Monologue Oral Assignment for Mao’s Last Dancer (Coursework Sample)

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TIME \@ "MMMM d, yyyy" August 22, 2018
Monologue Oral Assignment for Mao’s Last Dancer
Character: Li’s father, who had seen his son being taken away at a tender age from their village to go and learn ballet at the Art Academy. He would later not be allowed to see his son for several years during Li’s training at the art academy, and especially when he had decided to defect to America.
Scene: Li’s father is speaking to Li after his arrival in their village in China.
Staging: Outside the house, with Li’s father dressed in normal clothes. An empty stool and a pair of shoes covered in dirt are by his side. Children are playing and shouting a few meters from where Li and his father are sitting.
Costume: A pair of trousers, a shirt, and a pair of shoes covered in dirt.
Other characters: Li and his mother.
(Li’s father is sitting on a stool, brushing off the dust from his shirt. He looks at Li and stares into the sky)
Li’s father: (taking his son’s hands and looking him straight into his eyes) My son, it is good to see you again. How was your journey? Did you get enough rest on the way? (requesting Li’s mother to fetch water for them to drink) Have you been well since we left? Have you had another big performance like the one we saw when we came to America? (clearing his throat)
You don’t know how much it means to me that you were allowed to come back home. I have always hoped that after our visit to America, our government would allow you to come back home. (gazing at Li smiling) Today has been a great day for the people of this village and us. You have made us proud. Most of the villagers were eager to see you perform. (pointing to the villagers)
I remember how nervous your mother and I were the day you went to audition for a place in the Art Academy. Even though I always believed that you would break away and be someone great, I was scared that you would not have succeeded in the audition. I did not see how they would have picked a son of a peasant to go a represent this village at the academy. (frowning) Despite all these limitations, you beat all odds and succeeded. (taking a sip of water and taking Li’s hand)
After you left, your mother was worried every day. She was always wondering how you were being treated at the academy. It was hard for her, and she would cry most nights. We wanted to come and see you, but the government could not allow us. It was hard for me to see a second son leave home for several years. I did not think of another alternative for us to see or communicate with you while you were at the academy. Your brothers and friends kept on asking if we had heard from you. (taking a piece of cloth to wipe tears rolling down his cheeks)
When I look at you now, I see the younger you, the one who wanted to serve the Revolutions and be a Red Guard for Chairman Mao. Now, here you are, not a Red Guard, but a success in something that you had not anticipated. You have come to love, enjoy, and succeed in the arts, in a way that nobody would have imagined. We never knew anything about dancing or ballet, and we did not know what to expect from this new field that you had gone to explore. (taking out an old photograph from his pocket and shows it to Li)
I still remember the day you broke the news that you were flying to America. Your mother and brothers were very happy and but I was worried. I knew that foreigners were strange people and the fact that you were going to fly in a plane made me scared. I’m happy that you were careful and you are now grown up and well. (smiling, standing from his stool and signaling the children to stop shouting)
Your decision to defect to America came as a shock to us. We had always