Signature's THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD to Play China in May

Following the end of its run on March 24th at The Pershing Square Signature Center, Signature Theatre's critically acclaimed production of David Henry Hwang's play THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD, directed by May Adrales, will play a limited run at The Inaugural Wuzhen Theatre Festival in Wuzhen, China, May 9-12, 2013. The entire production, featuring Ruy Iskandar as Ma and Yuekun Wu as Lone, will make the transfer. This marks the first time that a play by David Henry Hwang has been performed in mainland China.

THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD will continue to play through Sunday, March 24 in The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues).

The Wuzhen Theatre Festival will be China's window to the world's recent theatre. It will also be an incubator for new creative works by young artists on timely subjects. With a generous award system, it will heighten the profile of theatre and take its place as Asia's premiere theatre festival. The festival will last for ten days and shows will be performed in both brand new theatres and refurbished ancient stages, ready to meet theatre fans from all over the globe. THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD will be performed in the newly restored Ancient Courtyard Theatre.

In response to the announcement, David Henry Hwang said: "Though my plays have been performed in many Asian countries, The Dance and the Railroad will be my first work to be produced in Mainland China, and I am very grateful to the Wuzhen Festival and Signature Theatre for their dedication and hard work in making this possible. Wuzhen sits just outside Shanghai, where my late Father was born and raised. I think my Dad would be very happy to know that the work of his Chinese American son will be coming home at last."

On a California mountaintop in 1867 near the Transcontinental Railroad, two Chinese workers struggle through poverty and hunger to reconnect with the traditions of their homeland. THE DANCE AND THE RAILROAD follows the twice-extended GOLDEN CHILD as the second production in the Residency One: David Henry Hwang Series.

The design team includes Mimi Lien (Scenic Design), Jennifer Moeller (Costume Design), Jiyoun Chang (Lighting Design), Broken Chord (Sound Design), Huang Ruo (Music), Qian Yi (Chinese Opera Consultant), Leah J. Loukas (Wig Design) and Grace Zandarski (Vocal Coach). Casting by Telsey + Company, William Cantler CSA. The production stage manager for the New York production is Cole P. Bonenberger. The production stage manager for the Wuzhen production will be Michael Rico Cohen.

To purchase tickets for all Signature Productions, call the Signature Theatre Box Office (212-244-7529) or visit signaturetheatre.org.

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