SWAN a play by Sophie Kim
winner of the 2022 Phyllis Anderson Prize for Playwriting from the American Repertory Theater. semi-finalist for the 2023 Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference. premiered in Moonbox Productions’ 2023 Boston New Works Festival.
watch the official trailer for SWAN in Moonbox Productions’ 2023 Boston New Works Festival. trailer by Sophie Kim.
If you had to give up everything you knew, everyone you loved, to be something you didn’t understand…would you?
SWAN follows Richard, a 3rd gen Korean American gay trans guy, who flips off his bigoted grandma with the help of his gym bro brother and a snide Disney villain voice in the back of his head who might also be the god of transness (or something).
Aiden, a twenty-something white closeted trans guy and moderately YouTube-famous tradwife, spends his days burying his feelings in jello (it’s giving 1950s horrors) and also being haunted by the aforementioned god.
Oh, and there’s Brad, a Korean-American closeted cis gay guy whose parents are so fresh off the boat, they still smell like clams.
Aiden and Richard are forced to confront their fears of the future, the queerness they’ve buried, and their need to be who they truly are, even if that means becoming monstrous.
What if we are free to be monstrous and unknowable? To make out with the biblically accurate angel & become it? What would it be like to find queer transcendence? & keep going?
PRESS
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY
Moonbox Productions’ 2023 Boston New Works Festival
SWAN was selected by competitive application to be developed by Moonbox Productions and premiere in the 2023 Boston New Works Festival from June 22-25 at the Boston Center for the Arts. The production was directed by Kai Chao, assistant directed by Vinny Douglass, and stage managed by Micaela Slotin. More info: bit.ly/swantix
An image from the final work-in-progress showing with The Theater Offensive in March 2022.
The Theater Offensive Emergent Artist Cohort
As one of the artists in The Theater Offensive Emergent Artist Cohort Residency, Kim developed the play during a one-year workshop period with artistic support from TTO. The residency culminated in a virtual work-in-progress showing and feedback session. The work-in-progress showing was directed by Cara Hinh, with dramaturgy by Sarah Shin and gender consulting by Sushma Saha.
Alyse Clinton (he/they) as Aiden. Photo by Sophie Kim.
From left to right: Jenine Jacinto (they/them) and Vivian Liu Somers (she/her) as YouTubers. Photo by Al Ragone.
From left to right: Asa Graham-Lowengard (he/him) as Young Aiden; Alyse Clinton (he/they) as Aiden; Wesley Han (they/them) as Swan. Photo by Al Ragone.
Wesley Han (they/them) as Swan. Photo by Sophie Kim.
From left to right: director Kai Chao (he/him), Christina Chan (she/her), Noa Graham (she/they), Jupiter Lê (he/him), Wesley Han (they/them) in rehearsal. Photo by Sophie Kim.