In This Program

• Show Program
• The Kim’s Convenience Timeline
• A Story About Us
• Our Store: Your Story
• The Company
• Print Edition
• More about A.C.T.

The Cast

Appa
Ins Choi

Janet
Kelly Seo

Umma
Esther Chung

Jung
Ryan Jinn

Rich, Alex, Mr. Lee, Mike
Brandon McKnight

Understudies

Jung
Frank Chung

Appa
Jeffrey Kim

Rich, Alex, Mr. Lee, Mike
Ngabo Nabea

Janet / Umma
Rosie Simon

Stage Management

Production Stage Manager
Robert Harding

Assistant Stage Manager
Angela Mae Bago

Assistant Stage Manager
Megan McClintock †

Creative Team

Set Designer
Joanna Yu*

Costume Designer
Ming Wong*

Lighting Designer
Wen-Ling Liao

Video & Projection Designer
Nicole Eun-Ju Bell

Sound Designer & Original Music
Fan Zhang

Assistant Director
Aaron Jan

A.C.T. Producing Team

Associate Artistic Director
Andy Chan Donald

Director of General Management & Operations
Louisa Liska

General Manager
Amy Dalba

Director of Production
Martin Barron

KIM’S CONVENIENCE PRODUCTION TEAM

Fight Director
Sean Baek

Intimacy Director
Anita Nittoly

Fight Captain
Robert Harding

Music Director & Copyist
Ben Kopp                           

Production Manager
Cath Bates

Company Manager
Becca Trimbur

Associate Lighting Designer
Just Beets

Tour Carpenter
Mick Fernandez

Immigration Services
EAK Visa Services

Housing Provider
Road Rebel Global

Travel Provider
Alicia Head/Kessler & Co.

Tour General Manager
Doreen Sayegh for Pemberley Productions

Associate General Manager
Rosie Bross-Rice

FOR ADAM BLANSHAY PRODUCTIONS

Producer
Adam Blanshay

General Manager and Associate Producer
Leon Kay

Production Coordinator          
Kate Carey

Production Assistant
Georgia Ambrose

Production Assistant
William Shackleton                  

Bookkeeper     
Samantha Heynes                                        

Accounts
Simon Littlejohns

FOR SOULPEPPER THEATRE COMPANY

Artistic Director
Paolo Santalucia

Executive Director
Gideon Arthurs

Executive Producer
Jonathan Heppner

Producer
Robyn Hoja 

Associate Producer
Julia Carrano

Interim Senior Production Manager
Patricia Vinluan 

Production Manager
Maya Royer 

Technical Director
Leslie Hernandez

THANK YOU

The Kim’s Convenience team would like to extend their thanks to the Alpha Korean United Church for use of their photo archive, the Choi family, Jung A Im, Suzie Kim, Jawon Kang, Kelly McEvenue, Grace Mrkobrada, Julian Ochangco, Hannah and Elizabeth Seo, Danny Seo for additional photos, Neha Ross, Kat Chin, AJ Laflamme, Nancy Dryden, Luke Reece, Jasmine Knox, Rhett Costin, Nick Beardsley, Rohan Kulkarni, the generous support of Sylvia Soyka, Lauren Naus, Riaz Charania, The Foussias Family, The Hallan Family, Patricia Lee, Barbara Berkeley, Suzanne Cheriton, and The Scott Family.

Special thanks also to Patricia Lee, Minjae Bae, Kate Walter at the Consulate General of Canada – SF/Silicon Valley, Chaeri Park at the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea – SF, and Jaron Gandelman at Shack15.

Thank you to the families (and their stores) past and present who kindly shared their photos:

Acton Town Milk, 1990s. Owned by Song family. Submitted by David Song

Bee’s Variety, Wilson Ave, Toronto. 1970s. Owned by K.J and M.S Choi. Submitted by Ann Y.K Choi.

Best Convenience, Queen Street West, Toronto, 1970s. Submitted by Suzie Kim.

Bethany General Store, Bethany, Ontario, 1990s. Owned by Keun-Hee (Kenny) Kang and Eun-Hye (Nancy) Kang. Submitted by Ray Kang.

Eagle Convenience, Cambridge, Ontario, 1990s. Owned by Lee Kyung-Joon. Submitted by Ryan Lee

EZ Mart, Davis Dr/Prospect, Newmarket, 2010s. Submitted by Emily Jung

First Convenience, Roncesvalles & Queen St. West, Toronto, early 2000s. Submitted by Susan Truong

Honey Harbour General Store, Honey Harbour, Ontario, 2017-present. Owned by Yong-Woo Lee. Submitted by Yong-Woo Lee.

Juli Rose Flowers, Toronto. Owned by Julia Kim. Submitted by Jannis Mei.

