Sarah Cho

Sarah Cho

Sarah Cho is a Los Angeles-based comedy writer and playwright. Her plays include Koreans Eat Dog, Life of the Experiment, Waiting for Mr. Rogers, Monopoly, Family Dinner, and Trich. Most recently, her play STAINS was selected as finalist for the 2023 Jane Chambers Award. STAINS was developed as part of Moving Arts’ MADLab New Play Development and selected for Great Plains Theatre Conference. She is a recipient...
Sarah Cho is a Los Angeles-based comedy writer and playwright. Her plays include Koreans Eat Dog, Life of the Experiment, Waiting for Mr. Rogers, Monopoly, Family Dinner, and Trich. Most recently, her play STAINS was selected as finalist for the 2023 Jane Chambers Award. STAINS was developed as part of Moving Arts’ MADLab New Play Development and selected for Great Plains Theatre Conference. She is a recipient of the Iowa Arts Fellowship, the Richard Maibaum Playwriting Award, Kennedy Center’s Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award, and wasnamed Associate Artist for Ashland New Plays Festival.

After graduating from Iowa Playwrights Workshop, she went on to study improv comedy at iO West and Second City, as well as improvisational theater with Aretha Sills at Sills/Spolin Theater Works. She has performed at Green Gravel Comedy Festival, Laugh Riot Grrrl Festival, and written sketch comedy for LA Scripted Comedy Festival and house teams at the Pack Theater. Her work has been featured on ComedyCake, WhoHaHa, and Funny or Die. She currently writes and co-produces the late-night-style podcast The Dump, while also co-hosting the “very interesting” playwriting podcast Beckett’s Babies with fellow playwright Sam Collier which you can learn more about at www.beckettsbabies.com.

Sarah is a California native who grew up in Los Angeles and lived by the beaches of Santa Barbara (a true So-Cal girl). She earned her BA in film and theater at UC Santa Barbara, where she excelled in eating tons of burritos, and holds her MFA from Iowa Playwrights Workshop, where she excelled in drinking pie shakes. She currently resides in West LA with her very professional writer husband, Nik Frank-Lehrer, and her very unprofessional cat, Butters Cho.

BA: UC Santa Barbara MFA: Iowa Playwrights Workshop

Plays

  • STAINS by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 7
    ·
    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: comedy, drama + 2 more
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    Keyword: first period, menstruation + 4 more
    Genre: comedy, drama, fantasy, parody/spoof
    Keyword: first period, menstruation, menstral health, Asian American women, Asian American family, Asian American playwright
    [FULL-LENGTH] An impoverished Korean-American teenager struggles through her first period, with the help of an imaginary friend… who happens to resemble a wisecracking witch from a popular ‘90s sitcom. STAINS ​is a coming of age comedy about a Korean American girl whose family sees her first period as a burden. A play about growing up poor, female, and Korean American in Los Angeles.

    STAINS was...
    [FULL-LENGTH] An impoverished Korean-American teenager struggles through her first period, with the help of an imaginary friend… who happens to resemble a wisecracking witch from a popular ‘90s sitcom. STAINS ​is a coming of age comedy about a Korean American girl whose family sees her first period as a burden. A play about growing up poor, female, and Korean American in Los Angeles.

    STAINS was in development as part of 2021 MADlab Playwriting Development Program, produced by Moving Arts Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

    In 2022, STAINS received developmental readings at Great Plains Theatre Conference (Omaha, NE), Ashland New Plays Festival (Ashland, OR), and Jungle Theatre (Minneapolis, MN).
  • Friendship Coma by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 2
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    Cast: 
    8
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    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 1 more
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    Keyword: fomo, comedy + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, satire
    Keyword: fomo, comedy, adult women best friends, social media, contemporary satire
    [FULL-LENGTH PLAY] After long ten years of being apart, four ratchet South Bay best friends reunite to rekindle their friendships. However, one friend doesn't quite remember because she was in a coma for most of it. Her friends continue to remind her that it’s okay if she was in a coma and doesn't remember any of it because their friendship has, “like, totally persevered”. As they continue to...
    [FULL-LENGTH PLAY] After long ten years of being apart, four ratchet South Bay best friends reunite to rekindle their friendships. However, one friend doesn't quite remember because she was in a coma for most of it. Her friends continue to remind her that it’s okay if she was in a coma and doesn't remember any of it because their friendship has, “like, totally persevered”. As they continue to reminisce, Tiffany begins to suspect a shocking secret that no one can discuss but is revealed during the reunion. The play attempts to uncover the real meaning behind “fear of missing out” and its consequences.
  • Trich by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    6–9
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    Genre: dark comedy, drama + 3 more
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    Keyword: trichotillomania, coming of age + 3 more
    Genre: dark comedy, drama, experimental, movement/physical, tragedy
    Keyword: trichotillomania, coming of age, Bigfoot, coping with grief, coming to terms with loss
    [FULL-LENGTH] All her life, Floyd has had the urge to pull hair from her scalp, eyebrows, or other parts of her body. As she is haunted by the Memories of her past, she must come to terms with the devastating loss of her mother… even if it means hurting the closest to her and losing all of her hair. "Trich" is a coming-of-age story about loving yourself even when it’s hard to do.
  • Life of the Experiment by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 1
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    Cast: 
    5
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    Genre: dark comedy, experimental + 6 more
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    Keyword: cancer, experimental
    Genre: dark comedy, experimental, fantasy, horror, movement/physical, satire, science fiction, tragedy
    Keyword: cancer, experimental
    [FULL-LENGTH] It is the year 2067 and everyone has cancer. "Life of the Experiment" is a science-fiction drama about five individuals, each diagnosed with cancer, that have agreed to participate in a clinical trial where they undergo physical and emotional stress in the hopes of finding a cure. They are the unsung heroes who either beat, cure, or fall victims of cancer. The play is an exploration of...
    [FULL-LENGTH] It is the year 2067 and everyone has cancer. "Life of the Experiment" is a science-fiction drama about five individuals, each diagnosed with cancer, that have agreed to participate in a clinical trial where they undergo physical and emotional stress in the hopes of finding a cure. They are the unsung heroes who either beat, cure, or fall victims of cancer. The play is an exploration of modern cancer treatments and the practices involved in the trials of new medicine.

