Follow Us On Twitter
Over the last couple of seasons, one up-and-coming Chicago theatre troupe that has stood out among the crowd is the Bohemian Theatre Ensemble, or just "Boho" if you're on familiar terms. The word that often comes to mind in describing this gutsy non-Equity company is ambitious, and this season covers everything from musicals like the recent, critically acclaimed Songs for a New World and the upcoming Jekyll and Hyde to Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, and David Henry Hwang's provocative Tony Award winning drama M. Butterfly. And they're all presented in a 25-seat Rogers Park storefront space that gives new dimension to the concept of "up close and personal". In the first of a series of articles following this little diamond in the rough company, Theatre in Chicago was invited behind the scenes during tech week for a look at the process of bringing "Butterfly" to life in Boho's cozy little venue.
Since taking its Broadway bows 20 years ago, there have been surprisingly few Chicago area productions of the play. Part of that may have to do with the unique demands of the principal character Song Liling, portrayed in Boho's production by Broadway veteran David Rhee. No, that is not a misprint. Rhee starred in the original Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, along with a number of regional productions, and even a gig on TV's "Law and Order". So what is this talented Equity actor doing performing in a 25-seat Chicago storefront? As Rhee told Theatre in Chicago amidst the clutter of a chaotic tech rehearsal, it was the lure of the play itself, which the actor calls the "Hamlet" for Asian American actors. But getting the role proved quite a challenge. Actors Equity Association initially said flat out "No" to the proposition. But it was a letter from the New Trier High School, where the Glenview native works as an English teacher, which persuaded the professional actors union to allow Rhee to perform.
In spite of the play's legendary status among Asian American actors, Rhee initially thought he was a little too "guy" to play the cross-dressing Chinese opera star and spy. Working with Director Peter Marston Sullivan, Rhee had to consciously work against his own masculine voice, manner and movements. David demonstrates, "Little things like sitting with the legs crossed is how Western women sit, whereas a Chinese woman sits at the edge of the seat with her hands folded in her lap, knees together and back straight. Peter encouraged me to scale back what I do naturally. In a cerebral sense, I'm a square and she's a circle, very fluid. She's liquid, everything about her is water, so I went to my local gym and practiced swimming in straight lines." Films such as "My Concubine," "Memoirs of a Geisha" and the movie version of "M. Butterfly" with Jeremy Irons and John Lone provided invaluable research to David. "Utube was my best friend during this process, finding the movements a female does."
Helping David create the illusion of "Butterfly" are the gorgeous and authentic Chinese costumes Michelle Julazadeh has come up with. Michelle showed off about 5 gowns, a Communist workers uniform and the very male suit David wears through the play. Two of the gowns, according to Michelle are original and the others she tracked down on eBay. The play was inspired by the real life scandalous affair between a French diplomat and the Chinese spy, and the fact that the Frenchman (called Gallimard in the play) claimed to know nothing of his lover's true gender. David says it's all about playing a part, and blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. "My favorite line is 'I'm an Oriental and being an Oriental I can never be completely a man'. This is why I love the play so much, because it demystifies ideas of the effeminate Asian male."
While Rhee has worked to define the voice, mannerisms and appearance, neither actor nor director expects to fool the audience completely into believing the play's central premise. As Sullivan says, "It has to be believable enough for the character of Gallimard to believe (Song) is a woman. But when the audience opens the program, they see right away that Song is a man. We're not trying to fool the audience for two hours that this guy is a woman. We just have to tell the story." And as articulated by playwright David Henry Hwang, that story has a great deal to do with cultural perceptions and misconceptions. According to Sullivan, Hwang combined the real life inspiration with the classic "Madame Butterfly" myth to explore stereotypes of East verses West, man verses woman, and fantasy verses reality.
Both Rhee and Sullivan agree this show is the hardest thing they have ever done. As Sullivan explains, "It's filled with so many ideas. We have focused on the relationship between two people, Gallimard and Song, and how that relationship changes. The story for us is about them, but you see the political, social, and gender issues coming off of that central relationship. We all have our fantasies we live. Our views of people of different cultures and even politics are very stereotypical at times, even American fantasies of what we're doing in foreign countries. For me, this play is about looking at those fantastical views of 'the other' and understanding that is not the reality."
Re-imagining the spectacle of the original play for Boho's far more compact space has been another challenge to both actor and director. "This space is very cinematic," Sullivan said, "so much so that it shocks you at times. Some of these guys are trained to perform for big houses. And whenever you get a little vocally loud, it's overwhelming. The biggest challenge in tackling the space is understanding you're on a screen and it's a close-up all the time. You can see all the decisions, all the moments without pushing or projecting to the back row." That idea initially went against all of the traditional actor's training and instinct Rhee brought in. "Using a stage voice, give me a 1,000 seat house and I don't need a mike. You can hear me in the back row because that's when I'm trained to do. Initially I didn't want to hold back, but Peter was right. As soon as he said ‘You're on film and the camera's right here,' that instantly changes the dynamic."
Rhee grew up with very traditional Asian American parents, who were not always as thrilled about his career choice as he was. While his parents wanted him to become a doctor or lawyer, he compromised on English teacher. But his great desire was to be an actor, and one day while immersed in his doctorate in Comparative Studies of Korean and American Literature, he decided to quit and move to New York. The trip proved most advantageous. He enrolled in a 2 year acting program, and within eight months out of school, he landed his first Broadway show.
With Broadway, regional and television credits under his belt, David realized, "I've done everything I've ever really wanted to do" and came home. He says he marvels at the respect his fellow cast members have brought to the "Butterfly" production. "I remember when I was doing the Broadway show a lady asked us how do we do this eight times a week with as much excitement as we do. Honestly, it's a no-brainer. People would kill to be where we are right now. This is what I love. I don't care if it's a 25 seat house or a 1,000 seat house. I'm living the dream."
You can see David Rhee living the dream in M. Butterfly from March 14-April 20 at Boho Theatre, 7016 North Glenwood Avenue in Rogers Park. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $18 to $20. Call 773-791-2393 or visit www.bohotheatre.com.
Joe Stead
Theatre In Chicago News Contributor Joe Stead has spent over 20 years as a critic, director, designer and performer. His reviews currently appear online at www.steadstylechicago.com.