Midland Jugmilk, Scarborough, late 1980s-2010s. Owned by Mr & Mrs Shin. Submitted by Jini Chen.

Mr. Smoke and Variety, Keele and Wilson, 1990s-2000s. Owned by Jae-Jin and Kyong-Hee. Submitted by Danielle Chiang.

Pinegrove Variety, Oakville, Ontario, 1985-2019. Owned by Chung Jae Lee. Submitted by Edward Lee.

Puppy Chappy, North York. Owned by Eunsook Heo. Submitted by Kelly Seo

Rogers Rd Variety Store, 1960s-70s. Owned by Huang family. Submitted by Andrea James Lui and Christina Lui.

Sun Variety, Scarborough, 1970s-90s. Submitted by Susan Yu

What a bargain, Jones & Danforth, Toronto, 1996-2009. M&D Variety, Jane & Sheppard, Toronto, 2009-2020. Owned by Kang family. Submitted by Jawon Kang

Additional Photos Submitted by: Susan Yoon, Tina Yoo, Harry Lee, Pauline Kim, Jae Pak, Sonia L, Hannah You, Gina Chang and Liz Ryu.

These productions are made possible by

Company Sponsors

Lily Chu and Daniel Sturman; Kay Yun and Andre Neumann-Loreck

Executive Producers

Fred Levin, The Shenson Foundation, in memory of Nancy Livingston Levin;
Elsa and Neil Pering; David and Carla Riemer

Producers

Norman Abramson in celebration of David V. Beery; Clay Foundation – West; Joel Krauska and Patricia Fox

Associate Producers

Steven and Karin Chase; Linda and Frank Kurtz; John and Terry Levin Family Foundation

Benefactors

Kenyon S. Chan and Shirley Hune; Dr. James Robinson and Ms. Kathy Kohrman

Corporate Production Sponsor

Additional Support Provided by

Official Hotel Partner

This timeline traces the journey of Kim’s Convenience from its beginnings as a play, to its rise as a hit television series, to its continued international impact across platforms.

2005 – Inspired by his experience, Ins Choi writes Kim’s Convenience at Soulpepper Academy

Ins Choi begins writing Kim’s Convenience while attending the Soulpepper Academy in Toronto, inspired by his experience as a Korean Canadian and his family’s history working in convenience stores. 

2011 – Kim’s Convenience premieres at the Toronto Fringe Festival.

It wins the New Play Contest and is remounted later that year by Soulpepper Theatre, Toronto. It becomes Soulpepper’s most commercially successful production. 

2012–2015 – Kim’s Convenience Tours Canada!

The play tours across Canada to sold-out audiences, praised for its cultural authenticity and humor. It builds national momentum and earns recognition as a landmark piece of Asian Canadian theatre. 

2016 – Premieres on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Kim’s Convenience premieres as a television series on CBC Television (October 11, 2016). The show features the original stage cast, including Paul Sun-Hyung Lee (Appa) and Jean Yoon (Umma), and becomes the first Canadian scripted TV show led by an all-Asian cast. 

2018 – Netflix Release!

Kim’s Convenience becomes available to stream internationally on Netflix, bringing the show to a wider global audience and gaining a passionate fan base outside of Canada. It garners acclaim for its heartwarming portrayal of an immigrant family and its sharp, character-driven humor. The show runs for five successful seasons.

2024–2025 – Kim’s Convenience goes to the UK 

Kim’s Convenience experiences a revival in UK theaters in 2024/25, starting at Park Theatre and transferring to Riverside Studios before embarking on an 11-week regional tour. Audiences continue to embrace the story’s humor and heart as it reenters the live stage circuit.

2025 – Kim’s Convenience on tour

Soulpepper revives the acclaimed production of Kim’s Convenience, as the start of a tour across Canada and the United States. In September, Kim’s Convenience premieres at A.C.T. in San Francisco, bringing the beloved story to new Bay Area audiences. The production explores the play’s continued relevance in a multicultural, intergenerational America. 

After A.C.T., this production will continue on to play The Huntington (Boston, MA), McCarter Theatre Center (Princeton, NJ), and more!

 A Story About Us

Above: Pam MacKinnon, Weyni Mengesha, and Ins Choi. Photo by Andrew Tebo.

A.C.T. Artistic Director sits down with Kim’s Convenience playwright and star Ins Choi and director Weyni Mengesha to talk about the play, its background, and why it’s the perfect story to tell now, in San Francisco.

Pam MacKinnon: Ins and Weyni, here we are. I’m very excited that A.C.T. is bringing in Kim’s Convenience, and maybe, Weyni, you can kick us off. Where is this play set, and what is it about?

