Jesa
Closing: April 12, 2026Jesa - 2026 Off-Broadway History , Info & More
Joseph Papp Public Theater/Susan Stein Shiva Theater
425 Lafayette Street New York, NY 10023
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
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Jesa
'Jesa' Off-Broadway review — a compelling family drama that's both familiar and original
7 / 10
Although the play, like the ritual at its center, is rooted in one culture, it’s deeply relatable. Many cultures have similar mourning rituals, be it an anniversary memorial mass, sitting shiva, tomb sweeping days, or altar building. Jesa explores how parents linger after death — as thoughts, recipes, traditions, traumas, and spirits. Anyone with families they love and fight with will find resonance in this equally funny and emotional play.
Jesa: Honoring the Ancestors, or Maybe Not
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.
Jesa History
Other Productions of Jesa
| 2026 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
Videos