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A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE
Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5w, 9m plus ensemble
Adapted by Mary Zimmerman From the translation of Hsi-Yu Chi by Anthony C. Yu
Mixing whimsy with spiritual weight – and even a monkey – Mary Zimmerman’s stage adaptation of the classic 16th-century Chinese novel combines comedy, adventure and satire in a moving allegory of human perseverance.
Winner! 1995 Jeff Award for New Work
This adaptation of the late 16th-century classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, based on Anthony C. Yu’s translation, takes as its point of departure the true story of a 7th-century monk and his fabled pilgrimage from China to India in search of sacred texts. The original is the story of the mischievous Monkey and his physical and spiritual journey, encountering spirits, gods, demigods, demons, mythical creatures and more along the way to enlightenment. Mixing whimsy with spiritual weight, Zimmerman’s version combines comedy, adventure and satire in a moving allegory of human perseverance.
The Pilgrims MONKEY KING (SUN WUKONG OR PILGRIM SUN) TRIPITAKA – A monk PIG (ZHU WUNENG OR BAJIE) SHA MONK (SHA WUJING) – A river monster
Immortals BUDDHA JADE EMPEROR – King of Heaven GUANYIN – A bodhisattva MOKSA – An attendant in Heaven SUBODHI – A Daoist master DEATH GIRLS – Yama’s assistants DRAGON KING DRAGON QUEEN YAMA – King of the Underworld PEACH GIRLS EIGHT-AND-TEN LONESOME RECTITUDE CLOUD-BRUSHING DEAN MASTER VOID-SURMOUNTING APRICOT
Others WOODCUTTER TANG EMPEROR – King of the Eastern realm MR. GAO GREEN ORCHID – Mr. Gao’s daughter TRIPITAKA’S MOTHER TRIPITAKA’S FATHER GRANDMOTHER BOATMAN WOODSMAN LI FISHERMAN ZHANG FERRYWOMAN INNKEEPER DAOIST GUARDIAN MONK KING DAOIST FATHER-IN-LAW GIRL PRINCESS OF SRAVASTI FATHER KING
Additional characters include extra MONKEYS, DAOIST DISCIPLES, a FIEND, ATTENDANTS and COURTIERS, IMMORTALS, OFFICERS, ROBBERS, WOMEN OF WESTERN LIANG, DEMONS, VILLAGERS and the VAJRA GUARDIANS.
Information about doubling and/or expandable casting is available in the Casting Notes and the script itself.
In the original production of Journey to the West, there were 14 actors (five women and nine men) and three musicians, but the play would be easier to do with an even larger cast. The original division of roles appears below, with roles listed in approximate order of appearance, but role assignments could easily break down in other ways. From scene to scene, the number of heavenly immortals, villagers, monkeys, courtiers, and so on, needn’t be consistent.
FIRST WOMAN – Guanyin; Girl (“Hearts of Desire”); Spider Woman and Cave Bear (“Parade of Demons”) SECOND WOMAN – Buddha; Daoist Disciple; Dragon Queen; Death Girl; Peach Girl; Woodsman Li; Apricot; Spider Woman (“Parade of Demons”); Villager THIRD WOMAN – A Monkey; Daoist Disciple; Death Girl; Peach Girl; Green Orchid; Ferrywoman; Spider Woman and White Bone Demon (“Parade of Demons”) FOURTH WOMAN – A Monkey; Subodhi; Buddhist in the Tang Court; Robber; Grandmother; Innkeeper; Spider Woman (“Parade of Demons”) FIFTH WOMAN – A Monkey; Daoist Disciple; Death Girl; Peach Girl; Buddhist in the Tang Court; Tripitaka's Mother; Fisherman Zhang; Princess of Sravasti; Moon’s Mistress
FIRST MAN – Jade Emperor; Tang Emperor; Tripitaka’s Father; Daoist Guardian; King (“Hearts of Desire”) SECOND MAN – Monkey King THIRD MAN – First Monkey; Dragon King Attendant; Robber; Pig FOURTH MAN – Moksa; Daoist Disciple; Dragon King Attendant; Robber; Master Void-Surmounting; Villager FIFTH MAN – Second Monkey; Immortal; Tripitaka SIXTH MAN – Third Monkey; Robber; Sha Monk SEVENTH MAN – A Monkey; Woodcutter; Immortal; Robber; Boatman; Cloud-Brushing Dean; Daoist Father-in-Law; Yellow Fiend (“Parade of Demons”) EIGHTH MAN – A Monkey; Fiend; Yama; Robber; Lonesome Rectitude; Ghost King (“Parade of Demons”); Monk (“Hearts of Desire”); Father King (“The Princess of Sravasti”) NINTH MAN – A Monkey; Dragon King; Mr. Gao; Eight-and-Ten; Office (“Hearts of Desire”); Villager
Musicians and Their Instruments FIRST MUSICIAN– Thai harp SECOND MUSICIAN– Brass tubular bells; Chinese bass drum; Balinese suling (bamboo flute); soparinino recorder; Persian nay (endblown fluter); Tibetan dramnyan (long-neck lute); Indian pakhawaj (double-headed drum); Thai angklung (bamboo shakers); Tibetan monastic cymbals; vichitra vina; North Indian sarod and tabla; various other small percussion instruments, horns, and bells THIRD MUSICIAN – Violin
Various locations from Tang China to distant India. 16th century.
“A delight for adults and children alike.” – The Arts Fuse
“Mary Zimmerman has mastered the stage adaptation, particularly of the classic tale, freely blending cultural forms and styles with hypnotic brilliance.” – DC Theater Arts
“Like diving into the deep end of a colourful storybook pool.” – Washington Post
“If you think the bloom is off the cherry blossom trees, guess again: Journey to the West is a delightful bouquet, well worth savouring.” – MD Theatre Guide
“A delightful evening of tall-tale storytelling that reverberates with deeper meanings amid a cross-cultural context… The story’s vision is profoundly collectivist in a way few Western tales are: It is only by joining together and acting as one – without wallowing in doubts or selfishness – that the four are able to attain their goals.” – The Arts Fuse
“Part vaudeville, part mystical dreamscape and Eastern-inflected ballet, Zimmerman’s meticulously choreographed production is a fabulous balancing act that stunningly juxtaposes the rambunctious energy and low comedy of a Wizard of Oz–like trip with the lyrical beauty of Chinese poetry and the mysterious revelations of a religious search. There is not a second in this show that does not contain a character-revealing gesture, an awe-inspiring sense of nature, or a dazzling example of the artist’s gift for invention.” – Chicago Sun-Times
Journey to the West – Central Square Theater Trailer
Interview with Mary Zimmerman – Association for Theatre in Higher Education
Mary Zimmerman is a playwright and director of theatre and opera based in Chicago. She is the recipient of a 1998 MacArthur Fellowship, the 2002 Tony and Obie Awards for Best Director of a Play, and numerous Chicago Joseph Jefferson Awards (including Best Production and Best ...
by Mary Zimmerman
Mary Zimmerman