EMPIRE OF THE SON to Return to Vancity Culture Lab This November

Returning after a wildly successful performance run, which sold out in advance of its world premiere, and a sold out extended run, The Cultch is thrilled to once again present Empire of the Son at the Vancity Culture Lab from Tuesday, November 1st to Sunday, November 13, 2016.

Written by and starring Tetsuro Shigematsu (former host of CBC's The Roundup), Empire of the Son is the story of his personal relationship with his father, who passed away just days before the production's premiere in 2015. Separated by a generation but connected by blood, Tetsuro and his father spoke different languages and possessed different values, but what kept them apart was their similarities.

As the story of two generations of broadcasters, there had been a lifetime of radio silence between them. As time was running out, Tetsuro attempted to reach out to his father, but was constrained by outmoded, yet persistent cultural traditions about what it means to "be a man."

Based on a series of audio interviews, Empire of the Son uses a camera, miniatures and a projector to magically conjure entire worlds: from the ashes of Hiroshima to the ice skating pond on Grouse Mountain and beyond. It is a unique theatrical hybrid that combines the cinematography of film being screened at the moment it is being shot with the raw immediacy of a performance piece that is intimately connected to real life in real time.

As a funny, poignant story of one immigrant family and their intergenerational conflicts, this one-man show blurs the borders between artistic disciplines and continents. A deeply immersive experience, Empire of the Son is at once uncannily familiar yet exhilaratingly new, as it marshals the tiniest of objects to focus on life's biggest questions.

IF YOU GO:

Empire of the Son is written and performed by Tetsuro Shigematsu

Produced by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Artistic Producer: Donna Yamamoto

Director/Original Concept Dramaturgy: Richard Wolfe

Dramaturge: Heidi Taylor

Set Designer: Pam Johnson

Lighting Designer: Gerald King

Costume Designer: Barbara Clayden

Sound Designer: Steve Charles

Audio Dramaturge: Yvonne Gall

Stage Manager: Susan Miyagishima

Technical Director/Production Manager: Jayson McLean

Props Master: Carole Macdonald

Video Design Consultant: Remy Siu

Apprentice Stage Manager: Maria Zarrillo

Documentary Audio: Yoshiko & Akira Shigematsu

For more than twenty years, Tetsuro Shigematsu has been telling stories across an array of media. He is a writer, actor, performance artist, broadcaster, stand-up comic, scholar, filmmaker, and theatre artist. A former writer for This Hour Has 22 Minutes, he became the first person-of-colour to host a daily national radio program in Canada when he took over The Roundup on CBC Radio in 2004, where he co-wrote and co-produced nearly a thousand hours of network programming. Tetsuro's award-winning body of work in film, television, radio, new media, and theatre continues to be taught in Canadian and American universities as examples of creative possibility.

At Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, we believe culture is more vital when everyone's story gets told. We do our part by serving the Asian Canadian theatre artist through developing and premiering new work that creates meaningful opportunities for artists and audiences. www.vact.ca

Now in its 43rd season, The Cultch has been one of Vancouver's most diverse and innovative arts and cultural institutions, offering dynamic programming in Contemporary Theatre, dance, and music by local, national, and International Artists. Today, The Cultch continues to enrich the social and cultural life of Vancouver by bringing world-class cultural presentations to the public, supporting the growth of emerging artists and companies, and facilitating dialogue between groups in the Lower Mainland, especially within our local community of East Vancouver. The Cultch is so much more than just a theatre in the physical sense - our organization is looked upon as one of the foremost performing arts presenters in the country. Widely recognized as an innovator and leader, we have played an integral role in the development of British Columbia's artistic landscape. www.thcultch.com

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