Producer Marya Morstad continues the “Radio mnartists” series of podcasts and KFAI radio interviews with Minnesota artists. Listen to her interview with playwright Jeany Park.
CLICK THE RELATED MEDIA FILE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT TO LISTEN TO MARYA'S INTERVIEW WITH PLAYWRIGHT JEANY PARK Jeany Park was born in Seoul, Korea, raised in Toronto and came to the Twin Cities after completing her MFA in Madison. Her play 100 Men’s Wife, about the first Asian woman in Minnesota, is currently being produced at the History Theatre. Her first full-length play, Falling Flowers, was produced by Theatre Mu in 2003. Jeany is a founding member of MaMa mOsAiC, an all women of color theatre collective, with whom she has co-written Journals, The Menstruation Project, The Bi Show, Making Medea and Bride/Price.
She has also written pieces for the Chicago Avenue Project and for Thirst Theatre Company, and has been published in the Playwrights’ Center anthology of Monologues for Women. Jeany has been awarded a Many Voices Residency at the Playwrights’ Center, where was also an Associate Member from 2003-2004, and 100 Men’s Wife was selected for Playlabs in 2005, also at The Playwrights’ Center. Related Events 100 Men’s Wife Based on an historical account, the play reconstructs the life of the first documented Asian woman in Minnesota. Liang May Seen was born in China in 1871. Her destitute family sold her to a San Francisco-based man in 1885 when she was 14 years old. Although the man had promised May Seen’s mother that she would marry a rich Chinese merchant in San Francisco, she was instead resold to a brothel whose owner who forced her to provide sexual services to his wealthy clientele in Chinatown. On July 21, 1889, Liang May Seen escaped the brothel and found refuge at the Presbyterian Mission Home, where she remained until 1892. At the mission, Liang May Seen was introduced to Woo Yee Sing, a businessman from Minneapolis. They were wed in July 1892 and May Seen moved to make a home with her husband in Minneapolis. May Seen and Yee Sing became active members of Westminster Presbyterian Church, where May Seen set up English language classes and helped new immigrants resolve the many problems they faced in their new lives. Sun Mee Chomet plays Liang May Seen and Sherwin Resureccion plays the role of Woo Yee Sing. Other cast members include Charity Jones, playing Eliza Rasheed. The play is written by Jeany Park and directed by Suzy Messerole play addresses the issue of human trafficking (which is still alive and well today) as well as immigration and the idea of escaping one’s horrific past to emerge strong through the help of faith and loving support. History Theatre 30 E Tenth Street, Saint Paul, MN 55101 Phone: 651-292-4323 www.historytheatre.com Tickets $25-$32 FEB 2 8PM 3 8PM 4 2PM 8 10:30AM/7:30PM 9 8PM 10 2PM/8PM