Overview

Synopsis

Set in 1867 in California, The Dance and the Railroad tells the story of two Chinese laborers and marks a historical episode in American history. The play consists of a series of encounters between the two men as they wait out a strike. Ma admires Lone's acting acrobatics and asks his newfound friend to teach them to him. After initially looking down upon Ma, Lone begins to teach him the ancient art of the Peking Opera. As the two men conduct their informal practice sessions, they talk more and more about their past lives in China, their visions of the future and the progress of their ongoing labor strike.

Show Information

Book
David Henry Hwang
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
Number of Acts
3
Genres
Cast Size
small
Ideal For
All-Male Cast, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult Characters, Small Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Ma

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Lone

Lead

Male

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Videos

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Quizzes

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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