The Chinese Lady

Written By Lloyd Suh

Directed By Sarah Shin

Producer George C. Lancaster

2026 February 28-March 22

Lester and Sue Smith Stage

This show has ended

Overview

The untold story behind the spectacle

Inspired by the true story of the first Chinese woman to step foot in America, Lloyd Suh’s critically acclaimed play, The Chinese Lady, is a tale of dark poetic whimsy and a unique portrait of the United States as seen through the eyes of a young Chinese girl. In 1834, 14-year-old Afong Moy sailed into New York Harbor and was immediately put on display for a paying public who were mesmerized by her exotic ways and horrified by her tiny bound feet. As audiences follow Moy’s travels through America as a living exhibit for decades, The Chinese Lady shares her impressions of a young country struggling with how to define itself.

Details

Performance Times

Wednesday–Friday | 7:00 p.m.
Saturday | 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Sunday | 2:00 p.m.
PREVIEW PERFORMANCES
Feb. 27—Mar. 4
Recommended for ages 13 and up

Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission

Plan Your Visit

Park in our attached parking garage for $15.
The Gordy lobby is open at 6 p.m. on evenings with performances. On afternoons with matinee performances, the lobby opens at 1 p.m.
Drinks are allowed in the theater! Make sure to grab your favorite drink from the Gordy Bar before the show and during intermission.

Good To Know

Afong Moy, believed to be the first Chinese woman in America, finds herself touring the country and put on display as a living curiosity. While telling us her story, Afong Moy makes use of witty and heart wrenching observations describing mild sexuality and suggestion of non-consensual touch, historical cruelty and anti-Asian racism. Lloyd Suh, award winning playwright, explores these themes with empathy, humour, and a surprising amount of wit.

Sunday Sit Down

Sunday, Mar. 1 at 2:00 p.m.

Join the cast for a free, behind-the-scenes conversation following the 2:00 p.m. matinee.

Community Conversations

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Saturday, Mar. 7 at 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, Mar. 8 at 2:00 p.m.

New York Times Best Seller Jaime Ford and local attorney Jennie Szeto discuss how Jaime came to know about Afong Moy, and why he thought it was important to make the connection between her and the women who came after. This conversation will also include a reading of an excerpt from Ford’s book.

Playwright Conversations

Saturday, March 14
Wednesday, March 18
Friday, March 20
Saturday, March 21 evening

Watch a taped recording between playwright Lloyd Suh and Stages’s Artistic Director Derek Charles Livingston on themes and background from the story.

Performing Chineseness: Chinese American identity, immigration, and the “Western Gaze”

Sunday, Mar. 15 at 2:00 p.m.

This post-show conversation expands beyond The Chinese Lady to explore how Chinese American identity has been “performed” across U.S. history. From 19th century exhibitions and early immigration to Chinatown stages, Hollywood screens, and contemporary theater, Chinese Americans have long navigated visibility under the Western gaze. Often hyper visible as racialized yet excluded from full belonging, Chinese American female bodies were frequently positioned as spectacle. Meanwhile, we will discuss how performance can function as a means of survival and cultural translation like Afong Moy. This conversation invites the audience to rethink “Chineseness” not as a monolithic concept, but continually re-constructed by perceptions and articulations. This conversation is moderated by Dr. Melody Yunzi Li, Associate Professor of Modern and Classical Languages at the University of Houston.

AAPI Communities, Immigration, and Dramaturgy

Sunday, Mar. 22 at 2:00 p.m.

Karen Siu, Ph.D. candidate in English and Creative Writing at Rice University and scholar of Asian American and Diaspora Studies discusses her journey as Dramaturg for the Chinese Lady, the intersection of immigration, and its effects on AAPI communities today.

All community conversations immediately follow the show on respective performance dates.

College Night

Wednesday, Mar. 4 at 7:00 p.m.

College students can purchase $15 tickets with a student ID. Use promo code COLLEGENIGHT

Sensory-Inclusive

Saturday, Mar. 14, at 2:00 p.m.

Sensory-inclusive performances cater to our patrons with sensitivity to loud, abruptly changing sound, light, or video elements associated with live performance.

Educator Open House

Thursday, Mar. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

As a THANK YOU to all of our educators, Stages invites them to learn, take a break or just be!

This FREE event includes pre-show activities curated just for you—a tour of the Gordy, educators mixer, a special presentation on incorporating AAPI history and culture in the classroom, and opportunities to connect with Stages staff about our programs. The night will close with a complimentary showing of The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh.

Spots are limited, sign up here to reserve your seat.