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Chinese Republicans
A cross-section of how Chinese American women have fared in the corporate world is the engaging subject of Alex Lin’s ironic, humorous and ultimately devastating play Chinese Republicans. Directed by Chay Yew, the well-honed production examines personal sacrifice, identity conflicts, and nuanced discrimination (gender, age, cultural). Chinese Republicans is at the Roundabout until April 5, 2026.
The playwright spins a complex dynamic about Chinese American corporate working women. Yew expertly unfolds the complications among four women of different generations, including one immigrant working to get her citizenship. During meetings designed to encourage affinity but which actually stir resentments and competitiveness, each of the characters reveals the struggle they face to break the glass ceiling, competing against their less qualified male counterparts. Though the story is unfortunately all too familiar, Lin spikes the interactions with an original, darkly funny approach that resonates with currency.
Four Female Suits
The production takes off by introducing us to four female suits who work at various upper-level positions at Friedman Wallace. They gather for their “affinity luncheon,” where they meet once a month at a Chinese restaurant. We observe ambition, assertiveness and edginess which might as readily be exhibited by any male power-player succeeding in a tough environment.
However, these women must obviously work much harder for their success because of biases against them, as women, and especially as Chinese women. Lin and Yew dance artfully around this gender debility by focusing on cultural elements and details. This strengthens the irony while instructing the audience about elements of Chinese culture they may not know.
First and preeminent, with experience and knowledge to instruct the younger suits, is Phyllis (Jodi Long). She holds little back and uses her irony as a weapon. Ellen (Jennifer Ikeda), Phyllis’ mentee, has sacrificed having children for her position and plans on becoming a partner at the firm.
Iris (Jully Lee), an immigrant who speaks four dialects, chides the others, especially Ellen, on their bad Mandarin and on losing touch with their Chinese identity. Katie (Anna Zavelson) is the youngest and newest member of the group. Confident and positive about her recent promotion, Katie is excited about their “making a difference,” proclaiming, “Come on Asian queens.”
Complications
From this luncheon onward, Lin and Yew show how difficult it is for each of the characters to be “Asian queens” in their workplace – or their personal lives. Most of the scenes take place at the restaurant, neutral ground. The exception is a game-show farce, where Iris ironically shreds the others’ ambitions with irony as part of a fever dream turned nightmare. The side scene after Katie does a turnaround and evolves into an advocate for unionizing the firm is funny, as she stands in front of the building pumping up a labor rat while the others watch her from the conference room in shock and horror.
How and why Katie evolves into an anti-Republican unionizer from a gung-ho Asian queen Republican involves the corrupt male culture of Friedman Wallace; discriminatory street violence against Phyllis; Iris’ immigration hell; sexual harassment, and much more. Along the way we learn a few things about each of the characters that add to our admiration of these highly competent women who have endured and suffered nobly, knowing in their bones that the are odds stacked against them, feeling they have strived and sacrificed to what end? A sea of regrets?
A Powerful Kick
The ensemble is uniformly superior. Each portrays their character with authenticity and no holds barred. As a result the concluding revelations land with poignancy and a powerful kick. The double irony of the evolving meaning of being a Republican is tragic, considering the current face and brand of the MAGA party. The playwright neatly slips in this information into Katie’s development from corporate martinet to human being with a conscience. It’s a reminder to history buffs, and salient information for others, that political labels are meaningless.
Chinese Republicans fires on all levels of theatricality and spectacle, adhering to Yew’s minimalist, unadorned vision for Lin’s play which focuses on character and theme. Wilson Chin (set design), Ania Yavich (costume design) and other creatives present an attractive backdrop which lends itself to disappearing so that the actors are able to live onstage and profoundly impact the audience.
Chinese Republicans from the Roundabout Theatre is at the Laura Pels Theatre, Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre through April 5, 2026.
