Empty Ride

by Keiko Green

Kisa, a Japanese painter in Paris, returns to her small hometown of Ishinomaki, taking over her father’s taxi cab as he grows increasingly ill. Ishinomaki was left devastated after the 2011 tsunami, which took Kisa’s mom in addition to over 3,000 other locals in the sleepy, coastal town full of fascinating characters. In this funny, tragically warm, supernatural story of those left behind, Kisa navigates finding...

Kisa, a Japanese painter in Paris, returns to her small hometown of Ishinomaki, taking over her father’s taxi cab as he grows increasingly ill. Ishinomaki was left devastated after the 2011 tsunami, which took Kisa’s mom in addition to over 3,000 other locals in the sleepy, coastal town full of fascinating characters. In this funny, tragically warm, supernatural story of those left behind, Kisa navigates finding her place in the world by rediscovering where she comes from, and where she’s been.

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Empty Ride

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  • Nick Malakhow: Empty Ride by Keiko Green
    “

    A funny, human, and eerie story about loss, family, home, and more. I loved how Kisa's relationship with her home and her family was a small, nuanced narrative that connected to larger themes in the play: the collective loss Ishinomaki faced in the wake of natural disaster, evolving definitions of home for subsequent generations and for those who don't fit into society's norms, and questions about tradition and progress. I could visualize just how exciting design elements could heighten the supernatural aspects beautifully. I'd love to see this staged!

    A funny, human, and eerie story about loss, family, home, and more. I loved how Kisa's relationship with her home and her family was a small, nuanced narrative that connected to larger themes in the play: the collective loss Ishinomaki faced in the wake of natural disaster, evolving definitions of home for subsequent generations and for those who don't fit into society's norms, and questions about tradition and progress. I could visualize just how exciting design elements could heighten the supernatural aspects beautifully. I'd love to see this staged!

    ”

Development History

  • Workshop, The Old Globe, 2024
  • Reading, The Old Globe/Powers New Voices Festival, 2024
  • Commission, The Old Globe, 2022