Design by Ricky Castanedo Laredo. rickycastanedo.com
Live at Studio 58
February 5-15, 2026
“Punishing yourself has nothing to do with taking responsibility.”
Mariko, the owner of the Trading Vessel Pago Pago cabaret, tries to manage the destructive effects of a widespread plague on her business. Around her, a woman mistakes a pile of bloodstained bandages for a chicken; a dentist diagnoses a patient with the Milky Way in the back of her mouth; and a man confined to a box employs a professional flyswatter to keep him company. As the unsettling origins of the cabaret are slowly revealed, the politics of war, disease and memory are undeniable. In translation from Japanese, this surreal and striking play is a North American premiere.
Creative Team
Playwright – Terayama Shūji with Kishida Rio | Translators – Tsunedo Keiko and Colleen Lanki | Director – Derek Chan 陳嘉昊 | Set Design – Starlynn Chen | Props Designer – Emma Knox | Costume Design – elika mojtabaei | Lighting Design – Jonathan Kim | Sound Design – Anju Singh | Cultural Consultant – Shizuka Kai
Content Advisories: explicit sexual content, nudity