Plays Written by Christine Toy Johnson
A LITTLE MORE BLUE
EMPRESS MEI LI LOTUS BLOSSOM
BROKEN GROUND
DIARY OF A DOMESTIC GODDESS (written with Kevin Duda)
GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT
NO WAVE WITHOUT WIND
PAPER SON
THE SECRET WISDOM OF TREES
TILL SOON, ANNE
TRUTH AGAINST THE WORLD: THE LIFE AND LOVES OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT
ADVENTURES OF A FAUX DESIGNER HANDBAG
INTERNAL BLEEDING
THE NEW DEAL
Synopses:
A Little More Blue – a solo play with music that’s part memoire, part revelation, about an Asian American woman who discovers how much her father’s lifelong quest to be an “All American guy” has galvanized her own journey to make fighting for his dream one of her own.
Empress Mei Li Lotus Blossom – A Teaneck born Asian American actress adopts the persona of an exotic Hong Kong movie star so she can finally take Broadway by storm.
Broken Ground (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson, music & lyrics by Jason Ma) – Taking place in 1912 on the cusp of a new era for China, Broken Ground tells the story of 18-year old Xue Lán, as she sets out on the path created for her by tradition and her family to marry a young soldier. Still grieving the recent loss of her mother and twin brother and yearning to make peace with the new life before her, she seeks guidance from both Guan Yin, the goddess of compassion, and the spirit of her mother. Transported to another space and time of an ancient myth via an embroidered story in NüShu, the centuries-old writing system created by and only for women, Xue Lán connects to her mother’s wishes for her and discovers that she can indeed find happiness by both speaking her truth and honoring her destiny.
Diary of a Domestic Goddess (written with Kevin Duda) – Meet Maggie Jones, a quintessential 1950’s Iowa housewife who is “perfectly perfect in every single way.” Every morning, she sets out her husband’s suit and tie and shoes and socks, presses his shirt, whips the butter, bakes the bread, polishes the silver, knits a sweater, sets the table, weaves the napkins, fries the bacon, scrambles the eggs, picks up the paper, and pours the coffee – all before 8 a.m. But, something is missing. She can’t help but think that she can do more…but what? Perhaps a visit from a mysterious traveling salesman, who presents her with The Hollywood Housewife Records, will hold the key. Soon she is acting out zany, pre-recorded scenes with her favorite celebrities. As Maggie gets swept away by the stories and characters she plays, she discovers that learning to say what she really means makes her more “perfectly perfect” than she ever could have imagined.
Guilty Until Proven Innocent – Sam Chey, a highly successful Cambodian-American lawyer returning to Phnom Penh for the first time since his parents fled the Khmer Rouge, tries to find justice for a young man framed for murder. While grappling with the idea that corruption within the Cambodian legal system is status quo, he begins to question whether or not he can save the day, the way his American psyche insists he can. Inspired by true events currently happening in Cambodia.
Paper Son – Paper Son is the story of a young Chinese man who must learn to balance his American identity with his family’s immigrant journey. It’s 1952, and when he meets his match in an American-born-Chinese girl, romance and new questions about the name he lost in his secretly illegal immigration follow. (The prequel to THE NEW DEAL).
The Secret Wisdom of Trees – The Secret Wisdom of Trees is the story of Abby Green, an intrepid and fiercely funny septuagenarian, who tries to prepare her family and herself for her journey into Alzheimer’s by planting trees at the locations of her biggest memories. When her daughter dies and her grandchildren turn against her, she struggles with knowing that even her most painful memories are becoming difficult to hold onto. What’s worse – losing your family or losing the memories of what has become of them? Inspired by true events. Dedicated to Lynn Cohen.
Till Soon, Anne (Book & Lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson. Music by Bobby Cronin) – A young woman at the end of her journey with brain cancer gathers her closest friends and family together for one final perfect weekend.
Truth Against the World: The Life and Loves of Frank Lloyd Wright – Rebounding from repeated personal tragedy and intent on setting the record straight about his life’s work, Frank Lloyd Wright at age 65 gives a press conference about his new autobiography and plans for enduring the future.
Adventures of a Faux Designer Handbag – a comedy about three friends frantically trying to find a limited edition handbag. They are catapulted through space and time from the maze of Chinatown, New York, to the Splendid China theme park in Orlando, Florida, where they try to discover if authenticity is really in the eye of the beholder.
Internal Bleeding – Loosely based on a true story, an Olympic bound gymnast becomes estranged from his parents after an accident leaves him paralyzed.
The New Deal – In a battle with her brother to keep their grandfather’s restaurant from being demolished, Abigail Lee finds out that saving the past isn’t always the same as fighting for the future.
Bio:
Christine Toy Johnson is a Tony honored, Obie, Rosetta LeNoire, JACL, and Asian American Arts Alliance award-winning writer, actor, director, and advocate for inclusion based in New York City. Her written works for the theatre have been produced and/or developed by the Roundabout, Abingdon Theatre Company, Village Theatre, Barrow Group, Prospect Theatre, Weston Playhouse, the O’Neill, National Women’s Theatre Festival, CAP 21, Ars Nova, Greater Boston Stage Company, Towne Street Theatre and more, are included in the Library of Congress’s Asian Pacific American Performing Arts Collection (Playwrights Division), and published by Rowman & Littlefield, Applause Books, and Smith & Kraus. She is the co-director (with Bruce Johnson) and Executive Producer of the multiple award-winning documentary feature “Transcending: The Wat Misaka Story”, an alum of the BMI Musical Theatre Writing Workshop, and was a 2016 fellow of The Writers Lab (supported by Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Oprah Winfrey). Christine serves as Treasurer of the Dramatists Guild, chair of the Guild’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access committee, and host of their podcast “The Dramatists Guild Presents Talkback” on Broadway Podcast Network. As an actor, she has appeared extensively on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theatres across the country and over 100 television and film appearances including recurring guest star roles on Marvel’s “Iron Fist”, “Bull”, “The Americans”, “You”, and “Law and Order: SVU” and currently plays “Diane and others” in the First National/North American tour of COME FROM AWAY. Co-founding member of AAPAC (Asian American Performers Action Coalition), founder of the Asian American Musical Theatre Writers Project.
Website: www.christinetoyjohnson.com
Twitter & Instagram: @CToyJ