Seattle playwright Keiko Green is starting 2026 with an original play about the iconic martial artist and action star Bruce Lee. Commissioned by Seattle Children’s Theatre, Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story will be presented in Seattle on multiple dates spanning from February 19 to March 22.
Lee’s story has been approached in a variety of ways, and for this new work, Green decided to hone in on Lee’s philosophies. “I’ve watched every film I can, read biographies, and got to meet with Bruce’s daughter Shannon,” Green said. “The most helpful and interesting aspects have been reading Bruce’s letters, essays, and Shannon’s book Be Like Water.” What resonated with Green most is Shannon Lee’s statement that her father was full of opposites, and that included his need to find peace because he was often easily triggered to anger.
The inciting incident in Green’s play is a true-to-life event in Lee’s earlier years. “I was shocked to learn about a traumatic back injury that left doctors thinking he’d never walk again, and how Bruce was able to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle,” Green said. That made for an irresistible dramatic arc.
The project all started with Seattle Children’s Theatre’s former Artistic Director, Idris Goodwin, who also wrote The Boy Who Kissed the Sky about Jimi Hendrix’s childhood in Seattle, and who was interested in commissioning another writer to focus on Lee. Goodwin read Green’s play Exotic Deadly and saw her work The Bed Trick at Seattle Shakespeare Company, and asked her to propose an approach to dramatically presenting Lee’s athletic philosophies.
Then SCT’s leadership changed. “I was ecstatic when the new Artistic Director, Johamy Morales, continued with programming our play in their new season,” Green said. “I also had a pre-existing relationship with the Kennedy Center after developing Hometown Boy with their support during Covid, so it was a bit of kismet.”
Despite her many years as a playwright, Green found Young Dragon to be one of the most difficult projects she has ever tackled. “It’s not the most glamorous, exciting time in his life,” she suggested. “Bruce’s time in Seattle was spent figuring out who he was emotionally, after feeling tremendous shame and guilt for the trouble he caused in Hong Kong for his family.” Green found it challenging to blend these dark feelings with stage action that is physical and fun.
In December 2024, Green began working with director Jess McLeod, and she noted that the play changed significantly over time as it was workshopped with different casts of actors in Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles. “The actor we now have playing Bruce, Michelangelo Hyeon, was in the world premiere of Exotic Deadly down at the Old Globe, and is a trusted collaborator of mine,” Green said. “His passion and dedication to the project have already been deeply inspiring.”
Now that the script is ready, Green is playing a supporting role during rehearsal. “I will be in and out of rehearsals in Seattle, and rejoin fully for technical rehearsals, previews, and through opening,” she said. “As a playwright, I’m there to answer questions about the script and give context to moments that aren’t as clear on the page.” SCT has cast several actors to each play a multitude of characters, so Green will be on hand to make any script adjustments if physical limitations arise.
Although the play was co-commissioned by the Kennedy Center, on January 20 STC announced it was cancelling a planned two-week run of shows at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., citing concerns about the political climate. Several high-profile artists and performers have also withdrawn from planned performances at the Center after President Trump removed the Center’s leadership and renamed the venue the Trump-Kennedy Center.
In an interview conducted before the cancellation, Green expressed that she felt the message of the play was worth sharing, especially in today’s political climate. “Now more than ever, it feels vital to share the story of someone like Bruce Lee, who chose inclusivity in the face of oppression,” she said.
Beyond these immediate challenges, Green’s New Year 2026 is already shaping up to be busy, and she is particularly looking forward to her work on a new TV series, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, which premieres on AppleTV on April 15.
But for now, Green is excited to see Young Dragon come alive in Seattle. “Bruce Lee is an icon for Asian Americans, but I was interested in finding the human within the legend,” she said.
Young Dragon: A Bruce Lee Story runs from February 19 to March 22 at Seattle Children’s Theatre, 201 Thomas Street, Seattle.
