Theatre News Wire

For its 25th anniversary season finale, TimeLine Theatre will present the Chicago premiere of The Chinese Lady, Lloyd Suh's acclaimed play inspired by the story of the first Chinese woman to step foot in America.

Brought here from China in 1834 by enterprising American merchants, 14-year-old Afong Moy is put on display so the American public can get its first view of an "authentic Chinese Lady." Over the course of 55 years, Afong performs an ethnicity that both defines and challenges her own views of herself. Meanwhile, she witnesses stunning transformations in the American identity. As these dual truths become irreconcilable, Afong must reckon with herself and the history of her new home with startling discovery and personal revelations.

Suh's piercing and darkly poetic portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of the first Chinese woman to step foot on U.S. soil unearths hidden history with humor and insight, illuminates the roots of the bigotry and hate facing today's Asian American and Pacific Islander community, and inspires us to see and understand each other anew. According to The New York Times, The Chinese Lady "steadily deepens in complexity. By the end of Mr. Suh's extraordinary play, we look at Afong and see whole centuries of American history. She's no longer the Chinese lady. She is us."

Helen Young returns to TimeLine to direct the company's Chicago premiere of The Chinese Lady. Previously, Young directed the 2021 online event Setting the Stage: The Chinese Lady - Building a Bridge Toward Asian Visibility as well as TimePieces readings of The Chinese Lady and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin.

"Among the questions The Chinese Lady asks is, how did that exchange happen in 1834 between Afong and her presentation to her audience?" said Young. "I think if we inspect that exchange we might be able to understand what roots were created, and from understanding those roots we may be able to sort out some of what's happening today in the conversation between Asians and whites in America. And if we can sort out some of those things, then maybe we as a community of storytellers, with empathy, can try to influence and effect positive change for the future."

"The past few years, I've been writing about the forgotten moments in Asian American history," said Lloyd Suh. "I'm trying to understand why they were forgotten, what they mean about where we are now, and how these moments might help us find a way forward. With The Chinese Lady, I'm trying to excavate Afong Moy's story in a way, trying to conjure and honor her, because she was lost to history. She was unknowable."

For TimeLine's production of The Chinese Lady, Afong Moy will be played by Mi Kang (she/her). Kang will graduate with her MFA in acting later this year at Northwestern University, where her credits include Peerless, Cry It Out, and Hedda Gabler. She was previously based in Seattle where she performed at ArtsWest Playhouse, Seattle Children's Theatre, Book-It Repertory Theatre and Annex Theatre.

Glenn Obrero (he/him) rounds out the two-person cast as Atung. Obrero's Chicago credits include The Great Leap (Steppenwolf Theatre), The Scientific Method (Rivendell Theatre), 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Lookingglass Theatre), A Wrinkle in Time (Lifeline Theatre), and Akeelah and the Bee (Adventure Stage Theatre).

TimeLine's production team for The Chinese Lady includes Arnel Sancianco (Scenic Designer, he/him), John Culbert (Lighting Designer, he/him), Izumi Inaba (Costume Designer, she/her), and Yiwen Wu (Dramaturg, she/her).

The Chinese Lady, directed by Helen Young, begins previews May 8. Performances run through June 18, 2022 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. For tickets and information, visit timelinetheatre.com or call the TimeLine Box Office at (773) 281-8463 x6.