Academy of Music 1997 Next Wave Festival .-.•- •

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Julio Galan, Rado, 1996, oil on canvas, 39 '/," x 31 '/," Journey Beyond The West The New Adventures of MONKEY

BAM 1997 Next Wave Festival is sponsored by ~~~L":N ~,~R,R::' Brooklyn Academy of Music Bruce C. Ratner Chairman of the Board

Harvey Lichtenstein President and Executive Producer

presents Journey Beyond The West

Running time: BAM Majestic Theater approximately November 26, 28 & 29, 1997 at 7:30pm two hours including November 29 at 3pm one intermission Music and concept Director and storyboards Christopher Mattaliano Choreography John Carrafa Martial arts coordinator Jose Figueroa Set design Allen Moyer Costume design Anna Oliver Lighti ng design Clifton Taylor Stage manager Cynthia Chalker Monkey Orchestra conductor Jerome Korman Assistant choreographer Linda Sastradipradja Assistant stage manager Kelly Terrell Production assistant Taylor Ho Bynum Fight sequences John Carrafa, Jose Figueroa Lyrics Cindy Zuoxin Wang

Produced by Fred Ho and Mary Sharp Cronson / Works and Process, Inc., with assistance from the New York Chinese Cultural Center

Cast Benedetta Capanna, Niles Ford, Lawrence Goldhuber, JaVonne Holmes, Mira Kingsley, Philip Liu, Stanley Love, Michael Martello, Annie Murphy, Ariel Osterweis, R. Scott Parker, Judy Rotardier, Karen Savage, Joe Scarcella Alternate Michelle Taylor-Meadows

The Monkey Orchestra Fred Ho Composer / artistic director, baritone sax, Jerome Korman Conductor, Reid Anderson Bass, David Bindman Tenor sax, flute, Ivy Erhu, Sam Furnace Alto / soprano saxes, flute, piccolo, Gao Hong Pipa and san shuen, royal hartigan Drumset/ Chinese percussion, Hafez Modir Chromodalphone, Persian karna, sorna, Pei Sheng Shen Sona / , Martin Wehner Trombones, Shan Min Yu Soprano vocals

Major support provided by - ATs..T and The Ford Foundation ~ Special funding from The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, Paul and Caroline Cronson, Mary Sharp Cronson /Works and Process, Inc., The Heathcote Foundation, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, The Starr Foundation, The Evelyn Sharp Foundation and the many Friends of Fred Ho. The music for act two, The Journey Begins, was commissioned by Meet the Composer and the New York Shakespeare Festival. Funds for the copying of musical parts for act one, Uproar in Heaven, were provided by the Margaret Fairbank Jory Copying Assistance Program of the American Music Center. A rehearsal space grant was made by the New Dance Group Arts Center.

Special thanks to Paul and Caroline Cronson, Mary Sharp Cronson, Manny Rodriguez, Amy Chin, Andrea Lockett, Mark O'Farrell, Jennifer Feil, Cindy Chalker, Dorothy Desir-Davis, Wolhee and Robert Hawks, Micheline Kramer and the Atlantic Center for the Arts Le Salon, King Downing, Jodi Melnick, Donald Elfman, Harvey Lichtenstein and the BAM staff, Lainie Bernhardt, Lisa Barnes, Don Hagar and the many friends who made donations.

Fred Ho's music is available on the compact disc recordings Monkey: Part One and Monkey: Part Two (Koch Jazz). To order, call 1.800.688.3482. The CDs are also available in the BAM Majestic Theater lobby.

