HOME / 2022-23 SEASON / A DIFFERENT POND

Photo by Amy Rondeau Photography

A FAMILY CARVING OUT A NEW LIFE IN MINNESOTA

Stages Theatre Company, in collaboration with Theater Mu, is bringing local author Bao Phi’s beloved children’s book to the theater for the first time. In this 60-minute play, a young Vietnamese boy and his dad fish for food on the pre-dawn shores of a Minneapolis lake, unfurling a tale about immigration, straddling cultures old and new, and a family facing daily struggles together. This unforgettable story based on the Caldecott-honored book is perfect for all ages.

As part of the collaboration led by Stages Theatre Company, Mu 2022/23 season subscribers will have access to a special ticket discount code. Interested? Subscribe now.

GENERAL INFORMATION

DATES

Sept 30-Oct 23, 2022, at Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins.

The performance lasts approximately 60 minutes.

Masks will be required at all Saturday performances for those 3 years and older, regardless of vaccination status. For other Different Pond performances, masks are recommended but not required.

Special/accessible performances:

Oct 1: Enjoy a free, pre-show book signing at noon with local author Bao Phi. Bao will also participate in a post-show talkback the same day. If you don’t have your own copy of A Different Pond, it will be available for purchase on site at Stages Theatre Company.

Oct 2: At the 4 p.m. show, you can purchase Pay What You Can tickets.

Oct 15: The 10 a.m. show will be a sensory friendly performance.

PRICE

Tickets range from $17 to $24, not including free lap passes for children 2 years and under. Mu 2022/23 season subscribers will have access to a special discount code.

Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.

As ticketing for A Different Pond is through Stages Theatre Company, please contact its box office at (952) 979-1111, option 4, or at info@stagestheatre.com with any questions.

VENUE INFO

A Different Pond will take place at Stages Theatre Company, located at 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, MN 55343. There is a free public parking ramp on 11th Avenue just south of Mainstreet. Parking for those with mobility limitations is available at the rear of the Hopkins Center for the Arts (subject to availability) and on the street level of the public parking ramp.

COVID-19 POLICY

Form-fitting and properly worn face masks are welcome and encouraged at all performances, but they are only required on Saturdays.

REVIEWS

“Incredibly significant … for my elementary-aged kids to see not only Asian Americans on stage, but a production that critically engages in Asian American themes and histories.” —Audience Member

“Maybe … you didn’t grow up in a Vietnamese family, but I know you’ll recognize the touches of humanity weaving throughout.” —Audience Member

“The story was funny, sweet, at times sad and painful, but also hopeful.” —Audience Member

“For a play with a small cast, they did a lot to tell a rich story.” —Audience Member

EXPLORE MORE

Author Bao Phi and playwright Jessica Luu Pelletier sat down together and chatted about their inspirations, their memories, what themes they wanted to emphasize in both the original book and the play adaptation, and more. Watch the video podcast or read the conversation highlights.

The Star Tribune chatted with author Bao Phi and playwright Jessica Luu Pelletier about A Different Pond. “When Bao and first I sat down, we stressed that this is about a loving, working-class, Vietnamese refugee family," Jessica says. "All four of those aspects—love, working class, Vietnamese refugee and family—are important and woven throughout.” Read more.

WCCO did a TV spot on A Different Pond, interviewing 10-year-old actor Benji Stoebner and Mu managing director and A Different Pond cultural consultant Anh Thu Pham. As Benji says, “I think [the story is] important so people can learn more than just their culture because if they just know their culture they'll never be able to access the rest of the world.” Watch the news story or read the article.

MPR hosted an interview with Bao Phi about how A Different Pond began, his reactions to the stage adaptation, and what he’s up to now. “I had the privilege of doing a talkback to the audience with Jessica, and there were some Vietnamese families in the audience. And what I loved hearing from them is saying … there are all these little details in the play which other people might not recognize. But when Vietnamese people see it, they’re like, oh my gosh, that reminds me of my life and my childhood.” Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.

MEET THE CAST

Photos

photos by amy rondeau photography

MEET THE AUTHOR

BAO PHI (he/him) is a spoken word artist, published poet, and children’s book author. A performance poet since 1991, Bao is a two-time Minnesota Grand Slam champion and a National Poetry Slam finalist. His first collection of poetry, Sông I Sing, published by Coffee House Press, is taught in classrooms across the United States, and enjoyed rave reviews, including the New York Times, which stated “In this song of his very American self, every poem Mr. Phi writes rhymes with the truth.” His first children’s book, A Different Pond, illustrated by Thi Bui, was published by Capstone Press in August of 2017, earning six starred reviews, a Caldecott Honor, and the distinction of being named one of the best books of the year by Kirkus, Washington Post, Huffington Post, Publishers Weekly, and many others. His second children’s book, My Footprints, illustrated by Basia Tran, was also published by Capstone in 2019. He was named by Minneapolis Monthly as Best Author 2016, and an artist of the year (2017) and the author of the year (2018) by City Pages. | baophi.com

MEET THE PLAYWRIGHT

JESSICA LUU PELLETIER (she/her) is a biracial Queer Vietnamese American writer, performer, and theatre-maker, currently based in New York. Her work reflects a multi-cultural viewpoint, utilizing the stage as a means to explore liberation for the Other combined with the spectacle of heightened reality. In this practice, she seeks to take care of her communities while generating both joy and healing, embracing nuance in the complexity of lived experiences.

MEET THE DIRECTOR

JAKE SUNG-GUK SULLIVAN (he/him) is a director, actor, and educator from the Twin Cities metro area. Recent directing credits: [Title of Show] (Lyric Arts), Disney's The Little Mermaid (Lakeshore Players Theatre), associate director of Cambodian Rock Band (Theater Mu/Jungle Theater). Upcoming projects: The Wedding Singer (Lyric Arts). He also leads classes in the Mu Explorations program, as well as serving as the theatre teacher at Breck School. A huge thank you to Jessica, Bao, Stages Theatre Company and Theater Mu for creating this tale and bringing it to life on the page and stage.

MEET THE CULTURAL CONSULTANT

ANH THU T. PHAM (she/her) is Theater Mu's first Asian American managing director. A 1.5-generation refugee from Viet Nam, she has served on the boards of Pangea World Theater, Ananya Dance Theater, and the New Arab American Theater Works. A community activist and organizer at heart, she has been in a number of political organizations and was most recently a member of Rad Azns (Asian for Black Lives Matter) prior to starting her position at Theater Mu. Being a part of the team for A Different Pond is a dream come true. Seeing a Midwest Vietnamese American story on stage is the sort of representation she could never have dreamed of.

CREATIVE TEAM

Photos

Amy Rondeau Photography

IN COLLABORATION

A Different Pond is brought to you by a collaboration led by Stages Theatre Company with Theater Mu.

Mu Season 2022/23 Sponsors

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