San Jose Rep presents Sisters Matsumoto

San Jose Repertory Theatre in association with Seattle Repertory Theatre and Asian American Theatre Company of San Francisco, with the generous support of AT&T, present Sisters Matsumoto, the story of three Japanese-American sisters told against the backdrop of post WWII. Additional support has been provided by Quantum corporation. Sisters Matsumoto was commissioned by Asian American Theatre Company, San Francisco, CA, with the principal support of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund.

Sisters Matsumoto is deeply rooted in playwright Philip Kan Gotanda's life. Growing up in the tightly-knit, middle class Japanese American community of Stockton, CA, Gotanda was intensely aware of the fact that his parents had been interned. Gotanda was motivated to write Sisters Matsumoto in order to keep the family history alive for himself and his family. "That world, and this family in particular, had strong survival skills," said Gotanda, "and that's what this play is about."

At the end of World War II, Grace, Rose and Chiz Matsumoto return to the family farm in Stockton, CA from an internment camp in Rowher, Arkansas. Their former way of life has vanished and they, with their husbands and lovers, must start over and redefine themselves in the racially charged climate of post-World War II. Grace and her husband, Hideo, reassess their marriage which was arranged for them by their parents many years before. Rose struggles with memories of her fiance killed in combat as she opens herself to the possibility of new love. And Chiz and her husband Bola, freshly graduated from medical school, believe that assimilation into mainstream American culture is the solution to their problems. In the midst of rebuilding their lives, the sisters discover a betrayal of their family that threatens their future.

Sisters Matsumoto reunites collaborators Sharon Ott and Philip Kan Gotanda for the fourth time. Ms. Ott, artistic director of Seattle Repertory Theatre, directed several of Gotanda's plays while serving as artistic director at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, including the world premiere of Yankee Dawg You Die, The Manhattan Theatre Club/Mark Taper Forum co-production of The Wash and Seattle Rep's production of Ballad of Yachiyo. A leading playwright as well as screenwriter, Gotanda's feature film, Life Tastes Good, was seen at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.

Appearing in Sisters Matsumoto as the three sisters are Lisa Li (Chiz), Kim Miyori (Grace), and Sala Iwamatsu (Rose). Joining them are Stan Egi (Bola), Nelson Mashita (Hideo), Ryun Yu (Henry) and Will Marcheffi as Mr. Hersham, the Matsumoto's white neighbor. Set design for Sisters Matsumoto is by Kate Edmunds, costume design by Lydia Tanji lighting design by Nancy Schertler, sound design by Stephen LeGrand and original music by Dan Kuramoto.