Iconic return in tandem with Day of Remembrance, No-No Boy follows Ichiro as he and his community try to get back on their feet after a war that has uprooted them.

Set after World War II as Japanese Americans return to the West Coast, No-No Boy follows Ichiro Yamada, who struggles to reconnect with the Seattle community, after taking a bold stance on questions of allegiance.

John Stoltenberg of DC Metro Theater Arts says: “No-No Boy is an extraordinary and essential play. It’s about what happened to innocent people when this country demonized and incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II. To witness it now—as anti-Muslim rumblings are being trumped up to a roar…I can only urge everyone who cares about how theater connects to this country’s past and future to catch Pan Asian Rep’s No-No Boy wherever whenever you can.”

What it’s about: Adapted from the groundbreaking novel by John Akada, the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre’s No-No Boy follows draft resister Ichiro Yamada as he returns to Seattle following his release from prison. The adaptation depicts Ichiro’s search for resolution among family, friends, and a community in transition following the resettlement of Japanese Americans in America after the war. It plays at the Studio Theatre in Theatre Row through February 18th. Why you should see it: It’s a really important play about a subject not often discussed. The novel by Akada came out in the ’50s but only found prominence in the ’70s. Ken Narasaki’s adaptation parses through a dense and layered novel to find the dramatic action necessary to portray the text theatrically. The cast is excellent. Chris Doi portrays Ichiro’s dilemma with appropriate ambivalence. David Huynh’s Kenji is heartbreaking whereas Eric Elizaga is full of charm as Freddie. The standout, though, is Karen Tsen Lee who creates the most memorable and nuanced character as Ma, Ichiro’s mother. She singlehandedly puts the play’s emotional center in constant chaos with her strange and unsettling, yet deeply moving performance. What …Read more