Centenary Stage Company is warming up to amaze audiences this fall with its production of Soul Samurai, running from Oct. 24 to Nov. 3, 2024, at the Kutz Blackbox Theatre in the David and Carol Lackland Center. This action-packed, bloodthirsty thriller, written by Qui Nguyen, will be directed by Chris Young—a dedicated adjunct faculty member who serves as an actor, teacher and the marketing and publicity manager for Centenary Stage Company. “Soul Samurai” promises to be a new and exciting theatre experience, combining elements of martial arts, comic book style and vampire vibes.

The story follows Dewdrop, a young samurai, as she embarks on a quest for revenge. After avenging her lover's death, Dewdrop, accompanied by her sidekick Cert, must adventure through a post-apocalyptic city swarming with vampires! Director Chris Young describes the show as a "revenge story" set in a bizarre, fantastical version of New York City—overflowing with twists and the supernatural. 

"It’s crazy," Young exclaims, highlighting the unique setting and ideas that make Soul Samurai a standout choice for this year's production.

Chris Young Brings Qui Nguyen’s Magic to Stage

This is the fifth time Young has directed a play by Qui Nguyen, a playwright known for his colorful style and genre-blending works. Young has been drawn to Qui’s material because it’s "really accessible to young actors," giving them opportunities to work on material that is both challenging and fun. 

"They're all wildly different stylistically," Young explains, noting how Qui’s plays draw from various pop culture genres—from Westerns to horror comedies. This variety gives student actors the chance to try out different kinds of performances.

Soul Samurai stands out because of its "highly theatrical" nature, using "a lot of stage combat" and physicality, which Young believes will be both fun and demanding for the cast. "For students, it's an accessible hook," he says. "They can get behind it, and it's familiar. But it's also a ton of fun."

Bringing Vampire-Ridden Brooklyn to Life

Creating a post-apocalyptic cityscape on stage presents challenges—but Young is excited to grab those challenges by the horns. While he says that many creative choices will be made during rehearsals, he plans to use different multimedia elements, like projections, puppets and movement scenes, to bring the world of Soul Samurai to life. 

"It's got vampires in it, but they're not really the main focal point," Young explains. Instead, the world full of vampires is just the setting for the characters' journey and their fights with the Long Tooths (a gang of vampires).

Young points out that the play doesn’t focus on the horror elements but instead on how the characters interact within this imaginative world. 

"The story itself kind of takes care of a lot of that stuff...but really it's about the characters moving through that and slaughtering vampires and getting attacked by vampires and all sorts of things," he says.

The show’s mix of genres and theatrical elements offers a fresh experience that stands apart from your average theatre production. It could feel like being in the front row of a live-action vampire story, like a movie or video game. Fans of horror, comic books and vampire stories might find it especially appealing.

An Opportunity for Students to Shine

For the students involved in the production, Soul Samurai provides a special platform to showcase their talents. According to Young, Qui’s work is distinctive in its use of small cast sizes to portray multiple characters. 

"There are 13 or 14, probably more characters in this show, but it’s only meant to be done by five actors," Young notes. "We’re not going to do it with just five actors, but we’ll still keep it a small cast. We’ll probably be about seven, so people will be doubling, tripling, sometimes even more." 

Young believes this performance will help aspiring actors build their resumes and expand their acting abilities. 

"It gives student actors the opportunity to play a lot of different characters, to create a lot of different characters, and to really sort of expand and train those muscles," he explains. Playing multiple roles in one theatrical work is a tough challenge that pushes students to be as creative as possible—and test their skills as performers.

Viv Mendez Takes the Lead

Viviana "Viv" Mendez, a junior Performance Studies major with a concentration in technical theatre, is set to take on the lead role of Dewdrop in Soul Samurai. Viv, who has already performed in three plays as a Cyclone, is excited but also feeling butterflies about being in the spotlight. 

"I'm very excited that I was cast as the main character," she shares. "I feel a little pressure, but it's like good nerves.

Viv comments the show will be fun for students to watch because of Dewdrop's powerful journey through loss and revenge. 

"It's for praising women... that women can do pretty much anything," Viv explains. She also looks forward to working with a small, tight-knit cast, which includes a few new freshmen. 

"I'm really excited to start getting to know them and seeing what kind of work they're going to put out there," she says.

Playing a samurai battling her way through a city of vampires is no easy task, especially with the physical demands of stage combat. 

"I’m starting to stretch, hydrate, get enough sleep and make sure I’m energized," she says about preparing for the role. Though she hasn't taken a stage combat class yet, Viv is confident her athletic background will help her master the intense action scenes. "I think it’s going to be a lot of fun—and I really think the audience will be like, wow," she adds. 

A Must-See for Centenary Students

Young is confident that Soul Samurai will get a lot of heads in the door, including students who don’t usually go to theatre productions.

"It's unlike anything that you'll ever see," he says. "I think oftentimes we have preconceived notions about theatre and what they are... these plays, all of Qui's plays, they're like comic books put on stage." Young stresses that the production’s energetic, cinematic style will challenge traditional views of theatre and offer a memorable experience for anyone.

For Centenary University students, Soul Samurai is a chance to support their classmates while seeing a production that defies expectations and offers something different. 

"It gives the actors the opportunity to be samurais, to be vampires, to be gunslingers or all these assassins—all these crazy things that you think are often just regulated to the movies," Young explains.

With its unconventional storyline, action, and undoubtedly talented cast, “Soul Samurai” is expected to be a big highlight of Centenary Stage Company’s fall season. The play runs for two weekends, opening on Thursday, Oct. 24, and continuing through Nov. 3. Tickets are available at www.centenarystageco.org/soul-samurai. Tickets are $17.50.

This production will be presented by NEXTstage Repertory, the all-student performance division of Centenary University’s Theatre Department. 

The show will be performed at the Kutz Blackbox Theatre in the Lackland Center on the following dates and times: 

• Thursday, October 24: 7:00 p.m.

• Friday, October 25: 8:00 p.m.

• Saturday, October 26: 8:00 p.m.

• Sunday, October 27: 2:00 p.m.

• Thursday, October 31 (🎃 Halloween night 🧛): 7:00 p.m.

• Friday, November 1: 8:00 p.m.

• Saturday, November 2: 8:00 p.m.

• Sunday, November 3: 2:00 p.m.

Due to strong language, violence, horror and adult themes, this performance is recommended for mature audiences.

Whether you're a fan of action, vampires or just looking for a fresh take on theatre—Soul Samurai certainly will deliver a memorable experience.