Category: 66th Season

Meet the Team of KING OF THE YEES – Barbara Mah is the Director!

Who are you, and what is your role on the show? I’m Barbara Mah and I am the Director of King of the Yees. I have the privilege of working with this insanely talented group of people to bring this story to life.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? The show is very funny and audiences will relate to the father/daughter communication gap. They will also get to see authentic Lion Dancing!

Barbara Mah (Right) and her grandfather (Henry W.H. Mah) in downtown Chinatown, Edmonton when she was around 3 or 4.
Barb in rehearsal at Walterdale.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? The story is a deeply personal one for me. Although the themes of parent/child communication gap are universal, the setting, an office space in a Family Association (which the main character has no understanding about) is very parallel to my own journey. Some background: my grandfather, Henry W. H. Mah was one of the founders of the Mah Society in Edmonton. I did not know or understand what the society was about. It had served a use during the days of the Chinese Immigration Act (in the US the Chinese Exclusion Act) but seemed to be a relic of the past. In 2022, younger members of the Mah society tried to put together an archival history and were interviewing any surviving community elders. They interviewed my father and my aunt. I was at the interview and heard stories of the history of my family that I never knew. The stories from all elders were gathered and the result was the Exhibit “Journey of the Horse” (Mah means horse in Chinese). Not only had they managed to put together a timeline, they placed this timeline against the context of the socio-political events in Canada at the time, including the hardships and racism faced by the community. This exhibit opened in 2024. My father did not live to see it. That said, for the people still reading, the show is a comedy!!!

What was the best birthday party you attended? One for my friend Dorothy, who was in her 80s at the time. All that she asked for was for each guest to bring a story. The evening was a celebration of her — while she was still alive!

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES – Hymns Chu is a Lion Dancer and part of the Ensemble!

What is your name? Hymns (Tsz Him) Chu

What is your role in the show? I’m part of the ensemble and also play the role of the Lion Dancer. Sometimes, I’m fully immersed in the vibrant, dynamic movement of the Lion Dance, which requires a lot of physical energy and coordination. Other times, I take on the role of an FBI agent, bringing a completely different energy to the stage.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? King of the Yees is not just a heartfelt and engaging exploration of identity & family experience, and what it means to be part of the Chinese-Canadian community. The play delves into the unique challenges and joys of maintaining cultural traditions in a modern, North American setting, something many in the Chinese diaspora can relate to.

As my first theatre performance in this vibrant city, I’m especially excited to bring this story to life for the Edmonton audience. With its rich cultural elements like the Lion Dance and its humor and emotion, King of the Yees offers a fresh perspective on the connections between past and present, tradition and innovation. It’s a celebration of family and community that will resonate with everyone, whether you share this cultural heritage or simply love a great story.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? A highlight of working on King of the Yees so far has definitely been the Lion Dance. It’s such a dynamic and visually stunning part of the play, but it also requires an incredible amount of practice and physical coordination. For someone like me, who doesn’t naturally have great body coordination, it was a real challenge to adapt to the movements and perform them convincingly on stage. It took time, patience, and a lot of repetition, but seeing it come together as part of the performance was truly rewarding. It’s been an amazing experience to immerse myself in this traditional art form and bring it to life for the audience.

Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to appreciate the creative growth within myself, much like Lauren in King of the Yees. Her courage to chase her dreams, craft a story, and share it with the world is incredibly inspiring. It reminds me to value my own journey of expression and to embrace the creative sparks that shape who I am.

Lauren’s effort to preserve her cultural heritage, even as she prepares to marry into a different culture in Germany, also resonates with me. It highlights the importance of honoring traditions while forging a path of your own into different countries. This balance between staying rooted in one’s culture and evolving with new experiences is something I deeply relate to as I continue to discover who I am.

What was the best birthday party you attended? My 30th birthday was the best birthday party I’ve ever attended! It was my first Canadian birthday, which made it extra special. The Pastors at a local Chinese church invited me out for yum cha, a traditional Chinese meal that I love. Sharing this milestone with such warm and welcoming people made me feel at home, even though I was in a new country. The mix of delicious food and heartfelt company was the perfect way to celebrate this big day.

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES – Rupert Gomez is Danny Ma, Lion Dancer and an Ensemble member!

Who are you and what is your role in the show? I am Rupert Gomez, and I play a number of characters in the show.

One of the characters I am playing is Danny Ma. He is this charismatic and playful young man that gets sucked into the play and is met with a riveting experience. For me, he represents the young and naive counterpart to the older characters providing the audience humour in his awkward enthusiasm.

I also play one of the Lion Dancers. Lion Dancers are a very important symbolic figure in Chinese culture representing tradition. In Act 2, when Lauren encounters the Lion dancers, this figure becomes an obstacle for Lauren, ultimately helping her understand her heritage better.

Lastly, I am also one of the Lum Elders. In contrast to the role of young Danny, the Lum elders serve as the symbol for the older generation and gatekeepers of tradition. They also became an obstacle for Lauren in preserving the culture of Chinatown.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? King of the Yees is a one of a kind play that explores cultural identity and generational experience and is told with comical humour that everyone can relate to.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? The highlight for me is definitely learning how to do the lion dance from actual professional dancers! I found a new appreciation for the art just by seeing the amount of effort and training the dancers go through, many of them starting from a very young age.

Meet the Cast of KING OF THE YEES! Kingsley Leung is Actor 1 & Shrimp Boy!

Who are you? Kingsley Leung

What is your role in the show? What does that involve? I play Actor 1 & Shrimp Boy. Being an actor can be challenging. Being an actor playing an actor is intense (memories of Tropic Thunder…). I love the dynamic between my character and Helen who plays “Actor 2”. As a polar opposite character, Ha Jai (aka Shrimp Boy), I love getting into the mind of a real-life gangster and pulling out my worst over-the-top Chinese accent.

Why should audiences come to see King of the Yees? Definitely stay away from this one. Unless you like to laugh out loud and have fun watching a heartfelt story being told. There’s too much of that. And if you’re Asian, or non-Asian, or undecided – there’s a part of you in this show that you’ll be able to relate to.

What would you say would be a highlight of working on King of the Yees so far? I’m reunited with past cast members and our director from previous productions, who have always created a safe space for me to express myself on stage, made me fall in love with theatre over and over again, and whose friendships have left an indelible mark on my life.

Many characters in King of the Yees struggle with different elements of their identity. What is an element of your identity that you discovered, rediscovered, or started to appreciate as you got older? I’m so old. I feel it sometimes, but I keep young by acting young (maybe I’m just that immature?). Doing King of the Yees has also made me realize that there hasn’t been much in terms of Asian representation on stage, and hopefully this is one of many to come. Representation matters! Also, I hope my friends and family enjoy the show and if it’s not perfect… It’s an Asian F.

What was the best birthday party you attended? Talk to me in person for all the details, but it’s a 2-way tie for the best birthday party: January 19, 2005 and April 11, 2009 (doubly as cool).