Celebrating
Compassion:
Veganism, or living without harming other beings, has always been a part of Supreme Master Ching Hai’s way of advocating peace on Earth by example. As a humanitarian, she gives generously not only to humans, but to our animal friends, as well. Thus, the October Golden Year 9 (2012) premiere of Loving the Silent Tears, celebrating the 19th Anniversary of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day, highlighted not only the charitable spirit, but also the compassionate lifestyle. Here, we explore some of the ways that the event – all the way from the production rehearsals to the after-show VIP banquet – was one fabulous vegan celebration, inspiring audience members and artists alike. ‘All Love, All Forgive’
The musical itself featured a song about loving the animals, titled “All Love, All Forgive,” performed by legendary 2-time Grammy-winning artist Jon Secada. This song was based on Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poems from Silent Tears and “Words from a Child” (The Dogs in My Life and The Birds in My Life). An excerpt of the verses reads:
In a statement, Mr. Secada described the songwriting experience as “inspirational,” saying, “I think the audience will find listening to the lyrics of the songs, which are from Supreme Master Ching Hai's poems, a transformative and enlightening experience.” With energetic dancing, Jon Secada’s performance, which was presented in both English and Spanish, won the audience’s enthusiastic applause.
Veg in the Cast and Crew
All four of Loving the Silent Tears’ MCs – TV hosts/actors Susie Castillo, Corey Feldman, Kelly Packard, and 2-time Emmy-winning Kristoff St. John – as well as the guest speaker, Oscar winner George Chakiris, are examples of compassion with their plant-based diets. In addition, a number of the talented cast members of Loving the Silent Tears are vegetarians and vegans, such as vegan Aulacese pop star Hồ Quỳnh Hương, vegan Korean singer Heather Park, vegetarian Italian tenor Mark Janicello, and vegetarian Chinese platinum pop star Kay Tse. Behind the scenes, contributing her talents was Cricket Meyers, the Tony Award-nominated sound designer who is also a caring vegetarian. During an interview with Hong Kong radio, On Air Power, days before the show, the Queen of Cantopop Kay Tse shared about her childhood being primarily vegetarian: “When I was little, my family raised some arowana fish, which were very popular at the time, huge ones. Every day when I got home from school, I started to dance with them, like this from left to right. I felt that I was connected with them. I felt that they were very happy, waiting for me to come home every day. Because of this, I did not eat fish since I was a small child. Then I thought there was no reason to love only fish. Why couldn’t I love other animals? They are the same.”
Meanwhile, speaking about the health aspects after switching to a plant-based diet, Italian cast member Mark Janicello said, “I have advanced arthritis, and I had read a book about the effects of animal proteins on the body, about how you can heal the body by removing animal proteins from your diet. They wanted to replace my hip nine years ago, that's how bad my arthritis was. By going vegan, I've never had a shot of cortisone. I don't take pain medication. I'm still dancing. I'm still performing.” Dedicated to Animal Protection
Accepting the check of US$100,000, Animal Defenders International’s vegan president and co-founder Jan Creamer stated, “Our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Supreme Master Ching Hai. We dedicate ourselves to the cause of animal protection. And we have in Supreme Master Ching Hai a great leader and teacher about the way that humans should relate to animals, and that is certainly something that is a dedication of Animal Defenders International. We are so grateful and we can promise that many animals will be saved with this very kind and generous donation.” The third charity, Broadway Cares / Equity Fights AIDS, is dedicated to helping humans in need. However, the compassionate work of the organization also extends to our animal friends. As its executive director Tom Viola wrote in a letter, “I was very taken with the Supreme Master’s great love for animals. Every summer BC/EFA produces an event, Broadway Barks, that supports over 24 rescue organizations and shelters in the New York City area.” “I love the fact that she donated money for the protection of animals. That’s something that we really need in the world,” said 6-time Grammy-winning and 2-time Oscar-nominated composer Jorge Calandrelli (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), who is an animal lover and has a menagerie of animals companions including cats, birds, dogs, and horses.
