31 Asian American Plays in 31 Days
#17 TEA by Velina Hasu Houston
TEA tells the story of five Japanese women who come to the United States as “war brides,” settling with their American husbands in an Army base in Junction City, Kansas.
Following the tragic death of one of the women, the other four gather together to share tea and remembrance. As each woman’s story unfolds, we learn what life in small-town America gave them, and what it took away. Told with a mixture of sadness, joy, beauty and humor, Tea examines a chapter of American history that has been nearly forgotten.
This is a play that has aged well, having periodic remounts through the years since its debut in the 1980s. I’ve seen it produced at Asian and non-Asian American theatres alike, with none of its spirit lost or diluted.
TEA, Manhattan Theatre Club, 1987, directed by Juliane Boyd, cast Takayo Fisher, Lily Mariye, Jeanne More, Natsuko Ohama and Patti Yasutake.
Picture take from the 20th Anniversary production at the 1st National Asian American Theatre Festival in New York, produced by CAATA Asian American Theatre Leaders. Jo Shui, Ako, Momo Yashima, Karen Tsen Lee, and Akiko Hiroshima.
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