Fred Ho note I have re-visioned the classic Chinese serial adventure stories of Journey to the West by Wu Cheng'en into a contemporary fantasy action-adventure radical allegory entitled Journey Beyond the West: The New Adventures of MONKEY. This four act epic combines dance, theater, martial arts and music. For this BAM presentation, we are performing the first act as a concert and acts two and three as a "living comic book." I have re-visioned Monkey, the powerful trickster born from a rock, as an androgynous being (from lithic and not sexual conception). Act one, Uproar in Heaven is a prequel in which Sun Wu Kong (Monkey) meets up with other monkeys of the Flower and Fruit Mountain, a pristine paradise, and is adopted as their leader (hence the appellation "Monkey King," even though in my interpretation, the concept of "king" as a feudal ruler seems implausible and improper to a pre-class society as that of these monkeys). As leader, Monkey teaches the other monkeys martial arts. Throughout act one Monkey defies the authority of the gods in Heaven, who for the most part are petty and corrupt, with the notable excep­ tion of Kwan Yin, the goddess of mercy, medicine and healing who befriends earthly beings. In act two, a cowardly human priest begins the journey from to India (westward) to fetch the Buddhist scriptures and Kwan Yin assembles three powerful but troubled protectors: Monkey, or Sun Wu Kong (a supremely powerful martial artist and egalitarian yet highly conceited, arro­ gant, egotistical); Pig, or Zhu Baije (strong and good-hearted yet lustful and disgusting); and the Ogre, Friar Sand (another great fighter but extremely rage­ ful, disturbed, violent and hateful of humans). Act three is an adventure dur­ ing the journey. If you want to know what happens next, you must wait for act four, The Journey Home, coming soon (hopefully). A special note of appre­ ciation to my three main collaborators: Chris Mattaliano for creating a narrative storyboard and production concept for my music; John Carrafa for the amazing choreography that blended dance and martial arts; and Jose Figueroa for his Photo, Jason Jem brilliant martial arts ideas and sequences. Thank you and enjoy the ride l Synopsis and Act One (music only) translation of Chinese Uproar In Heaven-The Dawn of Earth to ca. 100 CE song lyrics (in italics) Scene 1 Monkey's Origin Monkey (Sun Wu Kong) is born from a rock on the Flower and Fruit Mountain, meets other monkeys and monkeys around with them, teaching them martial arts. They make Monkey their leader.

Scene 2 Monkey Meets the Dragon King and Gets a New Weapon While practicing martial arts, Monkey's sword breaks. Monkey is told about a new weapon of great power-a staff owned by the Dragon King. Nothing in this world is impossible only ifyou have a sincere will. Lord Sun Wu Kong, I know how to make things better from the Dragon King! Monkey goes to the undersea world of the Dragon King. Behold, the great staff is wondrous. As Monkey does not abide by the concept of private ownership of property, Monkey takes the staff. Angered, the Dragon King sends a great undersea army to battle Monkey. With great martial arts and the fantastic power of the staff, Monkey easily wins.

Scene 3 Heaven Tries to Buy Out Monkey The Dragon King appeals to the Jade Emperor-the top god in Heaven­ to punish the monkey who doesn't respect private property. The smooth­ talking Great White Planet is dispatched to co-opt Monkey by conferring the title "Protector of Horses" (a token trick title for a lowly janitorial job). Monkey opens his (in Chinese, gender-neutral) eyes; the earth is shaking. The future is unpredictably changing, overturning rivers and seas. Divinely ordained, the path is long, responsibility is difficult. Monkey grooms the horses in the Heavenly Stables, happily singing about the special job title. The day is beautiful and warm, the breezes softly blow. The sun rises and benevolent rays shine. The Celestial Emperor bestows me the title Guardian of the Celestial Horses. My fate has turned for better to my heart's delight. But Monkey learns that the job title is a trick. Upset, Monkey frees the horses. The Flower and Fruit Mountain is my domain. I am the Lord. I am the King, everyone follows me. But now, being "Guardian of the Celestial Horses," Who am I but a subservient lackey? The Jade Emperor sends the boy-god warrior Nacha to punish the impudent Monkey. Monkey and Nacha fight a great battle, but Nacha is beaten. Monkey raises the banner to claim the title "Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

