tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658138279766595241.post4366625496198992030..comments2024-01-04T04:31:00.481-05:00Comments on Mixed Race America: Spotlight on Yuri Kochiyama--Asian American activistJenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13261371053113519712noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658138279766595241.post-74970287811326514652008-12-05T13:01:00.000-05:002008-12-05T13:01:00.000-05:00Hi, Jennifer: Here's the scoop on our production i...Hi, Jennifer: Here's the scoop on our production in SF. Yuri Kochiyama attended. We've got photos, etc. which I'd love to post to your site or you can visit the links in this account. Asian Week gave it a good write up. Reception has been enthusiastic. <BR/><BR/>On Nov. 17 and Dec. 1, an all-Asian American cast graced the stage at San Francisco’s The Marsh Theatre to perform 20 minutes of scenes from playwright Marlan Warren’s World War II internment play Bits of Paradise, and made some history of their own.<BR/><BR/>The seven actors took the audience back in time when 20-year old internee Yuri Kochiyama (born Mary Nakahara) started a letter-writing campaign to the Japanese American 442nd regimental combat team to raise the men’s spirits. The girls and women called themselves “The Crusaders,” and the play--an ode to Kochiyama—came alive as actors read verbatim excerpts.<BR/><BR/>Asian Week writer Annabelle Udo noted “Not since Philip Kan Gotanda’s After the War (2007) has there been a (San Francisco) production depicting the Japanese American experience spawned by F.D.R.’s infamous Presidential Executive Order 9066.” (See Events for full review.)<BR/><BR/>Warren directed 15-year old Chanelle Yang (Mary Nakahara) and Linda Wang (Yuri Kochiyama). Connie C. Kim, Pisha Warden and Linda Wang stood in for the hundreds of Crusaders, and Wesley Cayabyab, Jean Franco, Wilton Yiu did the same for the soldiers. Warden also portrayed an evacuee diarist (based on The Evacuation Diary of Hatsuye Egami).<BR/><BR/>“I feel a sense of pride and a sense of identity,” said Filipino American Jean Franco who portrayed one of the soldiers. “I wouldn’t have known about this part of history if I hadn’t done this project.”<BR/><BR/>Yuri Kochiyama and original Crusader Ruth Ishizaki thrilled both actors and audience by attending the first show. <BR/><BR/>Kochiyama called the play “unique” and “creative.” She stated, “What this play captures of World War II Nisei soldiers and the teenage camp Crusaders who corresponded with them is awesome.”<BR/><BR/>Although Warren wrote the first draft in 2000, she was only able to make contact with Kochiyama recently. “The material has lots of humor and flirtation,” said Warren. “Most people are surprised when they find out it’s verbatim. But afterwards, Ruth turned to Yuri and said, ‘That’s how it was…remember those G.I. Joes?”<BR/><BR/>Udo wrote “Bits of Paradise places its footprint on the timeline of a much needed theatrical examination of the Asian American journey.”<BR/><BR/>Warren is seeking a theatrical partnership to help craft a full production. “Until now I haven’t had access to the original writers of the letters. I hope to expand the roles of the women whose more personal letters and experiences were previously unavailable to me.”<BR/><BR/>Warren said, "Thanks to The Marsh's works-in-progress series, I’m now able to connect with interested theaters and get the word out about the play.”Marlan Warrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03339307047531693387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658138279766595241.post-79482916349029621442008-11-15T13:23:00.000-05:002008-11-15T13:23:00.000-05:00Marian, your comments inspired me to write a whole...Marian, your comments inspired me to write a whole post on the topic of allies--check it out (today's date is November 15, 2008). Wish I could see your play--so glad you got to meet Yuri Kochiyama--I'm envious!Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13261371053113519712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658138279766595241.post-43058446428693270912008-11-15T09:22:00.000-05:002008-11-15T09:22:00.000-05:00It's great to see your praise for Yuri Kochiya...It's great to see your praise for Yuri Kochiyama. I'm a playwright who wrote a play based on letters between Japanese American girls and women in U.S. concentration camps and Japanese American soldiers during WWII. The internees called themselves“The Crusaders,” and were led by <BR/>"Mary Nakahara" who was to rename herself Yuri Kochiyama.<BR/><BR/>The Marsh Theatre in San Francisco will showcase a 20-min. excerpt on 11/17 & 12/1 @7:30pm for its Monday Night Series that previews new works. <BR/><BR/>I wrote the 1st draft in '00 & have tried unsuccessfully to meet Yuri, whom I idolize...until last week when someone gave me her address and I went to visit her unannounced. Yuri is famous for not seeing visitors w/o an appt. but when she heard I'd written this play, she was thrilled and invited us into her home.<BR/><BR/>A local Filipino American actor, Jean Franco, came w/me because he was dying to meet Yuri. He performed a monologue for her & she was obviously moved. <BR/><BR/>Yuri has an amazing generosity of spirit. She called me afterward to tell me how much she loves the script & she's not only coming but inviting the other surviving "crusaders." <BR/><BR/>I'd read her autobio, watched "Passion for Justice," and longed to meet her...but nothing prepared me for her warm, big-hearted charisma. For years, I let the play sit in a drawer because I'm a Russian-American-Jewish woman and not Asian, so who am I to try to write about internment? Then I read that she had similar apprehensions re meeting Malcolm X, & that gave me courage.<BR/><BR/>I second your emotions in this blog. Yuri is an international treasure! Thank you for keeping her name in the public eye.Regina Wohanskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17505773383255090257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658138279766595241.post-11779730678263960902008-07-09T10:49:00.000-04:002008-07-09T10:49:00.000-04:00Thanks for stopping by Patrick. And I agree--I th...Thanks for stopping by Patrick. And I agree--I think Yuri deserves many more accolades and much more recognition than she has generally received. I do think that within certain communities--Asian American studies, various activist circles, anti-racist organizations--she is appreciated and heralded as a true pioneering force of cross-racial/ethnic alliances. Perhaps more people in the future will be inspired by her example. I hope so.Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13261371053113519712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658138279766595241.post-67479882941122585222008-07-09T10:44:00.000-04:002008-07-09T10:44:00.000-04:00Thank you for this. Yuri is an inspiration to so ...Thank you for this. Yuri is an inspiration to so many, yet sadly she has not found her proper place in the history of the Movement. Perhaps with time that will change. I hope so...Patrick Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079421822502919082noreply@blogger.com