Weyni Mengesha: This play is set in downtown Toronto, in a neighborhood that is gentrifying rapidly in 2011, and it is a story about a convenience store owner and his family. They are coming to terms with the changes in their community, and presented with an option to sell the store, which throws the store owner into deeper questions around his legacy, and his purpose. That is the kick off to a day that will be transformational for him and his family.

Pam: Yeah, I’m struck by the pressurization of time. There’s something wonderful in the comedic fact that anyone can walk through that door of a convenience store. And also the day keeps getting more pressurized: professional pressure, personal pressure, both external and internal. The setting is just ripe for exploration of intergenerational tensions that have been unspoken until today, a day like no other. Let’s go way back, to the play’s origin story. Ins, what inspired you to write this play?

Ins Choi: Nina Lee Aquino is the founding director of Fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company, and she wanted to nurture new voices and new Asian plays. So it was really that invitation that inspired this. I had written poems and songs and other things like that, but I’d never written a play, but neither had the other 10 people who were in the group. It led to a nice rookie camaraderie that helped foster encouragement, accountability, and support. We met once a month or so, and we’d have to bring new scenes every month. Write what you know, so, I wrote about a Korean family. Most of my friends growing up, their parents owned a convenience store. So I thought, set it there—and I knew I wanted it to be funny. I didn’t see many Asian-centric plays that were humorous back then.

Pam: Awesome. And you had trained as an actor. When you were writing this play, did you know that you would play the son? And now, play the father?

Ins: I think I always wanted to be in the play so I could hire myself as an actor. I always knew I’d play Jung. There was a draft early on where I thought I would play both the dad and the son, and then one female actress would play Umma and Janet. It was a bit more non-traditional. So the idea of me playing both Appa and Jung was kind of seeded early on in one draft. I played Jung when it premiered in 2011. And then, a couple of years  ago, I started playing Appa. 

Pam: How do you read the play differently, when playing the different characters?

Ins: When I was writing it, I saw the play through Janet and Jung’s eyes. More Janet actually, because she’s also a young artist trying to be validated by her parents and the A.C.T. Artistic Director sits down with Kim’s Convenience playwright and star Ins Choi and director Weyni Mengesha to talk about the play, its background, and why it’s the perfect story to tell now, in San Francisco.

Pam MacKinnon: Ins and Weyni, here we are. I’m very excited that A.C.T. is bringing in Kim’s Convenience, and maybe, Weyni, you can kick us off. Where is this play set, and what is it about?

Weyni Mengesha: This play is set in downtown Toronto, in a neighborhood that is gentrifying rapidly in 2011, and it is a story about a convenience store owner and his family. They are coming to terms with the changes in their community, and presented with an option to sell the store, which throws the store owner into deeper questions around his legacy, and his purpose. That is the kick off to a day that will be transformational for him and his family.

Pam: Yeah, I’m struck by the pressurization of time. There’s something wonderful in the comedic fact that anyone can walk through that door of a convenience store. And also the day keeps getting more pressurized: professional pressure, personal pressure, both external and internal. The setting is just ripe for exploration of intergenerational tensions that have been unspoken until today, a day like no other. Let’s go way back, to the play’s origin story. Ins, what inspired you to write this play?

Ins Choi: Nina Lee Aquino is the founding director of Fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company, and she wanted to nurture new voices and new Asian plays. So it was really that invitation that inspired this. I had written poems and songs and other things like that, but I’d never written a play, but neither had the other 10 people who were in the group. It led to a nice rookie camaraderie that helped foster encouragement, accountability, and support. We met once a month or so, and we’d have to bring new scenes every month. Write what you know, so, I wrote about a Korean family. Most of my friends growing up, their parents owned a convenience store. So I thought, set it there—and I knew I wanted it to be funny. I didn’t see many Asian-centric plays that were humorous back then.

Pam: Awesome. And you had trained as an actor. When you were writing this play, did you know that you would play the son? And now, play the father?

Ins: I think I always wanted to be in the play so I could hire myself as an actor. I always knew I’d play Jung. There was a draft early on where I thought I would play both the dad and the son, and then one female actress would play Umma and Janet. It was a bit more non-traditional. So the idea of me playing both Appa and Jung was kind of seeded early on in one draft. I played Jung when it premiered in 2011. And then, a couple of years  ago, I started playing Appa.

Pam: How do you read the play differently, when playing the different characters?

Ins: When I was writing it, I saw the play through Janet and Jung’s eyes. More Janet actually, because she’s also a young artist trying to be validated by her parents and the world. But now, being a parent of two myself, I can relate more to Appa and Umma—y’know, talk of legacy and what it all means.

Pam: Right, right. And, Weyni, you’ve directed this play twice. What is it like with many intervening years in between, to step back into the rehearsal hall, work with a comrade, a friend, an artist you really respect—what is it like to take the reins of this play again, as opposed to the first time? 

