Show Information
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Upperstage
Tickets start at $25
About the Play
Due to the pandemic, this production was cancelled and was remounted in the IRT’s 2021-2022 Season.
Visit the production page:
the paper dreams of harry chin 2022 production
The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin
by Jessica Huang
directed by Jaki Bradley
March 25 - April 19, 2020
a surreal journey through past & present
Despite the US ban against Chinese immigrants, Harry Chin forged a new identity to earn precious American dollars to send home to his starving village. Now he is trapped between two families and two worlds. Seasoned with magic and mystery, this hauntingly theatrical tale from our overlooked history considers the personal and political repercussions of making a group of people illegal.
APPROXIMATE RUN TIME: 2 hours and 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission
The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin is a family drama that contains profanity and references to suicide. Recommended for patrons 9th grade and above. Due to content and length, children under 4 years of age are not permitted in the OneAmerica Mainstage and Upperstage Theatres. Learn more about our attendance policies here.
Artistic Note:
“The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin is a beautiful play skillfully woven from the story of a man who immigrated to the United States in the 1930's despite the Chinese Exclusion Act. Watching the play is like putting together an elaborate puzzle as Chin's journey unfolds through striking flashbacks and memories. Playwright Jessica Huang has vividly illuminated with great care a period of our American history often intentionally under examined. It is a timely piece that asks us to think deeply about our current immigration policies and how our ancestors gained access to the land we live on.” –Benjamin Hanna, Associate Artistic Director
READ THE PROGRAM
The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin is part of our new INclusion Series celebrating diverse storytelling. This series features work by female playwrights on the Native American, African American, and Chinese American experience. The full series consists of And So We Walked: An Artist’s Journey Along the Trail of Tears, The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963 and The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin.
Multimedia

Cast Members

Laura

Sheila

Boss & Interrogator

Yuet & Susan

Harry

Poet & Immigration Officer
Sponsors
David & Jackie Barrett | Artist Sponsors of Sam Encarnacion
Nadine & Alvin Givens | Artist Sponsors of Allison Buck
David I. & Betty Klapper | Artist Sponsors of David Shih
Ben Pecar & Leslie Thompson | Artist Sponsors of Stephenie Soohyun Park
N. Clay & Amy McConkey Robbins | Artist Sponsors of Linden Tailor
Mark & Gerri Shaffer | Artist Sponsors of Anne Bates
Jackie Nytes & Michael O’Brien | Artist Sponsors of IRT Creative Team
David & Ann Frick | Artist Sponsors of IRT Prop Shop