Ma-Yi Theater Company presents
JESA
by Jeena Yi
Directed by Mei Ann Teo
at The Public Theater
The Play
IN JESA, FOUR KOREAN AMERICAN SISTERS REUNITE FOR ONE WEEKEND TO PERFORM A SACRED ANCESTRAL RITUAL AND BARELY SURVIVE EACH OTHER. WHAT BEGINS AS A SOLEMN CEREMONY OF HONORING THEIR DEAD PARENTS QUICKLY UNRAVELS INTO A RIOTOUS CLASH OF PAST TRAUMAS, SHARP-TONGUED TRUTHS, AND LAUGH-OUT-LOUD SIBLING CHAOS. WITH WIT, HEARTBREAK, AND RAW AUTHENTICITY, JESA SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON FAMILY DYSFUNCTION, CULTURAL INHERITANCE, AND THE INVISIBLE THREADS THAT BIND US.
ANCHORED IN THE KOREAN TRADITION OF JESA—AN OFFERING TO DEPARTED LOVED ONES THIS POWERFUL NEW PLAY SERVES UP SIZZLING DIALOGUE, SIMMERING RESENTMENTS, AND A RICH FEAST OF INTERGENERATIONAL RECKONING. FROM HANGOVERS TO RICE CAKES, MEMORY TO FORGIVENESS, JESA IS A THEATRICAL HOMECOMING LIKE NO OTHER. HILARIOUS, HAUNTING, AND WHOLLY ORIGINAL, IT’S A LANDMARK STORY OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE—TOLD WITH REVERENCE, RAGE, AND HEART.
The Creative Team
The Playwright
Jeena Yi is a Korean American actor-turnedplaywright whose dynamic talents span stage and screen. As an actor, she’s been seen On and OffBroadway and in film/TV (including Succession, Only Murders in the Building, and Netflix’s Nyad). Now, with JESA, Jeena makes her playwriting debut – and it’s already turning heads, slated for a world premiere with Ma-Yi Theater Company at The Public Theater in the 2025/26 season.
Authentic Storytelling: JESA is a deeply personal project for Jeena. Born in Los Angeles to Korean immigrant parents and now based in NYC, she draws on her own heritage and family rituals in crafting this story. Her goal is to shine a loving light on Korean American family dynamics – the humor, the heartache, and the healing – in a way that resonates universally.
Developed with Excellence: Jeena honed JESA through prestigious theater development programs. In August 2024, she workshopped the play with Ma-Yi Theater Company, the nation’s leading incubator for Asian American playwrights. This
process ensured JESA was refined in a supportive community of fellow AAPI artists. Now, Ma-Yi Theater Company’s selection of JESA for its inaugural season as resident at The Public Theater introduces audiences to the birth of a formidable new voice in American Theater.
Artistic Prestige: Though JESA is her first produced play, Jeena Yi’s creative pedigree is strong. She holds an MFA from Columbia University and has earned glowing praise for her performances (critics lauded her “high-voltage” and “comic beats timed to perfection” on stage. As a storyteller, Jeena brings the same charisma, depth, and authenticity that have defined her acting career. By supporting JESA, you are investing in the rise of a remarkable new playwright and helping launch a fresh AAPI voice on the national stage.
The Director
Mei Ann Teo
is an awardwinning director and cultural leader renowned for innovative theater that bridges art and social impact.
• Critical Acclaim: Mei Ann Teo has received top honors such as the League of Professional Theatre Women’s Josephine Abady Award and the inaugural Lily Fan Director Lilly Award, recognizing exceptional femaleidentifying directors. These accolades speak to Mei Ann’s visionary approach and excellence in storytelling. They currently serve as an Artistic Leader at Ping Chong and Company.
• Leadership & Experience: Mei Ann has held key artistic leadership roles, including Artistic Director of Musical Theatre Factory (a hub for boundary-pushing new musicals) and Associate Artistic Director/Director of New Work at the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They have developed or directed productions at major venues across the country – from the Public Theater and Goodman Theatre to Berkeley Rep – as well as international festivals. This breadth of experience means JESA will be guided by a sure hand that knows how to nurture new work onto greatness.