Weyni: Well, yeah, things have changed in my personal life. I’m now a parent. I think I really saw it through the eyes of the kids before. And now I’m like, Hey, kids, do you understand what these parents have gone through? So it’s been great that Ins and I have been able to revisit the conversations in the play through different lenses. And also it’s been beautiful to just appreciate, my friend, as the playwright, and how layered and timeless the piece that he wrote is. It really touches so many aspects of our lives, as parents, but also as citizens, as themes of immigration and gentrification are in our headlines. It’s a beautifully crafted play, that has become a gem in the Canadian canon.

Pam: The two of you came out for a fun, intensive long weekend in June, and hopped around San Francisco and the Bay. I know the trip sparked your imaginations. What are you most excited about in sharing this story with Bay Area audiences?

Ins: San Francisco is such a multicultural city and there are so many Asians in the area. I’m just excited to have them connect with this show. I’m particularly excited that my nephews and nieces get to see the show. They’ve never seen Uncle Ins’s work. And this play is sort of co-inspired by their grandfather, who’s no longer with us. He opened a store in Toronto called Kim’s Grocer back in the ’70s, and they sponsored my parents to come over from Korea. We lived with them above their store. So that was our first touch point, and then my cousins moved to the Bay Area and then they had kids. So I’m really particularly excited for them.

Pam: Nice. A.C.T. is the launch of an American tour. Where does it go after San Francisco? And what does that mean for you to be taking this Canadian story throughout the U.S.?

Weyni: Yeah, it’s great. It’s exciting to see this story transcend borders, as we saw with the television show. There is a shared understanding in all of these North American cities of an immigrant experience. And I think, it’s this beautiful way of creating connection through immigrant experiences from so many different cultural experiences and backgrounds. I also love that a lot of people don’t know that the TV show was developed from this play. And so for many, it’s going to feel like watching the origin story of a TV show that they know and love.

Ins: I’m also excited about having this show on a big stage like A.C.T. at this particular time in global politics. Y’know, highlighting an immigrant everyday working class family in North America who aren’t perfect, but strive to make ends meet and consider what’s of real value. I feel like as we tour to a bunch of cities in the U.S., it’ll be quite a meaningful journey, not only for us and not only for immigrant audiences or audiences of colour, but for all audiences gathered in a dark room, listening to a story about us.

Eddie’s Café

Owner: Ami Waters

Eddie’s Café: has been around for 60 years, first owned by a guy named Eddie, and then owned by two Korean families for many years. A Korean immigrant named Ami Waters had interest in the owning the business for several years before she was able to purchase Eddie’s Cafe earlier this year. Celebrities, politicians, and local folks have dined at the café as evidenced by the photos and awards on the walls. Stepping into the café you are greeted by warm and charming décor. Ami is grateful and excited to be featured in this project; in her words it is “destiny and magical.” She fondly remembers her husband watching Kim’s Convenience on Netflix and hearing him laughing out loud! Ami’s husband passed away about a year ago and she keeps him near to her heart. She honors him in running her café knowing he is always with her. Ami is very proud of her connection to the neighborhood and the Korean community.

Café Dolci  

Owner: My Hugnh

Café Dolci, a kiosk style café, opened in 1999. The current owner, My Hugnh, bought the business from her cousins in 2019. My has a passion for cooking and when her cousins were looking to sell the business, she was excited to have the opportunity. My comes from a long line of entrepreneurs: her grandfather, father, and mother were all business owners. My came to the U.S when she was in the 9th grade.  She has happily operated the business for the past 6 years. Her two lovely daughters assist her in the store when they are not in school or summer camp. Café Dolci is a staple in the community and is especially beloved by A.C.T. staff whose office is around the corner. My is most proud of the relationships she has with her customers, she knows the names and orders of 90% of them! Pro tip: fan favorite Banh Mi sandwiches are Traditional Combo, Grilled Pork, and BBQ Chicken.

Woori Market

Owner: Eric Hakwoon Kim

2025 marks the 10th anniversary since Mr. Kim took over Woori Market, which operates as both a Korean market and a catering service in San Francisco. In Korean, Woori means “we” or “our”—a concept that doesn’t just mean possession, but a shared sense of belonging and community. While some other large Korean supermarkets focus on scale and mass distribution, Woori’s focuses on authenticity, craftsmanship, and personal connection. They specialize in traditional Korean food, made with care, the way it would be prepared at home in Korea. Mr. Kim says, “We are not a family-run business in the traditional sense, it’s not something that’s been passed down for generations, but we are deeply rooted in Korean culture and the local community.” Mr. Kim is committed to giving back to the community, honoring Korean culture, and providing his employees with opportunities and a stable foundation to build their futures.

