‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Ex-Star Sandra Oh Will Act In New Play At Theater Festival

Since leaving Grey’s Anatomy in Season 10, Sandra Oh hasn’t lost her urge to act. Her career-defining run on Grey’s Anatomy as Doctor Cristina Yang was hard for her and the fans to break away from. But she doesn’t plan to stop acting. She’s returning to the theater this month for a new performance at a Chicago theater festival.

We don’t have much information about what Oh will be doing when the new play hits the stage on July 19. Most likely her star power from Grey’s Anatomy will land her in the lead role. According to the Chicago Tribune the play is called Office Hour, written by award-winning playwright Julia Cho. Cho and Oh will present the work during the annual IGNITION Festival of New Plays, which runs from July 16 to July 19. The festival takes place at Chicago’s Victory Gardens Theater.

Sandra is one of the original cast members of Grey’s Anatomy. Her run as Dr. Yang and her friendship with Meredith Grey formed the main subplot of the show. Casting her was also a defining moment for show creator Shonda Rhimes.

Rhimes told the Hollywood Reporter of her inspirational first encounter with Sandra during casting for Grey’s Anatomy.

“One of the best days of my life as a writer happened the day Sandra Oh walked in my door to audition and forever changed the course of Grey’s Anatomy with her brilliant, nuanced portrayal of Cristina Yang.”

Oh was nominated for and won many awards for her work on Grey’s Anatomy. The role she came in to play was not originally envisioned to be for an Asian American, but producers switched around their casting plans after her remarkable audition. Rhimes credits the character as being the second one she created for the show, right after she envisioned Meredith Grey.

It was a tough decision to leave the show, but Oh felt she had to let the character go. Oh’s love interest on Grey’s Anatomy, Owen Hunt, as played by Kevin McKidd, reflected on their time working together to the Hollywood Reporter.

“Getting to act with her every day has made me a better actor, and getting to know her has made me a better person. She is an extremely warm and loving person and I will miss her. I wish her every good wish in the world and will miss her at work a huge amount, but I feel happy to know that she is moving on to new adventures and roles to explore.”

Though we all miss her since Season 10 on Grey’s Anatomy, at least we can keep an eye on her career and the future roles she chooses to lend her talents to.

[Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images]