ASCENT World Premiere To Open At Skylight Theatre

Plain Wood Productions will present the world premiere of ASCENT by Henry Ong, directed by Diana Wyenn, at Skylight Theatre from May 9 through June 14.

The production marks the first staging of Ong’s final play and serves as both a historical drama and a tribute to the playwright, a longtime figure in Los Angeles theatre whose work frequently explored immigrant identity and social history.

Based on a true story, Ascent follows Qian Xuesen, a Chinese-born aerospace engineer who arrived in the United States in 1935 on a Boxer Indemnity Scholarship. Rising through the ranks at MIT and Caltech, he became a pioneer of the American space program, co-founding the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and contributing to U.S. efforts during World War II.

As Cold War tensions escalated, Qian was accused of communist sympathies amid a climate of suspicion and nationalism. Ultimately deported in 1955, he returned to China, where he played a central role in developing that nation’s missile and space programs.

The production tells what it describes as “two American stories”: the life of Qian Xuesen and the legacy of Ong himself. Producers Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Robert Meadow, and Stella Ong have mounted the production in part to honor the playwright’s career and ensure the work reaches the stage.

Wyenn, who worked closely with Ong on the play’s development between 2016 and 2018, directs the production. Her work spans theatre, opera, and interdisciplinary performance, often focusing on themes of trauma, equity, and civic engagement.

The cast includes Trieu Tran as Qian Xuesen, with Iris Liu, Russell Edge, and Jorge-Luis Pallo.