By Lauren Yee
Directed by Michael Hisamoto
Read More About the History Behind The Great Leap
Learn More about the Significance of Basketball in Asian American Cultures
RUNNING TIME: Approximately 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission.
2022/23 Season Sponsors:
Paul Kastner
G. Lee & Diana Humphrey
Production Sponsor: Ron Sudol
Summary
He went to China for basketball but quickly finds himself playing a very different game.
It’s 1989 San Francisco and Manford Lum, a gifted, fast-talking teenager, dominates the high school basketball courts. Facing an uncertain future, he convinces Saul, a cynical and crusty coach, to let him travel to Beijing for a “friendship” game in China. Waiting there is a Chinese national coach with unfinished business, both with Saul and with Manford. On the eve of historic demonstrations, all three men are challenged to define their pasts and their futures.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States
** Represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE
° Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
Press & Reviews:
Hoops and history converge in Lyric Stage’s ‘The Great Leap’ | The Boston Globe | Don Aucoin
" A chief pleasure at Lyric Stage is Tyler Simahk’s all-out portrayal of Manford Lum, a driven Chinese-American youth. While “The Great Leap” is of course about more than sports, it helps that Simahk moves like a point guard and dribbles a ball between his legs with ease. He’s got game."
The Great Leap Review | METRMag.com | Kevin Baldwin
"In many ways, Lauren Yee’s "THE GREAT LEAP" is a “splash” and nails the shot from about as far away as you can get – politically, anyway - China."
"With playwright Lauren Yee’s thorough research, respect for authentic storytelling and representation, hilarious and heartfelt writing, Michael Hisamoto’s deft direction, and a winning cast, don’t throw away your shot – see Lauren Yee’s The Great Leap."
"Beautifully directed by Michael Hisamoto, filled with surprising reversals and satisfying moments. Yes, it is filled with laughs, but that laughter, as Hisamoto explains, draws the audience in and opens viewers to the moving revelations that occur later in the show."
"Under Michael Hisamoto’s careful direction, the Lyric Stage Company of Boston’s area premiere scores a theatrical slam dunk."
“The Great Leap” is greatly satisfying and its ending alone is worth the price of admission."
