A Work in progress

Part One: The Girl and the Sky
PART TWO: THANKSGIVING

Saved is a two-part theatrical epic that traces the Cold War origins of the transnational Korean adoption industry – and its place in the broader exploitative systems of colonialism and global capitalism. The two plays are an interwoven kaleidoscope of stories from throughout the history of Korean adoption, from the “orphans” of the 1960s to the lost and haunted adoptees returning to their home country in the 2010s. Informed by historical accounts and firsthand experiences of adult adoptees, Saved is a tragic, heartfelt exploration of what happens when we kill the parents and raise the children.


Save the children of Korea and achieve your divine purpose.
— Saved, Part One: The Girl and the Sky

Jesse and the proposal for Saved received the Ollie New Play Award from the Bret Adams and Paul Reisch Foundation in November 2023.