SAN DIEGO — The world premiere of “Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play” by Keiko Green ends its run May 7 at The Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre.
It’s 1999, and Ami is an awkward Asian American high schooler whose world comes crashing down with a terrible discovery: her family is responsible for manufacturing MSG, the mysterious ingredient getting all the kids hooked! Meanwhile, a cool new girl arrives from Japan, and she’s not playing by the rules. Ami vows to redeem her family name and save the world from MSG.
This whimsical, time-traveling adventure, directed by the celebrated Jesca Prudencio, is a hilarious romp through wild teenaged crushes, family legacies, and the magical properties of instant ramen.
The cast: Eunice Bae, Michelangelo Hyeon, Anna Mikami, Trevor Salter, James Seol, Amy Kim Waschke.
Remaining showtimes: Wednesday, May 3, 7 p.m. (with post-show forum); Thursday, May 4, 8 p.m.; Friday, May 5, 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m.; Sunday, May 7, 2 and 7 p.m. Total running time: One hour and 40 minutes (one act with no intermission).
“Smart and hilarious! This wildly funny, time-hopping play is a universal story about teen angst and the healing power of family, love and acceptance.” — The San Diego Union-Tribune
“Funny and heartwarming. A wild, wonderful show. Anna Mikami brings a smart, sensitive, and vulnerable performance to the role of Ami. Amy Kim Waschke is excellent as Ami’s stern and fragile mother, while Eunice Bae brings a tough girl with a squishy emotional center to ‘Exotic Deadly.’ Michelangelo Hyeon, Trevor Salter, and James Seol are all very strong and bring a lot of laughs as a variety of characters.” — Broadway World
Green is a core company member at A Contemporary Theatre and a former member of Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Writers Group and Theater Mu New Play Incubator. She has received the Gregory Award for Outstanding New Play and Kilroys’ List honorable mention for “Nadeshiko”; and was a finalist for the Neukom Award for Playwriting, Blue Ink Prize, and Seven Devils Playwrights Conference. In television, she worked on Hulu’s “Interior Chinatown.” She has also been an actor at Denver Center, Seattle Rep, and ACT, among others. She has an MFA in playwriting from UC San Diego.
The Old Globe is located in Balboa Park, San Diego’s cultural treasure. Theatres are located off of El Prado between the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Us. For tickets and more information, call (619) 234-5623 or go to www.theoldglobe.org/exoticdeadly.