The new play i know why iris chang died, by Esmé Maria Ng, will hold public readings September 4–September 7 at IRT Theater in New York, produced by Moxie Arts NY. The cast includes Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Raya and the Last Dragon) as April and Sagan Chen (Survival of the Thickest) as May.

The work is a tragicomic two-hander told from the perspective of May, a trans masculine Chinese-American graphic artist; and explores legacy, family, suicide, genocide, and healing from generational trauma. The reading is directed by Bibiana Torres (Roundabout Directors Group 2025-26). The project is line produced by Emma Y. Lai, and features illustrations and graphic design by May Wang, sound and projections design by Max Van, and lighting design by Ari Kim. 

i know why iris chang died was originally commissioned by Live & In Color’s June Bingham New Play Commission.

Moxie Arts NY is a Lilly Award-winning non-profit theatre company founded in 2017 dedicated to engaging audiences with stories centering women, created by artists of historically excluded genders (including women, trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming artists).

Tickets are available at MoxieArts.org/Incubator-2025.