Scene 4 Monkey Wreaks Havoc in Heaven The gods in Heaven are alarmed and disconcerted about the powerful and rebellious Monkey. The Great White Planet is sent again to bribe Monkey with another promotion. Monkey is sent to the Celestial Peach Garden to tend to the fruits of the gods------eating them can make one immortal. Happy but bored, Monkey eats the fruits. Today I have good luck. The fragrant breeze make me drunk. Fresh peaches and good wine are my constant companions. What is life but to indulge? Everybody enjoys beautiful maidens. They surround me every day. Forget the Flower and Fruit Mountain, I'll enjoy life here. Drinking good wine daily. I am drunk and lead a befuddled life. I absent­ mindedly read the scriptures and pass myself off as a monk. Life is a dream. I hope the dream is long with no awakening. Every day I live in the dream. Synopsis and Hope it lasts for the rest of my life. Peaches are sweet, fruit tastes like honey. translation of Chinese The aroma flutters to the ninth heaven. The dreamland is my territory. Good song lyrics (in italics) wine, good people and good dreams make me intoxicated. After gorging upon the peaches, Monkey falls asleep and fairies wander in. Monkey overhears them talk about how Monkey was not invited to the Celestial Banquet. Angered by Heaven's deceit, Monkey wrecks the banquet and distributes the food to the other monkeys. The Jade Emperor orders Heaven's armies to suppress the rebellion. After a magnificent battle, the monkeys are victo­ rious. Heaven is in great confusion about what to do.

Scene 5 Buddha Imprisons Monkey The Jade Emperor begs Buddha to punish Monkey. Buddha tricks the trick­ ster by using Monkey's overconfidence and conceit. Monkey is imprisoned under a mountain. Buddha's power is ubiquitous: Extends to the heaven and the ocean; Trickster Monkey is no rival; Just like an ant who wants to shake a tree exhausting all his tricks; Still in the middle of Buddha's palm, the bitter seas see no shore. Repentance is the only solution. Nama Amita Fu! (a Buddhist chant).

INTERMISSION

Act Two (music / theater) The Journey Begins-Tang Dynasty, ca. 600-700 CE This act tells the story of how a motley band of characters (the lustful Pig with his uncontrollable appetites, a violent and disturbed ogre Friar Sand, the arrogant and impudent Monkey, and a not-very-courageous human Buddhist monk, Tang Seng) come together and embark upon a 17-year journey to fetch the Buddhist scriptures, at the end of which they hope to find peace and redemption.

Prologue In the last episode, Monkey spited the gods and was punished by Buddha. Monkey was imprisoned under the Wu Zhi Mountain. 500 years passed by. One day, on the way to the West, a Tang priest saw Monkey and released him. For repaying the Tang priest's kindness, Monkey decided to protect the priest in the dangerous journey to the West to bring back the Buddhist scrip­ tures. On the way, they found others who would join them. This is their story.

Scene 1 The Journey Begins Tang Seng, a meek and lower-ranking Buddhist priest meditates in temple. The Tang Emperor sends him on a mission to India to fetch the Buddhist scriptures. As his trek begins, Tang Seng worries of the dangers. Amita Fu. The job of fetching the Scriptures has been given to me by the will of Buddha. Lord Buddha, please protect me on this trip to the West. Amita Fu. Tang Seng enters a dark and foreboding region and is captured by grotesque Devil Demons. The Devil Demons want to feast upon the flesh of the priest believing that will make them immortal. After a heathen orgiastic rite, they fall asleep. Kwan Yin, the goddess of mercy, medicine and healing, appears and frees the priest. Fleeing and chased by the Devil Demons, Tang Seng runs into Monkey imprisoned under a mountain. Monkey implores the priest to free him by climbing to the top to remove the spell. The Devil Demons nearly upon him, Tang Seng climbs to the mountain's top and rips off the spell. Just as the Demons arrive, the mountain trembles and Monkey bursts forth, and easily slaughters the Devil Demons. Sun Wu Kong dances the Monkey Strut, gleeful to be free. Appalled at the carnage and Monkey's lack of moral conscience, Tang Seng berates Monkey who is annoyed by this puny priest. Just as a Monkey is about to leave and have nothing else to do with the priest, the beautiful goddess Kwan Yin appears. She instructs Monkey to go on the journey as protector of the priest at the end of which Monkey will learn humility, self-control and acquire a moral conscience. The two proceed on together.

