King of the Yees

by Lauren Yee

The affable Larry Yee remains a driving force in the San Francisco Chinese American community as the head of the Yee Family Association, a seemingly obsolescent men's club dedicated to the preservation of the Yee line. His daughter Lauren, however, is dismissive of its patriarchal culture policy, despite her father’s lifelong dedication to the group. When Larry suddenly goes missing, Lauren’s desperate search...

The affable Larry Yee remains a driving force in the San Francisco Chinese American community as the head of the Yee Family Association, a seemingly obsolescent men's club dedicated to the preservation of the Yee line. His daughter Lauren, however, is dismissive of its patriarchal culture policy, despite her father’s lifelong dedication to the group. When Larry suddenly goes missing, Lauren’s desperate search drops her into a strange but familiar world where she will have to embrace the past in order to get her father back. Explore the vivid history of America’s largest Chinatown through the eyes of a new generation in Lauren Yee’s hilarious and touching celebration of family.

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King of the Yees

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  • Ian Thal: King of the Yees

    Lauren Yee starts "King of the Yees" with a metatheatrical framing device of an actor playing playwright Lauren Yee, and an actor playing an actor playing playwright Lauren Yee sharing the stage, and continues a satirical "hero's journey" as the playwright-avatar-protagonist explores both the mythology of San Francisco's Chinatown, and the political and economic realities of the community and its role in city, and state politics. Yee's writing is weird, smart, and hilarious. I reviewed Signature Theatre's 2023 production for Washington City Paper: https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/631821...

    Lauren Yee starts "King of the Yees" with a metatheatrical framing device of an actor playing playwright Lauren Yee, and an actor playing an actor playing playwright Lauren Yee sharing the stage, and continues a satirical "hero's journey" as the playwright-avatar-protagonist explores both the mythology of San Francisco's Chinatown, and the political and economic realities of the community and its role in city, and state politics. Yee's writing is weird, smart, and hilarious. I reviewed Signature Theatre's 2023 production for Washington City Paper: https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/631821/king-of-the-yees-a-comic…

  • R. Eric Thomas: King of the Yees

    A play that is bursting with life, comedy, heart, and high theatricality. Yee is totally in control at every moment despite some wild twists, turns, and leaps. This play is so satisfying and provides such a thoughtful and affirming consideration of the future and past of San Franscisco's Chinatown. It should go without saying that Yee makes the story of one people and one neighborhood highly specific and also deeply relatable. An incredibly satisfying and exciting play.

    A play that is bursting with life, comedy, heart, and high theatricality. Yee is totally in control at every moment despite some wild twists, turns, and leaps. This play is so satisfying and provides such a thoughtful and affirming consideration of the future and past of San Franscisco's Chinatown. It should go without saying that Yee makes the story of one people and one neighborhood highly specific and also deeply relatable. An incredibly satisfying and exciting play.

  • Caro Asercion: King of the Yees

    “King of the Yees” weaves together questions of personal, familial, and cultural legacy without undermining itself or crafting an air of unearned sentimentality. Playwright Yee sets up the emotional arc of the play to the score of a well-crafted story; every scene lands in a sweet spot of character development, plot advancement and rollicking adventure. With fun roles for actors, snappy humor, and heartfelt familial relationships, “King of the Yees” threads the needle of its own narrative to excellent payoff.

    “King of the Yees” weaves together questions of personal, familial, and cultural legacy without undermining itself or crafting an air of unearned sentimentality. Playwright Yee sets up the emotional arc of the play to the score of a well-crafted story; every scene lands in a sweet spot of character development, plot advancement and rollicking adventure. With fun roles for actors, snappy humor, and heartfelt familial relationships, “King of the Yees” threads the needle of its own narrative to excellent payoff.

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Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Playwrights Foundation, Year 2015
  • Type Workshop, Organization Playwrights' Center, Year 2015
  • Type Workshop, Organization Goodman Theatre - New Stages, Year 2015
  • Type Commission, Organization Goodman Theatre, Year 2014
  • Type Workshop, Organization Center Stage, Year 2014
  • Type Workshop, Organization UNC Chapel Hill, Year 2014
  • Type Workshop, Organization Playwrights Realm, Year 2014

Production History

  • Type Professional, Organization Goodman Theatre, Year 2017