The Village
Coming in Spring 2026
A story of Taiwan, nostalgia, individualism, family, pursuit of love, and teenage dreams for each and every one of us.
Before our story begins
In 1949, serving in the Republic of China Air Force as a mechatronics technician, Wang Chih-Kang and her fiancée Sun Shao-Ch’in embarked on a trip from Beijing to Taiwan along with thousands of troops under the command of the Kuomintang regime. They started their family in a humble yet cozy house in Chien Kuo 2nd Village—an ROCAF military dependents’ village. They raised four children there—two daughters and two sons. Wang Wei-Chung is the youngest of them. Having graduated from the Chinese Cultural University’s Department of Journalism in 1980, Wang Wei-Chung eventually becomes one of the most well-known television producers and agents in Taiwan. In 1992, Wang Chih-Kang passed away. In 2005, Chien Kuo 2nd Village, where the Wang family called home for the most part of the 20th century, was demolished by the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense.
As a second-generation resident of a military dependents’ village, Wang Wei-Chung has dedicated himself in preserving the memories and cultures of those villages. He once told a friend over a hundred of stories about those villages—the stories that he’s seen, heard, and experienced. This friend of his wrote those stories into chapters of the lives of 25 families. Eventually, those chapters were further condensed into an epic of three families of military dependents’ villages, spanning across half a century. This friend is Stan Lai. And this epic is The Village—a play co-authored and co-directed by Wang Wei-Chung and Stan Lai.
Our production
The Village puts a military dependents’ village under the spotlight. The daily scenes of three households are juxtaposed on the stage, depicting the tides of fate and the currents inside the hearts of three families. From the nostalgia of first-generation Mainlander Taiwanese to the longing for a brighter future by the second-generation village residents, the story of The Village is no longer solely about the shared experience of people in these military dependents’ villages. From the Second Chinese Civil War to the Taiwan Strait Crises, from Taiwan’s post-war authoritarian rule to its democratization and transitional justice, from irredentism to the awakening of a Taiwanese identity, from the belief in collectivism to a pursuit of individualism, from the desire of a true love to the tender fetters of blood and family, The Village tells a story for each and every one of us.
In the spring of 2026, Duke Chinese Theater will proudly present The Village as its semester production. This story that began 77 years ago will go on being told to the world.
You might want to ask…
In what capacities can I participate?
In this production, there are a huge variety of roles with different personalities, backstories, and linguistic backgrounds. We are also offering lots of different kinds of positions in the production staff, ranging from assistant directors to stage managers, from stagecraft design to logistics and marketing. We sincerely welcome all who’re interested to apply for those roles and/or positions.
Do I have to speak Chinese to participate?
Not really! If you speak any Chinese languages, variants, or dialects, including those other than Mandarin, you are definitely more than welcome to join us. If you are not a native speaker, don’t worry about it either. Even if you’re just starting with Chinese 101 or otherwise have only basic understanding of Chinese, there are some roles that might be perfect for you, and you’re always welcome to join our staff to contribute your talents from the back of the stage to the control room.
When will auditions and staff recruiting start?
Pretty soon! Our staff recruiting process is expected to start around late November or early December, and our cast auditions will begin after in mid-December after the final exam weeks. If you’re interested in participating, please fill out this Interest Form. There’s no commitment right now by filling out that form—we’d just love to hear from you and get to know you, and you’ll be the first to hear from us about auditions and staff recruiting when it’s time for that.
Do I have to be members of the Duke community to participate?
No! While all members of the Duke community, including all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, faculty members, and staff, are certainly welcomed to join our production team, we also welcome anyone who’s interested in this production to either join our team or contribute in any manner that is comfortable to them. Feel free to reach out to us and discuss how you can contribute specifically!
Want to be a part of this production?
Fill out this interest form.