San Francisco Playhouse Presents EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY

San Francisco Playhouse will ring in 2025 with the Northern California Premiere of Keiko Green's Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play.

Set in 1999, Japanese American high schooler Ami is trying to fit in with her American peers and she is devastated to discover her family helped create MSG, the supposedly addictive and dangerous ingredient that's gained infamy. When a mysteriously cool new girl arrives at school, Ami vows to find the truth and save the world from MSG. Spiced with anime and 90s pop culture influences, this whimsically wacky time-traveling adventure is a riotous romp through teenage crushes, family legacies, and the magical properties of instant ramen.

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play will perform January 30 – March 8, 2025 (opening night: February 5) at San Francisco Playhouse 450, Post Street. For tickets ($35-$135) and more information, the public may visit sfplayhouse.org or call the box office at 415-677-9596.

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play received its World Premiere at The Old Globe, where it was called “wildly funny. Smart and hilarious” by The San Diego Union-Tribune while BroadwayWorld declared it “frenetic and fantastical.” Jesca Prudencio, who directed the show at The Old Globe, reunites with Green to helm the San Francisco Playhouse production.                    

San Francisco Playhouse has assembled a cast of talented actors for this imaginative new play. Ana Ming Bostwick-Singer (she/ her) makes her Playhouse debut as Actor 1, who plays Ami. She has previously performed with The Actors' Gang, South Coast Repertory, and Ojai Playwrights Conference. Her film and TV credits include Netflix's “The Lincoln Lawyer,” ABC's “General Hospital,” Forelock, and the short film Only Here and Now.

Francesca Fernandez (she/her) makes her Playhouse debut as Actor 2, who plays Exotic Deadly, a rebellious and cool new girl. Fernandez was seen in Off-Broadway productions with Roundabout Theatre Company, Ensemble Studio Theatre, Pipeline Theatre Company, Daryl Roth Theatre, and 59E59. Regionally, she has appeared onstage at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, California Shakespeare Theater, Dorset Theatre Festival, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Two Rivers Theatre, Southern Rep Theatre, and New Orleans Shakespeare Festival. Her film and TV credits include “Law & Order: SVU” and “Blue Bloods.”

James Aaron Oh (he/him) makes his Playhouse debut as Actor 3, who plays Ami's grandfather Ojichan and Ami's brother Kenji among others. Oh has appeared onstage at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Center Repertory Company, New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Jose Stage Company and Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre.

Receiving a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC) Award for her performance as Xi Yan in Chinglish, Nicole Tung (she/her) returns to the Playhouse as Actor 4, who plays Ami's Mom and other roles. She has also performed with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Center Repertory Company, San Jose Stage Company, Aurora Theatre Company, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Foothill Music Theatre, Hillbarn Theatre, Magic Theatre, Palo Alto Players, and San Jose Repertory Theatre.

Seen as Chris in The Play That Goes Wrong, Richard Hannay in The 39 Steps, and Bing and Judge Xu Geming in Chinglish, Phil Wong (he/him) returns as Actor 5, who plays Ben, one of Ami's classmates, among other roles. Wong was a Guest Artist in the Tony Award recipient National Tour of Freestyle Love Supreme, and has appeared onstage at American Conservatory Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, California Shakespeare Theater, ACT Contemporary Theatre, Z Space, Shotgun Players, Hillbarn Theatre, Los Altos Stage Company, Palo Alto Players, and Ray of Light Theatre. He is also the co-founder of Bay Area Theatre Cypher, a collective of local hip-hop theatre artists, and his play Sic, Heung, Mei  was developed at Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Ground Floor.

An understudy for Chinglish, Edric Young (he/him) returns as Actor 6, who plays Matt, one of Ami's classmates, among other roles. He has previously performed with Oakland Theatre Project and Marin Theatre.  

Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play features scenic design by Heather Kenyon; lighting design by Michael Oesch; costume design by Kathleen Qiu; sound design by James Ard, and properties design by Laurel Enos.

Single tickets ($35-$135) for Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play and 2024-25 Season subscriptions are currently available. For tickets and more information, the public may visit https://www.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/2024-2025-season/exotic-deadly-or-the-msg-play/ or call the box office at 415-677-9596.

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