Golden Lotus (musical)
Golden Lotus is a musical written and composed by George Chiang. The musical is based on the classic Chinese novel Jin Ping Mei. Set amidst the dying, war-torn years of Song Dynasty China, the musical tells the story of the beautiful Golden Lotus whose desire for true love leads her into a blood-soaked web of passion, deception and desperation with the valiant tiger slayer Wu Sung, the rich and powerful Xi Men and the humble peddler Wu Da. Betwixt a story of political satire, a doomed love story, and an epic tale of heroism, therein lies also a story of a woman's transformation and her eventual path to redemption.
Development
Golden Lotus was the first Canadian musical to participate in the prestigious ASCAP Foundation/Disney Theatrical Productions Musical Theatre Workshop in New York City during March and April 2003, artistic directed by Stephen Schwartz. The three-week workshop included two live performances by a cast of sixteen performers which included Harriet Chung as Golden Lotus, Timothy Huang as Wu Sung, Jovanni Sy as Xi Men, Alan Ariano as Wu Da, Telly Leung as the Fruit Peddler and Scott Watanabe as the District Intendant.World Premiere in Hong Kong
On September 12, 2014, Golden Lotus opened in Hong Kong with a cast of twenty-six performers at the Y-Theatre. The production starred Harriet Chung as the title character, Boon Ho Sung as Wu Sung, and Ronan Pak Kin Yan as Ximen Qing. Also featured were Billy Sy as Wu Da, Samantha Fa as Madam Wang, Scott Watanabe as the District Intendant, Marc Ngan as the Fruit Peddler and Soraya Chau as Ping. The production was directed by Emily Chan with music arrangements by George Gao, choreography by Ivy Chung and set & costume design by Moe Mo. The musical's score which blends pop rock and Chinese music traditions along with its signature pop love song, "A World Away", were unanimously praised by the Hong Kong critics. The production garnered three Hong Kong English Drama Award nominations for Best Show, Best Actress-Harriet Chung and won for Best Original Work. On May 31, 2015, the Hong Kong production of Golden Lotus was shown at two public screenings at the Lebovic Centre for Arts & Entertainment in Canada.Awards
2015 Hecklers Award - Best Original WorkRecordings
Golden Lotus: Sounds From The Musical was released on May 31, 2015. It is a CD consisting of 15 songs from the musical as they appeared in the Hong Kong world premiere. Recorded in Toronto with Harriet Chung as Golden Lotus, Charles Azulay as Wu Sung, Thom Allison as Xi Men, George Chiang as Wu Da, Stacey-Lea Marhue as Madam Wang, Scott Watanabe as the District Intendant, Pierre Bayuga as the Fruit Peddler and Josette Jorge as Ping. Music directed by Tim Stiff. Vocal arrangements by Tim Stiff. Music arrangements by George Gao.Musical Numbers
| Song | Performer | |
| 1 | "Prologue" | Fruit Peddler |
| 2 | "Wu Sung Slayed the Tiger" | Fruit Peddler, District Intendant, Townspeople |
| 3 | "Captain of the Guard" | Wu Sung, Chingho Guards |
| 4 | "Fresh Buns for Sale" | Wu Da, Street Kid, Townspeople, Xi Men |
| 5 | "Confrontation" | Wu Sung, Xi Men |
| 6 | "Reunited" | Wu Da, Wu Sung |
| 7 | "Forever and Never" | Golden Lotus, Fruit Peddler, Townspeople, Xi Men |
| 8 | "Ten Thousand Fold Happiness" | Golden Lotus, Wu Da, Wu Sung |
| 9 | "Loyalty" | Golden Lotus, Wu Sung |
| 10 | "Verdant Spring Bordello" | Sing-Song Girls, Patrons, Madam Wang, Xi Men |
| 11 | "Paradise" | Xi Men, Sing-Song Girls |
| 12 | "Her Name is Golden Lotus" | Madam Wang, Sing-Song Girls, Xi Men |
| 13 | "Garnering the Glow" | Madam Wang, Xi Men, Sing-Song Girls |
| 14 | "Fresh Buns for Sale " | Wu Da, Fruit Peddler, Madam Wang, District Intendant, Xi Men |
| 15 | "Imperial Envoy" | District Intendant |
| 16 | "As Each Day Goes By" | Golden Lotus, Wu Sung |
| 17 | "Fried Dumplings" | Golden Lotus, Wu Sung |
| 18 | "Dreams of My Heart" | Golden Lotus, Wu Sung |
| 19 | "A World Away" | Golden Lotus |
| 20 | "Life or Death" | Madam Wang, Xi Men, Golden Lotus |
| 21 | "Purple Stone Street" | Fruit Peddler, Street Peddlers, Townspeople, Madam Wang |
| 22 | "Clandestine Affair" | Fruit Peddler, Street Peddlers, Townspeople |
| 23 | "The Perfect Plan" | Wu Da, Madam Wang, Golden Lotus, Xi Men |
| 24 | "When I Close my Eyes" | Golden Lotus |
| 25 | "Healing Remedy" | Golden Lotus, Wu Da |
| Song | Performer | |
| 26 | "Does Anyone Here Know?" | Wu Sung, Townspeople, Fruit Peddler, Madam Wang |
| 27 | "Keep on Looking Down the Street" | Fruit Peddler, Wu Sung |
| 28 | "Flag of Death" | Wu Sung, Ghosts, Wu Da |
| 29 | "WaterLily Pavilion" | Xi Men's Wives, Xi Men |
| 30 | "Fallen" | Wu Sung, Golden Lotus, Xi Men |
| 31 | "Banished" | District Intendant, Xi Men |
| 32 | "A World Away" | Golden Lotus |
| 33 | "Little Brother Mandarin" | Xi Men, District Intendant, Ping, Wedding Guests |
| 34 | "Sweat Dreams" | Ping |
| 35 | "Lord of the Five Ways" | Ping, Golden Lotus, Ghosts, Xi Men |
| 36 | "The Concubines" | Fruit Peddler |
| 37 | "Destiny" | Wu Sung, Soldiers |
| 38 | "The Auction" | Madam Wang, District Intendant, Fruit Peddler, Wu Sung |
| 39 | "Eternity" | Wu Sung, Golden Lotus, Madam Wang |
| 40 | "When I Close my Eyes" | Wu Sung, Golden Lotus |