KUMIHO READING @ UMICH
Alyssa's original musical, Kumiho, had its first-ever reading/recording session in Spring 2025. Featuring an all-AANHPI cast of UMich students. Accompanied by John Bogdan.
"Kumiho, which means "nine-tailed fox" in Korean, is a fairytale love story about magical foxes. The plot is set in Ancient Japan and Korea and combines mythical lore from both cultures (both sides of me). According to both legends, foxes are shapeshifters and present themselves as young, attractive humans (typically a woman). But while the Japanese version views them as beautiful gatekeepers of the heavens, the Korean version views them as demonic creatures who prey on human souls for sustenance. For our fox heroine, Kumi, identity comes into question when she meets a human boy who shows her the beauty and complexity of emotion, something foxes have been conditioned to repress for fear of revealing their true fox nature."
PERFORMANCE: April 27th, 2025
