Tea

by Velina Hasu Houston

Four women come together to clean the house of a fifth after her tragic suicide upsets the balance of life in their small Japanese immigrant community in the middle of the Kansas heartland. The spirit of the dead woman returns as a ghostly ringmaster to force the women to come to terms with the disquieting tension of their lives and find common ground so that she can escape from the limbo between life and death, and move on to the next world in peace and indeed carve a pathway for their future passage. Set in Junction City, Kansas, 1968; and netherworlds.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Asian American

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[William]

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this play, but I really really enjoyed reading this.

It resonated with me on so many different levels, and I breezed through this read. Would recommend 5/5.

[Lenna Wren]

this is just so beautiful to me

[Aaron Thomas]

This is an ok play. I like the way it moves around in time. But I guess for me the five women's stories all seem to blur together. The five women are types, and they stand in for women who responded in various ways to emigrating from Japan. It is as if the author's interest in telling the story of so-called war brides overwhelmed her ability to tap into the protagonist's journey. The play is about these women in general rather than something that felt specific to me.

[Kat]

this one leaves you kind of breathless

[Carmen]

This was an interesting and entertaining listen. With the dramatization nature of the audio, it was occasionally a bit difficult to follow, but never so difficult that I wanted to stop.
The base story is somewhat heartbreaking, and there's definitely some interesting perspectives in there.
I'm also left with a strong craving for tea, both of the beverage and gossip nature. (Do not recomment turning "tea" into a drinking game - you'd probably be on the floor before the end of the first act!)

[Elizabeth]

Tea is a complex and moving piece, and the LA Theatre Works audio version is well performed. It was interesting to see a side of history we don't normally see, and it was genuinely emotionally impactful.

[Nomad nimrod]

Not for me.

[Sam Doolittle]

Some moving moments for sure. This is a play that I think truly shines when performed.

[Nickel Colecio]

The ending of this is so brutal and heart-wrenching :c

[Maya]

i wish i was in class today to talk about this tbh

[Jon Nadler]

Very moving. Highly recommend for anyone studying race and culture in America.

[Anna Bowman]

Excellent…best play I’ve read this year

[Celine]

Definitely fun to dissect and try and understand the playwrights intent

[violet]

the kind of short play that stil manages to feel like an anvil has hit you in the chest. was also lovely to hear from the author herself !

[Scott Wagner]

This play is unbelievable.
I had to read it for a directing class, and was astonished at how amazing the plot was.
After World War II, many Japanese woman came to Kansas to be "War Brides" to marry soldiers from the war.
Himiko, who is one of these "War Brides", commits suicide in the opening scene, and this sends ripples into the Japanese-American community. A handful of these Japanese brides gather together to have Tea, to mourn for the loss of Himiko. The story unravels into a jaw dropping twist of events.

Only 60-ish pages.


A MUST read.

[Mylissa]

I wish I knew more about the tea ceremony that is central to this play because I feel like I would understand more. It is explained to a degree but obviously the play can't spend forever on the cultural significances and stay relevant to the bigger picture which is the troubles, travails and travels of these women who no longer belong to Japan but don't really belong to the US either. It definitely makes you think.

[Irma Mayorga]

Read again. I suspect I will re-read come this fall.

[Steven]

Captures the alienation of Japanese war brides in Midwest America.