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Ching Chong Chinaman

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  3w, 3m

Lauren Yee

WINNER - 2007 Yale Playwrights Festival

"A lively, likable show! Playwright Lauren Yee gleefully highlights the assimilated life of the Wongs, who defy the stereotype of the hard driving Chinese-American family. It's clever and her insights are astu…

Ching Chong Chinaman

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    105 Minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14 - 18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • WINNER - 2007 Yale Playwrights Festival

Details

Summary
The Wongs are American as apple pie. Desdemona dreams of Princeton but could use some help with her calculus. Her brother Upton wants to be a World of Warcraft champion but needs more free time to train. Upton solves both their problems by bringing an indentured servant home one day, but they soon discover that "Ching Chong" has American dreams of his own! An irreverent new comedy by Lauren Yee is skewering every cliché about Asian American identity.
History
Ching Chong Chinaman premiered at the Mixed Blood Theatre on February 14th, 2009 under the direction of Jennifer Weir.
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups

ED - 40s, Chinese-American, a businessman.
GRACE - 40s, Chinese-American, Ed's wife, a homemaker.
DESDEMONA - 17, Chinese-American, daughter of Ed and Grace, a vegan.
UPTON - 15, Chinese-American, son of Ed and Grace, a gamer.
JINQIANG or "J" - 20s, Chinese, alias THE CHINESE MAN.
THE CHINESE WOMAN - all ages, Chinese. She plays a variety of roles including MRS. J, KIM LEE PARK, the REPORTER, the JOY LUCK CLUB WOMAN, and the ASIAN SCHOOL GIRL.

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting Palo Alto, California.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Duration 105 Minutes

Media

REVIEWS

"WILDLY FUNNY... makes hilarious splash in the melting pot" —Contra Costa Times, Read More

"A wildly inventive, raucously funny ride. Though rooted in Asian American literary tradition, this play upends its conventions with inspired irreverence. You have not seen anything like this before. The fourth wave of Asian American playwriting has arrived!" - The New York Times

"A smart, fast-paced comedy that wrings laughs from the topics of cultural identity and assimilation. Neither predictable nor politically correct, it's a satirical cartoon that has heart and even occasional poignancy" —Theatremania.com, Read More

"Yee's characters have a substantial basis in camp...Ching Chong Chinaman shines in its countless bit parts and joking asides" — Backstage

"Whip-smart and very funny... Particularly clever is Yee's deft use of magical realism." —East Bay Express, Read More
"Fast, furious and very funny... an exhilarating send-up" —Berkeley Daily Planet, Read More

"Great laughs... unexpectedly moving" —Examiner.com


RELATED ARTICLES ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Identities & Dreams: The Hilarious World of CHING CHONG CHINAMAN
By Julia Izumi
February 23, 2015

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Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $110 per performance

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Authors

Lauren Yee

Lauren Yee
Lauren Yee was the second most produced playwright in America for the 2019/20 theatrical season (as per American Theatre Magazine). Her plays include Cambodian Rock Band (South Coast Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, La Jolla Playhouse, City Theatre, Merrimack Rep) and The Gr ...
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