April 25 - 27 · The Flea

Of Ashes and Souls

An Off-Broadway World-Premiere of a play in Mandarin.

Nine bodies. One haunted house. No way out.

At the stroke of midnight on the Chinese Ghost Festival, nine self-media influencers step into the infamous haunted house on Dongshan Island, hoping to exploit its bloody past for views. But when the clock strikes twelve, the signal and all connections die. Cut off from the outside world, they realize something is terribly wrong—gas begins to leak, tapes rewind on their own, bodies collapse in the dark… and their memory resets.

Back to one hour ago.

A calendar forever frozen on that cursed day. A sunken boat. A dripping bathroom. A cabinet creaking open on its own. A hidden, broken Buddha statue. A missing gun.

The spirits are waking up. The restless souls are coming home. And every whisper, every flickering shadow, every phantom touch is telling them one thing—

Someone never left. Someone has unfinished wills.

Trapped between the ruthless hunger for viral fame and the voice deep within, they have one last chance. The full moon is fading. Can they catch the echoes of the ashes and souls before they are gone?

Of Ashes and Souls is the inaugural production of Shall See Theater. We look forward to welcoming you, and thank you for accompanying us through this journey.

Schedule

April 25 (Fri) - 8:00 PM
April 26 (Sat) - 2:00 PM / 8:00 PM
April 27 (Sun) - 2:00 PM

Language

This show will be performed in Mandarin with English supertitles.

Running Time

110 minutes without intermission.

Content Advisories

Terminal diseases. Attempted suicide. Theatrical firearms in use. Flashing and strobe lights are in use, which may not be suitable for audiences with photosensitive epilepsy. Sudden loud noises and sound effects in use.

ABOUT THIS PLAY

Playwright, Director, Lighting Designer

ZIJUN (NEIL) WANG:

“I write and direct Of Ashes and Souls because I was haunted. Not by ghosts, but by how easily we now accept fiction as fact, especially when it's sensational or dark. In a world flooded with viral narratives and algorithm-fed fears, I want to explore what it means to tell a story that resists cynicism. I believe today’s theater-goers, especially younger audiences, are hungry for something that confronts the chaos of our media-saturated lives, but also dares to end with sincerity, with grace, and with hope.

Producer, Playwright, Dramaturg

ZIHE TIAN:

“In many East Asian traditions, ghosts aren't just meant to scare— they return because they're grieving, unfinished, or still human in some way. I was interested in that tension: how something can be funny, frightening, and deeply moving all at once. Of Ashes and Souls lives in that space between comedy and horror, young and traditional, between performance and ritual. It weaves modern absurdity—like internet fame and clickbait ethics—into the quiet persistence of ancestral stories. I hope audiences walk away not only unsettled, but strangely comforted.”

CAST

  • Junhong (Andrew) Fei is a proud alumnus of Penn State School of Theatre and NYU Steinhardt. Past credit in acting and producing includes: “Hollow Cross”, “The Insanity”, “An Accidental Death of An Anarchist”, “Mumble Jumble”, “4.48 Psychosis”, “HereToo@PSU”, “Monologues of n Women”, “Cookin”, etc.

  • John Jiang is from Xinjiang China, and he came to the US at age of 15 to attend Cheshire Academy where he found his passion in acting, since then he acquired his BA in theater from Union College, and he recently graduated as a company member from American Academy of Dramatic Art. In the past decade, he has taken on a wide variety of roles on stage, such as Mary/Bingly from Pride And Prejudices, Lord Illingworth from A Woman of No Important and G. from Polaroid Stories, etc. It is not only his first time performing in Mandarin in the US but also his off-broadway debut, therefore he is extremely grateful and excited for this opportunity. He would like to thank everyone who has helped him along his journey, especially his family who unfortunately cannot make it to our show. 

  • Fiona is a film and stage actor from Beijing. She is currently a senior at New York University, majoring in Tisch Drama and Steinhardt Media, Culture and communication. She has studied acting, directing, playwriting, composing, and stage design at Playwrights Horizons Theater School and film performance, editing, directing at Stonestreet Studios. She has starred in many university student film productions, has done many off-off broadway shows such as The Accidental Death of an Anarchist at Theatre Row, The Insanity at Theater for the New City, No Place Like Home at Playwrights Downtown, Murder Up in the Air at Hudson Guild Theater. IG: fionxwxng

  • QQ Xing, born in Qingdao. A junior year student in NewYork University Tisch School of Arts Undergraduate Filmmaking and TV. She loves filmmaking, writing, and theater performing. Directed short film works include—-Railway, Fearless, Nonfiction. Performed in theater plays including—-Four Generations, Soul Rejection, Label, Hollow Cross. She’s the youngest member in the Shandong Writers Association. 

  • Kejun Zhou is an actor and graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where she majored in graphic design. A classic ENFP, she embraces diverse interests including dancing, painting, murder mysteries, and handmade crafts. This play marks her official debut in theater, a meaningful first step into the performing arts. Kejun is thrilled to bring authenticity, passion, and creativity to her role and share this exciting new chapter with the audience.

  • Destiny Gong is a theatre actor, director, and playwright. She holds a B.A. in Art from UC Santa Barbara and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Art Education with initial teacher certification at Columbia University’s Teachers College. Passionate about the intersection of art and education, her work explores themes of identity and cultural expression. Her theatre credits include Love in a Fallen City, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, A Murder is Announced, and writing/directing the original jukebox musical One Night in Paradise Bar. She believes in the power of theatre to spark imagination and reflection, and strives to create work that invites meaningful dialogue between audience and world.

