Theater News

Salt Pepper Ketchup Set for InterAct Theatre Company

Performances begin tonight for a run through November 18.

Kendra Holloway, Richard Bradford, and Justin Pietropaolo in a scene from Josh Wilder's Salt Pepper Ketchup, directed by Jerrell L. Henderson.
Kendra Holloway, Richard Bradford, and Justin Pietropaolo in a scene from Josh Wilder's Salt Pepper Ketchup, directed by Jerrell L. Henderson.
(© Paola Nogueras)

Performances of Salt Pepper Ketchup begin tonight at InterAct Theatre Company.

Josh Wilder's Salt Pepper Ketchup takes place at a storefront Chinese restaurant in the Point Breeze section of South Philly. Owners John and Linda Wu are fixtures in the neighborhood, but when gentrification begins to consume the area (in the form of a trendy food co-op), John, Linda, and their customers are left to wrestle with the consequences. Tinged with genuine humor and pathos, Wilder's play examines the forces of neighborhood redevelopment — who benefits, and who gets chewed up and spit out?

Jerrell L. Henderson directs Fenton Li as John Wu, Chuja Seo as Linda Wu, Miriam White as Megan, Richard Bradford as Boodah, Jay Battle as Raheem, Mark Christie as Tommy, Justin Pietropaolo as Paul, and Kendra Holloway as Cece.

The creative team includes Colin McIlvainie (set design), Marie Laster (assistant set design), Robin Stamey (lighting design), Larry Fowler (sound design), Tyler Tooker (props design). Arielle Brown is the dramaturg, Tom Helmer the stage manager, and Lauren Tetlow is the production assistant.

Opening night is set for October 31, and the production runs through November 18.