Brooklyn Academy of Music 1997 Next Wave Festival .-.•- • •• • • 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 Fred Ho 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 Chang 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 / oboe, 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 China 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 red 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.