Endlings

by Celine Song

On the island of Man-Jae in Korea, three elderly women spend their dying days diving into the ocean to harvest seafood with nothing but a rusty knife. They are “haenyeos”— “sea women” —and there are no heiresses to their millennium-old tradition. ENDLINGS is a real estate lesson from the last three remaining “haenyeos” in the world: don’t live on an island. Unless it’s the island of Manhattan…

On the island of Man-Jae in Korea, three elderly women spend their dying days diving into the ocean to harvest seafood with nothing but a rusty knife. They are “haenyeos”— “sea women” —and there are no heiresses to their millennium-old tradition. ENDLINGS is a real estate lesson from the last three remaining “haenyeos” in the world: don’t live on an island. Unless it’s the island of Manhattan…

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Endlings

Recommended by

  • Nina Ki: Endlings by Celine Song
    “

    I love that Celine Song brought the rich tradition and culture of haenyeos onstage, along with the very identifiable struggle of being a Korean playwright (real estate!!) within the white institution of theatre. Richly poetic, comedic, and heartbreaking - absolutely love this play!

    I love that Celine Song brought the rich tradition and culture of haenyeos onstage, along with the very identifiable struggle of being a Korean playwright (real estate!!) within the white institution of theatre. Richly poetic, comedic, and heartbreaking - absolutely love this play!

    ”
  • Keiko Green: Endlings by Celine Song
    “

    Stunning and unexpected. This is one of the most fascinating plays I've read recently. I really loved Act 1 -- visually and rhythmically, but moving into Act 2 and coming face-to-face with how we use/exploit/shape our cultures to get attention from white institutions was something that deeply resonated with me.

    Stunning and unexpected. This is one of the most fascinating plays I've read recently. I really loved Act 1 -- visually and rhythmically, but moving into Act 2 and coming face-to-face with how we use/exploit/shape our cultures to get attention from white institutions was something that deeply resonated with me.

    ”
  • Gina Femia: Endlings by Celine Song
    “

    This is one of my favorite plays of all time. Everything about it is perfect. It's funny, heartbreaking, and critiques theater in a highly theatrical and brilliant way. I'd watch this play everyday if I could.

    This is one of my favorite plays of all time. Everything about it is perfect. It's funny, heartbreaking, and critiques theater in a highly theatrical and brilliant way. I'd watch this play everyday if I could.

    ”
View all 10 recommendations

Development History

  • Residency, The Public Theater, 2017
  • Residency, Playwrights Realm, 2017
  • Residency, MacDowell Colony, 2016

Production History

  • Professional, American Repertory Theater, 2019
  • Professional, New York Theatre Workshop, 2020