James Waterston. Photo by Eric Y. Exit for the Goodman Theatre, 2011
Chinglish follows a white American businessman who travels to China, desperate to score a lucrative contact for his family's firm, only to discover how much he doesn't understand. Named for the unique and often comical third language that evolves from attempts to translate Chinese signs into English, Chinglish explores an evolving U.S. – China relationship where neither side is exactly what it pretends to be.
Chinglish premiered in 2011 at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, directed by Leigh Silverman, where it won a Jefferson Award for Best New Work. Opening on Broadway later that year, it received a 2012 Drama Desk Nomination for Best Play.
Production photos from the Goodman Theatre production. Photos by Eric Y. Exit.
Video highlights from the Broadway production of Chinglish, featuring Jennifer Lim and Gary Wilmes, and other members of the cast.