The Tashme Project: The Living Archives
Written and performed by Japanese Canadian artists, Julie Tamiko Manning and Matt Miwa, The Tashme Project : The Living Archives is a deeply touching work that looks at the forced internment of thousands of Japanese Canadians during World War II. The show will be presented at the MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) from May 7 ‐ 17, 2015.
Description
The Tashme Project : The Living Archives, directed by Mieko Ouchi, tells the story of the Nisei, second generation Japanese Canadians, stricken by forced confinement inside the camps during World War II.
The creators have collected and edited together testimonies from over 20 Nisei in Toronto, Hamilton, Kingston, Montreal and Vancouver ‐ now between 70 and 80 years of age ‐ to shape their play and bring to life this tragic chapter of history. Memories of the Nisei, who were children in the camps, emerge as the childhood games they used to invent, the ordeals they went through and the postwar misery they suffered are retold in the voices of Miwa and Manning.
The Tashme Project is an attempt to establish a deep emotional and spiritual connection with their ancestors, and it seeks to open up new avenues for intergenerational dialogue.
The Tashme Project is generously supported by: Cole Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa Japanese Canadian Association.
Medias
Julie Tamiko Manning
A Japanese Canadian living in Montreal, Julie Tamiko Manning is a creator and actor who has performed in Nunavik, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Montreal. She has appeared in Top Girls (Segal Center), Othello (Scapegoat Carnivale/ Segal Center), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Repercussion) and Oliver! (National Arts Center). She is an associate artistic producer at Metachroma Theatre.
Matt Miwa
A Japanese Canadian bilingual artist living in Ottawa, Matt Miwa performs in theater and cinema. He has played in Little Martyrs (Evolution Theatre), Lost in TV and Goldilocks and the Haunted House. He also teaches dramatic arts at OYP Theatre School and is the executive director of the Prix Rideau Awards in Ottawa.
Mieko Ouchi
Japanese Canadian actress, author and director, Mieko Ouchi works for stage and television. She creates plays for young and adult audiences, mixing stage and cinema techniques, vocabulary and images. Her works have been produced throughout Canada and the United State. Her works have also appeared in the finals at the 4 Play Reading Series. Ouchi is a recipient of a Governor General’s Award for Drama.
With
Julie Tamiko Manning ‐ Actor
Matt Miwa ‐ Actor
Mieko Ouchi ‐ Director
