Foreign Exchange
Lighting Design by:Jeff Greenberg
Foreign Exchange by Peter Hays was produced by the Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey in Madison, NJ in Feb./March 2004. It was directed by John Pietrowski, with set design by Michael Forrest Kurtz, sound design by Danys Levasseur, and costume design by Bettina Bierly.
Currency trader Luther and his newly hired partner Karen at work.
The spirit of Karen's Grandmother, Aya, appears and reveals that Karen's mother is in a coma.
In her apartment, Karen's grandmother comes to her in a dream and explains why the family tradition of kite making was never passed on to Karen.
Suddenly Aya relives the moment when the FBI came to evacuate her and her family to Manzanar.
Karen and Luther meet in the park on a Sunday afternoon and plan a date.
On their first official date (a picnic), Luther is visited by the spirit of his grandfather, Hank, who was in charge of the WWII construction of the Japanese camps and overseeing the evacuation.
In her apartment, Luther massages Karen, while Aya's spirit looks on with disapproval.
Luther has a flashback of himself as a 12 year old boy learning carpentry from his grandfather.
During Luther's flashback, we see Karen get a visit from Yoshi, a Japanese businessman who she has apparently known for some time.
Karen and Yoshi visit Karen's mother in the hospital while Luther works at his desk, jealously wondering about the relationship between Karen and Yoshi.
Aya offers words of comfort after Karen's mother has died.
Luther confronts his grandfather about his racism after his grandfather convinced him that Yoshi and Karen were lovers. Luther had accused both Karen and Yoshi (who is now his boss) of being lovers, but was embarassed when he learned they were actually cousins.
Luther has tracked Karen down in the park and made up with her. Now they share a romantic moment.
As Karen and Luther clear the air, the spirits of their grandparents look on.
The spirits have now disappeared.
Luther and Karen visit Manzanar, the site of Aya's death in WWII.
Luther and Karen will go on with their relationship as their grandparents look on.