Tonight the cultural hall was overflowing with friends and family. The evening began with a delicious potluck dinner. Extra tables were needed to accommodate the large numbers of guests. Steven Cheng served as emcee and host for the evening. To kick off the evening, President Shen welcomed everyone to the party. The program began with a guzheng song performed by an ensemble of three of Sister Xia Bing's students entitled “Hope.” Then Thomas and Amber thrilled the crowd with a romantic rendition of the famous Moon Festival song 月亮代表我的心 (“The Moon Represents My Heart”). After the guitar duet, they invited the audience to join in. Then they invited folks from the audience to go up to the stage with them to sing. At this point, they brought out the mooncakes, and everyone swarmed to enjoy the treats. The mooncakes were especially made by the Relief Society sisters last night just for the occasion.
The highlight of the evening was a play about the origin of the Moon Festival, written by Amanda, choreographed by Sister Pugmire, and performed by the youth with voice talents by Tyler, Brother Pugmire, and Sister Pugmire. The play begins with a mother trying to persuade her son to go to sleep. The mother, played by Sister Pugmire, decides to tell her son, played by Brennan, a story about why we celebrate the Moon Festival. Narrated by the mother, the first scene is a debate between Emperor Yao, played by David, and his archer Hou Yi, played by Richard, about how many of the ten suns to shoot down to end the drought. They finally agreed on shooting down nine of the suns. While walking towards Kun Lun Mountain to be close to the nine suns, he meets a goddess, the Queen Mother of the West, played by Amanda, who grants him an immortal portion to make both Hou Yi and wife immortal. However, the only catch is that they have to drink the potion together. If only one of them drinks the potion, they will be separated forever. Hou Yi then proceeds to the mountain to shoot down nine of the ten suns, played by Sister Tsai and a procession of children, namely Cayleigh, Celeste, Charlotte, Clayton, Isaiah. He goes to report to the emperor that he has accomplished his feat. Emperor Yao offers him anything he wants, but Hou Yi is content with China's remembering what he has done. Hou Yi goes to the Queen Mother, obtains the potion, and goes home to his beloved Chang E, played by Megan. But on this fateful day, the couple has an unexpected visitor, played by Tyler, who comes to demand the potion. To prevent the stranger from getting the potion, Chang E drinks the whole bottle and floats away to the moon. She asks the Queen Mother what she can do. The Queen Mother replied that she will allow Chang E to stay on the moon and to visit Hou Yi once a year during the Mid-autumn full moon. And that is why we celebrate the Moon Festival, to be reunited with our loved ones.
Following the play, Aluna (Zhaoru) Wang was invited to sing two songs: “How Great Thou Art” and “Moonlight in the City.” After the closing prayer, while the adults cleaned up, the children flocked to the Kid's Korner to color activity books, make Moon Festival lanterns, and to fold origami lanterns, lotus flowers, and rabbits. Everyone had fun eating the meal, enjoying the program, eating moon cakes, and having fun together. Thanks to Steven for planning, orchestrating, and emceeing the evening's activity!
