Who’s Who

Who’s Who? Who are the actors portraying the characters in this play?

SHANNON TYO (Afong Moy) (she/her) Long Wharf Theatre debut. Off-Broadway: The Chinese Lady, Kentucky, Bikeman, Dear Edwina. Select regional: The Good Book (Berkeley Rep), Fun Home (Baltimore Center Stage), Smart People (Geva Theatre Center), Bright Half Life (Kitchen Theatre Co.), Broadway Bounty Hunter (Barrington Stage), The White Snake (The Old Globe), Miss Saigon (Pioneer Theatre Co., Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Music Theatre Wichita), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Northern Stage, Tuacahn Center, Pioneer Theatre Co.). TV: “30 Rock,” “Rediscovering Christmas” (Lifetime), “The Last O.G.” BF A, Syracuse University.

JON NORMAN SCHNEIDER (Atung) (he/him) is thrilled to be back at Long Wharf Theatre after last appearing in Julia Cho’s Durango in 2006. Earlier this year, he played the Fool in Northern Stage’s production of King Lear. Select New York credits include the title role in Henry VI (NAATCO ), Awake and Sing! (NAATCO / The Public), Lunch Bunch (Clubbed Thumb), The Oldest Boy (Lincoln Center), Queens Boulevard (the musical) (Signature), Durango (The Public), A Map of Virtue (13P), among others. London: Paper Dolls (Tricycle). Regional: Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alley Theatre, Alliance Theatre, Barrington Stage Co., Dorset Theatre Festival, Goodman Theatre, Huntington Theatre Co., Kennedy Center, Magic Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Mosaic Theatre Co. of DC, and The Old Globe. Film: Bitter Melon, Manila Is Full of Men Named Boy, The Normals, and HBO ’s Angel Rodriguez. TV: “Succession,” “Jessica Jones,” “Veep,” “30 Rock,” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”

In the Classroom

DISCUSSION: Ultimately Afong’s life after the age of 14, was spent in a box as she was put on display for others to watch. In the play Afong says, “It is human nature to be curious. Curiosity is evolution. We migrate, from trees, through the jungle, across oceans and rivers, we are constantly searching.… This is what brings me here. We want to see… You want to look at me. You want to understand more about the world.”

Do you agree with Afong’s point of view? Is our curiosity an excuse to put the things we admire in a box? How has this changed over the years?

Write about a time when you felt like you were put in a box. Was this a real instance or perceived? What did you learn from this experience? What would you like others to know about your journey through this period of time.