Ga Ting by Minh Ly
Produced by VACT (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) and frank theatre company
Featuring Michael Antonakos as Matthew, BC Lee as Hong and Alannah Ong as Mai
Directed by Rick Tae
Set and Costume Design by Christopher David Gauthier
Lighting Design by Gerald King
Sound Design by Heath Whitelock
Dramaturgy by C. E. Gatchalian
Technical Direction by Sean Malmas
Stage Management by Shannon Macelli
In Minh Ly's Ga Ting (the cantonese word for family), director Rick Tae needed the action needed to flow seamlessly between several locations in a modest home in Toronto, a nightclub in Vancouver and others, while at the same time encompassing scenes in the past, sometimes simultaneously. Food is "cooked" and eaten, dishes smashed, secrets revealed all in a 75 minute presentation. As much needed to be hidden as presented.
Additionally surtitles in English and Cantonese needed to be projected over head central and onto the wall in front of the kitchen.
The locations needed to balance reality, abstraction, and aesthetics to fit with the dream-like almost "cinematic" construction of Ly's play.
Director Tae requested nothing that was not actually used or precisely defined a character appear onstage without leaving the environment totally sterile. In a play about family - home is important.
Costumes were realistic, each defining sometimes diametrically opposed personalities, yet both the play and the characters had common themes of growth.
A tight colour palette for both set and costumes, with nothing extraneous helped to achieve reality and artistic cohesion.
Wood browns were provided with life by small additions of various hues or tints of green, balanced with softened blacks and greys (again accented by greens) for the characters.
Photos by Raymond Shum Tempest Photos
Please click on photo to see it full sized.
Produced by VACT (Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) and frank theatre company
Featuring Michael Antonakos as Matthew, BC Lee as Hong and Alannah Ong as Mai
Directed by Rick Tae
Set and Costume Design by Christopher David Gauthier
Lighting Design by Gerald King
Sound Design by Heath Whitelock
Dramaturgy by C. E. Gatchalian
Technical Direction by Sean Malmas
Stage Management by Shannon Macelli
In Minh Ly's Ga Ting (the cantonese word for family), director Rick Tae needed the action needed to flow seamlessly between several locations in a modest home in Toronto, a nightclub in Vancouver and others, while at the same time encompassing scenes in the past, sometimes simultaneously. Food is "cooked" and eaten, dishes smashed, secrets revealed all in a 75 minute presentation. As much needed to be hidden as presented.
Additionally surtitles in English and Cantonese needed to be projected over head central and onto the wall in front of the kitchen.
The locations needed to balance reality, abstraction, and aesthetics to fit with the dream-like almost "cinematic" construction of Ly's play.
Director Tae requested nothing that was not actually used or precisely defined a character appear onstage without leaving the environment totally sterile. In a play about family - home is important.
Costumes were realistic, each defining sometimes diametrically opposed personalities, yet both the play and the characters had common themes of growth.
A tight colour palette for both set and costumes, with nothing extraneous helped to achieve reality and artistic cohesion.
Wood browns were provided with life by small additions of various hues or tints of green, balanced with softened blacks and greys (again accented by greens) for the characters.
Photos by Raymond Shum Tempest Photos
Please click on photo to see it full sized.
