“Hikobae,” a story of courage and personal sacrifice of an American doctor and the Japanese medical staff who risked their lives following the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters that struck northwestern Japan on March 11, 2011, will be performed at the Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo, on Saturday, March 30, at 6 p.m. and Sunday, March 31, at 2 p.m.
A production of Stella Adler Studio of Acting & Actors Clinic, Tokyo, in association with Theatre Japan Productions Inc., “Hikobae” is a fictionalized story based on recorded interviews with physicians and nurses from Soma City Hospital, a medical center in the Fukushima evacuation zone.
The cast includes Stephen Dexter, Shuri, and Ryohei Suzuki. The director is Toshi Shioya, who is also co-executive producer with Tom Oppenheim. The music director is Yasukazu Kano, who plays shakuhachi with Shigeru Morishita on piano and Ryutaro Kaneko on taiko. The theater piece will be performed in English and Japanese, with subtitles projected behind the actors.
Proceeds from the production will benefit the Momo-Kaki Orphan Fund, which supports children who lost their parents in the disaster. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased online at www.jaccc.org. For group discounts, email hikobaela@gmail.com.
Support for this production is provided by Toyota, The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd., Miyako Hotel Los Angeles, and Marriott International.
For information on the play in Japanese, go to http://will-do.co.jp/hikobae/