Ghostwritten

Goodman Theatre will present the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka’s newest work, Ghostwritten directed by Lisa Portes as part of the Goodman’s "Strong Women, Strong Voices" Owen Theatre Series.

The 2004 recipient of the Joyce Award, Ghostwritten tells the story of Susan, a young American woman who travels to Vietnam, where her soldier father disappeared years earlier. In Vietnam, Susan meets and makes a deal with a mysterious woman: in exchange for "magic food" cooking lessons, Susan must surrender her first-born child to the woman. Believing she will never have children, Susan makes the deal but later adopts a daughter, Bea, from Vietnam. Twenty years later, Susan is a thriving Asian-fusion chef and Bea is engaged to be married when the woman comes to collect on her debt. Susan must face her old promise and grapple with her family’s thorny past as she strives to protect her daughter.