Theater News

Chimerica Set to Play at Studio Theatre

The new play kicks off the company’s 2015-16 season tonight.

Katie Pierpont

Katie Pierpont

| Washington, DC |

September 9, 2015

Lucy Kirkwood's play Chimerica begins tonight at Studio Theatre.
Lucy Kirkwood's play Chimerica begins tonight at Studio Theatre.

After its London run, Chimerica begins performances as Studio Theatre tonight.

At the center of the play is the iconic photo of one protestor standing in front of four tanks in Tiananmen Square. Joe, the young American journalist who took the photo in 1989, senses the resonance of the image in the lead-up to the 2012 elections. With relations between the U.S. and China coming to a head, he decides to track down the subject of his famous image. At the same time, an old friend from China resurfaces with an agenda of his own. Chimerica ambitiously takes on two decades of history, contemplating two superpowers and the political change, personal responsibility, and individual stories that exist beyond a single image.

The play was written by Lucy Kirkwood. David Muse directs. The cast features Ron Menzel as Joe Schofield, Paul Morella as Frank and Herb, Lee Sellars as Mel Stanwyck, Tess Klein as Tessa Kendrick, Rob Yang as Zhang Lin, Julie-Ann Elliot as Doreen, Maria Dubiecki and others, Kenneth Lee as Zhang Wei, Pengsi, and others, Jordan Barbour as Paul Kramer, David Barker, Peter Rourke, and others, Diana Oh as Mary Chang, Michelle, Deng, Pengsi’s wife, and others, Jacob Yeh as Young Zhang Lin, Benny, and others, Kelsey Wang as Liuli, Jennifer, and others, and Jade Wu as Ming Xiali, Feng Meihui, and others.

The creative team includes Blythe R. D. Quinlan (set design), Helen Huang (costume design), M.L. Geiger (lighting design), Matt Tierney (sound design), and Lauren Halvorsen (dramaturg).

Performances will run through October 18.

For tickets and more information, click here.

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