through Friday 11:00am-2:30pm and 3:15pm-6:00pm or at venue kiosks. The Moore Theatre is located at 1932 Second Avenue in downtown Seattle.

Seattle Theatre Group is the 501 (c)(3) non-profit arts organization that operates the historic Paramount and Moore Theatres in Seattle, Washington. Our mission is to make diverse performing arts and education an integral part of our region's cultural identity while keeping these two landmark venues alive and vibrant. STG presents a range of performances from Broadway, off-Broadway, dance and jazz to comedy, concerts of all genres, speakers and family shows - at both historic theatres in Seattle and venues throughout the Puget Sound and Portland, Oregon.

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