Eddie Jen
(USA)
Seeking a Penpal for the End of the World
(2025)
Date(s) & Time(s): Saturday May 2 (7:30 PM) Saturday May 9 (6:00 PM)
Duration: 60 mins (w/out intermission)
Venue: The Marsh Studio
Location: 1062 Valencia St, SF, CA 94110
Ticket Information
Early Bird: $20, Gen Adm: $25, Door: $30
For the best deals, see multiple shows with a discount Festival Pass.
Funding Credits
This production was funded in part by, and co-presented with, the United States of Asian America Festival.
Artist Information
Written & Performed by: Eddie Jen
Photographer: Joseph Niles
Artist Website
Social Media Accounts
Seeking a Penpal for the End of the World
Seeking a Penpal for the End of the World is the true story of an immigrant Taiwanese drag queen writer in San Francisco who began writing to his retired, white, Republican high school English teacher from Bountiful, Utah, in the aftermaths of January 6th, 2021, when Trump 1.0 tried to destroy our democracy.
But what happens when the political discussions stop, and the personal begins?
Can you really be “friends” with your English teacher?
Can you talk to them about drugs?
Sex?
An immersive, participatory show, Seeking a Penpal is like English class again — except this time with a drag queen as teacher.
"Funny, witty, or provocative as well as realistic, serious and entertaining," wrote Jo Tomalin for the FringeReview at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2025. "It’s hard not to become fascinated with this story."
"An achievement in crowd immersion, where you won’t find a performance that cultivates connection quite like this anywhere else," wrote Audrey Yeung for The Student. "Truly a memorable contribution to this year’s Fringe. There is nothing else quite like it."
Eddie Jen
Eddie Jen is a gender bending writer and performer living in San Francisco. His/her voice is best described as David Sedaris meets Carrie Bradshaw, with a dash of RuPaul’s Drag Race. A storyteller who utilizes the performance of gender to enhance the visual storytelling experience, Eddie first started dressing up as a girl when he was sixteen, but has remained a terrible lip-syncher.
