I taught Dramatic Arts to Language Gifted students at the Taichung Girls’ Senior High School from 2017 to 2020. Here are the articles I wrote about each production for the Theater Program available at performances. I’m also including my introductions to the two poetry books I initiated and edited.
PROGRAM NOTES
- 2020 Unmansioned
- 2019 Chauvinwall
- 2018 L
- 2017 Merciful Misfortunes
FROM THE EDITOR
- 2012 Door-to-Door: Closet Poems
- 2013 Door-to-Door II: Rooftop Language
Program Notes
Unmansioned: Forgotten. Forbidden. Forgiven. (2020)
Prologue.
Welcome to this year’s original drama play in English. Unmansioned promises to be a thoroughly thought provoking and distinctly unique experience. I have been fortunate enough to witness and assist this story coming to life; from the wild imaginations of the brainstorming students, to the actual writing of the script on the page, and then the dramatic adaptation of the words on the page to the spotlight of the stage.
Act 1: Forgotten.
Over the last decade the Language Gifted classes at TCGS have chosen the most difficult challenge of writing, producing, and presenting an original play in English. They can never be forgotten. Here is a list of their amazing work:
- 2009 – 2019 語資班話劇公演
- 2009 Toni Libra: the Guardian Angel 蔡玉珊
- 2010 Home Front 蔡鴻明
- 2011 Three to/2 One 吳惠君
- 2012 Air Plan 劉冠伶
- 2013 Rewind & Replay 呂艾穎
- 2014 TimEscape 蘇奕帆
- 2015 The Stars 陳敘靜
- 2016 Wright here, Write now 蔡鴻明
- 2017 Merciful Misfortunes 林佩蓉
- 2018 L 陳思妤
- 2019 Chauvinwall 蔡懿馨
Today, 2020’s Class 201 has chosen to follow in the footsteps of their talented sisters by accepting the almost impossible challenge of writing, producing, and presenting another original play in English. They have not forgotten the long line of talented and motivated students that have come before them. Class 201 can stand proudly among their peers with heads held high. I feel honored and privileged to play my small part in this amazing group of talented young ladies. I expect further greatness from each and every one of them!
Act 2: Forbidden.
Any act of true creation is, for some, a forbidden act of rebellion. For me, being creative is just part of who I am: I am not a rebel, I just enjoy creating something out of nothing but the thoughts in my mind. In Unmansioned, Class 201 looks into what creates and shapes our character and our identity. When we experience trauma or abuse we can easily become trapped in a downward spiral of despair and anxiety. When we struggle to cope with the challenges and injustices that life can sometimes throw at us, we need help.
For some people, traumatic experiences become taboo or forbidden in their minds as time passes. Their past might even become overpopulated by these dangerous and often forgotten memories. How then can they truly recover from the trauma done to them? Are they destined to forever be held captive by their bad memories? What if their minds become broken by these burdens, and they go insane? How can they really heal and bring return to sanity and a good life worth living? Unmansioned dares to ask these profound questions and, more importantly, offer us some hope for the future.
Act 3: Forgiven.
To err is human, to forgive divine. (English Proverb)
We all make mistakes. That is the best way for us to learn and to grow. Our failures prepare us for success. It is all too easy to be angry when we have been wronged by others. If we practice more empathy, we may find it easier to forgive and to rise above the hurt we feel. Unmansioned presents us with this dilemma. It asks us to look deep inside ourselves at the monsters and the angels that we carry within us. We must take full responsibility for our lives and choose which one to be: Monster? or Angel? We have the power to shape our own destiny if we accept our error-ridden past today for a better tomorrow. The future is ours for the making.
And it is this uplifting and inspirational message that ultimately leaves me feeling that this drama can help to shape and mold the world into a better place on a personal and intimate level. Unmansioned made me a better human being, and I am sure it will do the same to you.
Epilogue.
Thank you for supporting today’s live drama performance with your attendance and your attention. This is ultimately for you, dear audience. Thank you to TCGS for creating this drama course and hosting this production – you are generous to a T! Thanks to Teacher Johnny and the entire TCGS English Department – you rock on so many levels! A tip of the hat to every single student onstage and offstage today – you made magic come alive! And much gratitude to families and friends far and wide – you are the heart of our small but talented community.
Quenntis Ashby
Chauvinwall (2019)
Some Walls Are Built to be Broken
According to worldatlas.com (2017), “There is a total of 20 completed border barriers in the world, seven under construction, 1 planned, and five proposed. This trend is set to go up as more countries are planning to build walls along international borders.”
