Canadian Actor Selena Lee's Theatrical Debut "The Unknown Heroes" Is a Hit in China 李施嬅《向延安》
Written by Fête Chinoise Editorial Team
IMAGES: COURTESY OF SELENA LEE 李施嬅
photography: ZhaoKun Xie
In our 2020 interview with beloved Canadian actress Selena Lee (李施嬅), she expressed her desire to continually challenge herself as an actor. Her recent return to TV drama in The Queen of News (2023) once again showcases her talent and expertise, while her English skills shine in her role as Michelle Chang in Blood and Water Season 3 (2020). Now, Selena has taken on a new challenge by performing in the Mandarin theatrical production The Unknown Heroes《向延安》in China, which has received wide acclaim.
Produced by Shanghai Oriental Art Center and Beijing Poly Theater, The Unknown Heroes is a theatre adaptation of Chinese author Hai Fei’s (海飛) award-winning novel. Set against the backdrop of 1930-1940s China, the story revolves around the journey of the protagonist who dreams of going to Yan'an in Shaanxi for his revolutionary aspirations. The three-hour production premiered in Shanghai from May 27 to May 31 and was staged at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts from June 28 to July 1. It will continue to tour China after two re-runs in Shanghai in late September.
Selena takes on one of the lead roles in the play as Chunmei Yuan (袁春梅), a teacher who also works as a secret agent. This marks her first time participating in a theatre production, and she faced the additional challenge of performing in both Mandarin and the Shanghai dialect. Although her grandmother and mother are from Shanghai, Selena’s mother tongue is Cantonese and English, and she only began learning Mandarin a few years ago. Despite many of her fellow actors being fluent in Mandarin, Selena found it challenging to keep up, even with daily practice. She described the experience as “scary” but also deeply rewarding, knowing it would help her grow.
Selena finds drama a powerful way to connect with others and feels as if she's experiencing her grandmother's life in 1930s Shanghai through the play. This role has been a rewarding new chapter in her acting career, deepening her connection to her family's heritage.
On the night of her theatre debut in Shanghai, Selena was surrounded by the support of her dear friends from the Sisterhood Gang (胡說八道會), including Nancy Wu, Myolie Wu, Elaine Yiu, Mandy Wong, and Paisley Wu.
The rest of 2024 promises to be busy for Selena, with additional touring dates on the horizon. We wish her the very best with the theatre production and eagerly anticipate seeing more of her remarkable work!
Read our past coverage of Selena from Fête Chinoise Edition 5 below:
Stratford Festival is always a premier destination for theatrical productions. This year, they are showcasing the world premiere of Salesman in China by Leanna Brodie and Jovanni Sy, a groundbreaking production that reimagines Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman. Featuring performances by Adrian Pang, Tom McCamus, and Jo Chim, this world-première play delves into the cultural dialogue between the West and China as Miller’s iconic drama is adapted for a Chinese audience.