Young Americans
by Lauren Yee

Name: Young Americans
Brand: Lauren Yee
SKU: 9780573711916
Rating: 3 (2 reviews)

Young Americans Book Cover — Young Americans Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

90 mins Present Day Multicultural Casting Unit Set/Multiple Settings Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes Comedy

Synopsis

Joe and Jenny, a young immigrant couple, share a drive across America to their new home, forging a relationship through national sites, motels and unexpectedly eventful IHOP stops.

Twenty years later, Joe takes the same drive with their 19-year-old daughter, Lucy, but Jenny isn’t there.

As twin road trips unfold two decades apart, a picture of a family comes into gradual focus.

Press Reviews

"Great… this wonderful little dramedy feels as wide open as the road from East to West Coast… Telling the story of two road trips decades apart, Yee shows how the power of family and identity may be strong, but the power of music is just as potent."
— BroadwayWorld

"Those of us without a direct link to immigrant experience inevitably underestimate the extent of our ignorance… Lauren Yee’s new play… gently troubles our assumptions and, if we allow it, will awaken appropriate curiosity about what we don’t know."
— Oregon ArtsWatch

"[Young Americans] asks you to reflect on a question that has no definitive answer in a way that takes a wide variety of perspectives into account. Especially in our current polarized environment, that’s an endeavor worth pursuing."
— BroadwayWorld

"Your nights out are precious, and this show is worth it… If you’re looking for the perfect date night to impress your partner or friend, this is it."
— PDXParent

"Lauren is such a gifted writer… She’s made the experiences shared between the two characters so universal that it transcends many cultures and really connects with both the artists and the audience."
— Inquirer.Net

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Jenny Female, 20s, his soon-to-be wife, also an immigrant	female	20s	Female, 20s, his soon-to-be wife, also an immigrant
Lucy Female, 21, an immigrant who came over at a young ageJOE and JENNY are played by actors of the same race.	female	—	Female, 21, an immigrant who came over at a young ageJOE and JENNY are played by actors of the same race.
Joe Male, about 30 and about 50, an immigrant	male	—	Male, about 30 and about 50, an immigrant