In 2019 physical walls are clearly of utmost importance to the international community. In theory walls are supposed to protect citizens and restrict the movement of illegal immigrants. In practice, every wall has a weakness. A great example from antiquity is The Great Wall of China, the longest man-made structure in the world. It still failed to stop enemies on several occasions throughout its lengthy history. Another more modern example is the Berlin Wall. It was built to divide Germany into East and West in 1961 until it was dismantled in 1989. Both walls remain as reminders of the folly of walls.
In “Chauvinwall” the talented dramatists of Class 201 have worked long and hard together over the last few months. They want to show us a harsh authoritarian world where walls and rules are used to divide people in many ways, specifically based on gender and class. Throughout history we see the rise and folly of such authoritarian societies. We know a society that favors and privileges the select few over the many is logically doomed to fail.
In “Chauvinwall” families are divided along gender lines, single-parent families are degraded, and lower-class citizens are restricted from taking part in the country’s biggest sport and competition called Xiphias. Girls are not permitted to follow their dreams. Boys and girls are separated to ensure they are educated in a gender-specific manner. The annual Xiphias competition has become a playground for the elite who are not particularly good at Xiphias (even after practicing for years). It is an unfair system.
So what happens when the talented young Amelia takes part in Xiphias disguised as a man and somehow becomes the Champion? How will society react to this gifted rebel? Will she be able to inspire and motivate other women to rise up and show their talents and skills in the face of violent retribution?
Revolution and change has to start somewhere, and here in the world of Chauvinwall it starts today! It starts with a thought, a desire for a better future, a song, a speech, and a family that has experienced unimaginable hardship.
Enjoy the show.
Quenntis Ashby
L (2018)
Things Fall Apart: Bridge The Gap
There is always a gap between what was and what is. We know the past and the present are very different places, sometimes better, and sometimes worse. We experience an ever-widening gap in time; becoming more and more aware of the growing abyss between THE GOOD OLD DAYS and NOW especially because of our ability to record our living history more accurately and in ever-increasing detail.
The novel, 1984, opens with, “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” The Hunger Games begins with, “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.” The Handmaid’s Tale starts with, “We slept in what had once been the gymnasium.” In all three of these dystopian novels we are immediately aware of something unusual. As the stories unfold we become increasingly alarmed as the society being presented to us seems so familiar. These dystopian lands are somehow mirrors of our own time. We see how things can fall apart from the top down.
In Class 201’s drama, “L,” we can see how things are falling apart. We are told from the beginning that “L” doesn’t stand for Loser, but for LAW, LOCK, and LIBERTY. From the opening of the play we are aware of how the Law can Lock you up and rob you of true Liberty. As each scene unfolds we enter into this dystopian world where the gap between higher classes and lower classes seems unbridgeable. As the revolution in “L” grows, we see, too, how close relationships damn us or save us. “L” also stands for LOVE.
We need laws to keep our society in order, but we also need laws that protect and benefit all citizens, not just the richest and most powerful ones. I believe that this is an important and timely theme Class 201 has decided to portray and examine. There are no easy or simple answers on offer, but that is also the power of their drama. Let’s take that leap together and bridge the gap for a better future.
Quenntis Ashby
Merciful Misfortunes (2017)
The Pure Imagination of our Merciful Misfortunes: a Brief Introduction
Hold your breath, make a wish, count to three… (Willy Wonka)
You’re a shooting star I see! (Rihanna)
In the 1971 movie, actor Gene Wilder played Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Mr. Wonka invited us into his world of pure imagination with a magical song and a dance. Indeed, Willy taught us that by using our creativity, we can be truly free.
In 2017, the dynamic young ladies of Class 201 invite us all to enter their world of pure imagination in an original play called Merciful Misfortunes. This talented class of ambitious students challenged themselves at each stage of the production to: (a) brainstorm and write an amazing script; (b) develop the script with the three directors and actors; (c) design and create the costumes, props, and set; (d) create an interesting theatre experience for the audience with three separate stage levels; (e) improve individual and group performance skills in acting, singing, and movement; and (f) compose and perform original music, lyrics, and rap songs for the play.
Class 201 have managed to produce this highly original play by being well-organized and positive throughout. These young ladies have challenged themselves and supported each other every step of the way, creating a safe and nurturing environment for intrapersonal and interpersonal growth.
