Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is the final host for Nightwood Theatre and Bad Muse Collective’s world premiere of Love You Wrong Time. Conceived and performed by Deanna H. Choi and Maddie Bautista, Love You Wrong Time is a fun, interactive, and truthful look at the experiences of the performers and the history of the fetishization of Asian women in Western culture. With just a few performances left at this final venue, you’re definitely going to want to get out to see Love You Wrong Time this weekend!

When you walk into the theatre space, it’s immediately inviting, and you can tell you’re in for a great time. The set itself looks like the room of a teenager: clothes, snacks, and lights scattered throughout their playing space. Hidden amongst the goodies are instruments and props which Choi and Bautista use throughout the performance.

As I mentioned previously, this is a very interactive production; right from the get-go Choi and Bautista are addressing the audience and inviting us to participate in the performance with them. It’s a brilliant strategy as it asks the audience to engage with the material in an active way, and considering the difficult topics they wish to discuss through this piece. Be ready to sing along, have some fun, and maybe even win a prize!

Watching Choi and Bautista perform Love You Wrong Time is truly a delight. They’re taking these funny and true and sometimes difficult stories about their lives and sharing them through song; clearly the medium of choice for both performers and for very good reason. The vulnerability and understanding they show throughout the piece lets the audience in on, and it’s just a small portion I’m sure, of what it’s like to try and navigate the world in their bodies. Their energy and passion for their work comes through in every moment and certainly is infectious for the audience. A piece like Love You Wrong Time is exemplary of the power of theatre: allowing us to share our truths and experiences in a way that helps us better understand one another.

Love You Wrong Time is only at Buddies in Bad Times theatre for a short time! Closing on April 23rd, I hope you already have your tickets for this sold out run! For more information about this production, and to check out info on potential rush tickets, visit: https://www.nightwoodtheatre.net/love-you-wrong-time/

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Photo of Deanna H. Choi and Maddie Bautista by Erin Brubacher