Meet our photographer!

Tasi Alabastro (he/him) is a San Jose-based, multi-hyphenated artist passionate about creating photos that center on community stories. An SVCreates Emerging Artist Laureate and Leigh Weimers Award recipient, he hosts the podcast Art Time Job. Acting credits include work with SF Playhouse, A.C.T., Aurora Theatre Company, and City Lights Theater Company. Directing credits include CATS’ AAPI Playwright Festival. He is a senior company member of Red Ladder Theatre Company. tasialabastro.com @tasialabastro

INS CHOI (Appa, Playwright) was born in Seoul, South Korea and was raised in Scarborough, ON. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (Playwright/the role of Appa). FOR SOULPEPPER (ACTOR): Death of a Salesman, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, You Can’t Take it With You, Kim’s Convenience (the role of Jung in 2012). FOR SOULPEPPER (CREATOR): Bad Parent, Subway Stations of the Cross, Alligator Pie, re(birth): ee cummings in song, Window on Toronto. OTHER THEATRE: Banana Boys (fu-GEN), Son of a Preacherman (Pacific Theatre), The Odyssey (Stratford). FILM & TELEVISION: Co-creator, writer and Executive Producer of the TV series, Kim’s Convenience (Thunderbird, CBC, Netflix).

KELLY J. SEO (Janet) SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (the role of Janet) was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in North York, ON. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (the role of Janet). SELECT OTHER THEATRE: The Melville Boys (Foster Festival), Kim’s Convenience (Grand Theatre), Jenny’s House of Joy (Foster Festival), Twelfth Night (St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival), Kim’s Convenience (Thousand Islands Playhouse), Hana Hashimoto the Sixth Violin (Thousand Islands Playhouse), Fables for the Future (Clay and Paper Theatre). SELECT FILM & TELEVISION: If I Go Missing, In the Dark, Most Dangerous Game, Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan, Designated Survivor, If I Should Die “Saint or Strangler”. OTHER: Graduate of York University’s Theatre Program. @kellyjseo

ESTHER CHUNG (Umma) was born in South Korea and raised in Thornhill, Ontario. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (the role of Umma) OTHER THEATRE: World Premiere of Bigfoot! (Port Stanley Festival Theatre); Calendar Girls; Noises Off; Five Alarm; One Slight Hitch; Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. FILM & TELEVISION: Cross; The Horror of Dolores Roach; The Boys; Children Ruin Everything; Shelved; Let’s Get Merried. Esther is forever grateful for the love and support of her husband and three sons.

RYAN JINN 진윤섭 (Jung) was born in Los Angeles and raised in Vancouver, BC. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (the role of Jung). OTHER THEATRE: Kim’s Convenience (Arts Club Vancouver); An Assertive Girl (Pull Festival). FILM & TELEVISION: Reginald The Vampire; Kim’s Convenience; Van Helsing; The Good Doctor; Charmed; 2 Hearts; Arrow; Legends of Tomorrow; The Man In The High Castle. OTHER: Animation: Cocomelon Lane. Award Winning Short Films: So-Ri (소리); Songbird.

BRANDON MCKNIGHT (Rich/Alex/Mr. Lee/Mike) is a Canadian actor with Jamaican roots, born and raised in Toronto, ON. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (the roles of Rich, Alex, Mr. Lee, and Mike) OTHER THEATRE: Judas Noir (Tarragon Theatre); Of Mice And Men (Unit 102 Theatre). SELECTED FILM & TELEVISION: The Flash (CW); The Shape of Water (FOX Searchlight); Morningside (Elevation Pictures); Most Dangerous Game (Tubi); Kim’s Convenience (CBC). OTHER: McKnight is an alumnus of the prestigious CFC Actors Conservatory founded by Norman Jewison (class of 2018). Manager is Daniel Abrams at OAZ and agent is Innovative Artists.

FRANK CHUNG (U/S Jung) was born in Toronto and raised in Mississauga, ON. OTHER THEATRE: The New Canadian Curling Club (Lighthouse Festival Theatre, Magnus Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2018 & 2023, Romeo and Juliet (Canadian Stage/Dream in High Park), Kim’s Convenience (Thousand Islands Playhouse), Timothy Findley’s The Wars (Grand Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Classical Theatre Project) . FILM & TELEVISION: Bakugan (Netflix), Lyla in the Loop (PBS Kids), Ginny and Georgia (Netflix), Dancing Through the Shadow (Independent Feature), Age of Samurai Battle for Japan (Smithsonian Canada/Netflix). OTHER: Graduate of York University, BFA Theatre, Class of 2018.

