THEATRE EXILE KICKS OFF 2022/23 SEASON WITHTHE PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE OF WOLF PLAY BY HANSOL JUNG

Philadelphia, PA | October 12, 2022 – Beginning October 27, South Philadelphia-based theater

company Theatre Exile will present the Philadelphia premiere of Wolf Play by South Korean playwright

Hansol Jung. The first show of Theatre Exile’s 2022/23 season will run through November 20 and

features Philadelphia actors Makoto Hirano, Bruce Baldini (they/them), Kira Player, Matteo Scammell,

and Keith Conallen, with Theatre Exile’s Producing Artistic Director Deborah Block directing.

Wolf Play is a messy, funny and disturbing theatrical experience about the families we choose, which

has been hailed by The New York Times as a “thrilling... probing and playful examination of family.” Jung

was inspired to write the show after reading a news article about adoptive parents using Facebook and

Yahoo groups to re-home their adopted children. A notable contemporary playwright, Jung was a

Hodder Fellow at Princeton University and received the 2018 Whiting Award in drama for her play Wild

Goose Dreams. She also had three of her plays listed in the 2015 Kilroys’ List, an annual initiative by the

American theater industry that highlights contemporary female and trans playwrights. Jung is currently

a member of the Ma-Yi Theater Writers’ Lab in New York City.

The show follows Jeenu (Hirano), an adopted six-year-old South Korean boy in search of his “wolf pack.”

His adoptive American father, Peter (Conallen), becomes overwhelmed when he and his wife have a

new baby and decide to “re-home” Jeenu. Enter Ash (Baldini), a promising non-binary boxer, and their

wife, Robin (Player), who adopt the boy after finding an ad on the internet. Peter is initially eager to

send Jeenu to his new home until he discovers he would be growing up without a dad. Together, Ash

and Robin must navigate parenthood and Peter’s sudden hesitancy while Ash prepares to make their

pro boxing debut. Jung’s story examines the ways a family comes together and the lengths people will

go to defend their own.

“The concept of ‘finding your pack’ is an important part of the human journey,” said Block. “Wolf Play’s

main character, Jeenu, is attempting to find out who he is and where he belongs while the other

characters are trying to do what they think is best for him. These characters allow their good intentions

to be superseded by selfish motivations, which ultimately gets in the way of taking care of this child.”

Throughout her work, Jung experiments with linear and non-linear storytelling using unconventional

methods and devices that play on concepts of time and memory. In Wolf Play, the audience is

immediately introduced to Wolf (Hirano), an alter ego created by Jeenu as a coping mechanism to deal

with his trauma. Wolf begins to relive the memory of what happened and interacts with the cast

through a puppet that represents his younger self. Wolf acts as fourth-wall-breaking narrator

throughout the show, lending a surreal-yet-playful tone while providing a unique filter to convey the

character’s inner thoughts as the story unfolds.

The show’s production uses movement in the set, including changing the position of furniture from

scene to scene, which adds a dreamlike and chaotic feel to the experience. This is meant to further

emphasize the fluidity of Jeenu’s memory, showing that he’s trying to piece together the truth of what

happened to him as we jump from moment to moment.

For the safety and comfort of patrons, Theatre Exile will require audiences and staff to wear masks and

show proof of vaccination for all performances.

TICKETS: May be purchased HERE or call 215-218-4022. Prices range from $10-40.

INTERVIEWS: Please contact Billy Cook to schedule interviews with cast and crew

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About Theatre Exile

Theatre Exile is a non-profit theater company dedicated to enhancing the cultural experiences of Philadelphians through the staging of works that engage the imagination since it was founded in 1996. Theatre Exile strives to reach new audiences throughout the community by presenting both new works as well as established plays that are often reinterpreted in original ways. These productions emphasize freedom of expression formulated through innovation, exploration, and provocation. At the same time, Theatre Exile provides a safe and creative environment where local artists can grow, experiment, and find their voice. Learn more about Theatre Exile’s 2022/23 season, purchase tickets, and more by visiting www.theatreexile.org.