Pacific Overtures

Pacific Overtures

Pacific Overtures is a musical written by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. The show is set in Japan beginning in 1853 and follows the difficult westernization of Japan, told from the point of view of the Japanese. In particular, the story focuses on the lives of two friends caught in the change. The original Broadway production of Pacific Overtures in 1976 was staged in Kabuki style, with men playing women's parts and set changes made in full view of the audience by black-clad stagehands. It opened to mixed reviews and closed after six months, despite being nominated for ten Tony Awards. Set in 1853 Japan, Pacific Overtures follows the Westernization of Japan, mainly through the story of Kayama, a samurai, and Manjiro, a fisherman. The lives of both men are radically changed by the coming of American ships to Japan.

Cast for Pacific Overtures...

Mako
Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble
Soon-Tek Oh
Tamate/Samurai/Storyteller/Swordsman
Yuki Shimoda
Abe, First Councillor
Isao Sato
Kayama
Alvin Ing
Shogun's Mother/Observer/Merchant/American Admiral
Ernest Harada
Physician/Madam/British Admiral
James Dybas
Second Councillor/Old Man/French Admiral
Mark Hsu Syers
Samurai/Thief/Soothsayer/Warrior/Russian Admiral/British Sailor
Patrick Kinser-Lau
Shogun's Companion/Dutch Admiral/British Sailor/Girl
Ernest Abuba
Samurai/Adams/Noble
Larry Hama
Williams/Lord of the South
Jae Woo Lee
Fisherman/Sumo Wrestler/Lord of the South
Freddy Mao
Third Councillor/Samurai's Daughter
Tom Matsusaka
Imperial Priest
Conrad Yama
Grandmother/Sumo Wrestler/Japanese Merchant
Timm Fujii
Son/Priest/Girl/Noble/British Sailor/Ensemble
Haruki Fujimoto
Servant/Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry
Joey Ginza
Ensemble
Diane Lam
Ensemble
Tony Marinyo
Ensemble
Kevin Maung
Ensemble
Kim Miyori
Ensemble
Freda Foh Shen
Shogun's Wife/Ensemble
Ricardo Tobia
Observer/Ensemble
Gedde Watanabe
Priest/Girl/Boy/Ensemble