JEFFREY KIM (U/S Appa) was born in Seoul, South Korea. OTHER THEATRE: Da Vinci Code, Royal Canadian Theatre Company; Slow Food, Langley Little Theatre. RX FILM & TELEVISION: Love4point50, Cool Friends (Korea), In the Company of Spies.

NGABO NABEA (U/S Rich/Alex/Mr. Lee/Mike) Though born in Toronto, Ngabo Nabea spent much of his childhood travelling and studying abroad, before returning to study performance at Ryerson University. SOULPEPPER 2025: understudy for Mike/Mr. Lee/Alex/Rich. FOR SOULPEPPER: Three Sisters. OTHER THEATRE: Twisted (Factory Theatre), The Number’s Game (Storefront Theatre), I and You (Globe Theatre), Fences (Grand Theatre), King Lear (Shakespeare Bash’d), Romeo and Juliet (Classical Theatre Project).

ROSIE SIMON (U/S Janet, Umma) is a Korean Canadian actor for stage and screen. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. FOR SOULPEPPER: Kim’s Convenience, Cowboy Versus Samurai. OTHER THEATRE: Dinner With the Duchess (HFN/Crow’s), The Chinese Lady (Studio 180/fu-Gen/Crow’s), The Three Musketeers (RMTC), Lady Sunrise (Factory), Aquiesce (Factory), John (RMTC), Urinetown (Firehall), The King and I (Gateway), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Arts Club). FILM/TV: Slasher: Solstice, DOC, Star Trek: Discovery, Motive, Goodwitch, Killjoys, Wynonna Earp: Vengeance, Carter, Hudson and Rex, Shadowhunters, The Face I Can’t Forget, To Have and to Holiday, That Lion Show.

WEYNI MENGESHA (Director) is a stage and screen director who currently serves as the artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto. She has directed acclaimed productions nationally and internationally, including ‘da Kink in my Hair, Kim’s Convenience, A Streetcar Named Desire, Queen Goneril, and Power of Sail. She has directed across Canada, London, New York, and Los Angeles, receiving numerous Dora Mavor Moore Awards, two NAACP nominations and recognition from the Drama League (New York) and Drama Critics Circle (Los Angeles). In 2024, she received the Trailblazer Award at the CBC Legacy Awards, and after that the 2025 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Award. A committed educator, mentor, and producer of youth arts initiatives, Weyni was the artistic director of the A.M.Y (Artists Mentoring Youth) Project for seven years and co-founded a platform for young Ethiopian and Eritrean artists. She has trained young artists at the National Theatre School of Canada, Canadian Film Centre, and The Soulpepper Academy. @weynimengesha

JOANNA YU 余頌恩 (Set Designer) was born in Hong Kong, raised in Thornhill, Ontario. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. FOR SOULPEPPER: ‘da Kink in My Hair, Three Sisters. OTHER THEATRE: Mirvish Productions, Stratford Festival, Shaw Festival, National Arts Centre, Canadian Opera Company, Canadian Stage, Arts Club, Belfry Theatre, Theatre Calgary, Citadel Theatre, RMTC, The Grand, Tapestry Opera, Factory Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, Tarragon, Obsidian, fu-Gen, Cahoots, Nightwood, and many others. OTHER: Recipient of a Dora Award, The Virginia and Myrtle Cooper Award for Costume Design, and the Pauline McGibbon Award. Joanna is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada (ADC659) and sits on the Board of Directors. joannayudesign.com

MING WONG 黄慧明 (Costume Designer) is an award-winning Toronto costume designer working in theatre, dance, opera, and film & television for over 15 years. She is a graduate from the Ontario College of Art & Design. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience, A Strange Loop. FOR SOULPEPPER: The Master Plan, Three Sisters, De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, Pipeline. OTHER THEATRE: Wights, Rosmersholm, The Wrong Bashir, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, The Master Plan, Red Velvet, Uncle Vanya, The Wedding Party, Crow’s Theatre; Charlie & The Chocolate Factory YPT; Salesman in China, Rent, Hamlet 911, Stratford Festival; Once, TIP, Things I Know to be True, Company Theatre/Mirvish; Peter’s Final Flight, Ross Petty Productions; The Wizard of Oz Panto, The Inheritance, Public Enemy, Canadian Stage; Is God Is, Canadian Stage/Obsidian/Necessary Angel; Candida, Just to Get Married, Trouble in Mind, Shaw Festival; Hansel und Gretel, Canadian Opera Company; The Color Purple, Citadel Theatre/RMTC. UPCOMING: Trident Moon, Flex, Crow’s; Wait Until Dark, Shaw. OTHER: 2021 Virginia & Myrtle Cooper Award recipient, 2 time Dora Award Winner. mingwongdesign.com

