Jesa

Closing: April 12, 2026

Jesa - 2026 Off-Broadway History , Info & More

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Joseph Papp Public Theater/Susan Stein Shiva Theater

425 Lafayette Street New York, NY 10023

Run Type Limited Run

Market Off-Broadway

Previews March 10, 2026

JESA by Jeena Yi, directed by Mei Ann Teo, is a riotous and heart-wrenching new play that explodes the idea of the “perfect family gathering.” When four estranged Korean American sisters reunite in Orange County to perform their father’s Jesa—a traditional ritual honoring the dead—old wounds erupt, secrets surface, and ghosts (literal and emotional) refuse to stay buried. With razor-sharp dialogue, explosive humor, and unexpected tenderness, JESA asks how we honor our ancestors when we can barely stand each other. Come for the sibling brawls and burning shrimp, stay for the aching truth of what binds us.

Jesa - 2026 - Off-Broadway Cast

Shannon Tyo

Christine Heesun Hwang

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FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Jesa

‘Jesa’ is a sisterly masterpiece that honors and transcends tradition (Off Broadway review)

From: Culture Sauce By: Thom Geier Date: 2026-03-20

10 / 10

In her stunning playwriting debut, Korean American actress Jeena Yi has managed to create a masterpiece. Jesa, a Ma-Yi Theater Company production now playing at the Public Theater, is an instant classic that blends elements of domestic drama (subset: fractious family reunion), ghost story, and anthropological study of the Korean tradition known as jesa. This annual gathering allows families to commemorate their dead ancestors through a combination of food, ritual bowing, and the generous pouring and consumption of the boozy, rice-based spirit soju.

Jesa: Honoring the Ancestors, or Maybe Not

From: New York Stage Review By: Michael Sommers Date: 2026-03-20

6 / 10

Jeena Yi makes her Off Broadway debut as a playwright with Jesa. Opening Friday at the Public Theater, Jesa is an enjoyable dramedy about four Korean American sisters, adults in the prime of their lives, who get together one night to honor their deceased parents with a traditional Korean ceremony known by that name.