She attributes the decline to the cultural revolution, along with competition from such Western influences as television, movies and the desire for fast-paced entertainment. Yet Americans exposed to these same influences have been receptive to the novelty of Peking Opera, from its elaborate costumes and makeup to the symbolism that pervades each performance. Qi Shu Fang has agreed to loan her still photographs and archive videos to the documentary effort. Pang will conduct personal interviews with Qi and the company ensemble. The remainder must come from private sources.
Pang is enthusiastic about the project.
She also has high expectations, based on her light hearted yet hopeful reference to an Academy Award nomination. An ambitious goal, perhaps, but not totally unreasonable. She is on the verge of completing her first academic year. It shows there is an interest in being more diverse, and I found that appealing. ThinkPad is a registered trademark of IBM Corporation.