WEN LING LIAO 廖雯伶 (Lighting Designer) was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. She is based in the Bay Area, USA. Her works can be seen across USA including American Conservatory Theater, Hartford Stage, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Denver Performing Arts Center, People’s Light Theater, Marin Theater Company, California Shakespeare Theater, Actors Theater of Louisville, Dallas Theater Center, Huntington Theater Company, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Magic Theater, Center Repertory and San Francisco Playhouse. She got her BA from National Taiwan University and her MFA from University of California, San Diego. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience (Soulpepper debut) wenlingliao.com

NICOLE EUN-JU BELL (Video & Projection Designer) is a mixed-race multidisciplinary artist born and raised in Toronto, ON. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. FOR SOULPEPPER: Assistant Projection Design: Billie, Sarah, and Ella: Revolutionary Women in Jazz (2023). OTHER THEATRE: White Muscle Daddy (Buddies in Bad Times), Perfect Bowl of Pho (Kick & Push), Encounters at the Edge of the Woods (Hart House). As an Assistant Designer: The Cave (Luminato/JMar Electric), Ephemeral Artifacts (Theatre Passe Muraille). OTHER: As an XR artist, she performed in award winning VR show Uncanny Alley: A New Day (Ferryman Collective).

FAN ZHANG 张颿 (Sound Designer & Original Composition) SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. OTHER THEATRE: Good Bones (Public Theatre); Jordans (Public Theatre), At the Wedding (Lincoln Center), The Far Country (Atlantic Theater Company); This Land Was Made (The Vineyard Theater); Snow in Midsummer (Classic Stage Company); Paris (Atlantic Theater Company), Our Dear Dead Drug Lord (Second Stage Theater), Pumpgirl (Irish Repertory Theater), Suicide Forest (Ma-Yi Theater Company), Behind the Sheet (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Shakespeare Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theater, Arena Stage, Steppenwolf Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Capital Repertory Theater, American Repertory Theater, Long Wharf Theatre, Pittsburgh City Theatre, Portland Center Stage, Studio Theatre D.C., Two River Theatre, Huntington Theatre and Old Globe. Professor in Sound at Purdue University. EDUCATION: MFA, Yale School of Drama. fanzhangsound.com

ROBERT HARDING (Production Stage Manager) was born and raised in Lewisporte, NL. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. FOR SOULPEPPER: Production Stage Manager 2015 - 2019. Over 20 credits including: A Streetcar Named Desire (2024), Three Sisters (w/ Obsidian Theatre), The Guide to Being Fabulous, Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha (w/ Volcano and Luminato), The Seagull, Queen Goneril, Pipeline, Almighty Voice and His Wife, Rose: A New Musical, Waiting for Godot, The Anger in Ernest and Ernestine, The 39 Steps, Marat/Sade, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Spoon River, Of Human Bondage, and The Barber of Seville. OTHER THEATRE: A Case for the Existence of God (Coal Mine), Things I Know to be True (Company & Mirvish), Once on This Island (Obsidian & Musical Stage), Clybourne Park, and Stuff Happens (Studio 180 & Mirvish). OTHER: Robert is a member of the CAEA SM Committee.

ANGELA MAE BAGO (Assistant Stage Manager) is a proud Filipino-Canadian woman who’s manifesting a fantastic life thanks to the nurture of her partner, family and friends. She’d like to shoutout her cousin, Janica Mae Trono, and partner, David See Jr., for supporting her and being her partners in crime. She is so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be touring this beloved Canadian show all over North America and wherever it leads her next. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. FOR SOULPEPPER: The Seagull, Draw Me Close. OTHER THEATRE: Sanctuary Song (Tapestry Opera); Farm Show: Then & Now (Blyth Festival); Guilt: A Love Story (Tarragon Theatre + Canadian tour); Prison Dancer The Musical (National Arts Centre); Canoe (Native Earth Performing Arts); Carmen (Canadian Opera Company); Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (Thousand Islands Playhouse); 15 Dogs (Crow’s Theatre); Little Women (Stratford Festival). OTHER: She is a member of the Canadian Actor’s Equity Association (CAEA). She has a Diploma from Humber College and Bachelor’s from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) both for theatre.

MEGAN MCCLINTOCK* (Assistant Stage Manager) Resident Stage Manager Megan McClintock’s favorite A.C.T. credits include Co-Founders, Big Data, A Whynot Christmas Carol, The Wizard of Oz, Wakey Wakey, A Walk on the Moon, Between Riverside and Crazy, A Little Night Music, and Indian Ink. Other Bay Area credits include productions at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California Shakespeare Theater, The Curran, Aurora Theatre Company, and Marin Theatre Company. Regionally she has worked at St. Ann’s Warehouse, La Jolla Playhouse, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, McCarter Theatre Center, and Arena Stage. She has a BA in theater and history from Willamette University.

