InterAct Theatre Company is presenting’s
Seng’s Hair Salon through May 10, 2026 at The Proscenium Theatre
at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street, Philadelphia, Pa. InterAct has commissioned
three playwrights, with the help of The William Penn Foundation, to write a
play about a community in Philadelphia that is under-represented on local or national
stages. Seng’s Hair Salon, by Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay, is
the second of the three chosen plays which are part of the Philly Cycle. It is
set in a neighborhood in South Philly and encompasses the stories of Lao,
Vietnamese and Cambodian families. Together the Asian community is a tight-knit
group which has found its commonality in the great care they are given and the gossip
they share in the chairs of Seng’s Hair Salon. Developers threaten to “buy
out” the properties on the block, one by one. The younger generation cannot see
Seng giving up her salon and are willing to go door to door to get support.
Seng’s best friend Ahn has a new house built in Vietnam with a room added
especially for her. She pleads with Seng to retire, sell her salon and move
with her. Will Seng’s secret keep her in Philly? The play answers this question
as well as developing a wonderful insight into family life and cultural norms
in that Asian community. Be sure to get your tickets at https://www.interacttheatre.org/sengs
