East West Players presents a Writers Gallery reading of A Cage of Fireflies by Daniel Akiyama

  • en
Performing Arts

Mar 201321
7:30p.m.

National Center for the Preservation of Democracy
Tateuchi Democracy Forum
111 North Central Avenue
Los Angeles, California, 90012
United States


Admission is FREE!

A Cage of Fireflies tells the story of three elderly sisters of the kibei generation: sent as children to be raised in Okinawa, then returned to live and work in Hawai‘i. Two of the sisters confine themselves to their Honolulu apartment where they enact the rituals of daily life and dream of one day returning to Okinawa. The third, charged with running their family’s orchid nursery, embraces the modern world and disrupts her family's fragile traditions. As long-hidden hopes, resentments and regrets surface, the sisters must confront the nature of their love for each other. A Cage of Fireflies, which recently premiered at Kumu Kahua Theatre in Honolulu to critical acclaim and a sold-out, extended run (1/24/13-3/3/13), explores the tug-of-war between progress and preservation, the selfish and the selfless.

Written by Daniel Akiyama
Directed by Phyllis S. K. Look

Featuring: Dian Kobayashi, Emily Kuroda, Sharon Omi, and Jeanne Sakata

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT:
Daniel Akiyama was born and raised in Honolulu and graduated from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. A Cage of Fireflies, his first full-length play, was developed at the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab and was a finalist for the Eugene O’Neill National Playwrights Conference.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:
Phyllis S.K. Look was a member of Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s artistic staff, Co-Artistic Director of Bay Area Playwrights Festival, and freelance director. Her work has been produced at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center Institute, Young Playwrights Festival, Berkeley Rep, Magic Theatre, Asian American Theater Company, Syracuse Stage, Alliance Theatre, Mixed Blood, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and Honolulu Theatre for Youth, among others. She directed the developmental workshop of A Cage of Fireflies at Sundance Institute’s 2012 Theatre Lab, and its recent world premiere production at Kumu Kahua Theatre. Look holds an MFA in Directing from Yale School of Drama and is the recipient of a TCG/NEA Director Fellowship. She was born, raised, and currently resides in Honolulu, Hawai‘i.

 

JANM . Last modified Mar 05, 2013 12:06 p.m.


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