I believe Merciful Misfortunes gives every student a chance to contribute invisibly behind the scenes and to visibly shine within the scenes on stage. Sit back and watch Mercy Warren’s magical story unfold. See how she overcomes her personal tragedy with some help from Oliver and the antics of his ants. How will she carry on or start over? Will Mercy ever be able to heal enough to go home?
It has been an honor and a privilege for me to be part of this astounding journey from the page to the stage. Well done, Class 201! You are all f(ant)astic!
Quenntis Ashby
As Editor
I had an idea for writers to submit poetry anonymously… This amazing collection is the result.
Door-to-Door (2012)
Is Door-to-door a writing technique? A writer (perhaps even you) walks from the door of one closet to that of another, collecting or selling literary objects – perhaps poems – easy to do in your own house with your own supportive family, but more challenging when in the abodes of absolute strangers, and almost impossible if these residences are spread out all over the globe. The challenge is further complicated because these strangers are (like yourself) writers, too. Their closets contain infestations of books. They nestle and nuzzle cover to cover in the dark, sharing illicit paragraphs, explicit chapters.
On the plus side of this equation, the writers here are not really strangers, as they’ve recently done time together during the 2011 summer residency for the MFA in Creative Writing at the City University of Hong Kong, away from the erotic rustle of secretly reproducing paperbacks.
Door-to-door is a collection of ‘closet poems’ by fellow writers on a global road. Fellow writers, who are becoming better skilled in the craft of writing and in the art of storytelling in Asia across the disciplines of Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, and Poetry.
Marilyn Chin inadvertently sparked off the idea for Door-to-door when she observed in passing, “Every writer’s got a few closet poems rattling around.” A ‘closet poet’ is a writer who hides poetry in the closet claiming, “I don’t write poetry,” when the truth is more likely, “I do write poems, but… shhh!” while those tough hard-covered dust-jacketed books gang up on the discarded and skeletal orphans.
As an answer and a challenge to “I don’t write poetry” (remember the “shhh”?), Door-to-door is a mostly anonymous collection of ‘closet poems’; a mix of diverse voices speaking out from the darkness of private-but-global closets. A full list of the 2010 and 2011 MFA cohorts is included, and you are welcome to figure out which poet might have written which poem.
A big thank you to everyone who submitted a ‘closet poem’ (or two) in the first place, and then agreed to share it (or them) here.
So we bring our poems from the writer’s privately poetic imagination to the public, through the easily-opened door of this book. These poems are for you, the reader and re-creator of our work.
Enjoy our 31 polyglottal snapshots in English!
Quenntis Ashby
(July 2011-April 2012)
Writers submitted more work anonymously…
Door-to-Door II (2013)
Poetry
This idea of a “rooftop language” was inspired by Ravi Shankar’s editorial introduction in the third chapter of Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia, and Beyond. The chapter is called Slips and Atmospherics.
The striking image of a young boy sitting on a rooftop looking up at the stars and trying to articulate his feelings of being between worlds and of multiple worlds was profoundly moving to me. For haven’t we all sat up in a tree or on a hill or astride the shoulders of a tall uncle or father and looked up…
wishing…
wondering…
feeling…
the inexpressible joy
of being something else,
something more than human?
I believe poetry is a way to reach up and to pull others along with us, up into the air and onto the wide expanse of our interior rooftops.
Some of our rooftops sport modern satellite dishes;
others drying laundry, old sheets, odd socks, rags, rusted pegs and pins.
Some rooftops are abandoned places;
others forbidden places splattered with graffiti and used condoms and needles and undetonated bombs.
Some are secret places meant for the initiated, the naïve, the lonely.
Some are dangerous hideaways.
Some are forgotten vaults.
Some are destroyed.
All are places for us to do as we wish – with our poems reaching out to others, inviting or disgusting, but always striving to expose that in-between place of multiplicity and diversity.
That’s what attracts me to poetry; the challenge and the joy, the frustration and elation of getting to know this new rooftop, where poets use language in a way that is theirs – at once altogether alien and familiar.
Quenntis Ashby
(July 2012-April 2013)
Don’t Cry, Phoenix (2020)
I worked with Sonia F.L. Leung on editing the English translation of her first book of lyrical poems, Don’t Cry, Phoenix. This is a remarkable collection from a talented writer. It includes beautiful illustrations and a CD of songs.
Click on the picture or the title to learn more about Sonia and her work.