WOKING PHOENIX by Silk Bath Collective
"Some of the most compelling direction you might find on a Toronto stage this season. " - Joshua Chong, Toronto Star
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"I dare you to watch this play without crying." - Hannah Sung, The Globe and Mail
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An epic exploration of two decades of a family’s survival. Woking Phoenix tells the story of three siblings, their mother, and their restaurant as they seek to find belonging within small-town Ontario. An intergenerational Chinese love story about creating community and the food that reminds us of home.
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WOKING PHOENIX is the third of Silk Bath Collective (Bessie Cheng, Gloria Mok and Aaron Jan)'s creations, inspired by our own personal upbringings around family businesses and fitting in as Chinese diaspora. The project has been in development at Theatre Passe Muraille since 2020, dramaturged by Marjorie Chan and Indrit Kasapi and premiered in April 2024.
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WOKING PHOENIX by Silk Bath Collective
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April 12-27 2024
Produced by Silk Bath Collective and Theatre Passe Muraille as a part of their 2023-2024 season.
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Directed by Silk Bath Collective
Stage Managed by Victoria Wang
Assistant Stage Managed by Joey Lau
Lighting Designed by Noah Feaver
Production Manager and Assistant Lighting Designer: Wei Qing Tan
Set and Costume Designer: Julia Kim
Assistant Set and Costume Designer: Irene Ly
Sound Designer and Composer: Maddie Bautista
Associate Sound Designer: Gloria Mok
Technical Director: Anthony Allan
Non-Visual/Blind Dramaturg: Jessica Watkin
Surtitle Progammer and Technician: Renee Wong
Sound Operation: Christopher Elizabeth and Jenna Geen
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Choreographic Concept and Direction by Hanna Kiel
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With: Phoebe Hu, Bessie Cheng, Richard Lam and Madelaine Hodges
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Photos by Jae Yang
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Development of WOKING PHOENIX has been supported by 3 OAC RGTC grants from Tarragon, Nightwood and Obsidian Theatre Company, two Canada Council Explore and Create grants and one CCA Concept to Realization grant, one TAC Theatre Project Grant, one OAC project grant and one OAC artist residency grant, one TAC residency grant and a Phase 2 Development Grant from the Michael Wuchien Than Foundation.
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Dev History
2022 December Staging Workshop - Theatre Passe Muraille
2022 March Sound Workshop - Theatre Passe Muraille
2022 February Script Development Workshop - Theatre Passe Muraille
2021 September Choreographic Experimental Workshop - Theatre Passe Muraille
2021 - March Sound Workshop - Theatre Passe Muraille
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Artists Engaged in Woking Phoenix workshops have included Hanna Kiel, En Lai Mah, Melanie McNeill, Noah Feaver, Maddie Bautista, Haneul Yi, Phoebe Hu, Richard Lam, Jasmine Huang and Madelaine Hodges.
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