The Joy Luck Club Opens in San Bernardino 10/21-23

Four young Chinese-American women and their mothers explore their past -- and their present -- in Amy Tan's best-selling novel "The Joy Luck Club," on stage Oct. 21-23 at the California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. Fourth St.

The show, presented by Theatrical Arts International, will be staged for five performances at 8 p.m. Oct. 21-22, 2 p.m. Oct. 22-23, and 7 p.m. Oct. 23. Tickets are $38.50-$77.50, available at www.ticketmaster.com, www.livenation.com, or the theater box office at (909) 885-5152.

The play centers on the mothers who start a club called the Joy Luck Club, where they play the Chinese game of mahjong, gamble, eat, and share stories about their lives and of their relationships with their daughters.

Despite the many generational - and societal -- differences between them, there still is much common ground between mothers and daughters, as well as shared respect and love, and the play follows the dynamics of their relationships.

The novel was adapted into a play by Susan Kim. It premiered in 1999 at the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in New York City. The novel was made into a widely popular film in 1993.
Portraying the Mothers are Cat Lee McGowan, Cici Lau, Jackie Mah and Evie Abat. Playing the Daughters are: Jeaneen Tang, Kimberly Wong, Tracy Lee and Marisha Castle. Jeffery Payton, Jesse Wang, Marshall Katz and Raymond Ma portray the Husbands.

McGowan received her BFA in screenwriting and film studies from Emerson College in Boston. She has been cast in the monologues show "Sex, Relationships, and Sometimes Love," and is joining its New York cast Off Broadway in November.

Mah has performed on different stages in the Los Angeles area, and had roles in various independent features and short films.

Lau's most recent stage credit was the lead role of Evy in Neil Simon's "Gingerbread Lady." This year she also has appeared in "HOP," "Burning Palms," "Grey's Anatomy," "Torchwood," and "Whitney."

Abat was most recently seen in "The Vampire Masquerade" at Next Stage in Hollywood. She has also appeared in numerous musical theater and spoken drama productions in the Washington, D.C. area.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Tang has appeared in the independent feature films "Knots," "Herpes Boy" and "Dead Herring."
Wong studied theater at UCLA and recently performed in "New Traditions" at the Company of Angels. She improvises regularly at the Improv Space and has performed at Jon Lovitz's Comedy Club.
Lee is a Los Angeles based actress, who she studied creative writing and literary criticism at New York University. Her most recent theater credits include "Japan Meets California," "Rumors," and "The Dining Room."

Castle holds a BFA in musical theater performance from the University of Oklahoma. Her credits include "Miss Saigon," "A Piece of My Heart," "A Chorus Line," "Chicago," and ""Tommy."
Payton's film and television appearances include "USA High," "Hang Time," "Saved By The Bell, the New Class," "The Perfect Plan," "Falling," "Southern Man," and "7th Heaven," and on Broadway and regional theater
Wang's stage credits include" A Fool on the Roof," "The Waiting Room," "M. Butterfly," "Caucasian Chalk Circle," and "Ghosts." Film credits include "Taxi Dance," "The Vanquisher," "A Life That Matters," "Year of the Dog," "I Love You Daddy," "Dumpling," and "Hollywood Sex Wars."
Katz has appeared in a regional touring vaudeville show, worked as a professional clown, and appeared with the stage shows "A Fitting Confusion" and "The Shadow Box" He recently finished shooting the TV pilot "Dating Grace."

Ma has done such television shows as "Raising Hope," "Private Practice," "House," "CSI," "Lost," "Boston Legal," and the original "Hawaii 5-0." His film work includes "The Informant," "Old School," "Animal" and "Lethal Weapon 4."

‘THE JOY LUCK CLUB'
WHEN: 8 p.m. Oct. 21-22; 2 p.m. Oct. 22-23, 7 p.m. Oct. 23
WHERE: California Theatre of the Performing Arts, 562 W. Fourth St., San Bernardino.
ADMISSION: $38.50-$77.50
TICKETS: Available through www.ticketmaster.com, www.livenation.com, or theater box office
INFORMATION/BOX OFFICE: (909) 885-5152
ON THE WEB: www.californiatheatre.net

More Articles by This Author...