Seiko Tano to Star in 'Hana Inchimomme'

TKO Entertainment is pleased to present noted Japanese actress Seiko Tano in the New York premiere of the one-woman play HANA ICHIMOMME.  Tano belongs to the acclaimed Haiyuza Theatre Company and is currently active in theater, television and movies. Performances will be at Bank Street Theatre, located at 155 Bank Street (between Washington and West Streets).  Performances begin on Wednesday, July 2nd and will continue through Sunday, July 13th.  Press is invited beginning on July 2nd.

The play HANA ICHIMOMME was written by Ken Miyamoto in 1982. He based it on the famous Japanese children's song of the same name. The lyrics, familiar to anyone born and raised in Japan, are, "If I win, I'm happy, Hana Ichimomme…If I lose, it's frustrating, Hana Ichimomme."  In the song, "hana" refers to a girl and the word "ichimomme" means to sell for a small price, so it can also be called a song about human trafficking. The lyrics of "winning" and "losing" have the double meaning of negotiating to get a cheaper offer.

It is said that this song was born during a time when people's lives were so poor that they had to resort to selling little girls.  But the meaning behind the song has been largely forgotten. "When we were young, this was a cheerful song that we enjoyed while we played," said the producer, Toshi Hirano. In the play, we learn the tragic story behind the lyrics – a mother who left her child in Manchuria after Japan's defeat in World War II. The play takes place during mid-summer on the Japanese island of Shikoku, which is famous as a destination for pilgrimages, and starts with a woman in a pilgrim's outfit leisurely sharing her experience in Manchuria. She goes on to tell her story, the story of a mother forced to part with her child.

Actress Seiko Tano Japanese is a member of the acclaimed Haiyuza Theatre Company in Japan.  After catching director Koreya Senda's eye during her audition for the role of Lisa, Tano made a strong debut in The Brother of Karamazovy, which became Senda's posthumous work. Following that she continued to receive large roles and was awarded the Yomiuri Theater Grand Prize for her 1998 performance in Six Degrees of Separation. In 2001, her performance in Twelfth Night gained her a listing as Best Player in Theater Guide. Her first movie role was in Tokihisa Morikawa's 1999 "Acacia no Mach: The Town of Acacia", and that same year Kazuyoshi Yoshida's "Washington Post March" received the Minister of Education's Award. Tano's success is not limited to just theater and movies, but her activities also expanded to include being an instrumental part of casts while doing voiceovers for overseas dramas.
The reason that actress Seiko Tano wanted to HANA ICHIMOMME in New York is because during the course of living here for several years beginning in 2003, she met many victims of 9/11 and from wars. Her hope is that through this play, the reality of endlessly continuing war can be improved even slightly. Also, she would like to convey to everyone regardless of race that we should not forget that there are many people who are greatly struggling to live in this world.

Tickets will be $30 in advance ($35 at the door); students, seniors and children will be $20 in advance ($25 at the door).  Tickets may be purchased by calling 212-352-3101, or online at www.theatermania.com.

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