Scene 2 The Coming of Pig In a busy village market a pig is gorging on food, wine and chasing girls. The Pig, Zhu Baije, was once Admiral of the Emperor's Navy but was turned into a Pig by a spell for trying to seduce the Emperor's daughter. Spring is coming-colorful and fragrant bees crisscross looking for honey. In the green grass there is one red flower though not as beautiful and rosy as a young woman's cheeks. The little stream ripples and flows, birds chatter on tree branches, beautiful flowers (maidens) and nice, sweet wine, all this makes me lustful and my mouth is dripping. The fruits are ripe on the trees, the fields are full of rich, succulent melons. Eating is the most impor­ tant thing for me. My appetite is the greatest in the world. A maiden cries for help as Pig gets too flirtatious. Enter Monkey and Tang Seng. Monkey comes to the maiden's aid and wrestles with Pig. Pig started chasing after a maiden. The maiden, trying to escape, is running and crying. Monkey heard the noises and is angered. Because of Monkey's anger, the earth will tremble. A fierce battle ensues. After a few rounds, Pig, knowing that he has met a great fighter, stops, sits down and cries, asking for sympathy (because it is beyond his control that he's a pig). My human face was turned into a pig. People dislike me. My good heart is my best part. Kwan Yin appears to tell Pig that these are the pilgrims with whom he must join as another pro­ tector in a journey at the end of which he will come to control his appetites. Buddha has blessed me with luck today. With this journey, I will redeem myself.

Illustration: Jack Chen Synopsis and In the next life, I will change my face, return back to being human. This I translation of Chinese hope and pray. Now three pilgrims resume the journey. song lyrics (in italics) Scene 3 The Ogre, Friar Sand, Joins the Pilgrims By a great river early in the morning, villagers are laying their nets. Beneath the calm surface, an ogre waits. With sudden ferocity, the ogre attacks, slaughtering the humans, taking their skulls as trophies hung on his neck­ lace. As a child, the ogre was scorned and tormented by humans and only finds temporary calm from his rage by killing humans. The pilgrims arrive and the ogre attacks. Monkey and Pig clumsily battle this fierce monster as they haven't learned to fight as a team. Kwan Yin suddenly appears to stop the fighting. She instructs the ogre to join these pilgrims as the third protector at the end of which he will find inner peace and rid his rage against humanity. The ogre sings his story of pain and suffering. Friar Sand is an ugly man. Everybody is repulsed by me. People are frightened by me. I rage and kill to soothe my pain and anger. Kwan Yin in duet with Friar Sand, Ugly outside but beautiful inside. People will change their attitude after they come to know you. Go on this journey to the West and bring back the Buddhist scriptures. This journey will cultivate your moral character. Moved by the ogre's story, the pilgrims accept him and the journey continues.

Act Three (music / theater) Monkey Meets the Spider Spirit-Vampires

This is one of the adventures during the journey. All along their travels, many monsters, demons and evil entities sought to capture Tang Seng, for it was said that anyone who ate his flesh would become immortal. In this story, the pilgrims descend into a sinister valley wrapped in a thick fog. As they get sepa rated, Pig comes upon a grou p of si rens whose sed uctive songs lure wayward travellers into their clutches. The sirens are the human form of a group of spider vampires led by a gorgeous Queen. I am the master of the world's fate! I'll snatch every chance I can. Tang Seng and Pig are my next meal. I can't wait to gobble them up! The beautiful Spider Queen calls out to Pig, who is hypnotized by her beauty and song. In the silvery moonlight I long for my dear one up in the distant hills. He's climbing to the high mountains. I sing: "Dear One, Dear One!" In a lazy mountain valley a stream runs clear and cold. For the first time, Pig forgets about food and sex and has fallen in love with this maiden. In his love rush and euphoria, Pig calls out to her with poetry, spilling out words from his heart about years of loneliness, about the rejection he has gotten for his ugly, fat looks, for his rude and uncouth manners. For the first time in her experience, she is truly moved by this pathetic creature and begins to fall in love with him. But she is torn by her vampire urges. The other spider vampires are also preparing to feast upon Pig. But just as Pig is about to be devoured, Monkey comes to the rescue, battling the spider vampires. Just as Monkey is about to kill the Queen, Pig intervenes to save her life. As Monkey drags his confused comrade from the aura of the valley, the spider vampire queen calls out to Pig in one final song. Cool breezes whisper, gently I plead, can you hear your lover calling to you?

