Stuy or Die (coming summer 2025)
Produced by
Sònia Victoria Werner (in association with Lighthouse Ladies)
Following the unshakable will of their parents, three AAPI middle schoolers are thrust into a tutoring center obsessed with one goal: admission to one of NYC’s most elite public schools. Stuy or Die is a serio-comedic memory play on tour, reflecting on the relentless SHSAT prep culture in NYC.
Stuy or Die is a new touring play geared for young audiences by playwright Jason T. Wang and directed by Jonathan Chang, produced by Sònia Victoria Werner with the support of Lighthouse Ladies, LLC, exploring the experiences of Asian-American students preparing for the Specialized High School Admissions Test (S.H.S.A.T.) in NYC. Lighthouse Ladies is producing this show with a commitment to community engagement and accessibility.
Through this touring production, we aim to:
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Breaking theatrical boundaries through immersive, accessible staging.
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Engage audiences (particularly students and families of color) who traditionally have limited access to theater.
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Create a repeatable, community-centric model for educational performances in schools and community spaces across diverse NYC neighborhoods.
THE TEAM
Writer Jason Wang
Director Jonathan Chang
Assistant Director Dylin Taylor
Producer Sònia Victoria Werner (in Association w/ Lighthouse Ladies)
Stage Manager Eliana Coe
Scenic & Props design Danis Zhang
Sound Designer Alicia Qian
Lighting Designer Persephone Matlazihua Squires
Costume Designer & Show Art Sally Chen
CAST
BRIAN William McMahan
ALEX Matthew De Lorme
EILEEN Ruponti Wazid
JEANIE Emily Anne Goes
Special Thanks
Houghton Hall Arts Community
The Laundromat Project
Speyer Hall
Flushing Town Hall
Glow Cultural Center
The Dramatists Guild Foundation
Queens Art Fund
New York State Council on the Arts
Statewide Community Regrants Program
The HEAR US Grant
The MAP Fund