East West Players Presents Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre's 1 HOUR PHOTO

East West Players presentS Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (vAct)'s 1 Hour Photo, written and performed by Tetsuro Shigematsu (Empire Of The Son, Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre) and directed by Richard Wolfe, June 12-20, 2021.

Navigating this new world of social distancing spawned the innovative solution to bring vAct's award-winning production 1 Hour Photo across Canada and to EWP. The production is the fourth offering of the Virtual 55th Anniversary Season of East West Players, Between Worlds, led by EWP Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai.

vAct collaborated with a Vancouver based film production company, Brightlight Pictures, to produce a high quality, 75 minute cinematic adaptation of 1 Hour Photo accompanied by a live talkback with Tetsuro Shigematsu.

Called, "superbly written and performed," (Review Vancouver), 1 Hour Photo is a true, moving portrait of a Japanese Canadian man's quest to find beauty in the depths of a savage century, as he journeys from finding love in a WWII incarceration camp to rebuilding his life as a scientist, businessman, and father. A heartfelt exploration of a life well-lived, 1 Hour Photo employs the use of intricately crafted miniatures to explore the artifact of Mas Yamamoto's life inside and beyond internment.

"East West Players is excited to host the US virtual premiere of 1 Hour Photo. In this elegant, moving production we learn about the forced incarceration of Japanese Canadians from the memories of Mas Yamamoto," says EWP Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai. "Tetsuro's animated and heartfelt storytelling coupled with Susan Miyagishima's intricate, transporting miniatures create an experience that you won't want to miss."

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (vAct) is the only theatre company in Canada that exclusively creates new Asian Canadian work, at all levels: In scripts, on stage, in the producer's chair. Bringing artistic excellence from the Asian diaspora, and uplifting narratives previously unseen.

Tetsuro Shigematsu is a former writer for This Hour Has 22 Minutes. In 2004, he became the first person-of-color to host a daily national radio program in Canada, where he wrote and produced over 50 pieces of radio drama. His solo-work, Empire of the Son, has played in 18 cities to over 20,000 people, and was described by Colin Thomas as, "one of the best shows ever to come out of Vancouver. Ever." 1 Hour Photo was a finalist for the 2019 Governor General's Award for Drama.

1 Hour Photo was developed in dramaturgical collaboration and partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre and filmed in association with Brightlight Pictures.

Single tickets for 1 Hour Photo are now available at www.eastwestplayers.org. More information on memberships and ticketing can be found on the EWP website or by contacting the EWP Box Office at boxoffice@eastwestplayers.org.

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