Meet the busiest actor at Mirvish this season, starring in ‘The Karate Kid’ and ‘Salesman in China’

Ahead of rehearsals for “The Karate Kid,” Pang sat down with the Star’s Joshua Chong to discuss his career and how he’s tackling these two very different shows. 

Chong: Adrian, it’s great to see you again. The last time we spoke was two years ago, when you were in rehearsal at Stratford for “Salesman in China.” I want to ask you now: What was that experience like — getting to live with the character of Ying Ruocheng and tell his story night after night? 

Pang: It was one of the most fulfilling and validating experiences of my career thus far. Those five months that I spent in Stratford were just so full of love that I came away from that experience thinking, “I don’t know where to go from here.” And it came at a time in my life, I suppose, when I felt I needed a new lease of life. So I look back at that whole experience with tremendous fondness. 

Chong: Did you already know back then that you were going to be in “The Karate Kid” musical? 

Pang: No, not at all. 

Chong: So how did you get involved with the production? 

Pang: It was my agent in London who said this was happening and that the creative team wanted to see me. I was like, “Wait a second, didn’t Jovanni Sy, the director and co-writer of “Salesman in China,” play the role of Mr. Miyagi in the world premiere of the ‘The Karate Kid’ musical in St. Louis?” So I got in touch with Jovanni. He told me that he was, in fact, previously in the show, and wished me luck with the audition. And so I just went for it. Honestly, I had no expectations. The whole idea of “Karate Kid” as a musical was pretty bonkers, anyway. But for me, I felt like the most unlikely candidate to step into the shoes of Mr. Miyagi, so I placed very little pressure on myself. 

Chong: Did you have to learn any special skills for the role? 

Pang: So, I think it says in my resume, under special skills, that I have martial arts training. But that’s actually stretching the truth somewhat — 

Chong: Don’t all actors kind of do that? 

Pang: Exactly! So luckily, by design or by the fates, while Mr. Miyagi has some measure of martial arts in the show (and I do all my own stunts), but as part of the storytelling, I actually have a posse of mini Miyagis who do all the hard work for me. But in terms of skills, having to talk and sing in Mr. Miyagi’s voice without actually f—king up my actual voice is a challenge. I also think there’s an expectation to capture the spirit of the immortal Pat Morita (who originated the role of Mr. Miyagi on screen). For me, it was trying to honour Pat without imitating him, because there is no way to do that. 

Chong: When I interviewed you for “Salesman in China,” I asked about how you prepared for the role of Ying Ruocheng and got into his headspace. What about for “The Karate Kid”? How do you prepare for a role like Mr. Miyagi? 

Pang: Mr. Miyagi’s whole ethos is about having balance in one’s life. I found that to be a very potent anchor for me, and it’s also seeped into my daily life as well — trying to balance the good and the bad, the light and the dark, and embracing life as it is. I’ve tried that and I think it has helped me find the essence of Mr. Miyagi. In fact, playing Mr. Miyagi has been such a significant touchstone for me that I’ve gotten myself a brand new tattoo. [He proceeds to show a tattoo on his upper arm, which says “balance” in Japanese.]

Chong: Talking about balance, specifically work-life balance, you and your fellow castmates in “The Karate Kid” recently wrapped up a UK tour before heading to Toronto. Touring can be a pretty gruelling experience. What was it like? 

Pang: After the first two or three venues, the whole idea of living out of a suitcase became very clear. There was really little point in unpacking because we were in most cities for less than a week: you arrive on a Tuesday, go straight to the theatre for tech, open the next day, have two shows the following day, then by Saturday are done and are moving on to the next venue by Sunday. It was gruelling but also exciting. 

Chong: Had you done a tour before this one? 

Pang: A long time ago, in my youth, when I was able to go partying and clubbing every night after a show. 

Chong: You’re a global artist. You’ve acted in Singapore, the UK and now Canada. Are there any differences between the audiences in each country? 

Pang: There’s definitely a difference. In the UK, there’s a bit of an arms-folded, prove-yourselves mentality. Singaporeans like to wait and see what the general word is first. If it’s good, then they’ll be begging for last-minute tickets. Everybody there also wants a discount. My only experience with Canadian audiences has been at Stratford. But if they’re anything to go by — my goodness! It was so wonderful to perform for such an appreciative audience. For “Salesman,” they’d be in tears and just want to embrace you, and tell you how the show affected them. As an actor, it doesn’t get better than that. 

Chong: You’ll be returning to “Salesman in China” when it’s remounted in Toronto next year. How will “Salesman” 2.0 be different from the original? Will you be approaching the role of Ying Ruocheng differently? 

Pang: My gosh, I haven’t even started to think about “Salesman” 2.0, to be honest, because it’s at least six months away. But I think with the benefit of three years of aging, I might be able to approach it with some fresh perspective and more wisdom. I would love to be able to discover new things. But at the moment, I’m leaving Ying Ruocheng aside until we get to reconvene and get to know each other again. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

“The Karate Kid” runs at the Princess of Wales Theatre until Nov. 1. “Salesman in China” runs at the Royal Alexandra Theatre from June to July 2027 (exact dates TBD). Visit mirvish.com or call 1800-461-3333 for tickets and more information.