TO BE CONTINUED ... Fred Ho (composer / artistic director / producer) costumes for Hopper's Wife (Long Beach Opera), is a former construction worker and hand-to-hand Der Fliegende Hollander (Canadian Opera combat specialist trained in stealth assault tech­ Company-both directed by Christopher Alden), niques. He and librettist Ann T. Greene are col­ Don Pasquale (Glimmerglass Opera and NYC laborating on a new opera, Warrior Sisters: The Opera-directed by Leon Major), Lucia ( Lyric New Adventures of African and Asian Womyn Opera). His set designs include Trovatore, Tasca, Warriors to be directed / choreographed by George Norma, II Barbiere di Siviglia (co-prod. with Faison. He has also created Once Upon a Time Washington Opera for Minnesota Opera), Faust, in Chinese America... (a martial arts ballet) and All Cosi Fan Tutte (Opera Co. of ), Hugo Power to the People! The Black Panther Ballet. Weisgall's Six Characters in Search of an Author (Manhattan School of Music), II Viaggio a Meims Christopher Mattaliano (director) directed the (Juilliard Opera Center), nine seasons with The workshop of Fred Ho's Journey Beyond the West Wolf Trap Opera Co. He also has done productions as part of the Guggenheim Museum's "Works and with Circle in the Square, Second Stage, the New Process" series last year. He has directed a varied York Shakespeare Festival, Playwrights Horizons, repertoire throughout North America for such the Gutherie Theater, Philadelphia Theater companies as New York City Opera, Washington Company, Old Globe and many others. Opera, Minnesota Opera, Cincinnati Opera, LOpera de Montreal, Canadian Opera Company and Anna Oliver (costume designer) was born in Calgary Opera. Chris directed the world premiere Berkeley, CA and educated at Yale School of of Hugo Weisgall's Esther for the fiftieth anniver­ Drama, California College of Arts and Crafts. sary celebration of New York City Opera and the Her design work includes Mitridate, Re Di Ponto, New York premiere of Rossini's II Viaggio a Reims La Cambiale di Matrimonio / L'occasion fa il Ladro, for the Juilliard Opera Center. Recent engagements Julius Caesar, La Cenerentola (Wolf Trap Opera); include Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers for Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers (Juilliard Opera Juilliard and a musical revue entitled A Grand Center); double bill Rorem's Miss Julie / Chabrier's Night for Singing (featuring Tyne Daly) for PBS. Une Education Manquee, Gluck's Iphigenie en Tauride, Weisgall's Six Characters in Search of John Carrafa (choreographer) recently finished an Author (Manhattan School of Music); The Silver choreographing the films The Last Days of Disco Skates (New York Theater Institute); Turandot and The Fish in the Bathtub. He choreographed (Minnesota Opera & Canadian Opera Co.); the original Broadway and film productions of Rigoletto, The Postman Always Rings Twice Love! Valour! Compassion! Other films include Sing, (Boston Lyric Opera); The Taming of the Shrew Rooftops, Brain Donors, The Night We Never Met, (California Shakespeare Festival); II Pagliacci It Could Happen to You and City Hall. Original (Milwaukee's Skylight Opera); Judith (New York stage musicals include Paper Moon, Comfortable Fringe Festival); On the Verge (Yale Repertory); Shoes, Out of This World, Him, The Snow Ball, Ghosts, Candide (California's Aurora Theater); Captain Courageous, Weird Romance, The Secret The Price (Marin Theater Company); Harvey, Garden, Club Soda, Bella, Belle 0' Beylorussia, City of Angels (Vermont's Weston Playhouse); Lucy's Lapses. Off-Broadway his work has been Our Town (Santa Cruz Shakespeare Festival). seen at the Pu bl ic Theater, the WPA Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theater Club, Clifton Taylor (lighting designer) has designs in Circle Repertory and New York Theater Workshop. the active repertories of the Alvin Ailey American Previously, Mr. Carrafa danced with and assisted Dance Theater, American Repertory Ballet, Pacific Twyla Tharp on numerous projects including the Northwest Ballet in Seattle, the Atlanta Ballet, the films , Ragtime and