Yellow Fever (play)
Yellow Fever | |
---|---|
Written by | R. A. Shiomi |
Characters | Sam Shikaze |
Date premiered | 1 December 1982[1] |
Place premiered | Pan Asian Repertory New York, New York[1] |
Original language | English |
Subject | Japanese Canadian Culture |
Genre | Comedy, Mystery, Parody |
Setting | Powell Street in Vancouver, CAN in the early 1970s |
Yellow Fever is a play by R. A. Shiomi which takes place on Powell Street in Japantown, Vancouver, a gathering place for the local Japanese-Canadian culture. Set in the 1970s, the Sam Spade-like main character, Sam Shikaze, must work to unravel the mysteries that surround him.[2] First produced by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in 1982, it received positive reviews[2] and had a successful run off-Broadway.
Plot summary
Sam Shikaze, a smooth private-eye, narrates his own story about what happened when he was hired to find the missing Cherry Blossom Queen. He is soon trapped in a web of racism and political intrigue that seems to lead back to the Hong Kong tongs. Chuck Chan is a lawyer who tried to help solve the case, while Nancy Wing is a beautiful reporter who is searching for a story. Captain Kadota, an old friend of Sam's, offers his aid as a member of the police force; although, he and Sam don't see eye to eye on politics.
- Characters and actors in premier production[1]
- Sam Shikaze (Donald Li)
- Rosie (Carol Honda)
- Goldberg (James Jenner)
- Chuck Chan (Henry Yuk)
- Nancy Wing (Freda Foh Shen)
- Sergeant Mackenzie (Jeffrey Spolan)
- Capt. Kenji Kadota (Ernest Abuba)
- Superintendent Jameson (James Jenner)
Presented by the Pan Asian Repertory Theater,
- Raul Aranasm, Stage Director
- Tisa Chang, Artistic Director
- Susan Socolowski, Administrative Director
Awards and honors
- 1982: Bay Area Theater Circle Critics Award
- 1982: "Bernie" for new play from the San Francisco Chronicle
- 1983: Obie Award to Ernest Abuba for performance[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gussow, Mel. "Yellow fever." The New York Times 132 (2 December 1982): 24(N) pC21(L). General Reference Center Gold. Gale.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Oliver, Edith. "Rosie's cafe." The New Yorker 63.n36 (26 October 1987): 130(1). General Reference Center Gold. Gale.
- ↑ "Obie Awards Presented". The New York Times, 24 May 1983