On May 18, 2010 four ICLP students performed their short play, “When Kimchi Meets Stinky Tofu” as part of National Taiwan University’s Arts Festival. The plot comically relates of a young Taiwanese-born man returning to Taipei to find meaning in life after growing up in the United States. The proprietor of Yi Chi Du Xiu (一吃獨秀), one of Taiwan’s most famous stinky tofu shops, served up free stinky tofu with pickled cabbage. ICLP students Fiona Dawn, Wesley Hsu, Orrin Zhang (myself), Jeff Hartsough, and Linda Chu wrote and performed the piece, under the guidance of the Bulletin’s Editior-in-Chief Huei-Feng Phoebe Huang Marzec (黃慧鳳老師) who co-wrote and directed. We were also fortunate enough to have worked and brainstormed with Director Wang Wei (王瑋), who provided suggestions for the play’s storyline. Mr. Li of Yi Chi Du Xiu (一吃獨秀) not only served up his signature green-colored stinky tofu, but also played a role in the play.
Jack, an orphan and a recent college graduate, journeys to Taiwan in search of his roots. During his journey, he learns about Chinese and Taiwanese culture, and the origins of kimchi and stinky tofu. Act one is about Jack's involvement in a love triangle, which leads to his heartbreak, causing him to leave for Taiwan in search of his birth parents. Act two follows his search for and discovery of his birth parents identity, and their relationship to Taiwan’s kimchi and famous green stinky tofu dish.
We consistently encountered problems during the script writing process including time compatibility issues, members dropping out, and finding adequate help to preparing the play. However, despite having faced these challenges, Huang laoshi forged ahead with the project, providing a source of hope for our group. She modeled the value of never allowing setbacks to impede one's determination to succeed. Huang laoshi’s resolve to complete this project was extremely inspirational and commands the greatest respect.
The performance didn’t pull together until the last minute. The script couldn’t be completed until three days in advance; hence, everyone completed their preparation under pressure and time constraints. Rehearsal progressed quite smoothly, but required an extremely large amount of energy. Not exhausting oneself was another challenge in its own right. Lastly, during the moment of truth, when the crowd will see the fruit of everyone’s hard work, the exhausted director and actors had to muster their last remnants of strength, and deliver a performance more energetic than any rehearsal. What I gained from this experience was a new sense of appreciation for the profession of acting, a deeper understanding of what it means to read beyond the lines, and a new sense of appreciation for the amount of preparation and hard work needed to be done behind the scenes.
Fiona and Wesley had ten times as many lines to memorize as I did, and yet, managed to memorize all their lines and deliver a fantastic performance. Linda, despite her personal dealings, stuck through with the project the entire way. Also, Jeffrey and Wesley had to keep up with ICLP’s intense debate class preparation. They are all inspiring and motivating in new ways.
Acting in the “When Kimchi Meets Stinky Tofu” play for the NTU 2010 Arts Festival is undoubtedly a memorable experience, unforgettable exhilarating fun, and suitable end to this academic year at ICLP. Thank you to those who came to help setup, support, and eat kimchi with stinky tofu!
