WHAT YOU ARE NOW

Japanese American actor Carie Kawa and Khmer/Chinese/American actor/musician Joe Ngo bring authenticity and a smart conversational style to this heartrending story. A Cambodian brother and sister brought up in the United States struggle with their mother's bouts of depression and anger. The mother, portrayed with defiant warmth and dark humor by Philippine American actor Tess Lina, is a survivor of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime of Cambodia in the 1970s. The sister is a neuroscientist who is studying the effects of trauma and violence on the brain. Has she discovered a way to erase her mother's painful memories? Should she? This L.A. Theatre Works live production offers a heady mix of fine theater, speculative science, and a deep dive into the effects of trauma on an entire culture. B.P. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]