Directed by Jennifer Monaco

Get ready for laughter, tears, and rock and roll glory as rising star Charlene Kaye brings her critically acclaimed one-woman show, TIGER DAUGHTER: OR, HOW I BROUGHT MY IMMIGRANT MOTHER ULTIMATE SHAME, to Joe's Pub. The show follows a run of sold-out performances around the country and an Edinburgh Fringe Festival run and willl be presented by comedy legend Margaret Cho.

TIGER DAUGHTER is an emotional rollercoaster detailing Kaye’s tumultuous relationship with Lily, her immigrant Chinese mother. Kaye defies her mother’s dreams that she play Carnegie Hall by age 12 and, instead, applies her classical piano knowledge to shred guitar as slutty Slash in an all-girl Guns N’ Roses cover band called “Guns N’ Hoses” (with the slogan “Welcome to the Vajungle!”). This is just one of many mishaps in the show as we watch Kaye try, and epically fail, to win Lily’s respect. As Lily watches the nightmare version of the American Dream play out before her eyes, Kaye grapples with inherited baggage, cultural clashes, and the fight to be herself.

"For my whole career, I’ve shared this very public-facing story of being a musician. With Tiger Daughter, I finally get to share the private-facing story that’s been running parallel to it this entire time,” says Kaye.

And what if you’re not Asian?

“I don’t think you need to be Asian to understand the show,” Kaye says. “You just need to have a mother.”

Charlene Kaye, who releases music under the moniker KAYE, is a force to be reckoned with. An accomplished singer, multi-instrumentalist, actor, and stand-up comic, Kaye has carved out a unique path in the entertainment industry, beginning with her time performing with TEAM STARKID, the viral internet sensation founded by her University of Michigan classmate, Emmy award-winning actor Darren Criss. Since then, she has released multiple albums and opened for Arctic Monkeys, alt-J, St. Vincent, and Metallica. Rolling Stone Magazine gave Kaye’s 2019 single “Closer Than This” 5/5 stars and hailed her as “a fully realized pop goddess.” Her mother, meanwhile, thought the video had “no real good message other than selling sex” and rated the video 0/5 stars.

Kaye’s short-form comedy on Instagram Reels and TikTok is a phenomenon in and of itself. This spring, she skyrocketed to viral fame with “Every Taylor Swift Song,” a genius musical breakdown with 16 million views on Instagram, which incited BBC 1 to interview her on UK national radio. She has since followed it up with “Every Dua Lipa Song,” “Every Charli XCX song,” and “Every Chappell Roan Song,” which Chappell herself commented, “EXACTLYYYY YOU GET IT” with copious heart emojis.

Kaye’s recent expansion into acting and comedy has only attracted a larger following. She made a cameo as herself at Kendall Roy’s birthday party on HBO's hit series "Succession" and played synthesizers for Coldplay on Saturday Night Live while dressed as an alien. Her upcoming role as punk rocker Jade Power in the movie RON opposite comedy legend Margaret Cho further solidifies her ascent in the acting world.

Whether you're a fan of her electrifying rock music, stand-up comedy, or dramatic storytelling, TIGER DAUGHTER: OR, HOW I BROUGHT MY IMMIGRANT MOTHER ULTIMATE SHAME is a story that will stay with you long after you’ve left the theater.

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Photo Credit: Sam Pickart

This performance is part of the Joe’s Pub Vanguard Residency curated by Margaret Cho.