DEAR JOHN
Scenic and prop design
HERE Arts  

*Selected for inclusion in the United States Emerging Exhibit at the 2027 Prague Quadrennial.   Dear John is a solo performance about a daughter reconnecting with her long-absent father through social media. Weaving together Facebook messages, letters, interviews, audience interaction, and memories of growing up undocumented in New York's Chinatown, the play explores migration, identity, and the longing for connection.

Inspired by an old photograph of Rachel's mother in her Chinatown store, I transformed the white slatwall, a familiar storefront fixture, into an evolving landscape of memory and imagination. Beginning as a contemporary retail space, the set gradually shifts from displaying merchandise to displaying a life. Projections turn the slatwall's horizontal grooves into the lines of letter paper, while hidden openings reveal fragments of the past. Everyday objects from Rachel's childhood accumulate across the walls, tracing the construction of identity and the making of a life in the United States.
Created and performed by: Rachel Lin
Directed by: Tara Elliott
Dramaturg: Kalina Ko
Scenic and Prop Design: Joyce He
Lighting Design: Yang Yu
Projection Design: Ein Kim
Costume Design: Phuonh Nguyen
Sound Design: Minjae Kim 김민재
Technical Director: Steven Brenman
Photos: Marcus Middleton





















Reviews：

ALL ABOUT SOLO - Review by Matthew D. Foster
“From the start, the level of talent behind the show is evident. The set design by Zhuosi “Joyce” He is particularly striking. For a solo show, the environment feels unusually expansive and detailed, shifting the audience through multiple rooms and moments in time. The design captures the texture of the 2010s and helps ground the story in a recognizable world.”

THEATRE BEYONG BROADWAY - Review by Malini Singh McDonald
“The scenic and props design by Zhuosi “Joyce” He proves both practical and inventive. The environment feels intentionally utilitarian while still playful in its functionality, with everyday objects transforming into storytelling tools. The set’s elements are used in surprising ways, reinforcing the sense that memories and discoveries are being unpacked in real time…Props and projections are used with intention rather than as decorative elements.”

THE FRONT ROW CENTER - Review by  Brittany Crowell
“The simple set by Zhuosi”Joyce” Heamplifies the story through a series of props that color the back wall (set to look like a retail store facade, similar to those Lin worked in) and portals which open to reveal moments of theatrical magic (which I won’t spoil for you here).”

Hi!DRAMA -  Review by Tony Marinelli
“Zhuosi “Joyce” He’s set is remarkably expansive for a solo show, conjuring multiple interiors and temporalities with a tactile specificity that anchors the play’s more whimsical flights.”











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