Pan Asian Rep to Stage NO NO BOY in Washington D.C. & NYC in June

Tisa Chang, Artistic Producing Director of PAN ASIAN REPERTORY THEATRE, announces for its 39th season a special limited run of NO-NO BOY by Ken Narasaki, directed by Ron Nakahara, and based on the groundbreaking novel by John Okada. Set in the aftermath of WWII as Japanese Americans return to the West Coast and called "eloquent...elegant and searing" by LA Weekly, NO-NO BOY will run from June 18-19 at the Burke Theatre in Washington, DC (701 Pennsylvania Ave.); June 21-25, 2016 at the Studio Theatre at Theatre Row in New York City (410 W. 42nd Street); and June 26 at Flushing Town Hall in Flushing, NY. Official opening in Washington DC will be June 18 at 7:00pm and in New York on June 21 at 7:30pm.

NO-NO BOY follows Ichiro as he returns to Seattle following his release from prison. Ken Narasaki's vivid adaptation depicts resettlement of Japanese Americans after WWII and resolution by family and a community in transition.

The Burke Theatre, Washington, DC: Sat., June 18 at 7:00pm and Sun., June 19 at 2:30pm

The Studio Theatre at Theatre Row, NYC: June 21-25, Tues. through Sat. at 7:30pm with a matinee on Weds. at 2:30pm.

Flushing Town Hall, Flushing, Queens: Sun., June 26 at 4:00pm.

Ken Narasaki says "Even today, the term ["no-no boy"] can spark bitter explosions amongst people who remain angry about the kinds of real life-or-death decisions they and their generation were forced to make..."

Tisa Chang says "NO-NO BOY is especially topical in this election year, where questions of allegiance and what it means to be an American are asked again."

NONO BOY is supported, in part, by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. Pan Asian would also like to thank the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles and
Martha Watanabe and Christine Chen in Washington, DC for outreach.

The cast of NO-NO BOY features Leanne Cabrera, Don Castro, Chris Doi, Scott Kitajima, Glenn Kubota, Karen TsenLee, Claro de los Reyes, Shigeko Sara Suga, Hansel Tan, and Tony Vo. Stage Managers are Elis C. Arroyo and MiriamHyfler.

Playwright KEN NARASAKI's plays include the recent adaptation of NO-NO BOY, award-winning plays INNOCENT WHEN YOU DREAM (winner 2006 Kuma Kahua Pacific Rim Award), and THE MIKADO PROJECT (co-written with Doris Baizley - winner, 2008 Kuma Kahua Pacific Rim Award), and GHOSTS AND BAGGAGE. As an actor, he starred in ZWEI PROFIS for German television, and appeared in Lane Nishikawa's ONLY THE BRAVE; he's also appeared in nearly 60 plays, including PO BOY TANGO, A WINTER PEOPLE, THEORY OF EVERYTHING, in Chicago, Los Angeles, Singapore, New York, Seattle, San Francisco, Sacramento, and elsewhere.

Director Ron Nakahara has been an actor/director in New York City since 1979 and was designated a Senior Artist with PAN ASIAN REPERTORY THEATRE in 1987 and is an Artistic Associate for the company. Ron has directed one-woman shows at Don't Tell Mama and The Duplex, and has worked extensively with and directed the Asian-American performance group SLANT at La MaMa ETC, and NYSF Public Theatre. His other directing credits in New York include NAATCO, and Ensemble Studio Theatre. His regional credits include The Studio Theatre (Washington, DC), Hartford Stage Co., Fulton Opera House (Lancaster, PA) where his production of Miss Ever's Boys won him a best director award, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, New York State Theatre Institute, Hangar Theatre (Ithaca,) Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Virginia Stage Company (Norfolk,) and Actor's Theatre of Louisville. In addition, Ron has also directed for New York University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He has served on several NEA panels and was one of the first recipients of an NEA/TCG Directing Fellowship. He is a member of SDC, SAG-AFTRA, and AEA.

The team : sets by Sheryl Liu (A DREAM OF RED PAVILIONS), lights and projections by Douglas Macur, costumes by Kate Mincer (SHANGHAI LIL'S), sound by Ian Wehrle (SAYONARA); Stage Combat Michael G. Chin and Jeff Mousseau,Tour Consultant.

Performances of NO-NO BOY are on:
The Burke Theatre in Washington, DC: Saturday, June 18 at 7:00pm and Sunday, June 19 at 2:30pm.

The Studio Theatre at Theatre Row in New York City: June 21-25, Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm with a matinee Wednesday 2:30pm.

Flushing Town Hall: Sunday June 26 at 4:00pm.

Tickets for performances at The Burke Theatre in Washington, DC are $75 for Opening Night on Saturday, June 18 and$39 on Sunday, June 19 and can be purchased by calling 212-352-3101 or online at https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pr/957369.

Tickets for performances at The Studio Theatre at Theatre Row in New York are $77.25 for Opening Night and $41.25for all other perofmormances and can be purchased by calling 212-239-6200 or online at www.telecharge.com. For instructions on how to receive discounts for groups, seniors and students, call 212-868-4030.

Tickets for the performance on Sunday, June 26 at Flushing Town Hall are free admission and open to the community.

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