ANDY DRACHENBERG: How did you first get involved with this show?
JOHNNY WU: Last year (2010), I went in for an audition at The Public Theater for a workshop production of Chinglish. I had just gotten back into town and hadn’t been auditioning for a while, so it was really exciting how fast everything happened (plus seeing David (Henry Hwang) and Leigh (Silverman)’s name as a part of the project just made it fun to audition!). I ended up getting the role (luckily I was born in Shanghai and I was able to speak and use Chinese enough to be confident about it), and knew Chinglish was slated to be at the Goodman Theatre in the upcoming months. Fast forward to January: The Public calls asking if I could do one more one-day workshop of Chinglish. I bumped into Leigh on the subway train down to rehearsal and while we were catching up she went ‘…and we’ll see you in Chicago in May!’ So, I’ve been with the show since that first workshop…
AD: What is Chinglish about?
JW: It’s very easy to focus on the humor of our attempt to communicate past language barriers. We already know its tremendously funny, and David has created a world where you will laugh until you explode, he’ll give you a twenty second break, and then do it again. What sets it apart, though, is that this is a comedy about two of the mightiest giants in the world today – China and the United States. We can’t ignore the amount of interest these two nations have in each other, and we also can’t ignore the seemingly very different approaches to life between these two cultures. Chinglish tells a story where people from these two countries meet, and explores how ‘good’ we actually are at understanding one another. The show isn’t about making fun of Chinese people or American people, but seeing both sides of the story.
AD: Who do you play in the show? Can you tell me a little bit about Bing?
JW: Bing has completely transformed from Chicago to Broadway – he started in New York with almost entirely new lines! Today, Bing is the second translator we see. He’s also the Cultural Minister’s nephew, which, when you see the show, is funny in itself. His actual translations are god awful, but he’s so confident in his skills that he gets severely offended when he’s challenged! He tends to use his relationships to his advantage, and in some cases they are not quite appropriate in the business world we’re seeing him in. He’s a great character to play.
AD: What sort of research/preparations have you done to get into the spirit of Chinglish?
JW: First and foremost, I have to credit the entire creative team. They have done so much of the work for everybody in spending time in Guiyang and in bringing us wonderful resources to gain insight into the world of this play. Having been born and growing up in Shanghai, I mostly experienced China from one of its major cities. While Guiyang is a city, it is slightly behind the developmental curve of Shanghai, and it can almost be compared to a city of the Midwest. So that correlation made it possible to try and see how my characters might carry themselves despite their different social statures. Also, Larry (Lei Zhang) has spent much of his life in China, and having studied at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, he really knows and understands the culture first hand. He was a very valuable resource as he has helped to root me in my character via our interactions.
AD: What has the guanxi with the show been like? (working with David & Leigh, cast, consultants…)
JW: Back in October of 2010, when I went into my first audition for Leigh Silverman and David Henry Hwang, I sensed this great warmth between the two of them: a working energy that was going to propel the project to great places. So, I have been able to see the extent of that through working with them. In Chicago, we would have these feasts and we became just like family. We’d also gather each week and play Chinese card games and trade stories. We continue to get closer and closer, with the bond between everyone involved in the project just being so amazing. It’s something that will stay with me forever.
AD: What is the most exciting part of the process for you?
JW: I think what has been most exciting for me is seeing how David works. I’m also an aspiring writer, so being able to see how he works and his ability to come in and create a moment for the actors that is much clearer is really inspiring. I have so much appreciation for him and his ability to do the work that he does. He never did rewrites just for the sake of rewriting. He sees the whole picture of the show and writes to enhance what he has already created. Watching Chinglish being sculpted right before my eyes has just been a truly magical experience.
AD: How about the hardest part?
JW: As an actor, I want to be seen in a very specific light. For me, the greatest challenge was trying to get past the fear of not being able to create characters or do work that is true to the story and, at the same time, the Chinese people. Larry was very helpful in getting past this fear. He was supportive, and he constantly let me know that having also lived in China, he felt that my work was fair to the people and culture.
AD: How does Chinglish correspond with the real world today?
JW: Several months ago, Hu Jintou (the current leader of China) was invited to the White House by the President. While I am not an expert on the United States and China’s relationship, I do know that there are fundamental differences. There is also a great desire to be friendly and supportive of one another as nations and as people. Chinglish is dealing with a micro level of how individuals want to represent their nation, but we end up seeing how they want to represent themselves in a way that goes outside what Chinese culture, and even American culture, is used to. So, what if we could take this instance and increase it in magnitude? Then, maybe China and the US can come to a more common ground than they are currently on.
AD: What do you hope audiences take away from Chinglish?
JW: I know that audiences will be able to walk away with sheer delight. Beyond that, I hope they walk away with a greater understanding of how far people are willing to reach to communicate. Human beings have this natural desire to communicate, and I hope people can experience this play as an imagining of the idea, “If I just get over the communication barrier…”
JOHNNY WU (BING | JUDGE XU GEMING) makes his Broadway debut. Regional: Chinglish(Goodman Theatre), Concerning Strange Devices(Berkeley Repertory Theatre), Peter and the Starcatchers (La Jolla Playhouse). Film: Limitless, Certainty, Tie a Yellow Ribbon. TV: 24 (FOX), Cold Case (CBS). Johnny was born in Shanghai, raised in Queens, proud Stuyvesant HS grad, then Binghamton University, and recently, he earned his MFA in acting from UC San Diego. Love and thanks to all who’ve carried me here and forward. www.johnnywu.tv