right and in the current show in Hong Kong she is one the magicians in the show , as well as lead Illusion assistant and dance captain maintaining the quality of FLIPZ ’ s choreography .

Unable to enter China , Franz orchestrated the show ’ s revival remotely from Los Angeles , directing rehearsals via video calls . “ I was in my underwear in my office at 4 AM , directing and reproducing the show with my iPhone ,” he laughs . The show ran successfully

“ Long after the rest of the world was back in motion , China remained closed .”

for a year , but as COVID-19 cases surged again , it struggled to stay afloat . “ Towards the end , it was on life support , just barely surviving . But it did last a year ,” Franz reflected . This chapter unfolded in 2020 , during one of the most tumultuous periods for live entertainment . Despite their efforts , China ’ s prolonged lockdowns kept the production in limbo . “ Long after the rest of the world was back in motion , China remained closed ,” Franz said . As years passed , the production company explored relocating the show . “ They considered Singapore , Bangkok , even Japan ,” Franz noted . Eventually , Hong Kong emerged as the most viable option .

By then , Franz was able to travel within China and across Asia , scouting potential venues . The decision was made to move the show from Sanya — often dubbed ‘ the Hawaii of China ’— to Hong Kong , with hopes of reuniting the original cast . However , new