You’ve said previously that you wrote the play for your father and brothers as a way for them to see their true selves. Why was this mission so important for you?
Growing up in San Francisco, I was surrounded by so many people who look[ed] like I did and I think that had a huge impact on my belief that I could do anything. No part of the world was off-limits to me. It was not until I left the Bay Area that I began to realize the ways in which others’ perceptions can hinder your past in the world.
For many who didn’t know the history of basketball in China, what made you want to focus on this particular moment in time?
In the early ’80s, my father and his teammates represented the U.S. in a series of exhibition games against the best teams in China. It was a story I’d always known growing up but as soon as I considered it as inspiration for a play, I began to wonder more about how basketball had become huge in China. It introduced me to a world of history I’ve never known before. China has had almost as long a relationship with basketball as America.
What do you hope the audience takes away from the play?
I would love for an audience to consider their place in the world and their ability to effect change. I’d also love to develop some more basketball fans. This was a play that showed me how to love the sport which I really didn’t know before I started writing.
The Great Leap runs Sept. 5-Oct. 20 at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St.
