Yiwen Wu selected for Wuzhen Festival Emerging Theater Artists competition

silouettes of opposing standing figures in a smoky frame

Sattva

three women performing a shadow puppet play

TAPS is thrilled to announce that our own PhD student, Yiwen Wu's (TAPS/EALC) puppet theater piece, Sattva, was selected for presentation by the 2024 Wuzhen Festival Emerging Theater Artists competition!

Sattva explores the intricate relationship between identities and the self. The story begins at a museum gallery: Annie encounters an image of Bodhisattva that is curiously created by a 13th century female artist using ink and her own hair. As Annie looks into the artwork in its finest details, the painting starts to slowly come to life, revealing the story of its creator. As the exploration continues, Annie’s personal struggles as a young woman also start to unravel. It is through the painting and its story that Annie is able to discover new possibilities for herself. The production brings together traditional shadow performances and modern animation, and the juxtaposition of these two media echoes the dialogue between the two women from different eras. 

You can also read more about the emerging theatre artist festival here.