NORTH HOLLYWOOD — Skypilot Theatre Company’s world premiere production of “War Bride,” written by acclaimed playwright Samantha Macher and directed and choreographed by Nancy Dobbs Owen, has been extended until Sept. 23.
It is the fall of 1945. Pvt. Alvin Rhodes (Brett Fleisher) is returning home to his mother Catherine (Julia Sanford) in Merced. He has an injury that he doesn’t want to discuss and a new wife, a Japanese nurse named Yumi (Sachiyo K).
Yumi is greeted with suspicion and fear, even outright hatred. The bombs were dropped only two months prior and Japanese Americans are still unjustly interned at Manzanar, not far away. She is shy and withdrawn, but with the help of Catherine’s old friend Richard (Jeffrey Markle), a Japanese/English dictionary and 1,000 paper cranes, her story is slowly revealed.
The cast also includes Kate Apicelia, Alicia Foo, Kelly Goodman, Reesa Ishiyama, Yukari Koseki, Amelia Rose, Ethan Zachery Scott.
“‘War Bride’ combines sharp, witty dialogue with Japanese butoh-influenced contemporary dance to create a completely new play that will tear at your heart while challenging your ideas of right and wrong,” the theater company said.
“‘War Bride’ tells a compelling story from the point of view of the women: Catherine, Yumi, the neighborhood girls. Roles for women are far too few in American theater. We have also authentically cast both Japanese and American actors, filling a gap in the Asian acting community. Finally, the lessons of World War II are relevant in a world where we still lock people up without a trial based upon irrational fears and prejudice.”
This is the fourth production of SkyPilot’s 2012 season and its second full season of exclusively producing new plays. SkyPilot is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering new relationships with provocative playwrights to develop the most compelling, challenging and humorous new plays for the Los Angeles theater-going audience.
The venue is T.U. Studios, 10943 Camarillo St. North Hollywood. Remaining showtimes are Saturday, Sept. 1, 8, 15 and 22, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 2, 9, 16 and 23, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 (plus a service charge if ordered online). For more information, call (800) 838-3006 or go to http://skypilottheatre.com.