Regretfully, So the Birds Are

by Julia Izumi

Illy and Neel fall in love and Mora is so upset she decides to go on a journey to find her birth mother. Meanwhile, Neel discovers he’s tone-deaf and decides to go on a journey to find himself. Meanwhile, Illy doesn't go on a journey because she's bought a part of the sky, so what more does she need? Meanwhile Elinore is in jail and Cam is melting . . .? A farcical tragedy that questions the destructive nature...

Illy and Neel fall in love and Mora is so upset she decides to go on a journey to find her birth mother. Meanwhile, Neel discovers he’s tone-deaf and decides to go on a journey to find himself. Meanwhile, Illy doesn't go on a journey because she's bought a part of the sky, so what more does she need? Meanwhile Elinore is in jail and Cam is melting . . .? A farcical tragedy that questions the destructive nature of the American need for identity and the murky waters of Asian-American-ness.

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Regretfully, So the Birds Are

Recommended by

  • Amanda Faye Lacson: Regretfully, So the Birds Are by Julia Izumi
    “

    A wild and hilarious dark comedy, absurd and moving.

    A wild and hilarious dark comedy, absurd and moving.

    ”
  • Isaac Byrne: Regretfully, So the Birds Are by Julia Izumi
    “

    Delightfully whimsical and consistently surprising. Has a big heart that sneaks up on you, and can turn a big laugh into a big cry when you least expect it. Absolutely lovely.

    Delightfully whimsical and consistently surprising. Has a big heart that sneaks up on you, and can turn a big laugh into a big cry when you least expect it. Absolutely lovely.

    ”

Character Information

  • Mora
    The oldest and the messiest, she lives and feels everything at a ten, which sometimes leads to rash decisions, like going to find her birth mother with no real leads.
    29 going on 30
    Asian
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman,
      Non-binary
  • Illy
    The youngest and the most impressive, stubborn and self-assured, she has big dreams that are hampered by being the only responsible one in her messy family.
    25
    Asian
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Neel
    Classic middle child, anxious and naive, he learns something new about himself that leaves him completely unmoored, but underneath a lot of self-doubt is a strong moral conscience.
    28
    Asian
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      South Asian or South Asian American
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Elinore
    The mother of three adoptees, she loves a lot but not always well. A recovering Vicodin addict, the damage of which has left her a little unpredictable and strange, although perhaps she was always like that, it's hard to tell. Also plays a panicked BIRD.
    62
    White
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Woman
  • Cam the Snowman
    white, male, a mostly dry and (ironically) warm snowman, the fragments of a father who was a professor of Asian History, though not a particularly good one, maybe even arguably a pretty terrible one. Also plays an enticing COWMAN.
    White
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      40s,
      50s,
      60s
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      White
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Man
  • Srey
    An excellent storyteller and a natural caretaker, appears mysterious but she is actually just living in the moment, like we all claim we want to be.
    Age Unclear
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Race/Ethnic Identity
      Asian, Pacific Islander, or Asian American,
      Black, African, Caribbean, or African American,
      Indigenous, First Nation, or Native American,
      Latinx/o/a or Hispanic,
      Middle Eastern, North African, or Arab American,
      Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander,
      South Asian or South Asian American

Development History

  • Reading, Clubbed Thumb, 2021
  • Workshop, Ojai Playwrights Conference, 2020
  • Residency, Clubbed Thumb, 2020
  • Residency, Space on Ryder Farm, 2019
  • Workshop, Williamstown Theatre Festival, 2019

Production History

  • Professional, Playwrights Horizons, 2023

Awards

  • Dr. Kerry English Award
    Ojai Playwrights Conference
    2021