Program

Thomas Clatterbuck	Cousin Xie
Hank Tian	General XIao
Jen-Ai Clinton	Wan
Anna Seaphan	Qing
Stanley Dang	Sun Ce
Liam He	Zhou
Eddy Xin	Stage Manager
Josh Valdez	Sound Designer
Omar Faust	Director

Warrior Sisters of Wu is presented through explicit permission of the author.

PFP Productions is supported by 4Culture, ArtsFund, ArtsWA,  and the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. Pork Filled Productions is fiscally sponsored by Shunpike,

Photos are strictly prohibited during the performance.

Bios

Eddy Xin (Any pronouns) has versatile interests. Currently working with Yun Theatre as staff, trying to learn and dive deeper into the theatre field, and working as a content creative at a game merchandise company. Thorough fan of stories told and made through community engagement, of eccentric punchlines, and of long and short fables of humanity.

Omar Faust (They/He)  is trying out this whole directing thing again after almost ten years of analytics, bar management, production management, and a whole bunch of stage managing. They worked at Annex, Schmeater and now at Pork Filled Productions. Thank you for being here to welcome them back. And if you were expecting a director’s note, you’re out of luck. They’re going to let the actors do the talking

Hank Tian (General XIao) is stoked to be doing another performance with Pork Filled Productions! Recent engagements include Vietgone with PFP and Journey of the Wind, a co-production with Jet City Improv and PFP. He is a member of the Jet City Improv Ensemble, works in marketing at Seattle Opera, and plays steelpan with the Phinney Ridge Steel Band. Someday, he hopes to get really good at Street Fighter.

Anna Saephan (Qing) is a Mien-American performing artist based in Seattle. Her most recent credits include She Devil of the China Seas with Pork Filled Productions, and she’s ecstatic to be a part of this reading.

Stanley Dang (Sun Ce) is excited to be with Pork Filled. Will be his first time with them. You may know him from waaay back. Eager to be back and on the stage.

Liam He (Zhou) is a recent gradate from UW with a BA in Drama. He was previously seen in The Adding Machine, Paper Angels, and The Fixer-upper. This is his first Pork Filled Production and he is excited for what the story has to offer.

Jen-Ai Clinton (Wan) is always excited to work with Pork Filled Productions. She was most recently seen in Yun Theatre’s Passage and June Is the First Fall. She reads for fun. Sometimes on stage when they let her.

Timeline

Events Before the Play

Han Dynasty Era (202 BC – 220 AD)

• 202 BC – 189 AD: The Han Dynasty flourishes, a time of innovation (invention of paper, the Silk Route, water clocks, etc.) and the dominance of Confucianism.
• Taoism Emerges: During the late Han Dynasty, Taoism begins to challenge the status quo, sparking multiple rebellions against imperial authority.
• 189 AD – Fall of the Eunuch Bureaucracy: Factionalism grows as eunuch power collapses, leading to widespread corruption and political instability.
• 184 AD – Death of Qiao Xuan: Historically, Lord Qiao (Qiao Xuan) passes away around this time. He served as a court official but had no known connection to the Qiao sisters (this connection is part of the fictionalized story in the play).

189 AD – 220 AD: The Collapse of the Han Dynasty

• End of Han Dynasty: The power struggle between warlords intensifies after the fall of the eunuchs. The empire fractures into three kingdoms.
• 190 AD: Warlord Dong Zhuo seizes control of the imperial court, setting off conflicts that would eventually lead to the collapse of the Han Dynasty.
• Kingdom of Wu Forms: During this period, Sun Ce and his forces consolidate power in the southern region, leading to the foundation of the Kingdom of Wu. Sun Ce emerges as a young, ambitious leader.

Before the Play:

• 179-199 AD: Sun Ce builds his power base in southern China (around modern-day Jiangsu province). He conquers several territories and builds alliances with local warlords, solidifying the Kingdom of Wu.
• 199 AD: Sun Ce and Zhou Yu marry the Qiao sisters. This is a key moment in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, where the sisters’ beauty and intellect attract the two generals.
• 199-208 AD: After Sun Ce’s death, Zhou Yu assumes more responsibility, becoming the chief strategist and military leader of Wu.

Events During the Play

• Setting: 208 AD, the end of the Han Dynasty
  • Tension Between Wu and Cao Cao’s Forces: Cao Cao, the ruler of the northern kingdom of Wei, expresses his desire to conquer the south, including the Kingdom of Wu, where the Qiao sisters and generals reside.
  • Cao Cao’s Poetry: Cao Cao writes a poem about the Qiao sisters, romanticizing them as his ideal consorts. This becomes a provocation for Zhou Yu, who views it as a threat.
  • Qiao Sisters’ Role as Warriors: In the play, Qing and Wan are trained warriors, a fictional embellishment, unlike their more passive historical counterparts. They actively spar and prepare to defend their kingdom from Cao Cao’s invasion.
  • Sun Ce and Zhou Yu’s Leadership: The two generals strategize to defend the Kingdom of Wu, setting the stage for the legendary Battle of Red Cliffs.

Events After the Play

208 AD: The Battle of Red Cliffs

• Cao Cao Invades Wu: Angered by the resistance from Wu and fueled by his ambition, Cao Cao attempts to invade the southern kingdom.
• Zhou Yu’s Strategy: Zhou Yu, along with other warlords like Liu Bei, leads the Wu forces in one of the most famous battles in Chinese history—the Battle of Red Cliffs. Using brilliant strategy and superior knowledge of the Yangtze River, Zhou Yu orchestrates a decisive victory over Cao Cao’s much larger forces.
• End of Cao Cao’s Ambitions: Cao Cao is forced to retreat, marking the beginning of the division of China into three kingdoms: Wei, Shu, and Wu.

Post-Red Cliffs Era

• Sun Ce’s Legacy: Sun Ce had already died before the events of the Battle of Red Cliffs, but his influence on Wu’s formation and Zhou Yu’s leadership remains crucial.
• Kingdom of Wu: After the battle, Wu continues to thrive under the leadership of Sun Ce’s brother, Sun Quan, and Zhou Yu.
• Decline of the Three Kingdoms: The three kingdoms of Wei, Shu, and Wu engage in continuous conflict for decades. Wu remains a powerful force in southern China but struggles to unite the empire.

End of the Three Kingdoms (280 AD): The eventual reunification of China occurs in 280 AD under the Jin Dynasty, long after the events of Warrior Sisters of Wu.