The Heart Sellers

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The Heart Sellers
2025 Northlight Theatre production poster
Original languageEnglish
Written byLloyd Suh
CharactersLuna
Jane
Premiere
DateFebruary 7, 2023
PlaceMilwaukee Repertory Theater

The Heart Sellers is a play by American playwright Lloyd Suh which follows two Asian women who have immigrated to the U.S. amid the Hart-Celler Act in the 1970s. The play premiered at Milwaukee Repertory Theater in 2023[1] and is set to make its New York premiere Off-Broadway at MCC Theatre in 2027.[2] The play was named among the top ten most-produced plays in the U.S. in 2025–2026 by American Theatre Magazine.[3]

Plot

The play follows a chance encounter between two immigrant strangers, Luna and Jane, during Thanksgiving 1973. The pair decide to spend the holiday together at Luna's apartment and bond over their shared experience with isolation and unfamiliarity in the U.S.[4] The title is a play on the name of the Hart-Celler Act, which removed de jure discrimination against Asian-Americans during the era of the play.[5]

Production history

2023 Milwaukee premiere

The play made its world premiere in 2023 in a regional production at Milwaukee Repertory Theater, running from February 7 through March 19 in the Stiemke Studio Theatre. Directed by Jennifer Chang, the production starred Nicole Javier as Luna and Narea Kang as Jane.[6]

The production received critical acclaim, with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel praising the play as "stunning" and "breathtaking",[7] along with Urban Milwaukee, which lauded the show as "smartly audacious and stirringly theatrical."[8] For the play, Suh won the 2024 Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award.[9]

2024 Sarasota production

The play was next produced at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, Florida in 2024 from December 11, 2024 to February 23, 2025. Kate Alexander served as director, featuring Rona Figueroa as Luna and Michelle Heera Kim as Jane.[10] Sarasota Magazine lauded the play as "as timeless as it is both universal and yet deeply personal", with specific praise to Luh for the depth of his characters.[11]

2024 Minneapolis production

The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota produced the play in 2024, running from December 14, 2024 to January 25, 2025. The play was directed by May Adrales and starred Jenna Agbayani as Luna and Juyeon Song as Jane.[12] The Stages of MN praised the production, singling out Adrales' "light touch" in her direction and calling the play "surprisingly warmly touching."[13]

2025 Chicago production

The play was produced at Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois in 2025, running from January 23 to February 23, 2025. The production was directed by Helen Young and starred Aja Alcazar as Luna and Seoyoung Park as Jane.[14] Chicago Reader called the play "urgent and poignant," praising both performers,[15] and Around the Town Chicago similarly praised the show as "sincere and quite humorous."[16] For her performance, Park was nominated for a 2025 Jeff Award for Performer in a Principal Role - Play.[17]

2025 Palo Alto production

Later in 2025, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley produced the play, running from April 2 to 27, 2025 in a co-production with Aurora Theatre Company and Sacramento’s Capital Stage. Jennifer Chang returned to direct, along with both Nicole Javier and Narea Kang, reuniting from the world premiere production in 2023.[18] In a review, The Almanac praised the "sensitivity" of Suh's writing and the performances as "an unexpected, melodious treat."[19]

2025 Costa Mesa production

Chang, Javier and Kang would go on to reprise their roles once again in a production of the play later in 2025 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California.[20] The production again received positive reception, with Stage and Cinema praising Suh's "light, sweet tone" and the two actress' performance as "captivating and luminous."[21] '

2027 Off-Broadway production

In 2026, MCC Theatre named the play as part of its 2026-27 season, set to open in January 2027.[22] Directed by May Adrales, who previously directed it in Minneapolis, the cast has yet to be announced.[23][24]

Cast and characters

Character Milwaukee 2023[25] 2024 Sarasota [26] Minneapolis 2024 [27] Chicago 2025[28] Palo Alto 2025[29] Costa Mesa 2025[30]
Luna Nicole Javier Rona Figueroa Jenna Agbayani Aja Alcazar Nicole Javier
Jane Narea Kang Michelle Heera Kim Juyeon Song Seoyoung Park Narea Kang

Accolades

2023 Milwaukee production

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2024 American Theatre Critics Association Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award Lloyd Suh Won [31]

2025 Chicago production

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2025 Jeff Award Performer in a Principal Role - Play Seoyoung Park Nominated [32]

2025 Palo Alto production

Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2025 San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Outstanding Entire Production (100-300 Seats) Nominated [33]

References

  1. "The Heart Sellers". Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  2. "Our 2026-27 Season". MCC Theater. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  3. "The Top 10 Most-Produced Plays of the 2025-26 Season". American Theatre. September 18, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  4. "Theater Review: "The Heart Sellers" — A Moving Homage to Friendship". The Arts Fuse. April 24, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  5. "The Story Behind The Heart Sellers". Florida Studio Theatre. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  6. "The Heart Sellers". Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  7. "Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 'The Heart Sellers' is a stunning comedy". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. February 11, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  8. "Theater: Heart Sellers is Winning World Premiere". Urban Milwaukee. February 13, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  9. "Lloyd Suh Wins 2024 Steinberg/ATCA Award for 'The Heart Sellers'". American Theatre Critics Association. April 12, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  10. "The Heart Sellers". Florida Studio Theatre. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  11. "Review: Florida Studio Theatre's 'The Heart Sellers' is a Must-See". Sarasota Magazine. December 12, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  12. "How 'Heart Sellers' Gives Thanks for Mothers". American Theatre. September 22, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  13. "'The Heart Sellers' is surprisingly warm and touching at the Guthrie Theater". The Stages of MN. December 22, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  14. "The Heart Sellers". Northlight Theatre. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  15. "Heart Sellers at Northlight Theatre". Chicago Reader. February 12, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  16. "The Heart Sellers". Around The Town Chicago. February 1, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  17. "Equity Nominees". Jeff Awards. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  18. "The Heart Sellers". TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  19. "Review: 'The Heart Sellers' is an emotionally charged comedy with an Asian soul". The Almanac. April 10, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  20. "The Heart Sellers". South Coast Repertory. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  21. "Review: 'Heart Sellers' (South Coast Rep)". Stage and Cinema. November 10, 2025. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  22. "Our 2026-27 Season". MCC Theater. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  23. "MCC Theater Will Host World Premiere of What's Eating Gilbert Grape Musical in 2027". Playbill. June 26, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  24. "The Heart Sellers". MCC Theater. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  25. "The Heart Sellers". Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  26. "The Heart Sellers". Florida Studio Theatre. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  27. "'The Heart Sellers' is surprisingly warm and touching at the Guthrie Theater". The Stages of MN. December 22, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  28. "The Heart Sellers". Northlight Theatre. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  29. "The Heart Sellers". TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  30. "The Heart Sellers". South Coast Repertory. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  31. "Lloyd Suh Wins 2024 Steinberg/ATCA Award for 'The Heart Sellers'". American Theatre Critics Association. April 12, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  32. "Equity Nominees". Jeff Awards. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  33. "49th SFBATCC Awards". San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Retrieved June 28, 2026.