The Children’s Theatre Company brings diverse theater to the Twin Cities this season with “Cookin’,” the hit South Korean show for all ages. “Cookin’” invites audiences to engage with the actors beyond language and culture. The show features little dialogue, only the words “onion,” “carrot,” and “cucumber” accompanied by onomatopoeias.
“The biggest advantage of this show is that without the language barrier, you don’t have to worry about young people or those in their 60s and 70s. It’s for all ages. We don’t have to worry about changing the words,” Katherine “Kate” Young Eun Park said on the creative choice to use selective dialogue. Park is the production’s International Production Manager and has traveled to over ten countries across Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.
As production manager, Park ensures that the show runs smoothly on a technical and cultural basis. “I have to know about their culture and the cultural issues that could happen when on stage. I need to know what could go wrong. In the Middle East, we may need to adjust the costumes. We want to respect the cultures,” Park said.
Travel and the ability to meet people across the world attracted Park to her job. “I first joined as a production assistant doing preproduction for shows in Korea. I then transferred to the International Division doing ‘Cookin’,’ which is the show that gives me the most opportunities.”
“Cookin’” has been a staple of international theater festivals since the 1990s. It won “Best Performance” at Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1999. The show has a small cast of four actors who show off their comedy chops through the story, following the chef’s cooking on a tight deadline. Crowd work is also essential to the success of the show. Volunteers come up on stage to learn more about the Korean drums and drumming style featured in what Park describes as a “rockstar” finale.
Audiences across the world react to the show with varying levels of enthusiasm. The show is a hit everywhere, especially in countries that often expect theater to be less engaging than the high-energy “Cookin’.” Park has traveled with “Cookin’” for years but says that the Twin Cities has been her favorite place to put on the show. “I have to say the Twin Cities [has been my favorite] because of all the reactions and responses from the audience,” Park said. “They’re enthusiastic and passionate. Other audiences tend to be more reserved. Here, people were standing in the aisles and seats cheering. It was so exciting.”
Park hopes audiences will continue to enjoy the new kind of theater that “Cookin’” brings to their cities. Sharing the show that comes from the Korean creative team across the U.S. is a new challenge she welcomes. “We just want you to enjoy it and be ready that this is not the kind of show that will make you cry or think about life. All you have to do is be there and enjoy,” Park said.