    Note: Originally written in 2013, the play received a workshop in 2014 as part of University of Iowa's New Play Festival.
  • Grace and Janette Like White Guys by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 6
    ·
    Cast: 
    6–12
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    Genre: comedy, farce + 3 more
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    Keyword: Asian American, technology + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, farce, parody/spoof, romantic comedy, satire
    Keyword: Asian American, technology, dating apps, entertainment industry
    [FULL-LENGTH] Grace and Janette, two Asian-American women, are opposites in every way but one... they both like white guys, and have trouble finding the “right” ones. Together, they dream up a very specific dating app to solve their problem. With the help of a team of male, Asian-American programmers, they make the app a reality. But the experience forces them to look within themselves... and blame their love...
    [FULL-LENGTH] Grace and Janette, two Asian-American women, are opposites in every way but one... they both like white guys, and have trouble finding the “right” ones. Together, they dream up a very specific dating app to solve their problem. With the help of a team of male, Asian-American programmers, they make the app a reality. But the experience forces them to look within themselves... and blame their love troubles on Hollywood, the media and the culture at large. The play explores themes of technology, love, entertainment, and most of all, friendship.

    **Finalist, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference (2020)
  • Kung Flu Zombie by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 1
    ·
    Cast: 
    9
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 4 more
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    Keyword: SARS, Covid-19 + 3 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, fantasy, horror, parody/spoof, satire
    Keyword: SARS, Covid-19, Asian American, zombies, Kung Flu
    [FULL-LENGTH] When a global outbreak nearly wipes out the human race, a group of hotel-dwellers must work together to survive. But their paranoia surfaces when they encounter the alleged source of the threat: an outsider. An ASIAN outsider.
  • Married to Time by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 5
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    Cast: 
    4
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    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy + 1 more
    Genre: comedy, romantic comedy, science fiction
    [SHORT - 10 MINUTE] A wife struggles to accept her husband for who he is... a Time Traveler.
  • Father Hates Social by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 3
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    Cast: 
    2
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    Genre: comedy
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    Keyword: social media, technology + 3 more
    Genre: comedy
    Keyword: social media, technology, fathers and sons, Older adults, social
    [SHORT - 10 MINUTE] A father learns how to sign-up and create a social media account. What he learns is how much he hates being social.
  • Family Dinner by Sarah Cho
    Recommendations: 4
    ·
    Cast: 
    6
    ·
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 5 more
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    Keyword: education biases, socio-economics + 2 more
    Genre: comedy, dark comedy, drama, fantasy, farce, satire, tragedy
    Keyword: education biases, socio-economics, graduate school, family dinner
    [FULL-LENGTH] "Family Dinner" is a play about a family that has a problem. They can't have a nice normal family dinner.
    And it's probably because they're not very nice. Jane must decide if she can leave her family for a better life and hopefully, a better dinner.

    **Received a Workshop Production for University of Iowa’s Gallery Series
    **Kennedy Center’s The...
    [FULL-LENGTH] "Family Dinner" is a play about a family that has a problem. They can't have a nice normal family dinner.
    And it's probably because they're not very nice. Jane must decide if she can leave her family for a better life and hopefully, a better dinner.

    **Received a Workshop Production for University of Iowa’s Gallery Series
    **Kennedy Center’s The Paul Stephen Lim Asian American Playwriting Award
    **Quarter-finalist for Road Theater Company’s Summer Playwrights Festival
    **Published Thesis for University of Iowa Press 2015