Come for the zombies, stay for the story at Theater Mu's latest play

Kung fu zombies are descending upon the Twin Cities.

Yes, that's right — kung fu zombies: They're fierce, they're hungry, and they're set to pack a punch at the world premiere of Theater Mu's "The Kung Fu Zombies Saga: Shaman Warrior & Cannibals."

Written by Lao American playwright and St. Paul resident Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay, "Shaman Warrior" addresses the legacy of the deadly American secret war that was waged clandestinely alongside the Vietnam War. Between 1964 and 1973, the United States covertly dropped 270 million cluster bombs on Laos, making it the most bombed country per capita in the world.

In the play, Duangphouxay Vongsay transports the audience to a zombie-ridden Laos to unearth the impacts of war, colonialism and mental illness. Along the way, there's kung fu, an original hip-hop soundtrack by Twin Cities artist DJ Kool Akiem and more than a little humor.

"People use sci-fi and horror to talk about the things we should be talking about," said Duangphouxay Vongsay," things that are hard to talk about."

As the child of Lao refugees and a refugee herself, she is all too aware of the silences that often surround her community's most painful experiences. Her narrative offers a way into these taboo topics and the healing that comes from facing them together.

"It's not just about zombies and kung fu and hip hop music," she said. "It's an invitation for people to talk about the deeper stuff."

This isn't the first time Duangphouxay Vongsay has brought zombies and cannibals to a Twin Cities stage. In 2013, Theater Mu premiered the first installment in her "Kung Fu Zombies'' universe, "Kung Fu Zombies vs. Cannibals."

Ten years later, the zombie apocalypse is back with part two.

Act I of "Shaman Warrior" features a prequel to the 2013 show, where young Arun struggles to embrace her power and save her sister from monsters that live in the mountains of Laos. Act II reunites us with Lao American Sika as she embarks on a treacherous quest to take her parents' ashes from Minneapolis to Laos.

For Lao American actress Soudavone Khamvongsa, joining the cast was a no-brainer. She plays a Laotian character named Arahan, whom she describes as a fighter with Lara Croft tomb raider energy and a quirky sense of humor.

"The opportunity to have our stories told, written by someone who looks like me for people who look like me is incredible," said Khamvongsa. "I knew that if I got the part, I was flying out! I had to be a part of it."

The first time Khamvongsa read the script, she cried during all the parts that referenced the bombings.

"We have been silenced and brushed under the rug. To have that story told and that pain felt through the play resonated with me. It's also a really funny play about different comical cultural things," said Khamvongsa.

"Shaman Warrior" is also personal for Vietnamese American actress Hannah Nguyen, who plays emerging shaman warrior Arun. A recent graduate of Southern Florida University, this is Nguyen's first professional theater experience. She draws upon her family's history with the Vietnam War to help her embody her character.

Along the way, she has found that she and Arun have a lot in common.

"Growing up, I had hard teenage years. I struggled with chronic illness. I faced all these obstacles. I thought I wanted to become an actor, but I faced a lot of discouragement," said Nguyen. "But like Arun, I found out that I have a choice. I think that's important for all young adults to learn. It's really up to you about who you want to be and nobody can tell you otherwise. She's set free by the fact that she has a choice."

This is the message of "Shaman Warrior." It's about the things that haunt us, but it's also about stepping into power and belonging. It's about family and the strength it takes to create a future that honors the wisdom of the past.

For Duangphouxay Vongsay, that's the power of stories. And, as she writes and tells hers, she hopes that others will follow her lead.

"My goal as a theater-maker is to cultivate more of us to tell more of our stories, to demand that we get spaces in American theater," she said. "And if we don't, we can make our own spaces."

The Kung Fu Zombies Saga: Shaman Warrior & Cannibals
By: Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay. Directed by Lily Tung Crystal.
Where: Luminary Arts Center, 700 N. 1st St., Mpls.
When: Opens on July 22, with previews on July 20 and 21. 7:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri., 2 and 7:30 p.m. Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. Ends Aug. 13.
Tickets: $10-$45, pay as able. luminaryartscenter.com.