Factory to Celebrate Asian Heritage Month with Extended Run of BANANA BOYS

Factory is delighted to celebrate Asian Heritage Month with the extended run of BANANA BOYS, onstage now until May 14.

In 2002, the Government of Canada signed an official declaration to designate May as Asian Heritage Month; a time to acknowledge the long and rich history of Asian Canadians and their contributions to Canada. And this year's theme is Celebrating Arts and Culture!

Director Nina Lee Aquino is an award-winning director, dramaturge, the current Artistic Director of Factory, and the only Asian female Artistic Director at a venued theatre company in Canada. In 2004, Nina Lee Aquino first directed BANANA BOYS for the then fledgling fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company, with a cast that included Ins Choi, Derek Kwan, Richard Lee, David Yee, and Dale Yim.

BANANA BOYS delves deeply into Asian-Canadian stereotypes while also dealing with death, rage, addiction, racism and familial expectations. Current cast members include Darrel Gamotin, Matthew Gin, Oliver Koomsatira, Miquelon Rodriguez, and Jeff Yung.

Canadian-born Chinese Terry Woo wrote the original Banana Boys novel which was shortlisted for the 1999 Asian-Canadian Writer's Workshop Award. Filipino-Canadian playwright Leon Aureus, a founding Artistic Director of fu-GEN, adapted the novel into the groundbreaking play which is being hailed as "one of the most culturally relevant modern plays currently in production."

IF YOU GO:

FACTORY presents the 2016/17 Season
"Beyond the Great White North"
BANANA BOYS
Written by Leon Aureus, Adapted from the Novel by Terry Woo
Directed by Nina Lee Aquino
Until May 14, 2017 Only!
Factory Studio, 125 Bathurst Street
Tuesday - Saturday @ 8pm, Sunday @ 2pm
Ticket prices range from $25-$55
including Student, Arts Worker and Senior Prices
Purchase in person at Factory, 125 Bathurst Street,
visit factorytheatre.ca or call 416.504.9971
@FactoryToronto • FB/FactoryTheatreTO/ • @factorytheatre (IG)

Founded in 1970, Factory was the first theatre company in the nation to devote itself to producing 100% Canadian content. 46 years later, Factory continues to lead in the development and sharing of Canadian stories having produced more than 300 productions from a diverse source of Canadian playwrights and launching the careers of countless theatre professionals.

Pictured: Matthew Gin, Miquelon Rodriguez, Jeff Yung, Darrel Gamotin and Oliver Koomsatira in Banana Boys. Photo by Joseph Michael Photography.