Ghost Money

by Jason Tseng

FULL LENGTH: The Tsengs, a Chinese-American family, wrestle with their family narrative as their matriarch teeters on the brink of death. Diving into her life in rural China during the seismic events surrounding the Chinese Civil War between Nationalist and Communist forces, her children struggle to reconcile the truth from memory.

FULL LENGTH: The Tsengs, a Chinese-American family, wrestle with their family narrative as their matriarch teeters on the brink of death. Diving into her life in rural China during the seismic events surrounding the Chinese Civil War between Nationalist and Communist forces, her children struggle to reconcile the truth from memory.

  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Ghost Money

Recommended by

  • Playwrights Foundation: Ghost Money by Jason Tseng
    “

    Playwrights Foundation enthusiastically recommends this play, GHOST MONEY, as a Semi-Finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2020. We were moved by the quality of the writing and the relevant and compelling themes that spoke to the mission of our festival. It excelled in a competitive process of 735 plays submitted this year and rose to the top after a six month long process discussing its merits with both national and local Bay Area readers, and we hope it moves swiftly towards production.

    Playwrights Foundation enthusiastically recommends this play, GHOST MONEY, as a Semi-Finalist for the Bay Area Playwrights Festival 2020. We were moved by the quality of the writing and the relevant and compelling themes that spoke to the mission of our festival. It excelled in a competitive process of 735 plays submitted this year and rose to the top after a six month long process discussing its merits with both national and local Bay Area readers, and we hope it moves swiftly towards production.

    ”
  • Mrinalini Kamath: Ghost Money by Jason Tseng
    “

    I had the pleasure of attending a reading of this epic play about the beginning of the schism between China and Taiwan as seen through the eyes of the playwright and their relatives and ancestors. Fascinating and gripping.

    I had the pleasure of attending a reading of this epic play about the beginning of the schism between China and Taiwan as seen through the eyes of the playwright and their relatives and ancestors. Fascinating and gripping.

    ”

Character Information

Zhong-Ci: (20s-30s Chinese Woman) Independent and headstrong. A pragmatist
Xian-Rong: (20-30s Chinese Man) Cerebral, Imperious, Idealistic. A Revolutionary.
Da Gugu/Mother-in-Law: (60s Chinese Woman) Analytical Chinese American woman, daughter of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Zhong-Ci's mother-in-law
Xiao Gugu/Mother: (60s Chinese Woman) Introspective Chinese American woman, daughter of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Zhong-Ci's mother
Father/Chiang Ching-Kuo/Captain: (60s-70s Chinese Man) Protective Chinese American man, son of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Zhong-Ci's father, Chiang Ching-Kuo (the son of Nationalist General Chiang Kai-Shek), and Communist Captain.
Jiao-Long/Qing-Guang: (20s Chinese Man) Zhong-Ci's childhood friend and budding communist, also plays Qing-Guang, Zhong-Ci's eldest son.
Playwright/Xian-Kai/Midwife: (20s-30s Chinese American Non-binary) Inquisitive and sassy grandchild of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Xian-Kai, Zhong-Ci's sister-in-law.
  • Zong-Ci
    Independent and headstrong. A pragmatist.
    20s-30s
    Chinese
    Cis Woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Da GuGu/Mother-in-Law
    Analytical Chinese American woman, daughter of Zong-Ci. Also plays Zong-Ci's mother-in-law
    50s-60s
    Chinese,
    Asian American,
    East Asian American
    Cis Woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Xiao GuGu/Mother
    Introspective Chinese American woman, daughter of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Zhong-Ci's mother
    50s-60s
    Chinese,
    Chinese American,
    Asian American
    Cis Woman
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Father/Chiang Ching-Kuo/Captain
    Protective, Reticent, and Loyal. Chinese American man, son of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Zhong-Ci's father, Chiang Ching-Kuo (the son of Nationalist General Chiang Kai-Shek), and Communist Captain.
    50s-60s
    Chinese,
    Chinese American,
    Asian American
    Cis Man
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Jiao-Long/Qing-Guang
    Zhong-Ci's childhood friend and budding communist, also plays Qing-Guang, Zhong-Ci's eldest son.
    20s-30s
    Chinese,
    Chinese American,
    Asian American
    Cis Man
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Playwright/Hsien-Kai
    Inquisitive and sassy grandchild of Zhong-Ci. Also plays Hsien-Kai, Zhong-Ci's sister-in-law
    20s-30s
    Chinese,
    Chinese American,
    Asian American
    Non-binary
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Non-binary
  • Xian-Rong
    Imperious, Cerebral, Idealistic. Husband to Zong-Ci.
    20s-30s
    Chinese
    Cisgender Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male

Development History

  • Reading, Dramatist Guild Foundation, 2019

Awards

  • New American Voices Playwriting Festival
    The Landing Theatre Company
    Semi-Finalist
    2019
  • Bay Area Playwrights Conference
    Playwrights Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2020
  • Playwriting Competition; 2nd Rounder
    Austin Film Festival
    2019