DHH and HYH are two generations of Chinese American men who have differing views on race and the nation. How do the settings of their upbringings (HYH’s in Shanghai and DHH’s in the United States) affect their attitudes about their cultural and national identity? In what contexts do their beliefs overlap and share similarities?

The play has a minimalist production design where characters play multiple parts without elaborate costume changes or background sets. How does the stage’s minimalist approach relate to the play’s themes about representation and authenticity?

Hwang bookends the play with scenes of Marcus in a Dong village in 2006. What is the significance of these scenes set in China? How does Marcus’s perspective of China change after his nine months visit? How is his ending “happy”?