Many of the Loving the Silent Tears cast members were already familiar with and supportive of the vegan way of living, such as Black Uhuru co-artist Kaye Starh, who stated, “I think people should go vegan and go green because there are so many things that are happening in the world, like the melting of the ice, the killing of the animals. And it touches me to see animals’ tears.” Vegetarian MC Kristoff St. John, the 2-time Emmy Award-winning actor from The Young and the Restless, said, “What mankind has done not just with war but with animals has been just atrocious. [The vegan aspect] is another reason that attracted me to the event.” A vegetarian for 27 years, co-host Corey Feldman, an award-winning actor famous for films such as The Goonies and Stand By Me, noted the importance of giving “peace and love to all beings on this planet, not just the humans. All those beings are just living harmoniously already. Our job is not to interfere with that.” In an interview, vegan co-MC Susie Castillo, a TV host and former Miss USA, spoke about the quality of vegan meals, saying, “My meals now are much more satisfying than the meals that I used to prepare when I was a meat eater. I tell people that all the time, and they don’t believe me, and I’m like, ‘Come over for dinner!’ I make them a feast and they are like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this!’” First Rehearsal to Finale Feast – Vegan Style Tasty and nutritious vegan cuisine was provided throughout the 4-week rehearsal period for the cast and creative team. The catering was provided by acclaimed Los Angeles area vegan restaurants: Loving Hut, Âu Lạc, Freesoulcaffe, Green Earth, and One Veg World. Tony Award-winning cast member Debbie Gravitte shared, “I'm really close to being a vegetarian.” She further noted after tasting her first vegan lunch, “It was one of the best things I've ever had!” Dance ensemble member Marc Spaulding said, “I have been eating the vegan lunches every day. Coming back from lunch, going in to rehearsal, I’m definitely more energetic, my attention span, my muscles are firing quickly, it’s definitely having a positive effect on my body.” On show day, after a rigorous evening of conducting the orchestra, Emmy-winning music director/composer Doug Katsaros enthused, “I’m feeling well, I’ve been eating great. When I’m here, I’m totally vegan. It’s been a month and a half so far, and I feel good!”
After the show, a sumptuous VIP vegan banquet offered a wide range of meat-and-dairy-free appetizers, main course cuisines, and desserts. “We had imitation shrimp, we had dessert, we had
(vegan) sushi – everything was delicious,” film producer
Allison Chaney said. “I’m very filled. I enjoyed having
that life source brought to us at the end of a great show that was
about life.”
Yet another attendee, a musician named Verno Urquiza, concluded, “In this world, in this upheaval of situations that we are going through, [the vegan message] is something we all need to look deeper into. Now it finally makes sense to me that it’s the music, it's the words, it's the being, it's the food. That goes back to a holistic aspect of what experiencing joy on this planet is about. And if we can do that, we might be more prepared to flourish.” ‘Be Vegan, Make Peace’ From the musical to the banquet, the event commemorating the 19th Anniversary of Supreme Master Ching Hai Day truly brought out the “humane” aspect of true humanitarianism, as expressed in Supreme Master Ching Hai’s slogan, “Be Vegan, Make Peace.”
Supreme Master Ching Hai once stated in a 2009 videoconference with the public
in Washington, D.C., USA, “We are compassion. We are merciful. We are
caring. … Being vegan worldwide is the advancement of compassion that
will uplift and unify all cultures, bringing tranquility to humans and animals
alike. The inner peace that comes from replacing killing with respect for all
life will spread like a wave across the globe, elevate human hearts, and create
a harmonious Eden on Earth.”
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During
the charity presentation part of the program, two of the three organizations
that were honored by Supreme Master Ching Hai with US$300,000 in donations
are dedicated to protecting our animal co-inhabitants. They are Worldwide
Veterinary Service, a non-profit group that provides support in various
ways to improve the healthcare of animals, and Animal Defenders International,
which works to stop animal cruelty in the entertainment industry through
campaigns and cooperation with governments.
