Stories From the Stage: 2020-21
In the age of social distancing, performing artist Kunji Mark Ikeda takes the reins of Sounds Japanese Canadian to Me to lead a series of in-depth conversations with some of today's most exciting Japanese Canadian performing artists. Stories from the Stage launches November 18.
New episodes released every other Wednesday. Listen on our website, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Calgary Arts Development, and the Rozsa Foundation.
Season 1: 2013-2017
Sounds Japanese Canadian to Me is a monthly podcast hosted by Raymond Nakamura and staff members at the Nikkei National Museum. They sit around a microphone (usually in the museum's collection vault - for ambience) and have a casual discussion on a chosen Japanese Canadian topic. The goal of this endeavour is to entertain and wow people about Japanese Canadian history and culture.
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Episodes
Stories from the Stage 11: Mieko Ouchi
Kunji speaks with theatre artist and filmmaker Mieko Ouchi about writing secretly during theatre school, the rituals she’s created while writing each of her plays, and finding universal stories in her own family throughout her career.
> read more→Stories from the Stage 10: June Fukumura
Kunji speaks with interdisciplinary artist June Fukumura about growing up with Western culture’s stereotypes about Japaneseness, the artistic practice of clown, and her own alter ego, Sumiko.
> read more→Stories from the Stage 9: Matt Miwa
Kunji speaks with theatre and performance artist Matt Miwa about the risks and imperatives of performance, the generational nature of Japanese Canadian identity, and Matt’s work in and hopes for the Ottawa Japanese Canadian community.
> read more→Stories from the Stage 8: Yoshie Bancroft
Kunji speaks with performer and theatre creator Yoshie Bancroft of Universal Limited Theatre about representation, being a half-white BIPOC in the age of Black Lives Matter, and how to stand up and make things better for performers of colour.
> read more→Stories from the Stage 7: Julie Tamiko Manning
Kunji speaks with actor, writer, and theatre creator Julie Tamiko Manning about the pressure to perform “neutrality”, challenging the model minority myth, and connecting with ancestry and community through art.
> read more→Stories from the Stage 6: Hiromoto Ida
Kunji speaks with dancer Hiromoto Ida about their shared experiences transitioning artistically from acting to dance, Hiromoto’s changing relationship with his birthplace of Japan, and what motivates him to continue making art.
> read more→Stories From the Stage 5 bonus! More Maiko
In this bonus mini-episode, continued from last week’s interview, Maiko Yamamoto reflects on advice for and from her younger and older selves, and the big question about experimental theatre that she struggles to answer.
> read more→Stories From the Stage 5: Maiko Yamamoto
Kunji speaks with Theatre Replacement Co-Artistic Director Maiko Yamamoto about her unconventional approach to theatre creation, and how her upbringing in the Japanese Canadian community influences the kinds of stories she wants to tell.
> read more→Stories From the Stage 4: Hiro Kanagawa
Kunji speaks to Governor-General’s Award winner Hiro Kanagawa about his experiences as a prolific actor and playwright, including being typecast, and his opinions on the value of exploring the Japanese Canadian experience in our global society.
> read more→Stories From the Stage 3: Denise Fujiwara
Denise Fujiwara shares how she came to be a dancer, her struggles to learn the difficult Japanese dance form of butoh, and her historic court case with the Canada Council for the Arts.
> read more→