The Barrington Stage Company and Ma-Yi Theater Company have partnered with The Public Theater to produce The Chinese Lady. The Chinese Lady tickets are available on New York Theatre Guide now.
The Chinese Lady is a play by Lloyd Suh about Afong Moy, widely considered the first Chinese woman to come to America. However, she was brought over in 1834 against her will. After being traded in a deal between her family and American importers, she quickly became a public spectacle under the titular name, put on display for audiences fascinated by her appearance.
Surrounded by Chinese trinkets, she was made to perform an exoticized version of the Chinese identity. She gained fame, even meeting then-President Andrew Jackson, but had her words skewed by translation and her culture reduced to a show. The Chinese Lady is a reclamation of Afong's story and culture, which challenges the way global cultures are seen under the white American gaze and lets Afong, or at least the actress playing her, share her story and true culture for herself.
The Chinese Lady had its world premiere in 2018 at Barrington Stage Company, which was followed by its Off-Broadway premiere with Ma-Yi Theatre Company. The play has now become one of the most produced plays of the 2021-2022 theatre season nationwide. Productions have gone up in Portland, Philadelphia, Ithaca, Rochester, and most recently, New Haven. Now, the Public is the latest company to present The Chinese Lady Off-Broadway. Much of the original Off-Broadway creative team is returning, including director Ralph B. Peña, set designer Junghyun Georgia Lee, and sound designer Fabian Obispo. They are joined by lighting designers Jiyoun Chang and Elizabeth Mak and costume designer Linda Cho.
Tickets to The Chinese Lady are available now. Book The Chinese Lady tickets on New York Theatre Guide today.
