Mulan is a legendary Chinese woman who showed courage and took the place of her aging father in the emperor’s army.
She became a skilled warrior in the way of the sword and kung fu. The Lunar New Year Gala – Mulan Percussion Musical tells her story. It shows at the Nanaimo Port Theatre.
It tells the tale of the peasant girl who disguises herself as a man to fight in the emperor’s army against the Huns.
Yet, this performance highlights moments from her life that don’t always shine in the spotlight, such as Mulan’s young life before she became a legend.
Limin Yu, organizer of the event, said the show highlights 14 different stories from Mulan’s life and each chapter of her story is accentuated and made different through the stage lighting and costumes.
“It’s for families, any age. It’s a good start to understand the Chinese culture,” said Angela Fang, honourable chairwoman of the Nanaimo Chinese Cultural Society. She recently stepped down as president of the society.
The show expresses the Chinese culture through its non-verbal story and makes it easier for audience members to connect with the culture because there isn’t a language barrier, said Fang. The story comes to life through kung fu, acrobatics, dancing and drumming.
The Red Poppy Ladies perform the musical. The group has performed more than 2,500 shows around the world and graced the stage to perform for three Olympic Games, held in Athens, Beijing and London. The group created the Fou drums, which are also featured in Mulan. The group formed in 2000 and was the first all-female percussion group formed in China.
Fang said the Lunar New Year is celebrated in several Asian cultures, not just China. The Chinese community in Nanaimo has grown from about 1,000 residents to about 4,000 in the past three to four years.
Fang said the society strives to celebrate and share the Chinese culture with all Nanaimo residents and create a multicultural community.
The society hosts cultural events throughout the year and membership is open to all residents who want to share or learn more about Chinese culture, said Yu.
Fang said the society, a non-profit organization, doesn’t make money on the show, but pays the performers to “give us such a beautiful show.”
Fang said the society couldn’t have hosted the event without all the generous community sponsors.
The Lunar New Year Gala – Mulan Percussion Musical is Friday (Feb. 5) at 6:30 p.m. The show is presented by the Nanaimo Chinese Cultural Society, Nanaimo Chinese Women’s Society and the Multination Multicultural Development Group. Tickets range in price from $28 to $48 and are available by calling 250-754-8550 or online at www.porttheatre.com.
For more info about the Red Poppy Ladies please go to www.mulanthemusical.com.
arts@nanaimobulletin.com