AARON JAN (Assistant Director) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. SOULPEPPER 2025: Kim’s Convenience. FOR SOULPEPPER: Yellow Rabbit. OTHER THEATRE: Woking Phoenix (TPM/Silk Bath Collective), Give ‘Em Hell (Theatre Direct), Cockfight, The Servant of Two Masters (Theatre Erindale), From Up Here (University of Winnipeg), The Standard Sing (Factory Theatre), Hookman (TMU), Ga Ting (ARTillery Collective), Lucky (rEvolver Festival). OTHER: Ken McDougall Directing Award, Johanna Protege Award, Urjo Kareda Award, Jon Kaplan Audience Choice Dora Award for Woking Phoenix, Rita Joe Award, Aubrey and Marla Dan fund co-recipient. Stratford’s Langham Director’s Workshop 2025 Cohort. aaronchihojan.wixsite.com/home

BECCA TRIMBUR (Company Manager) is thrilled to be joining Kim’s Convenience for her tour debut! Born and raised in Northern Kentucky, she has spent most of her career in company management at regional theatres in the US. She could not do this without the unwavering support of her friends and family, especially her mom Annette, who’s always been ready to pack up the car on a moment’s notice. REGIONAL: Capital Repertory Theatre (NY), Florida Repertory Theatre (FL), Actors Theatre of Louisville (KY). SUMMER STOCK: Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PA), Williamstown Theatre Festival (MA).

PEMBERLEY PRODUCTIONS (Tour General Manager) is a producing, general management, and tour booking company based in NYC/Chicago. We collaborate with overseas companies and US-based productions to bring theatre across North America as well as internationally. Highlights include the long-running West End production of The Woman in Black (off-Broadway at NYC’s McKittrick Hotel and across the US); the US Tour of Wise Children’s Wuthering Heights; the Center Theatre Group (Los Angeles) production of The Secret Garden; the US Tour of the National Theatre’s An Inspector Calls; and the US Tour of The Last Ship (starring STING). Pemberley was last at ACT with the National Theatre’s The Lehman Trilogy in 2024. In the 25/26 Season, Pemberley is also looking after Heathers The Musical (off-Broadway), Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile (US Tour), Elizabeth McGovern’s Ava: The Secret Conversations (US/Canada Tour), the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamnet (US Tour, at ACT in 2026), and more. For information on upcoming tours and projects in development, visit pemberleyproductions.com

SOULPEPPER THEATRE COMPANY (Producer) is Canada’s leading artist-driven theatre company. A dynamic cultural hub that brings artists and communities come together to spark connection, inspire change, and elevate the power of storytelling. Led by Artistic Director Paolo Santalucia & Executive Director Gideon Arthurs, Soulpepper is Canada’s hub for developing and producing some of the nation’s most compelling and innovative works, while championing a diversity of voices and perspectives. The company also offers an abundance of free education and community programs that nurture creativity for all and foster connection. Soulpepper touches the lives of hundreds of thousands each year across Canada, inspiring both audiences and artists to celebrate the transformative power of theater.

ADAM BLANSHAY PRODUCTIONS (Producer) is a UK based company with over 60 productions worldwide to date. Recipient of 8 Tonys, 10 Oliviers, and 1 Helpmann Award. ABP produced the highly acclaimed 2024 UK première of Kim’s Convenience starring Ins Choi, directed by Esther Jun at Park Theatre and Riverside Studios in London, as well as the UK Tour which began in March 2025. This production won the 2025 Stage Award for Campaign of the Year. Originally from Montreal, Adam is a 2025 EMBA Candidate of Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and received The Linbury Scholarship for his studies. Full bio: adamblanshay.com He dedicates this to his Umma, Roni.

JUST FOR LAUGHS (Co-Producer) is the world’s leading comedy brand, best known for its iconic Montreal festival—the largest international comedy festival in the world. JFL has launched the careers of countless comedians and produces acclaimed live shows, television, and stage productions. Led by Sylvain Parent-Bédard and Jérôme Tremblay, recent stage credits include Waitress, Chicago (Montreal), and Real Women Have Curves (Broadway).

YOU PRODUCTIONS (Co-Producer) Terence Rodia began as an actor before becoming a choreographer, director, and founder of the YOU brand an international talent agency and production company. He won the Forty Under Forty Award in 2023 and is a 2024 finalist for the Great British Entrepreneur Awards’ Service Industries Entrepreneur of the Year.

HENDERSON THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS (Co-Producer) develops and produces new work for the stage. The company is led by Rupert Henderson, who was previously Producer at the Donmar Warehouse in London. Rupert is passionate about bringing ambitious, high-quality theatre to a wide audience.

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