{{about|the 2008 play|the martial art|Jeet Kune Do}} {{Infobox play | name = Be Like Water | image = BeLikeWater.jpg | caption = World Premiere poster | writer = Dan Kwong | characters = Tracy Fong<br>Ghost of Bruce Lee<br>Kimiko Fong<br>Frank Fong<br>Bruce Lee<br>Jeremy Morton<br>Tina Kawai MacDonald<br>Two Black-hooded Ninjas | setting = Spring, 1978<br>Chicago - Uptown | premiere = September 2008 | place = East West Players'<br>David Henry Hwang Theater<br>Los Angeles, California | orig_lang = English | subject = Asian American family, identity and oppression, Bruce Lee | genre = Drama, Asian American theatre }} '''''Be Like Water''''' (2008) is a play written by Dan Kwong, originally produced at East West Players, in association with Cedar Grove OnStage. The play received its world premiere in Los Angeles on September 17, 2008, directed by Chris Tashima, at East West Players' David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center for the Arts in Los Angeles.<ref name="Be Like Water on EWP">[https://web.archive.org/web/20090207022642/http://eastwestplayers.org/on_the_stage/water.htm ''Be Like Water''] on EWP site</ref> The story follows a young Asian American girl in 1970s Chicago, who is visited by the Ghost of Bruce Lee.
== Play summary == Tracy Fong is a 13-year-old ass-kicking, gung-fu fanatic tomboy, challenged by school bullies, airhead rivals, and a mother who just wants her to be a "normal girl." When bad goes to worse, the Ghost of Bruce Lee appears to teach her the true meaning of strength and the true power of water.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120908023349/http://www.playbill.com/events/event_detail/15132.html ''Be Like Water'' listing] on Playbill site</ref>
== Characters == ; Tracy Fong: 13, Chinese Japanese American. Tomboy-ish, tough, quick-tempered, defiant. ; Ghost of Bruce Lee: 32, Tracy's mentor, Chinese American. The greatest martial artist in the world. Cocky, intense, philosophical yet funny. ; Kimiko Fong: 38, Tracy's mother, Japanese American. Elegant, tightly-wound, upper-class roots, can go from cheery to icy in a flash. ; Frank Fong: 35, Tracy's father, Chinese American. Easy going working-class guy, droll sense of humor, not easily angered. ; Bruce Lee: 13, Tracy's best friend, Chinese American. Scrawny, nerdy, acerbic wit, great disco-dancer. An unapologetic oddball. ; Jeremy Morton: 14, School bully, Caucasian. Working-class, tough, angry. ; Tina Kawai MacDonald: 13, Tracy's classmate, Hapa (Japanese Caucasian). Pretty, fashionable dresser, highly groomed, rather superficial. ; Two Hooded-Ninjas: Companions of the Ghost in his Nether-world domain.
== World Premiere company == East West Players, Los Angeles, California; Opened September 17, 2009; Closed October 12, 2009
=== Original Los Angeles cast === (in order of appearance) * ''Ghost of Bruce Lee'' – Cesar Cipriano * ''Tracy'' – Saya Tomioka * ''Bruce Lee'' – Shawn Huang * ''Jeremy'' – Jonathan Decker * ''Frank'' – Michael Sun Lee * ''Kimiko'' – Pam Hayashida * ''Tina'' – Ariel Rivera * ''Hooded Ninjas'' – Michael Sun Lee, Pam Hayashida, Ariel Rivera, Jonathan Decker
=== Los Angeles production staff === * Director – Chris Tashima * Martial Arts Choreographers – Diana Lee Inosanto & Ron Balicki * Dance Choreographer – Blythe Matsui * Set Designer – Akeime Mitterlehner * Costume designer – Naomi Yoshida * Lighting designer – Jose Lopez * Sound Designer/Music Composition – Dave Iwataki * Projection Designer – Alexander Gao * Property Master – Ken Takemoto * Hair, Makeup & Mask Design – Alyssa Ravenwood * Stage Manager – Ondina V. Dominguez<ref name="Be Like Water on EWP"/>
== Reviews == * [https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-et-water19-2008sep19,0,7466655.story 9/19/08 review by F. Kathleen Foley] for Los Angeles Times * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728091944/http://www.theatertimes.org/September2008 9/19/08 review by Cristofer Gross] on theatertimes.org * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081029232019/http://www.pacificcitizen.org/content/2008/entertainment/oct3-lin-bruce-lee-play-1116.htm 10/03/08 review by Lynda Lin for Pacific Citizen] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20100716174156/http://asiaarts.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=99089 10/17/08 review by William Hong on Asia Pacific Arts] (UCLA Asia Institute) * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090309213952/http://www.blackbeltmag.com/bruce_lee_theater_piece_review_be_like_water_by_dan_kwong/archives/726 Oct. '08 review by Edward Pollard] for Black Belt (magazine)
== Awards == * 2009 ''Backstage'' Garland's Critics List (Jennie Webb):<ref>[http://www.backstage.com/bso/news_reviews/features/feature_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003950964 Garland Critics List]{{dead link|date=October 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} on Back Stage site - 3/13/09</ref> ** CHOREOGRAPHY – Ron Balicki, Diana Lee Inosanto, and Blythe Matsui **SOUND DESIGN – Dave Iwataki
==See also==
* ''Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey''
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * Playwright [http://www.dankwong.com Dan Kwong's website]
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Category:2008 plays Category:Asian-American plays Category:Cultural depictions of Bruce Lee Category:Martial arts mass media Category:Plays based on real people Category:Plays set in the 1970s Category:Plays set in Chicago Category:Chinese-American literature Category:Japanese-American literature