Many events took place this past weekend at the UChicago campus, yet arguably none had quite the impact and popularity as CUSA’s Doctor Hu production. Before the show, I talked with Lukun Zhang, the Vice President of the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association (CUSA), as well as with two prominent members of the club, Alexandra Garfinkle and Jialing Lu, who gave me the 411 on the show and on the club in general.
What type of organization is CUSA? Who is involved, and how long has the club been involved at UChicago?
Lukun: The Chinese Undergraduate Student Association, or CUSA for short, is a social and cultural RSO founded in 1991 [that is] open to any and all members interested in Chinese culture. [The club’s] goal is to increase awareness of Chinese, Chinese American, and Asian American [cultural] issues, and every year we put on a huge show production featuring a play and various hip-hop and traditional dance numbers. We are actively involved with other organizations and events such as Pan-Asia’s Lunar New Year celebration, and the International Food Festival. Of course, you can always find us at quarterly study breaks, where we offer delicious and FREE food from Chinatown!
Give me some background on this weekend’s show. What is the drawing factor, and what should viewers expect?
Lukun: Saturday’s production is a spin-off and combination of the British TV show Doctor Who and the Chinese drama 步步惊心 (Bu Bu Jing Xin) and features a story of a young man named James who is Chinese-American and is attempting to find his identity. With the help of Doctor Hu (notice the name has been orthographically changed but phonetically preserved), James and his sister travel back in time to Qing Dynasty to save China from the evil plans of Barnold McCartney and the Evil Opium Dealer. While in China, James bumps into a mysterious girl who James takes to liking and wants to protect. However, the mysterious girl hides dangerous and shocking secrets of her own, and the question is…will James save China in time?
Alexandra: The script has been reworked to suit the actors and it’s such a great cast. For instance, on Saturday you’ll see a great back and forth between the Evil Opium Dealer – played by Andrew Mao – and Lord Barnold McCartney – played by Ty Easley. Viewers should expect a good time, whether they know the people onstage or not. To me, at least, the drawing factor is that this is a cultural show that will hopefully explore issues of identity with humor, cultural references and even a bit of camp.
Lukun: Viewers should expect to get their laughs on throughout the show and also be ready to see some Kung Fu fighting on stage! We will also have hip-hop and traditional dances throughout the show to showcase our members’ diverse talents. Ever since we have gotten back from winter break, our publicity team has been taking pictures of our actors and actresses in full costume. We can’t wait for the audience to see the costumes and show in person on Saturday.
What makes CUSA unique from other RSO’s on campus?
Lukun: What makes CUSA stand out on campus is that we are always welcoming towards new members and we have a great set of board members who are always looking to do something new and innovative to bring more fun. Not to sound too academic, but culture is a crucial part of our identities and we actively contribute to the appreciation of different cultures on campus. We pride ourselves in being one of the largest cultural RSO’s on campus but hey, who’s counting?
How long have you been involved with CUSA, and how has your involvement improved yourself as a person?
Lukun: I have been involved with CUSA since my first year as freshmen representative. Now I am the Vice President of the RSO. CUSA has definitely helped me grow in terms of leadership, communication, and organization skills. On a more personal level, through CUSA, I have met so many people [to whom] I look up to and have become close friends with. I guess as much as [the students] hate fun at this school, CUSA accidentally made my life more fun. Oops.
Well, the show was a major success, and racked in a packed auditorium, resulting in tables of empty food dishes and a satisfied audience. The audience laughed until they cried, and the performers were truly engaging. If you regrettably missed this year’s event, at least now you can be aware and prepared for next year’s show! But make sure to get your tickets early because a show of this caliber is sure to sell out fast!