PHOTO CALL: A Butterfly Is Free

By Andrew Gans
January 18, 2008

The Philadelphia Theater Company's production of M. Butterfly — co-starring 110 in the Shade's Christopher Innvar and Rent's Telly Leung — begins performances Jan. 18.

Leung plays Song Liling in the David Henry Hwang opus opposite the Gallimard of Innvar.

Joe Calarco directs M. Butterfly, which will play the Suzanne Roberts Theatre through Feb. 24.

Based on a true story and inspired by Puccini's Madame Butterfly, M. Butterfly, press notes state, "is a provocative and captivating story of lust, politics, and betrayal. A French diplomat falls in love with a Chinese opera singer who is to him, the 'perfect woman,' yet this Chinese butterfly of his passions is ultimately revealed to be far more than she seems."

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At left and below: Telly Leung and Christopher Innvar in the Philadelphia Theater Company's production of M. Butterfly.

photos by Mark Garvin