Actor, musician, theatre-maker Diana Oh passed away suddenly June 17, at the age of 38. The cause of death was not disclosed. Their family confirmed the news via a created to cover funeral costs. Prior to their death, Oh was about to present a concert called Art Chxrch at HERE Arts Center June 27.
Oh, who was also known as Zaza, created experimental theatre works that blended music, art installation, personal confession, and ritual. A musical theatre composer by training, they had a degree from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. They first gained prominence by creating a series of 10 outdoor art installations called My Lingerie Play, where they and other collaborators stood in public in lingerie in order to protest rape culture and to reclaim personal sexuality. My Lingerie Play culminated in a 2017 production at the Off-Broadway Rattlestick Theater Company, at the height of the #MeToo movement. called My Lingerie Play "a glitter bomb of feminist and queer protest that feels just right for this cultural moment."
Their The Infinite Love Party was similarly well-received. It was an all-night slumber party at the Off-Off-Broadway Bushwick Starr that contained a potluck, dance party, a working swing, an open mic, and live music from Oh鈥攁nd which celebrated queer and trans people of color. As Oh described it, Infinite Love Party was a "sleepover for queer and trans people of color (QTPOC) and their allies, fostering connection and celebration."
In recent years, they had continued to expand their artistry into new directions. At Clairvoyance, Oh planted trees on the grounds of Harvard University. During the pandemic shutdown, Oh presented their play My H8 Letter to the Gr8 American Theatre via Zoom. Recently, they began hosting Art Chxrch out of their apartment. With Oh acting as a live DJ, they used vocal harmonies, singing bowls, drum pads, and other musical instruments to create feelings of release and healing.
Besides being a generative artist, Oh was also a prolific actor, appearing in works in New York and regionally such as Taylor Mac's A 24-Decade History of Popular Music, Hansol Jung's Among the Dead, and Lucy Kirkwood's Chimerica. They also dabbled in screen work, such as the film How to Be Single with Dakota Johnson. They said that they intentionally pulled back from commercially driven work in order to focus more on their own artistry.
They were also part of a rock band with actor William Jackson Harper called The US Open.
, when asked about what they hope their legacy will be, they answered with a series of bullet points that included: "MUSIC IS THE BESSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTT. Stop making Asian artists do stupid shit. Stop making women do stupid shit. Celebrate ALL genders鈥攁nd I mean ALL genders. DON鈥橳 BE AN ASSHOLE. Until rape is completely eradicated, we aren鈥檛 done. Until gender-based violence doesn鈥檛 exist, we aren鈥檛 done. Until race-based violence doesn鈥檛 exist, we aren鈥檛 done. The world could always ALWAYS use more love."
Upon the news of their passing, tributes from the Off- and Off-Off-Broadway community poured in. : "We are heartbroken by the loss of Diana Oh鈥攁 fiercely original artist, a radiant spirit, and a beloved force within our community. Zaza鈥檚 work pulsed with love, rage, joy, and radical imagination. Whether conjuring visionary installations or holding space through music and story on our stages, Diana modeled what it means to live fully, loudly, and passionately. Their art didn鈥檛 just move people鈥攊t cracked things open. Diana鈥檚 legacy is one of liberation and joy, audacity, and tenderness. They reshaped every room and redefined what theatre, music, and community could be."
Oh is survived by their brothers Soobin and Hanbin; their mother June; their aunt Sun; their sisters Lacey, Mariah, and Rachel; their nieces and nephews Leyah, Maya, Micah, Annie, and Laken; and the multitudes of their chosen family.
There will be a vigil and procession to the river June 28, with attendees encouraged to meet outside of HERE at 7:30 PM with the following direction: "please wear colorful clothes and sparkles like Zaza would have wanted."
There will also be forthcoming memorial services in their hometown of Portland, Oregon and in New York in September.
