Stagecrafters opened its doors this weekend with a new production of “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow” (2005) by Rolin Jones. Directed by Suki, the story mixes a coming-of-age motif with sci-fi in a quirky play that puzzles you as much today as it did 20 years ago.

Heroine Jennifer Marcus was born in rural China. As a baby, her mother bundled her up for adoption to a childless American couple. Now a young adult, Jennifer feels unloved. A genius and a computer whiz, she yearns to reunite with her birth mother in China. But Jennifer has another problem: she is also an agoraphobe, unable to leave the house.

So, Jennifer comes up with a fantastical plan. In her stead, she plans to create a robotic android version of herself to fly around the world to China. Jennifer intends to name her android Jenny Chow, in honor of her mother’s family name.

Patricia Masarachia develops a two-tier set design that mirrors Jennifer’s bifurcated life. Downstairs, she has stilted meetings with her adoptive American parents; upstairs, Jennifer cloisters in her bedroom where the back wall is a huge circuit board. Beyond the ceiling, you see the Santa Monica Mountain peaks of Calabasas, California.

Downstairs, Jennifer is a fish out of water. Her adoptive mother, Adele (Jenn Hsiao), is a screechy, argumentative businesswoman. Her father, Mr. Marcus (Brian Scott Campbell), is a passive and disabled fireman who scans the city landscape for fires in the daytime, then climbs to the roof to spot meteor showers at night.

But Jennifer comes alive when she retreats to her room. Played by Regina Zeng with zip, Jennifer often breaks out into dance-like movements as she moves about her room, darting joyously back and forth between her desk computer and the bedroom’s open spaces, talking about her plans with a beaming face, chirping like a caged bird.

Jennifer uses her internet savvy to engage accomplices. Terrence is a young Mormon missionary. From a Taco Bell in Shanghai, he gives information on the whereabouts of mother Chow in exchange for digital pictures of Jennifer’s private parts. We also meet Preston, a missile expert from Georgia, Dr. Yakunin, an Eastern European professor of robotic engineering, and Colonel Hubbard in full dress uniform.

With quick costume changes, Steve Wei plays them all as caricatures, sometimes using ethnic speech patterns. While these cameo portraits have an entertaining satirical bite, Rolin Jones’ opening act is labored, too busy with sideshow characters to take on a dramatic direction.

But the show captures your interest in the second act when the play’s dramatic premise comes into focus. You finally meet Jenny Chow, Jennifer’s android double. Played by Ilana HuiYa Lo, Jenny Chow is an endearing figure. At first, Jenny is only able to move her hand, but Jennifer teaches her “baby” how to be more fully human.

The curious irony of “Intelligent Design” is that the android is the only character you come to love. Wide-eyed and naive, you want to give her a big hug. Jenny Chow needs affection from her creator/mother but is rejected in a way that echoes Jennifer’s own rejection.

“Intelligent Design” is provocative but uneven. Playwright Jones does not seem to know if he wants to write a satire, burlesque, thesis play or drama. The ending is so indeterminate, the show feels like a preamble to another play. Only oddball Todd (Mekhi Brown), the family’s pizza deliveryman, acquires a sense of purpose. And Todd plans to leave town.

Stagecrafters is located at 8130 Germantown Ave. “The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow” will run through April 26. Tickets available at 215-247-8881, or online at thestagecrafters.org.