An uncanny encounter between two people in despair becomes a chance for mutual understanding, or for xenophobic hate. THE ZOONOTIC STORY is a response to abuse against Asians during the pandemic, shared through magical realism and the magic of language, with glimmers of compassion.
Keywords: racism, Asian, Asian-Canadian, Asian-American, AAPI, anti-Asian discrimination, Chinese, BIPOC, IBPOC, POC, COVID, pandemic, magical realism, short play
Wu and Mo can be played by actors of any gender.
The playwright is open to compelling artistic choices regarding the characters' race. For example, Wu could be a non-Chinese, Asian character who speaks a language other than Chinese. Or, perhaps a reversal of race, where Wu is played by a non-Chinese actor, and Mo is played by a Chinese actor.