Who You Kiss For Fun

Who You Kiss for Fun is a romantic comedy following three Asian American childhood friends in their final year of high school. Tyler and Julie have been kissing for fun–but as Tyler repeatedly emphasizes, they are NOT dating. Meanwhile David watches them and struggles with the emasculation he feels as an Asian man and what his feelings are for Julie. The trio must decide whether their friendship can continue...

Who You Kiss for Fun is a romantic comedy following three Asian American childhood friends in their final year of high school. Tyler and Julie have been kissing for fun–but as Tyler repeatedly emphasizes, they are NOT dating. Meanwhile David watches them and struggles with the emasculation he feels as an Asian man and what his feelings are for Julie. The trio must decide whether their friendship can continue with their conflicting views on their identity or whether it'll end along with their time in high school.

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Who You Kiss For Fun

Recommended by

  • Ayibatari Owei: Who You Kiss For Fun

    I immediately connected and fell in love with these characters from the jump. Lai succeeds in writing teenagers who are messy and relatable. You want these characters to find peace within themselves and relationships - even when they're hurting each other. Absolutely love this play.

    I immediately connected and fell in love with these characters from the jump. Lai succeeds in writing teenagers who are messy and relatable. You want these characters to find peace within themselves and relationships - even when they're hurting each other. Absolutely love this play.

  • Annie Schoonover: Who You Kiss For Fun

    A play that makes small moments feel enormously important. A group of friends who all truly love each other, but that doesn't stop their friend group from slowly falling apart. Each of the characters feels so genuine and real, and Lai is an expert at communicating intimacy through action.

    A play that makes small moments feel enormously important. A group of friends who all truly love each other, but that doesn't stop their friend group from slowly falling apart. Each of the characters feels so genuine and real, and Lai is an expert at communicating intimacy through action.

  • Andrew Rosendorf: Who You Kiss For Fun

    I love this play. It's full of humor and heart. The writing charms you in one moment and then hits you in the gut. It's a beautiful exploration of identity, masculinity, and learning to love yourself despite how the systems we live in are trying to tell us not to love ourselves. An incredibly moving play.

    I love this play. It's full of humor and heart. The writing charms you in one moment and then hits you in the gut. It's a beautiful exploration of identity, masculinity, and learning to love yourself despite how the systems we live in are trying to tell us not to love ourselves. An incredibly moving play.

All characters are Asian American and in their senior year of high school.

DAVID: a thinker and proud of it, the most mature in the trio, not necessarily not attractive.
JULIE: she holds the trio together, when she gets push back she easily changes course, deeply trusts her friends and holds what they say very highly
TYLER: extremely attractive, a jock, perpetually joking about everything so when he’s serious no one takes him seriously, so straight that he flirts with everyone


All characters are from Chinese speaking countries but if actors cannot be cast as such they should still all be Asian. Am flexible with changes to exact countries being made according to actors.

Development History

  • Type Workshop, Organization Melancholics Anonymous, Year 2024
  • Type Reading, Organization Frank Silvera's Writers Workshop, Year 2024
  • Type Reading, Organization Jersey City Theatre Center, Year 2023
  • Type Reading, Organization Picnic Basket Theatre, Year 2023

Awards

  • BIPOC Festival
    Boise Contemporary Theatre
    Finalist
    2025
  • Many Voices Fellowship
    Playwrights' Center
    Semi-Finalist