Two years ago this play, The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin,
was deep in rehearsals at the Indiana Repertory Theatre. It was set to open in
March 2020… and then the world shut down. Miraculously, the entire original
cast has returned for this production.
Harry Chin was a real man who immigrated from China to
Minnesota. His story inspired the playwright, Jessica Huang, to delve deeper
into historical records and speak with his family members. By focusing on one
man’s life Huang tackles the difficult subject of immigration while humanizing
the people on the stage. It doesn’t become a big "I" issue play
instead, it is the story of a family and a complicated relationship between
fathers and daughters and first-generation Americans and their immigrant
parents. The cultural differences feel insurmountable at times, but there are
undeniable ties that bind a family. It is messy in the way that all real life
is. There’s something powerful about the moment when a child discovers her
parents are real people, flawed and fallible.
Over the past two years, I’ve missed the flexibility and
creativity that shine in sets on the Upperstage. The three-sided stage provides
a beautiful opportunity for the audience to feel like part of the story. Wilson
Chin‘s beautiful set included a huge moon hanging over a stage surrounded by
suitcases. It was versatile and atmospheric at the same time.
Paper Dreams is a complicated story about finding peace
with your past when it comes back to haunt you. It's timely in an unfortunate
way, as we are still dealing with immigration sparking racism in our culture.
It's a great example of the IRT highlighting a story that sparks conversation
and reflection.
The Indiana Repertory Theatre is located at 140 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, one-half block west of the Circle Center Mall between northbound Illinois St. and southbound Capitol Ave. " The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin" runs until May 15 on IRT's Upperstage. Run Time is appx. 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission. Times for performances can be found at www.irtlive.com or by calling the IRT box office at (317) 635-5252. To purchase tickets call (317) 635-5252 or order online at www.irtlive.com
Photos Courtesy of the Indiana Repertory Theatre
2022 – 2023 SEASON AT THE INDIANA REPERTORY THEATRE
Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility adapted by
Jessica Swale
September 14 – October 9, 2022 (OneAmerica Mainstage)
Three sisters and their widowed mother lose their family
home and must create new lives for themselves in a tiny seaside cottage. Along
the way, they face kindness and cruelty, duty and deception, as they try to
navigate the complex social rules for proper young ladies. What will lead to
lasting happiness and true love: practical good sense or following the
sensibility of your heart? Sit back and indulge in the wit and wisdom, the
beauty and charm of Jane Austen.
The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh
October 11 – November 6, 2022 (Upperstage)
In 1834, 14-year-old Afong Moy was the first Chinese
woman to come to America. She spent her life traveling across the country as a
living exhibition for a paying public, who were mesmerized by her exotic ways
and unnerved by her bound feet. Inspired by a true story, this critically
acclaimed play unearths hidden history as a displaced woman and a young
nation struggle with how to define themselves.
*Part of IRT’s INclusion Series: Celebrating Diverse
Storytelling
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol adapted by Tom
Haas
November 19 – December 24, 2022 (OneAmerica Mainstage)
Banish your bah humbugs, and celebrate the season at the
IRT! Scrooge’s visits to the past, the present, and the future bring us hope in
the dark of winter, when we need it most. A Christmas
Carol celebrates the power of kindness, family, and love in this treasured
tale filled with laughter, tears, and redemption.
Flyin’ West by Pearl Cleage
January 11 – February 5, 2023 (OneAmerica Mainstage)
Four brave female African American homesteaders and
pioneers settle together in the all-Black town of Nicodemus, Kansas. Fighting a
harsh and unforgiving wilderness, they work hard to till the soil and build
better lives for themselves. Their courage is tested when an unexpected and
deadly threat invades their home in this surprising story set in the Old
West.
*Part of IRT’s INclusion Series: Celebrating Diverse
Storytelling
Oedipus by Sophocles adapted by David Daniel
February 22 – March 18, 2023 (OneAmerica Mainstage)
As a plague ravages Thebes, the citizens turn to their leadership. Oedipus is an extraordinary hero: courageous, flawed, determined to do what he must to protect his community—even if it means his own undoing. From the mists of Greece comes this compelling story of fate, human nature, and the devastating peril of secrets.
Shakespeare’s Will by Vern Thiessen
March 15 – April 16, 2023 (Upperstage)
Her husband is the most famous man in literary
history. She has been cloaked in silence and invisibility. Now Anne
Hathaway tells her side of the story, full of love and loss, secrets and
sacrifices. Inspired by what little we know about Anne, this witty and
imaginative play creates a surprisingly modern portrait of a proudly
imperfect wife and mother: a liberated woman living on her own defiant terms.
Clue based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn written
by Sandy Rustin
April 19 – May 20, 2023 (OneAmerica Mainstage)
Invited to dinner by a mysterious host, Mrs. Peacock,
Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, and the rest of the usual suspects roll the dice
at a gloomy mansion where blackmail and murder are on the menu. As the players
become victims, the plot thickens and the noose tightens. With thrills and
chills, twists and turns, and lots of laughs, it’s going to be a night they’ll
never forget…and neither will you!
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