Kim's Convenience

Kim's Convenience opens at the Indiana Repertory Theatre on Tuesday, October 20, and runs through November 15. It's written by Ins Choi and directed by Cara Hinh, and it's a stage co-production with Everyman Theatre and Portland Center Stage, so it's coming to Indianapolis as part of a larger regional effort.

If you know the name, you probably know the Netflix show, but long before that, Kim's Convenience was an award-winning stage play. The story centers on Mr. Kim, a first-generation Korean immigrant who's spent more than 30 years behind the counter of his convenience store. From that spot, he's spent decades handing out fatherly wisdom, history lessons, and potato chips to whoever comes through the door. These days, though, the neighborhood around him is changing, and he's finding that his children's dreams don't always line up with his own. It's a family story at its core, and the production describes it as a laugh-out-loud, deeply moving, feel-good piece about love and family.

It plays on the Janet Allen Stage at the Indiana Repertory Theatre, located at 140 West Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis. With the run stretching from October 20 to November 15, you've got several weeks to catch it, whether you're looking for a weekday night or a weekend matinee. If you've only seen the series, this is a chance to see where the whole thing started.