IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE: Cast members in “Kim’s Convenience,” which comes to McCarter Theatre for a run January 23 through February 15.
Beginning January 23, McCarter Theatre Center presents Kim’s Convenience, the award-winning comedy about a Korean family-run corner store that inspired the hit CBC television series later distributed internationally on Netflix.
Running in McCarter’s Berlind Theatre through February 15, the play explores family, identity, and resilience in a rapidly changing world. Due to ticket demand, two additional performances have been added: Tuesday, February 3, and Tuesday, February 10, both at 7:30 p.m.
The North American tour is produced by Adam Blanshay Productions and Soulpepper Theatre Company, Canada’s leading artist-driven theatre company, in association with American Conservatory Theater. Directed by Weyni Mengesha, Kim’s Convenience centers on Mr. Kim, a hardworking shop owner in a gentrifying Toronto neighborhood. As generational tensions rise between Mr. Kim and his Canadian-born children, the family’s everyday struggles become a poignant and often funny metaphor for a society in transition.
The play was written by and starring Ins Choi, who calls the play his “love letter to his parents and to all first-generation immigrants who call Canada their home. Having originated the role of Jung (the son) almost 15 years ago, I’m grateful to now be playing the role of Appa (the dad) in this play,” he said. “My kids have been preparing me for this their whole lives.”
Audiences are invited to arrive early and experience an immersive pre-show pop-up bar in the Berlind Lobby, designed and built by McCarter’s Production Team and inspired by a neighborhood bar and convenience store in Regent Park, Toronto, Canada. Post-show conversations will take place immediately following the matinee performances on Sunday, January 25; Thursday, January 29; and Saturday, January 31. An American Sign Language (ASL)–interpreted performance will be offered on Saturday, January 31, at 2 p.m. Open captioning and audio description will be available during the Sunday, February 1, performance.
Visit mccarter.org or call (609) 258-2787 for tickets.