• Artistic Vision: Mei Ann is celebrated for making theater at the intersection of the artistic and the civic. As a queer immigrant from Singapore, they bring a keen understanding of cross-cultural storytelling and a passion for equity and inclusion in art.
• A Track Record of Success: Mei Ann Teo’s productions have drawn praise from The New York Times. They directed the world premiere of Dim Sum Warriors, a bilingual musical that toured 25 cities, and helmed acclaimed works like SKiNFoLK: An American Show and Where We Belong, which toured nationally. With Mei Ann at the helm, JESA will benefit from a director skilled at balancing laughter and pathos, and committed to honoring the play’s cultural roots.
About Ma-Yi Theater Company
Ma-Yi Theater Company is a pioneering force in Asian American theater. Founded in 1989, Ma-Yi has become “the country’s leading incubator of new works by Asian American playwrights”with a 30+ year history of breaking barriers and winning accolades:
• Award-Winning Excellence: Ma-Yi is an Obie Award and Drama Desk Award-winning company. Its productions have collectively earned 10 Obie Awards, 3 Lucille Lortel Awards, and in 2010 MaYi received a Special Drama Desk Award for “more than two decades of excellence and for nurturing Asian American voices” It’s recent production of SUMO at The Public Theater received five Lucille Lortel and three Drama Desk nominations. This record underscores Ma-Yi’s reputation for artistic quality and cultural impact.
• Notable Productions: Ma-Yi has developed or premiered many groundbreaking works now celebrated in American theater. From Mike Lew’s Teenage Dick (a hit modern spin on Richard III) to Lloyd Suh’s The Chinese Lady (a poignant historical drama) to the immersive musical KPOP (which transferred to Broadway( Ma-Yi’s shows consistently earn critical acclaim and expand representation. Their recent world premieres like Suicide Forest and Once Upon a (korean) Time have further solidified Ma-Yi’s role as a launchpad for diverse voices.
• Mission-Driven: Ma-Yi is community-focused and mission-driven. It was originally founded to tell Filipino American stories, and soon expanded to support Asian American playwrights of all backgrounds. Through initiatives like the Ma-Yi Writers Lab (the nation’s largest collective of AAPI playwrights) and innovative digital programming during the pandemic. Ma-Yi continually evolves to serve artists and audiences. Its leadership, under Producing Artistic Director Ralph B. Peña, remains committed to “shaping local and national conversations about what it means to be Asian American today.”
• A Prestigious Partnership: Ma-Yi’s partnership with The Public Theater on JESA continues a proven collaboration (past coproductions include Teenage Dick in 2018 and The Chinese Lady in 2022) By supporting JESA, you’re aligning with an institution that stands at the forefront of diversity in theater. Your philanthropy will fuel Ma-Yi’s ongoing work to keep theater innovative, inclusive, and reflective of America’s multicultural society.
About The Public Theater
The Public Theater is our other producing home – a legendary New York City institution with unparalleled artistic prestige. Conceived over 60 years ago by visionary producer Joseph Papp, The Public has always operated on the principle that theater is an essential cultural force and belongs to everyone. Key highlights of The Public’s reputational standing include:
• Incubator of Landmark Shows: The Public is known for launching some of the most iconic productions in theater history. From the rock musical Hair (debut 1967) to A Chorus Line (1975) to Hamilton (2015), countless world premieres at The Public have gone on to Broadway and global fame, The Public’s track record boasts shows that have collectively won dozens of Tony Awards and even Pulitzer Prizes. When JESA takes the stage here, it stands on the shoulders of giants – a testament to its promise.
