No-No Boy (play) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids No-No Boy
World Premiere poster
Written by	Ken Narasaki
Characters	Ichiro Ma Pa Kenji Emi Freddie Taro Eto Mrs. Kanno Jun
Date of premiere	March 27, 2010
Place of premiere	Miles Memorial Playhouse Santa Monica, California
Original language	English
Subject	World War II Draft resistance, Asian American family
Genre	Drama, Asian American theatre
Setting	1946 Seattle

No-No Boy (2010) is a play written by Ken Narasaki adapted from the novel of the same title by John Okada, originally produced at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California, in association with Timescape Arts Group. It is a drama in two acts. (Each act was approximately 50 minutes in length and there was a 15-minute intermission.) The play was directed by Alberto Isaac, and received its world premiere on Saturday, March 27, 2010. (There was a preview on Friday, March 26, 2010 and it closed on Sunday, April 18, 2010.) The story follows a Japanese American World War II draft resister as he returns home from prison, in 1946.

Play summary

Set after World War II as Japanese Americans return to the West Coast, the play follows draft resister Ichiro Yamada after he is released from prison and struggles to come to terms with the consequences of his choices, while the rest of the community tries to get back on its feet after a war that has uprooted them all.

Characters

• Ichiro Yamada: Nisei draft resister
• Pa: Ichiro's father, Issei
• Ma: Ichiro's mother, Issei
• Kenji Kanno: wounded 442 vet
• Emi: wife of enlisted soldier
• Freddie: Ichiro's buddy, also a draft resister
• Eto: veteran
• Taro: Ichiro's younger brother
• Mrs. Kanno: Kenji's mother
• Mr. Kumasaka: friend of the Yamada family
• Jun: veteran, friend of the Kumasaka's
• 2A: neighbor of Freddie
• Cop

World premiere company

Miles Memorial Playhouse, 1130 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403; Opened March 27, 2010; Closed April 18, 2010.

Original cast

(in order of appearance)

• Ichiro – Robert Wu
• Eto / Jun – Chris Tashima
• Taro – Jared Asato
• Pa – Sab Shimono
• Ma – Sharon Omi
• Mr. Kumasaka / Cop – Ken Narasaki
• 2A / Mrs. Kanno – Emily Kuroda
• Freddie – John Miyasaki (March 26 - April 12); Mike Hagiwara (April 16–18)
• Kenji – Greg Watanabe
• Emi / Mrs.ka – Keiko Agena
• Understudy for Emi, 2A, Mrs. Kumasaka, Mrs. Kanno - Junko Goda

Setting

• Seattle, 1946.

Production staff

• Director – Alberto Isaac
• Choreographer – Michael Hagiwara
• Fight Choreographer – Aaron Pagel
• Set Design – Alan E. Muraoka
• Costume designer – Ken Takemoto
• Lighting designer – Jeremy Pivnick
• Sound Design/Music Composition – Dave Iwataki
• Projection Design – John J. Flynn
• Property Master – Ken Takemoto
• Stage Manager – Darlene Miyakawa

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