by Henry Ong

directed by Diana Wyenn

Hosted by Skylight Theatre Company through the STAR (Skylight Theatre Artist Residency) Program

May 9 - June 14, 2026

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 pm; Sundays at 3 pm

Tickets On Sale Now

A new play based on the true story of Qian Xuesen, the brilliant aerospace engineer from China who helped launch America’s space age—until Cold War paranoia forever changed the course of his life...and ours.

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"More than just a cultural event; [Ascent is] a powerful and timely investigation into how political paranoia can dramatically reshape history and mirror the social injustices we face right now... Don’t miss this powerful piece of theatre." - Hype Magazine

"The production’s beauty abounds... As Qian Xuesen, Trieu Tran has a couple of monologues (especially in conjunction with Randy Wong-Westbrooke’s scenic design and Yuki Izumihara’s projection design) that are transcendent." - Stage Raw

"An urgently relevant production... filled with incredible performances... I highly recommend for all to watch this play about this incredible man brought to life by such talented artists." - The Nerds of Color

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Qian Xuesen, a promising young engineer from China, travels to America in 1935 on a Boxer Indemnity Scholarship. Advancing quickly through the ranks at MIT and Caltech, he becomes a pioneer of the American space age, co-founding JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) and helping the United States of America win World War II. Then, as extreme nationalism swells at the beginning of the Cold War, Xuesen finds himself accused of being a Communist, and what happens next shapes the future of both his new and native homelands.

Developed by Ong and director and dramaturg Diana Wyenn from 2016 until the playwright's passing in 2018, this production marks the long-awaited world premiere of the beloved playwright and LA Theater champion's prescient and timely final play. Inspired by true events and filled with Ong’s signature blend of heart and humor, Ascent reveals how fear, extreme nationalism, and xenophobia affects individual lives, shapes political decisions, and overshadows truth—often with lasting global consequences. 

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Featuring Trieu Tran, Iris Liu, Russell Edge, and Jorge-Luis Pallo

With Randy Wong-Westbrooke (scenic design),Yuki Izumihara (projections design), Mylette Nora (costume design), Joey Guthman (lighting design), John Zalewski (sound design), Brittany White (prop design), Diana Wyenn (dramaturgy), Shyree Mezick (casting), Azusa Oda (graphic design), Shuwen Cao (assistant director), and Jacob Padilla (production stage manager)

Executive Produced by Carrie Menkel-Meadow and Robert Meadow, with producers Plain Wood Productions and Stella Ong, and associate producers Matthew Black and Shuwen Cao

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Join Us Sundays for Post-show Conversations

Let’s keep the conversation going! Join us after each Sunday matinee to meet and hear from a diverse and inspiring collective of guests ranging from aerospace engineers to historians, artists to immigrant rights advocates and attorneys. Follow @PlainWoodProductions on Instagram for the full schedule .

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American Sign Language interpretation (ASL) will be provided for performances on Friday, May 22 and Friday, June 12 at 8 pm. 

Plain Wood Productions and Skylight Theatre Company are committed to providing access for all audiences and offer a number of services to accommodate persons requiring mobility, vision, hearing, and financial access. Email connect@skylighttheatre.org with inquiries. 

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Production Photos by Angel Origgi.