• Awarded & Acclaimed: As an institution, The Public Theater has received 60 Tony Awards, 190 Obie Awards, 57 Drama Desk Awards, 61 Lucille Lortel Awards, 36 Outer Critics Circle Awards, 13 NY Drama Critics’ Circle Awards, and 6 Pulitzer Prizes over its history. These staggering accolades underscore The Public’s reputation for artistic excellence and innovation. Philanthropists can trust that a project at The Public comes with high standards and a strong chance of critical success.
• A Home for Diverse Voices: Under Artistic Director Oskar Eustis, The Public has deepened its commitment to inclusivity and civic engagement. It hosts community-driven programs like Free Shakespeare in the Park (over 60 summers of free theater for millions of New Yorkers) and development labs for emerging artists of all backgrounds. The choice to host Ma-Yi as a resident company this season – with JESA being one of two Ma-Yi productions – reflects
Ma-Yi Theater’s production of SUMO at The Public Theater
The Public’s belief that America’s strength is in its diversity. Your support of JESA thus fuels not only one play but also a broader movement toward equity in the arts.
• Community & Accessibility: The Public ensures its work is accessible to all – a value we share in this campaign. Every Public Theater production has free or low-cost ticket initiatives (through programs like the Joseph Papp Free Performance series)By investing in JESA at The Public, you help keep theater “Free, For All, Forever,” upholding a tradition of theater as a public good. It’s a powerful way to give back to the community while supporting art of the highest caliber.
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Community Engagement:
We are planning robust community outreach around JESA. This includes post-show conversations with the artists and invited elders from the Korean American community, educational workshops on Korean customs for school groups, and partnerships with AAPI community organizations to bring in diverse audiences. Your philanthropy will make these programs possible, extending the play’s impact beyond the stage. A gift to JESA is a gift to the community – it will spark intergenerational dialogue among immigrant families and invite all theatergoers to connect through shared stories of family, loss, and love.
Join us
Bring JESA to Life — A New American Play Rooted in Ritual, Raucous Humor, and Radical Honesty
We invite you to become a founding partner in the world premiere of JESA, a bold and resonant new play by Jeena Yi, directed by acclaimed artist Mei Ann Teo. Premiering at The Public Theater in partnership with Ma-Yi Theater Company, JESA is a powerful exploration of Korean American identity, sisterhood, grief, and the enduring pull of ancestral tradition.
This play is unlike anything currently on the American stage—centering a Korean ritual rarely portrayed in Western theater and rendering it with reverence, rage, and riotous humor. JESA is an act of cultural preservation and artistic defiance, offering a deeply personal story that speaks to universal truths: the wounds families leave, the weight of intergenerational expectations, and the healing power of remembrance.
Your support as a philanthropic partner will help us realize this ambitious production at the highest level of excellence. The producing team is taking a comprehensive, artist-centered approach to ensure success:
• World-class artistic leadership: Jeena Yi is a rising Korean American voice, making her playwriting debut after a distinguished career as an actor. Mei Ann Teo brings a visionary approach to culturally specific storytelling, with a track record of acclaimed productions across the country.
• Authenticity in storytelling: The production will involve cultural consultants, native speakers, and Korean American designers to stage the jesa ritual with integrity and precision—honoring its spiritual and cultural roots.
• Equity and access: We are committed to making this production accessible through community partnerships, subsidized tickets, post-show conversations, and outreach to local AAPI organizations and schools.
• Strategic momentum: With Ma-Yi Theater Company—America’s foremost incubator of Asian American playwriting—partnering with The Public Theater, this production sits at the intersection of cultural relevance and institutional prestige. Both theaters have a history of launching award-winning, nationally recognized works.
By investing in JESA, you are not simply supporting a play. You are championing a generation of artists working to expand the American theatrical canon. You are helping preserve cultural knowledge for younger generations. And you are giving voice to the complexity, humor, and heartbreak that define so many Asian American experiences—stories that too often go unseen.
We invite you to become a partner in this transformative project. Your contribution will help us meet our production goals, extend our reach to underserved communities, and set a new standard for inclusion and excellence in American theater.