When Luna and Jane run into each other at the supermarket on Thanksgiving Day, they discover they have much in common — they’re both new to America and spending the holiday alone while their medical-resident husbands work the night away. Longing for connection, the two homesick women return to Luna’s apartment for the evening. Over a bottle of wine (or two), they attempt to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal while sharing their stories and dreams. Set eight years after the Hart-Celler Act of 1965 overhauled the U.S. immigration system, this poignant comedy illuminates the Asian immigrant experience and asks, “Would you give up your heart to make a new home?”
Three things to know
Playwright Lloyd Suh was inspired to write The Heart Sellers based on conversations he and Director May Adrales had about their mothers’ experiences immigrating to the U.S.
The play’s title is drawn from the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, also known as the Hart-Celler Act, which eliminated restrictive, nationality-based immigration quotas and granted new paths to U.S. citizenship for people from Asia, Africa and other non-European nations.
The Heart Sellers had its world premiere at the Milwaukee Rep in 2023 and was heralded as “a stunning comedy” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) and “a love letter to friendship” (BroadwayWorld).
Performance Venue
Guthrie Theater
All Performance Dates
Wednesday, 1/8 at 7:30pm
Wednesday, 1/15 at 7:30pm
Content Warnings/Age Recommendations
This performance is recommended for ages 14 and older.
Themes
Luna and Jane are both new to America. They not only miss aspects of their respective homelands, but also parts of themselves that they feel they had to leave behind. Are there other circumstances, beyond moving to a new country, where we might leave parts of ourselves behind?
Accessibility
Many performance venues offer accessibility accommodations such as wheelchair seating, assistive listening, sensory ear plugs, ASL interpretation, open captioning, or audio description, among other options. These accommodations are specific to each event, and may not be available everywhere. When registering with us, please let us know what accommodations you need and we will follow up with you!
Transportation
If you do not have access to a ride, call Project Success and we can provide transportation for you. Please let us know if you need a ride when you make your reservation. We will need at least 2 days’ notice to set up transportation.
Childcare
Childcare is available for this performance. Please let us know if you need childcare when you make your reservation.
Additional Media
Here is more info about the 1965 Hart-Celler Act described in the play:
