“Nihonmachi,” a musical journey of Japanese American family, 2009 Nov 15

 

 

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 2 p.m.

Aratani/Japan America Theatre in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles

Nihonmachi: The Place to Be

Written by: Soji Kashiwagi

A benefit performance for the Little Tokyo Koban and Visitor Center.

 

The Grateful Crane Ensemble returns with their nostalgic musical journey going back through time, to the place the Japanese American community began: Nihonmachi (Japantown).

 

 

The two-act show tells the fictional story of Alan Iwata, a tired, burned-out, third generation manju (sweet) maker who is shutting down his family business after 99 years in Nihonmachi (Japantown).

 

But just before he closes his doors for good, the spirit of his Issei grandfather returns and takes Alan on a journey back some 77 years to Nihonmachi the way it used to be.

 

“And along the way,” said playwright Kashiwagi, “Our Sansei character meets his feisty Issei grandmother, sees his family business through the Great Depression, the war years in camp, resettlement after camp, redevelopment in the 50’s and 60’s, the Asian American Movement of the 70’s and the Redress Movement in the 80’s.

 

By learning his family history, said Kashiwagi, Alan realizes the tremendous sacrifices and challenges his family overcame to keep the family business alive, and in the end he decides it’s well worth the extra effort to work one more year so he and the community can celebrate 100 years of manju together.

“Our show tells a Nihonmachi story through the eyes of the Japanese American manju-ya family,” said Kashiwagi. “If you look at our three remaining Japantowns in California, the one business that has lasted 100 years or more is the manju-ya, so that’s why I decided to focus our story around this manju family.”

 

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 2 p.m.
Aratani/Japan America Theatre in Little Tokyo, Downtown Los Angeles

 

Nihonmachi: The Place to Be

$35 Orchestra
$30 Balcony
$50 Sponsor ticket through LTSC Koban

Tickets may be purchased online or through the Aratani/Japan America Theatre Box Office, (213) 680-3700