  • LUNA PENG (she/her) is an international actor and playwright based in New York City and Beijing. She received her training at the Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute and Playwrights Horizons Theater School. Recent acting credits: Anti-Gone俺抬杠?! (A.R.T./New York), Femme 9 19 (AMT Theater), Metamorphosis (NYU Black Box), The Heavenly Jade Palace (Playwrights Downtown). She is currently studying Drama and Media, Culture, and Communication at New York University. Writing archive and more: umaygonowhere.com

  • Zhang Zicheng, originally from Wuhan, is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Computer Science at a liberal arts college in New York. She has a passion for music, comedy, and immersive role-playing games. She previously participated in the production of the musical piece for GALA 2023 (Production Manager) and Hollow Cross (Actor).

  • Peter Xiao (he/him) is a multi-hyphenate artist--an actor, casting director, fight choreographer, and a producer. He is also a fresh graduate of NYU Tisch Drama at Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Peter often finds his passion in acting and directing, in which he wants to be a person of love and inspiration for everyone. As a casting director, Peter has been casting for almost two years and has cast dozens of award-winning short films and series in NYC. As an actor, he can be seen in off-off-Broadway shows and in several international film festivals. He believes the job of a casting director in the casting process is to discover and magnify each actor’s unique perspective of the character. www.peterxiaowy.com.

CREATIVE

  • ZIJUN (NEIL) WANG is a director and lighting designer with a BFA degree in Theatre from NYU Tisch Drama. Lighting designs include Broadway: Kimberly Akimbo National Tour (Assistant Lighting Designer); Off-Broadway: The Nursery (Lighting Designer, The Flea); and more: Anti-Gone (A.R.T. New York), Remorse (Dixon Place), Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom (Tisch Drama Stage), Cabaret (Tisch New Theatre), and all directing works below. Directing works include Hollow Cross (CSSA GALA 2024), The Insanity (Theater for the New City), Accidental Death of An Anarchist (Theatre Row). Zijun has been admitted to CMU School of Drama with full tuition scholarship to pursue his MFA degree in lighting design. Upcoming: Of Ashes And Souls (April 2025, The Flea). Follow his Instagram and website for more info! @neilwwwwww, zijunneilwang.com

  • ZIHE TIAN is a producer, dramaturg, and voice director based in New York. She is passionate about classical Chinese culture, literature and art, dedicated to making East Asian aesthetics and narratives accessible to more audiences. Recent credits: Anti-Gone俺抬杠?!, The Emperor, Remorse, The Munchies, Hollow Cross, Deep Sea Trail, etc.  Upcoming: Of Ashes And Souls (April 2025, The Flea Theater - The Sam). (BA: NYU,  MFA: Columbia University.)

  • JUNRAN “CHARLOTTE” SHI is a scenic designer based in New York. With the background of Architecture, she is using space, structure and materials as powerful tools for storytelling on stage. Selected credits: Hypochondriac, Yerma (NYU Grad Acting), Peter and the Starcatcher (NJIT), The Mountaintop (CamdenRep), West Love ‘89 (American Opera Project). Associate / Assistance credits include Safety not Guaranteed (BAM), Turn of the Screws (Juilliard). M.F.A. NYU Tisch, Design for Stage and Film. Junranshi.com

  • YINXUE WANG is a costume and fashion designer specializing in theater, film, television, and stage productions. Her work blends storytelling with visual aesthetics, using costumes to reflect character emotions, historical context, and personality. She holds a Master’s degree in Costume Design from Carnegie Mellon University and has collaborated with Universal Studios as a costume illustrator. Skilled in concept development, garment construction, and textile selection, she focuses on how fabric, silhouette, and color enhance character portrayal. Passionate about creating artistically compelling and theatrically expressive costumes, she strives to bring unique visual identities to every project. IG:  yinxuew.costumedesign, yxwangart@gmail.com

  • HENRY SHEN graduated from Berklee NYC with a major in Live Music Production and Design. Participated in works such as “Hollow Cross,” “Anti-Gone俺抬杠?!”, “Remorse,” “Everybody,” “Men on Boats,” and “Twelfth Nights.”

  • SHERRY WU is a Projection and Video designer. She recently graduated from Interactive Media Arts at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Recent: Anti-Gone (Associate Lighting Designer), Remorse (Assistant Lighting Design), Femme 9 (Projection/Video Design), Hollow Cross (Projection/Video Design), The Insanity (Projection/ Video Design), Awake (Lighting Design). Past production: wusherry.com, Instagram @dhrsysll

  • DEJING ELOISE WANG (any pronouns) is a theatre director, playwright, and intimacy professional born and raised in Qingdao, China. They’re interested in the transdisciplinary intersection of theatre and science. Favorite directing credits: Anti-Gone俺抬杠?! (A.R.T/New York), Tropopause (GAF 2024), Hollow Cross (Walkerspace Theatre), As You Like It (Labowitz Theatre), i want us both to eat well (BPPF). A recent graduate of NYU Gallatin. For their not-so-serious theatrical portfolio, visit dejingeloisewang.com. For their even more unserious and banal life portfolio, visit @de.jing_ on instagram.

  • Daisy Dai is a cross-media creative working across storytelling, technology, and live experience. She is currently pursuing a BA at NYU Gallatin, concentrating in Music Business, Computer Science, and Data Science, with a minor in the Business of Entertainment, Media, and Technology. Blending cultural insight with technical precision, she has worked on productions including Anti-Gone, Assassins, Awning, and Remorse. Her creative practice extends to concerts, fashion shows, and multimedia installations as she explores how technology shapes environments and audience perception.