Be Like Water

Be Like Water

Infobox Play
name = Be Like Water


image_size = 277px
caption = World Premiere poster
writer = Dan Kwong
characters = Tracy Fong
Ghost of Bruce Lee
Kimiko Fong
Frank Fong
Bruce Lee
Jeremy Morton
Tina Kawai MacDonald
Two Black-hooded Ninjas
setting = Spring, 1978
Chicago - Uptown
premiere = September 2008
place = East West Players'
David Henry Hwang Theater
Los Angeles, California
orig_lang = English
subject = Asian American family, identity and oppression, Bruce Lee
genre = Drama, Asian American theatre
ibdb_id =

"Be Like Water" (2008) is a play written by Dan Kwong, originally produced at East West Players, in association with Cedar Grove OnStage. The play received its world premiere in Los Angeles on September 17, 2008, directed by Chris Tashima, at East West Players' David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts in Los Angeles. [http://www.eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/water.htm "Be Like Water"] on EWP site] The story follows a young Asian American girl in 1970s Chicago, who is visited by the Ghost of Bruce Lee.

Play summary

Tracy Fong is a 13 year-old ass-kicking, gung-fu fanatic tomboy, challenged by school bullies, airhead rivals, and a mother who just wants her to be a "normal girl." When bad goes to worse, the Ghost of Bruce Lee appears to teach her the true meaning of strength and the true power of water. [ [http://www.playbill.com/events/event_detail/15132.html Be Like Water listing] on Playbill site]

Characters

; Tracy Fong: 13, Chinese Japanese American. Tomboy-ish, tough, quick-tempered, defiant.; Ghost of Bruce Lee: 32, Tracy's mentor, Chinese American. The greatest martial artist in the world. Cocky, intense, philosophical yet funny.; Kimiko Fong: 38, Tracy's mother, Japanese American. Elegant, tightly-wound, upper-class roots, can go from cheery to icy in a flash.; Frank Fong: 35, Tracy's father, Chinese American. Easy going working-class guy, droll sense of humor, not easily angered.; Bruce Lee: 13, Tracy's best friend, Chinese American. Scrawny, nerdy, acerbic wit, great disco-dancer. An unapologetic oddball.; Jeremy Morton: 14, School bully, Caucasian. Working-class, tough, angry.; Tina Kawai MacDonald: 13, Tracy's classmate, Hapa (Japanese Caucasian). Pretty, fashionable dresser, highly-groomed, rather superficial.; Two Hooded-Ninjas: Companions of the Ghost in his Nether-world domain.

World Premiere company

Original Los Angeles cast

(in order of appearance)
* "Ghost of Bruce Lee" – Cesar Cipriano
* "Tracy" – Saya Tomioka
* "Bruce Lee" – Shawn Huang
* "Jeremy" – Jonathan Decker
* "Frank" – Michael Sun Lee
* "Kimiko" – Pam Hayashida
* "Tina" – Ariel Rivera
* "Hooded Ninjas" – Michael Sun Lee, Pam Hayashida, Ariel Rivera, Jonathan Decker

Los Angeles production staff

* Director – Chris Tashima
* Martial Arts Choreographers – Diana Lee Inosanto & Ron Balicki
* Dance Choreographer – Blythe Matsui
* Set Design – Akeime Mitterlehner
* Costume Design – Naomi Yoshida
* Lighting Design – Jose Lopez
* Sound Design/Music Composition – Dave Iwataki
* Projection Design – Alexander Gao
* Property Master – Ken Takemoto
* Hair, Makeup & Mask Design – Alyssa Ravenwood
* Stage Manager – Ondina V. Dominguez [http://www.eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/water.htm "Be Like Water"] on EWP site]

Reviews

* [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-water19-2008sep19,0,7466655.story 9/19/08 review by F. Kathleen Foley] for Los Angeles Times
* [http://www.theatertimes.org/September2008 9/19/08 review by Cristofer Gross] on theatertimes.org
* [http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/la/review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003856876 10/01/08 review by Jennie Webb] for Back Stage
* [http://www.laweekly.com/2008-10-02/stage/put-heading-here/ 10/02/08 review by Bill Raden] for LA Weekly
* [http://www.pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/the_path_of_less_resistance/6461/ 10/02/08 review by Jana J. Monji for Pasadena Weekly]
* [http://pacificcitizen.org/content/2008/entertainment/oct3-lin-bruce-lee-play-1116.htm 10/03/08 review by Lynda Lin for Pacific Citizen]

References

External links

* [http://eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/water.htm "Be Like Water" on East West Players website]
* Playwright [http://www.dankwong.com Dan Kwong's website]


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