Yappie, an original musical

ensemble actors and flute, clarinet, saxophone, drum set, piano, violin, cello
written fall 2018 - summer 2020
duration 90 min.

Recipient of the 2019-2020 Peabody LAUNCH Grant
Recipient of the 2018-2019 Peabody Dean’s Incentive Grant

Yappie is an original musical created in collaboration with writer Jenny C. Lares, produced by Donna Ibale and Roger Wu Fu. The musical tells the story of an eponymous Young Asian Professional named Grace, a high-flying and ambitious businesswoman who encounters an existential crisis after an untimely career setback. Sent reeling, Grace finds herself questioning every aspect of her curated existence, turning to forgotten artistic passions from her college days in an attempt to find who she is, absent her overbearing mother’s expectations. Joining an amateur theater production, Grace finds herself meeting Asian-American creatives of all shapes, colors, and sizes who force her to reconsider what she thought she knew about Asian America.