The Citadel Theatre - The Forbidden Phoenix

Hear the first single from the
upcoming The Forbidden Phoenix,
The Phoenix Song [2.7 MB]
by Marty Chan and Robert Walsh.
Performed by Robert Walsh.

Book and Lyrics by MARTY CHAN
Lyrics and Music by ROBERT WALSH
Directed by RON JENKINS

October 25 – November 9, 2008
Shoctor Theatre

In partnership with the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People, Toronto

A Citadel World Premiere Presentation

Study Guide

This fascinating new play by Marty Chan and Robert Walsh is loosely based on the experience of the Chinese immigrants brought to Canada to work on the railroad in the 1800s. The enthralling story weaves together elements of history, diversity and environmentalism.

Sun Wukong is the Monkey King, torn from his son Laosan and exiled to the west after displeasing the almighty Empress Dowager. Forced to work for the mighty Horne in Terminal City, he sets off to make his fortune. He need only conquer Gold Mountain and free the Iron Dragon to realize his dream of being reunited with his son.

This enthralling fable is a fusion of Peking Opera, martial arts, acrobatics and “western” musical theatre. This powerful story of a father’s sacrifice to provide for his family will stay with you always.

This play is recommended for children seven years of age or older.

“This is easily one of the most ambitious and unique projects we’ve ever developed. We know it will be a special experience and that the play will enjoy a long journey in the years to come.” –Bob Baker

View Production Photos from the Citadel Theatre production

About the playwright

A former Playwright-in-Residence at the Citadel, Marty Chan is best known for his play Mom, Dad, I’m Living with a White Girl which had a successful Off-Broadway run in 2004. Marty wrote and performed the Dim Sum Diaries on CBC Radio and wrote Watercooler Tales, a humour column in Alberta Venture Magazine. He wrote The Mystery of the Frozen Brains which won the 2005 City of Edmonton Book Prize. He followed it up with The Mystery of the Graffiti Ghoul and The Mystery of the Mad Science Teacher.

About the composer

Robert Walsh is an award-winning singer-songwriter, producer, session guitarist, musical director and composer/arranger.

Robert grew up in Montréal where he obtained his music degree from McGill, then spent 10 years in Toronto, where he signed Nashville recording deal with a Nashville label. From there, he moved to Edmonton, where he has become the number one guitarist in town (performing with artists as diverse as the Edmonton Symphony, Tom Cochrane, Petula Clark), writing and performing in English and French. His most recent albums — No Time Like This Time, and Robert Walsh and the Fabs (an album he was commissioned to produce by Rawlco Radio, featuring 10 Beatles songs sung by 8 different singers including himself) were released in February 2008, and have received extensive airplay; Robert is currently in pre-production for the forthcoming CD by French folk/roots group “Allez Ouest”, of which he is a member. Allez Ouest represented Alberta at the Smithsonian Institute’s Folklife Festival in 2006, and received the City of Edmonton’s Arts and Culture Award.

The Forbidden Phoenix is Robert’s third time as a co-creator of musical theatre. Catalogue de société (Alain Pomerleau, playwright) was performed at Le Petit Champlain theatre in Montréal, and The Velvet Devil (Andrea Menard, playwright) has been performed at the National Arts Centre, The Globe Theatre, and became a CBC Movie of the Week in 2006, and has been featured at film festivals in Denver, San Francisco and Toronto. Another project Robert wrote and produced with Andrea Menard is her Simple Steps album, which won 5 awards in 2006/07, including the Western Canadian Music Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year.