June is the First Fall: An Emotional Journey of Self and Family

Sebastian Wang as Don in a family dinner scene / Yun Theatre via Instagram

In the heart of Seattle’s International District, the stage is set and ready to captivate the audience with Yun Theatre’s summer production, June is the First Fall. This 90-minute play hosts themes of personal and cultural identity, defying tradition, the complexity of family relationships, and so many other themes that everyone is bound to find a connection with in the show. At this intimate venue operated by Theater Off Jackson, audiences will be absorbed into a heartfelt, empathetic story that is sure to leave you entertained and immersed.

Set in Hawai’i, we follow Don, a young man who has returned home from college in New York after being gone the past 10 years. His return is complicated by his reconnection with his older sister, Jane; her boyfriend and the subject of Don’s past infatuation, Scott; and his father who owns the family restaurant, David. The story connects the past to the present of this Chinese immigrant family, all revolving around the result of Don coming out as gay and the death of his mother, both preceding his departure for college. We witness his rekindling with his family as they try to make up for lost time and past regrets. Along the way, memories of his mother are played—the comfort she brought Don as well as her hesitancy to see him without the lens of her traditional beliefs of masculinity.

Don and Jane, played by Sebastian Wang and Jen-Ai Clinton / Yun Theatre via Instagram

Accompanying this emotionally complex story are equally beautiful performances by the cast. Sebastian Wang as Don delicately balances the internal conflict between personal growth and guilt, stemming from living as his genuine self at the expense of challenging his family’s expectations and needs. From Don and David’s relationship built on tension and unspoken love to the uncertain, lingering feelings he has for Scott, Wang gives an incredible performance that makes Don so memorable. Equally as intricate, Jen-Ai Clinton plays the strong-willed and intelligent Jane who must hold the family together, played with the subtly powerful tones of compassion and empathy that make her character so intriguing. Altogether, the cast has such an earnest chemistry that brings these multifaceted character dynamics to life.

Jane, Don, and David in June is the First Fall / Yun Theatre via Instagram

Ultimately, June is the First Fall is a play spanning a breadth of emotions achieved through stellar performances and production. From the minimalist, cozy set, to the swift lighting changes that fit each mood, to the gentle instrumental score that plays at just the right times, everything shapes this show to fully captivate us with the story. All aspects of the show add to the understated familiarity and sentimentality of the play, making moments feel charmingly relatable and sometimes bittersweet. It left me feeling sincerely human, longing for connection and with a greater appreciation for and understanding of what it means to be family.

Yun Theatre’s June is the First Fall is playing through July 27, 2024.