PANDAMONIUM!

by Nancy Sun

As a giant panda, Yiyi’s purpose is to save her species from extinction. And according to her Instagram, it might also be her whole personality :) But after six miscarriages, Yiyi starts to question whether being the face of wildlife conservation fundamentally requires her to bear cubs. When you live in captivity, though, do you really have a say? PANDAMONIUM! is about the choices we make within a society that...

As a giant panda, Yiyi’s purpose is to save her species from extinction. And according to her Instagram, it might also be her whole personality :) But after six miscarriages, Yiyi starts to question whether being the face of wildlife conservation fundamentally requires her to bear cubs. When you live in captivity, though, do you really have a say? PANDAMONIUM! is about the choices we make within a society that claims to value life, yet restricts the bodies that make life possible. Inspired by real-world animal conservation efforts, contemporary sociopolitics, and the chronically online, this play is for those who touch grass and those who should.

* FULL SCRIPT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST*

- Official Selection, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, 2026
- 1st Place Excerpted Reading, All It Takes is ONE ACT Festival, 2026
- Finalist, Ojai Playwrights Conference, 2026
- Semifinalist, Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's National Playwrights Conference, 2026
- Reading, Bechdel Project, 2025

read more
  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

PANDAMONIUM!

Recommended by

  • Gina Femia: PANDAMONIUM! by Nancy Sun
    “

    This is such a smart, sharp, hilarious and heartbreaking play. Poignant, timely, absurd, it is deserving of attention. I hope to see this play produced in the future, very soon.

    This is such a smart, sharp, hilarious and heartbreaking play. Poignant, timely, absurd, it is deserving of attention. I hope to see this play produced in the future, very soon.

    ”
  • Shaun Leisher: PANDAMONIUM! by Nancy Sun
    “

    This is such an absurd play with so much to chew on. It is moving while also being absolutely hysterical. I loved how this play takes an incisive look at our modern internet culture. To portray this panda as an influencer was such a brilliant choice. I loved how the internet is being depicted here. I loved seeing how the world of the commenters pushed up against what is happening in Yiyi's lives. This also has so much to say about the pressures of motherhood. I can't wait to see what this would look like fully produced.

    This is such an absurd play with so much to chew on. It is moving while also being absolutely hysterical. I loved how this play takes an incisive look at our modern internet culture. To portray this panda as an influencer was such a brilliant choice. I loved how the internet is being depicted here. I loved seeing how the world of the commenters pushed up against what is happening in Yiyi's lives. This also has so much to say about the pressures of motherhood. I can't wait to see what this would look like fully produced.

    ”

Development History

  • Reading, A is For, Summer 2026
  • Reading, Big Bang Works-in-Progress, Spring 2026
  • Reading, Piper Theatre, 2025

Awards

  • Ojai Playwrights Conference
    Finalist
    2026
  • Scenes taught in Intro to Dramatic Writing and Advanced Playwriting Workshop
    matthew paul olmos, UC-Santa Barbara