Kathy Ng, a rising playwright, embarked on her theatrical journey relatively late. “I didn’t engage in any theater until I attended Brown University for my undergraduate studies,” she shares, reflecting on her path to becoming the author of Beautiful Princess Disorder, currently being performed at Catastrophic Theatre.
Immersed in what she describes as “a vibrant theater scene,” Ng felt an immediate pull towards the craft, despite her initial apprehension regarding directing and acting. “I quickly fell in love with contributing to a collaborative effort, working alongside a group of people to create something meaningful together.”
This newfound passion ultimately paved the way for her playwriting. Ng’s work features three distinct characters: Triangle Person, Mother Theresa, and a killer whale named Tilikum, affectionately referred to as Tilly. Originally conceived as a one-person show, it was first presented as a reading during her graduate studies at Brown, and she even performed a solo version last summer.
The inspiration for Triangle Person stems from a childhood doodle that Ng admits, “has stuck with me.” She elaborates, “It’s indeed feasible to present the show as a one-person performance, but when Catastrophic expressed interest in staging it, I rewrote it for three characters. The production heavily relies on the audience’s connection, featuring a lot of call-and-response interaction. The play unfolds through a series of confessional monologues.”
Ng’s mentor at Brown had shared some of her plays with Jason Nodler, the Founding Artistic Director at Catastrophic Theatre, who subsequently reached out to her. Describing the scheduling process, she notes, “It was quite swift. I heard from Nodler at the start of this year, and he expressed his desire to include the play in this season, which meant I had to get to work.”
The main character, Triangle Person, is depicted as a shape. “I would characterize Triangle Person as geometric, intense, and somewhat otherworldly,” Ng explains.
She adds, “Mother Theresa is my interpretation of her. I wanted to delve deeper into her character beyond her public image. In this portrayal, she’s a bit grumpy but also incredibly loving, deeply dissatisfied yet striving not to complain.”
As for Tilly, the killer whale, Ng describes her as “sweet, dangerous, with a big heart.” She notes, “They are all in a state of waiting to be processed by God.”
Ng hopes that audiences leave the performance with a desire to embrace a softer, gentler approach towards aspects of themselves that they may find confusing, repressed, or shameful. “I wish for them to create more space for those parts of themselves,” she expresses.
“This play is particularly relevant for individuals who have encountered borderline personality disorder, whether personally or through their loved ones. I encourage them to attend, as I hope it will surprise and delight them.”
