“No shoes, no name, no face, no freedom,
No pride, no future, no hope.
No life.
I never was a comfort woman. I never was your comfort girl.”
ADAMS, MA—Composer, saxophonist and singer Stephanie Chou is bringing her 80-minute concert piece/chamber opera, “Comfort Girl” to the Adams Theater on Saturday, September 14, at 7:30 p.m. It’s a work inspired by the true stories of Asian “comfort women” abducted into sexual slavery by the Japanese Army during World War II.
It’s not only representative of Chou’s signature style–which blends influences from her Chinese heritage with Western jazz and pop to create a bracingly original sound–it’s already sparked dialogue about this formerly taboo subject that still resonates for women today.
Tickets are available here or at the box office on the day of the show (availability is limited).
Chou, a Chinese American who grew up in New York, discovered the story of comfort women in her 20s, and was surprised that it wasn’t more widely known. “People didn’t talk about this for 50 years,” she said. “I wanted to spread awareness about this topic.”
Based on survivor testimony, the jazz-opera/song-cycle gives voice to 200,000+ women and survivors who were silenced for 50 years. It centers around protagonist Lian, with singers that perform as soldiers, her fiance, and other characters key to understanding the history. It’s not quite a staged show–more a concert, Chou says–and includes lots of historical context, including projections and a narrator who helps keep a throughline.
To create this work, Chou spent time researching and reading deeply about comfort women and their experiences during and after the war. She also traveled to Shanghai to meet with lead researchers on the topic who have interviewed many survivors and their families. “There aren’t a lot of artistic pieces about this topic out there that aren’t documentary-based,” she said.
Chou has also assembled a wealth of additional information on her site for those wishing to learn more, and she’ll be presenting a workshop at MCLA (with the narrator’s role played by Western Mass-based Zoe Laiz) during her time in the area.
“Comfort Girl” has been received well by audiences and critics–DownBeat called it “a stunning work that not only shines light on a dark chapter of history but also feels inspirational for contemporary listeners.” Historically relevant and artistically innovative, it’s a piece that brings together disparate communities, including Asian Americans, people interested in Asian Culture, comfort women historians, wartime historians, jazz and music aficionados, students, opera lovers, and many others.
“I have had many audience members come to me crying and tell me they were moved by this piece,” Chou said. “When I wrote it, I had never done anything like it before. It feels incredibly rewarding to hear such a strong audience response, and inspires me to continue to tell this story.”
“Comfort Girl” will also be presented at Smith College on Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, and a recorded album of the piece will be released in early 2025.
Musical Cast
Stephanie Chou – voice, alto saxophone, compositions
Lito Villareal – voice
Andy Lin – erhu, viola, violin
Angelina Ai – piano
Ike Sturm – bass
Ronen Itzik – drums, percussion
Reserve tickets at www.adamstheater.org/present.
Membership and Season Passes
Adams Theater members get half-priced tickets to all shows from May to October, and season pass holders get complimentary tickets for themselves, plus half-price tickets for friends.
New this year, the theater is offering a Youth Membership option. For $50, those under 18 can get free admission to all shows from May to October, and can bring a friend to one show for free! Learn more about season passes here.
If you’re interested in complimentary community passes, please email info@adamstheater.org for more information.
Adams Theater Season 2024
Get tickets: www.adamstheater.org/present
Images Cinema x The Adams Theater: Classic Films from 1930s to 1960s
September 12-October 10
Stephanie Chou: Comfort Girl | A song-cycle / jazz opera
Saturday, September 14
Molly Hess & Ciarra Fragale | Love is a Crowded Room
Friday, September 27
Caitlin Peluffo Comedy
Saturday, September 28
DysFUNKrew and Berkshire Dance Theatre: Nightmare on Funk Street
Friday, October 4
Whiskey City
Saturday, October 5
Gypsy Layne
Friday, October 11
Two Piano Journey
Saturday, October 12
Don’t Suck – A Film Screening Presented by Berkshire Native Rick D’Elia
Sunday, October 13
The Broken Hearted – A Tribute to Tom Petty by EI Presents
Saturday, October 19
Skelly – A Film Screening with Local Writer and Director Matt Greene-DeLanghe
Sunday, October 20
About The Adams Theater
The Adams Theater’s mission is to create a long-lasting multi media arts institution that fosters community engagement through a diverse range of programming. Collaborating extensively with independent artists and other cultural organizations in the Berkshires, the Adams Theater celebrates creative partnerships and promotes cultural dialogues. Learn more at www.adamstheater.org.