The Catherine Wheel Lar Lubovitch Dance Company (resident lighting and the Broadway production of Singin' in the designer), the Elisa Monte Dance Company (res­ Rain. He created roles in Ms. Tharp's works from ident lighting designer) and the American Ballet 1978-87 including Nine Sinatra Songs, In The Theater. Since 1993, he has been the resident Upper Room, Bakers Dozen and Brahms' Paganini. designer for Indonesia's premier dance company, Allen Moyer (set designer) has created sets and Sardono Dance Theater. His designs have been seen at many of the world's major arts festivals Linda Sastradipradja (assistant choreographer) including the Vienna Dance Festival, Hamburg is from Melbourne, Australia where she studied Sommertheater Festival, Jacob's Pillow, Singapore's dance at the Victorian College of the Arts. She Festival of Asian Arts, Arts Summit/ Jakarta, the performed with dance companies and taught Istanbul Festival and the BAM Next Wave Festival. movement for actors in Australia and Hong Kong In 1996, his lighting was featured at the Olympic before moving to New York in 1991. She has Arts Festival (concurrent with the 1996 Summer danced with Sara Rudner, Dennis O'Connor, Games) with both the Atlanta Ballet and the Alvin White Oak Dance Project and other New York Ailey American Dance Theater. For the past two choreographers and companies. As an actor / seasons, he has been the lighting director for New dancer she recently worked with the Alley Theater York's Altogether Different Festival and since 1995, in Houston in The Greeks. he has been the Iighti ng designer for the nce division of the Juilliard School. In the upcoming Kelly Terrell (assistant stage manager) is from season, Clifton will design for ballets in New Texas. This is his second experience working with York, Florence, Houston and Rio de Janeiro. Fred Ho on the Monkey project. He recently worked with the Jean Cocteau Repertory and Jose Figueroa (martial arts coordinator) has won was stage manager at the Olympics Centennial a combined total of nine Gold Medals in US and Park last summer. Kelly has been active in Off International martial arts competitions and was Off Broadway productions for the past three years. inducted into the 1997 World Karate Union Hall of Fame as Chinese Martial Arts Competitor of the Taylor Ho Bynum (production assistant) plays Year. Teaching at PS 20 in the Bronx, Jose has /flugelhorn. His current projects include revolutionized physical education in the west by Mumbo Jumbo Music, SpiderMonkey Arkestra, teaching Chinese martial arts as a course require­ the Myth Arts Collective, Wesleyan University's ment. His final competition will be next summer Asian American Co-operative Theater, has per­ inChina where he wi II travel with his teacher formed with Fred Ho, Bill Lowe, Anthony Master Ren Guang Yi. Braxton, Jay Hoggard, and is musical advisor and analyst for Misterioso: In Search of Thelonius Cynthia Chalker (stage manager) is pleased to Monk, a forthcoming biography by Robin D.G. rejoin the Monkey team for the BAM Next Wave Kelley. Festival. She has been stage managing in New York for the past four years. Her most recent credits Benedetta Capanna is a dancer / poet originally include The Juilliard School, The First International from Rome, Italy. She began her performance New York Fringe Festival, The Pearl Theater and career with Patrizia Cerroni's I Danzatori Scalzi the Guggen hei m Museu m. She looks forwa rd to and later toured extensively with Teatro Bellini of future productions with the Monkey staff. Naples and MDA company. In Rome, she studied intensively and performed with Roberta Escamilla Jerome Korman (conductor) received his BA in Garrison protege of Viola Farber. In 1996, she music from Columbia University and is currently moved to New York and since then has worked studying composition and conducting with Maestro with various independent choreographers such Joel Thome. Ten years ago, he met Jacques as Poppo & Gogo Boys, Maia Claire Garrison D'amboise, founder of the National Dance (former member of Urban Bush Women), Janaki Institute, and has since served