SHEM BITTERMAN
Beijing Legends
Pacific Jewish Theatre Company, San Francisco
Set against the backdrop of China's Cultural Revolution, Beijing Legends is the story of a son who, caught in the fervor of Mao's call to action, renounces his father, family, and education. The play examines how the leftwing dreams of China's young revolutionaries were perverted to provide the basis for right-wing policies and an authoritarian state.
A graduate of the University of Iowa's Playwriting Program, Shem Bitterman is currently overseeing the production of his most recent play, Revolution In America. Bitterman has also written A Tale of Two Cities, an adaptation of the Dickens' novel; Iowa Boys, which won honorable mention at the CBS/FDG New Plays Program; and Tulsa, a winner of the Los Angeles DramaLogue Award, among other plays.
