Jennifer’s Seattle Public Theater debut as ‘Sam’ in the West Coast Premiere of Keiko Green’s Hometown Boy, directed by Annie Lareau.
Jennifer Ewing as Sam
Photo: John Ulman
“There’s something about watching someone stand defiantly straight, methodically frosting a cake, while everything around them crumbles. The frosting, so neat, so well-placed, so logical. Predictable. Carefully controlled.
The rest of the world, not so much.
It’s[...] potent here in Keiko Green’s Hometown Boy, a play that’s not obviously about a cake at all. But that memorable scene serves as both crux and metaphor for everything else going on as its central characters’ pasts and present collide.”
Pictured: Jennifer Ewing as Sam, Michael Wu as James
Photos: John Ulman
“[W]e are confronted about who society allows to make mistakes, and how one moment can destroy one family yet leave another seemingly unscathed. But, because people are complicated, we see that all parties are wounded. This is a production where no one becomes “the winner;” we are forced to grapple with layers of trauma and the question of what it means to be American, and how important it is to have a home.”
“The...cast makes this web of characters bold and identifiable ... Jennifer Ewing and Tim Hyland each pull off a likable, put-together surface, and each weighted with a desperate determination to keep it that way.”
“From thought-provoking racial and familial scenarios to hilarious, shocking, and gut-wrenchingly sad scenes, “Hometown Boy” is a must-watch.”
Photo by John Ullman - Jennifer Ewing as Sam, Mike Wu as James
“Hometown Boy at SPT rocked my gosh dang WORLD this evening. This production is very well done - the cast is legit stunner. Every single one of these actors had me fully engaged the entire time. Brilliant performances across the board, and this is not a story you’ve seen done before. When intermission hit, I didn’t even want a break. Excellent, excellent, excellent work to all involved. Go see it.”