as music director Patrik/ Ramli Ibrahim, Myung Soo Kim and Kairos for NDI. Jerry actively works with NYC youth in Italian Theater. Benedetta most recently won one song writing workshops. In 1995, his workshop of Italy's 1997 Emerging Poets awards and is was chosen to represent the Grammy Awards currently collaborating with renowned bassist Committee with an outreach project at Roberto Matthew Garrison. A fusion of jazz, poetry and Clemente Junior High School in the Bronx. He is dance, this new work is based upon her latest the proud parent of Arielle and the new-born poem Niente da Dire. Benedetta is presently Benjamin, and is happily married to Mira Rivera. working with Najo and will soon perform in Lynn Parkenson's Ascension Suite. Niles Ford has had extensive technical training, she has performed with various modern and jazz having studied with Boston Ballet, Dance Theater choreographers around NYC. She choreographed of Harlem, Pennsylvania Ballet and Jeff Duncan. and performed in the national tour of Rogers and He is a graduate of The University of the Arts. Hammerstein's Cinderella and recently danced at Niles has performed with numerous companies Jazzart with Billy Siegenfeld and Matt Mattox. including Bill 1. Jones, Rod Rogers and Ron Brown. He won a Bessie award for his work in Philip Liu is currently a part-time student and Historias, which toured nationally and interna­ full-time worker at NYU. He is completing his tionally.Niles teaches modern dance at the degree in public policy while pursuing his interests University of Pennsylvania and University of the in martial arts and theater. Phil has learned Tai-chi Arts. He is currently creating three works, under several masters in the US, Hong Kong, and Captured in collaboration with Nancy Turano, China for several years, and is currently studying Stolen Moments for The University of the Arts a Northern Shaolin style of Gonfu under Master dance ensemble and Endangered Species for Shao Yimin. In the past year, Phil has coordinated Prism Dance company in Philadelphia. and performed in a Chinatown-based community theater group that focuses on labor issues and Lawrence Goldhuber was born in New York City working experiences. and trained as an actor at Boston University. In 1985, he joined the Bill 1. Jones / Arnie Zane Stanley Love has a BFA in dance from The Dance Company and performed in landmark Juilliard School. He directs the Stanley Love pieces such as Last Supper at Uncle Tom's Cabin Performance Group and lives in Brooklyn where and Still / Here (both seen at BAM). He received he enjoys spending time with his friends. a 1995 New York Dance and Performance Award (Bessie) for sustained achievement. Larry has Michael Martello has been studying and teaching appeared at Houston Grand Opera, Glyndebourne martial arts for over eighteen years. He began Festival Opera and Lincoln Center. His current studying Wing Chun kung-fu with Dr. Teddy Wong company, Goldhuber & Latsky (with Heidi Latsky) and later became a disciple of Dr. Su Yu-Chang, has received numerous commissions and will an internationally renowned Chinese kung-fu appear at 91st Street Playhouse in March 1998. master whose specialities include Ba-Gua, Tanglang (Praying Mantis), Baqi Chuan, Hsing-I, JaVonne Holmes has won numerous national and and Yang and Chen style Tai-chi Chuan. Michael international martial arts championship titles in received a BS in criminal justice from John Jay three different competition circuits (Traditional College and currently teaches at Pachi Tanglang Chinese, Contemporary Chinese and Open Karate). martial arts in Manhattan. He has taught and His expertise spans 15 years in the Wah Lum performed martial arts in Europe and across the (Jade Forest) Tam Toi (Spring Leg) Northern US. He is a nationally ranked competitor in both Praying Mantis system from Grand Master Poi Chinese martial arts and USHA handball. Chan and his top disciple Yao Wen Li (founder of the Boston Kung Fu Tai Chi Institute). JaVonne Annie Murphy is from Brooklyn, New York. She appeared in the Boston Opera Company's began studying dance at sixteen. She received