Unlike other big productions, Yang's The Wedding Banquet will unfortunately not be touring nationwide. In addtion to Taipei, the show's only other performances will be in Tainan.
While some might consider the small southern city an odd choice to stage what many hope will one day become a Broadway hit, Yang opted for Tainan for two special reasons. As well being the hometown of Ang Lee, Tainan is also his parents' place of birth.
"We were asked to perform in other cities, but time constraints and prior engagements have meant that we only have time for a certain number of performances in Taiwan," said Yang. "Which is a pity, but at present there's nothing we can do about it."
After its world premier in Taiwan, the show will move to Singapore and then onto Hawaii and Seattle. Talks are being held to take the show to Hong Kong in the near future.
Although there are currently no immediate plans to bring the show to Broadway, Yang has been talking to several well-known Broadway producers, all of whom have shown a great deal of interest in his The Wedding Banquet.
"There are producers out there who are interested in staging it there, but it will take quite a bit of adapting," Yang told Taipei Times. "Our current budget is US$1.5 million and most of that goes on airfares. To bring it to Broadway we'd be looking at at least US$10 million and a much larger cast. But that is our goal."
Welly Yang's musical adaptation of The Wedding Banquet will premier at Taipei's Novel Hall (新舞臺) on Friday, Aug. 8 at 7:30pm. The Novel Hall is located at 3-1, Songshou Rd., Taipei (台北市松壽路3-1號). Tickets cost between NT$500 and NT$2,500 and are available from ERA Ticketing Outlets nationwide or direct from the venue.
The The Wedding Banquet will move to Tainan on Aug. 16 and 17, where it will play at the Tainan City Arts and Performance Center (
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