Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay’s Kung Fu Zombies vs. Cannibals lays out in its title exactly what’s in store at the Twin Cities’ Southern Theater this month. Developed through the Mu Performing Arts/Jerome Foundation New Performance Program, the play exists in a world where zombies and cannibals are rivals; zombies rule, and cannibals live on the outskirts. Set to a hip-hop score (complete with a live DJ, Kool Akiem) and interspersed with martial arts battles, the show follows two women questioning their ability to be good Buddhists in a world devoid of morals. Putting aside the undead and omnivorous, Vongsay says, the universal themes of “compassion, sisterhood, responsibility and home” are at the core of the piece. Directed by Mu’s new artistic director, Randy Reyes, it runs Oct. 11–27 and is aimed at ages 14 and up.
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Maxwell Thao, Ayden Her and Meghan Kreidler go to battle. (Photo by Aaron Fenster)
Eat, Flay Love: Compassion and Kung Fu in Minneapolis
Southern Theater’s latest premiere includes zombies, cannibals, and live hip-hop accompaniment.