Turandot and the Mortal Kombat Live Stage her BFA from the North Carolina School of the World Tour. JaVonne's unique range includes Arts in contemporary dance. Annie tries very Taolu (forms), weapons and full contact fighting. ha rd to get payi ng jobs in everyth ing from modern dance to musical theater. Luckily she succeeds Mira Kingsley received her BFA in theater last sometimes. Annie has performed from Mississippi May from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Her to New York City to New Mexico and other acting credits include Broadway-Three Sisters interesting places in between. (Roundabout Theater) and Fair Fight (HBO Aspen Ariel Osterweis was born and raised in San Comedy Festival and New York Stage and Film); Francisco. She trained at the SF Ballet School, Off-Broadway Grimm Tales (Fringe Festival), Baby The Martha Graham School of Contemporary with the Bathwater and The Seagull. As a dancer Dance and The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center on a Merit Scholarship. She attended New Kung Fu and a first degree black belt in Tae York University and studied acting at the Michael Kwon Do. For the past six years Joseph has been Howard Studio. Ariel has performed with numerous training in China's national sport, Wu Shu, under choreographers and the companies Phildanco and Edward Aguirre. Winning many national awards, Complexions. including gold and silver medals in barehand, short and long weapons events, he is currently R. Scott Parker began his training in Wushu at ranked second in the USA Wu Shu / Kung Fu the age of nine. By age fourteen, he was named Federation top ten athletes. Joseph is presently Competitor of the Year and inducted into the 1991 attending Long Island University working for a "Inside Kung Fu" Hall of Fame. In that same year masters degree and intends to pursue an acting he qualified for the American Wushu Society pro­ career. fessional team, sponsored and coached by Edward Aguirre, with whom he currently studies. In 1993, Michelle Taylor-Meadows began her dance (the same year he graduated from high school) career as an apprentice with Hubbard Street Scott qualified for the U.S. Wushu Team, earning Dance Company in Chicago. After a summer the honor to represent the US in the 1993 World dancing with Milton Myers at Jacob's Pillow, Wushu Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Michelle moved to New York and explored many Scott has performed with the Ba Ilet Theater of forms of dance and worked with New York City Ohio as Trepak in The Nutcracker. He has also Opera Ballet and various films and commercials. performed with the Ballet Western Reserve. Since She recently spent four years in Chicago study­ moving to NYC, Scott studies Peking Opera with ing literature, composition and acting and per­ Jamie and has played the Warrior in Magic formed in various stage productions including of the Monkey King and the Crab in Dragon in Danny and the Deep Blue Sea at The the Ocean. Annoyance Theater. Michelle is thrilled to be back in New York with her new husband to Judy Rotardier is pleased to make a return appear­ combine all of her passions. ance at BAM having performed many times as a principal dancer with Dance Theater of Harlem. She is now pursuing an acting career full-time. She relishes the opportunity to be involved with dance theater productions such as Journey_ Many thanks to John Carrafa and Fred Ho.

Karen Savage is a native of Philadelphia where she began her training at the Germantown Dance Theater and the performing arts high school. She received her BFA at Adelphi University and has worked with Joseph Holmes Dance Theater, Phildanco, choreographers Norman Walker, Randy Duncan, Milton Myers, George Faison, Elisa Monte, Louis Johnson, Donald Byrd, Jawole Willa lollar. Since 1994, Karen has been a guest artist with Donald Byrd's The Harlem Nutcracker. She was awarded the 1997 Philadelphia Artist of the Year.

Joe Scarcella began training in the martial arts and floor tumbling gymnastics at the age of fourteen. He first trained under David Machin achieving advanced level in Traditional Eagle Claw