Dukesbay Productions Presents CALLIGRAPHY

A tale of two Japanese sisters: the elder one living in Tokyo, the younger one living in Los Angeles. The two haven't spoken to each other since the younger sister's marriage to an American soldier shortly after the U.S. Occupation of Japan following World War II.

As the sisters live their lives apart, one of them begins to show signs of early dementia. Now, their daughters are scheming to bring their mothers together, before aging and failing health make such a reunion impossible.

Calligraphy is a bittersweet story that weaves both humor and sadness as the aging mothers come to grips with their history, their present lives and what it means to be a family. It is also a humorous tale of two cousins, who jokingly spar with one another and share their long-distance kinship via modern technology, proving that blood is thicker than even cyberspace. Calligraphy is a heartwarming look at mothers and daughters, aunts and cousins, Japanese-style.

Calligraphy
by Velina Hasu Houston

Directed by Maria Valenzuela

October 27,28,29, and November 3,4,5, 10,11 and 12, 2017 The Dukesbay Theater

(above The Grand Cinema)

508 S. Sixth Ave. #10

Tacoma, WA 98402
Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2:00pm.

Tickets are $15, which includes coffee and an assortment of baked goods. For tickets: http://dukesbaycalligraphy.brownpapertickets.com

For more information: (253) 350-7680
The Dukesbay Theater is located in the historic Merlino Art Center in Tacoma.

About Dukesbay Productions

Dukesbay Productions was founded in 2011 by Tacoma theatre artists Randy Clark and Aya Hashiguchi Clark. Randy has been active in the Tacoma theatre scene as an actor and director since the 1970s. His work has been seen at Lakewood Playhouse, Tacoma Little Theatre and Theatre NW. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Tacoma Little Theatre. Aya has appeared at several Seattle/Tacoma theatres, including Tacoma Little Theatre, ReAct Theatre, SIS Productions, Renton Civic Theatre, Tacoma Musical Playhouse and Lakewood Playhouse, and served as producer for 8 plays and a Playwrights Festival for Burien Little Theatre.

Dukesbay Productions' mission is to promote independent theatre in Tacoma and to showcase the works of theatre artists of all ethnicities.

Their company's website is located at: www.dukesbay.org.

About the Playwright
Velina Hasu Houston has written over thirty plays including over 20 commissions in a career that began Off-Broadway with her play Tea (which was also produced by Dukesbay Productions in 2014) at Manhattan Theatre Club. She is the only U.S. playwright to amass a body of work that explores the U.S./Japan relationship through a bilateral, global view of identity. She is also Playwright-in-residence at The Pasadena Playhouse and Distinguished Professor, Resident Playwright, creator and Director of the Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing at USC.

About the Cast
Calligraphy features the talents of a multi-racial cast, who include Eloisa Cardona, Charles Reccardo, Joy Misako St. Germain, Tomoko Saito and Amy Van Mechelen.

Photo: L-R Tomoko Saito, Charles Reccardo, Eloisa Cardona

Photography by Jason Ganwich