Forbidden love and racial tension complicate the murder trial of a Japanese fisherman in a small Puget Sound island community in Snow Falling on Cedars, coming soon to the Portland Center Stage Main Stage. Snow Falling on Cedars previews on Tuesday January 12, opens on Friday, January 15th and runs through February 7th, 2010. Tickets range from start at $30.50, with student and under 30 discounts available. Rush tickets for Snow Falling on Cedars are $20. Show times are 7:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday, with a 2:00 pm Sunday matinee and alternating Saturday 2:00 pm and Sunday 7:30 pm performances. See the show calendar http://tickets.pcs.org/buytickets/calendar.asp for the complete performance schedule.
Part atmospheric romance, part courtroom drama, and set against the sweeping backdrop of the NW coast, Snow Falling on Cedars examines the simmering racial tension beneath the surface of a sleepy Washington island community, which boils to the surface when an American-born Japanese man named Kabuo is accused of murdering a white fisherman after returning from a Japanese internment camp at the end of World War II. The trial is complicated by a white newspaper reporter, Ishmael, who was once in love with Kabuo's wife, Hatsue, and now holds crucial information that could dramatically change the outcome of the trial.
While San Piedro and its characters are fictional, many of the events and circumstances in Snow Falling on Cedars are based in reality. In particular, the character of Arthur Chambers, who speaks out against discrimination as the editor of the local newspaper in San Piedro, is based on a real newspaper editor from Bainbridge Island. This editor, Walt Woodward, was one of very few members of the press to oppose publicly the government's internment of American citizens of Japanese descent during World War II.
Snow Falling on Cedars was adapted by Kevin McKeon from the novel by David Guterson. It was developed and premiered by Seattle's Book-it Repertory Theater, using their trademarked "Book-it" style of word for word adaptation.
David Guterson was born on May 4, 1956, in Seattle, Washington. Guterson completed a master's degree in writing at the University of Washington in 1982, and then moved to Puget Sound where Snow Falling on Cedars (1994) takes place.
Guterson continued writing after taking a job as a high school English teacher on Puget Sound, a job he held for ten years. When he accompanied students on a class trip to see an exhibit about Japanese internment camps, Guterson was inspired to write Cedars. Guterson worked on the novel in the mornings before class for 10 years. When published, it became a surprise best seller, going on to become an Academy Award nominated movie and allowing him to quit teaching and write full time. His teaching days were not over, however, because he and his wife have home-schooled their four children: Taylor, Travis, Henry, and Angelica.
Snow Falling on Cedars will be directed by Artistic Director
Chris Coleman and will feature performances by Portland area favorites
Tobias Andersen (Nels),
Scott Coopwood (Art Moran/ Bureaucrat/ Jackson/ Officer Powell), Casey McFeron (Abel/Busdriver/Koenig/
George Leonard) and Amanda Soden (Susan Marie).
Young Oregonian Connor Johnston (a student at Oregon Episcopal School and the grandson of a Japanese internee at the Tule Lake Internment Camp) will play Ishiro.
NY based actor (and fourth generation Oregonian of Chinese descent) Bruce Locke, will play the lead role of Kabuo. Bruce's family moved to Portland in 1890- a year before the completion of the Armory building, which was built expressly to "defend" against perceived encroachment of Chinese immigrants into "white" Portland. Bruce is excited to have this opportunity to participate in a production that challenges the racist and unjust assumptions that underpinned the construction of this beautiful facility, healing a 100 year wound through an elegant work of art.
Jayne Taini returns after her critically acclaimed turn in Doubt to play Etta Heine and Mrs. Chambers. Rounding out the cast are
Vince Nappo (Ishmael),
Olivia Oguma (Hatsue),
Tom Bloom (Alvin Hicks/Fisherman3/Picker/FBI #3/Mate), William Peden (Carl Heine Jr./ Coroner/ Picker/ FBI #2/Harvey), Mia Tagano (Fujiko/ Mrs. Nitta/ Dr Whitman),
Alan Barlow (Carl Heine Sr./ Fisherman 2/ FBI #1/ Army Driver/ Sgt. Maples/ Checker) and
Alan Ariano (Zenhichi/ Fisherman 1/ Hisao/ Mr. Nitta/ Family).
Creating the sights and sounds of the upper NW coast will be scenic designer William Bloodgood, costume designer Jeff Cone, sound designer
Casi Pacilio and lighting designer Diane Ferry Williams.
Additional support for this production has been provided by the Perkins Coie; NW Natural Gas; National Endowment for the Arts and the Recovery Act; and Sue Horn-Caskey & Rick Caskey, Media support has been provided by Kink.fm.
Portland Center Stage's 2009/10 season is funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art; the Oregon Arts Commission; the Paul G.Allen Family Foundation; Joanne Lilley; Helen & Jerry Stern and Tim & Mary Boyle.
Portland Center Stage inspires our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways. Established in 1988 as an off shoot of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, PCS became an independent theater in 1994 and has been under the leadership of Artistic Director
Chris Coleman since May 2000. The company presents a blend of classic, contemporary and original productions in a conscious effort to appeal to the eclectic palate of theatergoers in Portland. PCS also offers a variety of education and outreach programs for curious minds from six to 106, including discussions, classes, workshops and partnerships with organizations throughout the Portland metro area.
THE GERDING THEATER AT THE ARMORY houses a 599-seat Main Stage and the 200-seat black box Ellyn Bye Studio. It was the first building on the National Register of Historic Places, and the first performing arts venue, to achieve a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification. The Gerding Theater at the Armory opened to the public on Oct. 1, 2006. The capital campaign to fund the renovation of this hub for community artistic activity continues.
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