"The Canoe"

October 2002

Diane Yen-Mei Wong had one chicken-skin kine dream. She wen dream about one stage play wit one young girl on one quest during which she wen meet all kine interesting charactahs. It's said that most people dream in black and white, but Wong wen dream 'em in color. (We dunno what sistah wen eat befo' she wen go moi moi dat night.) The vibrancy and richness of the cast in her dream was so striking, she woke up remembering many of the details.

After more than two years, Wong's dream gets translated into a real stage play called "The Canoe," premiering Friday, October 25, at the Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre in Sacramento. The play runs until November 17.

Da story begins with one tutu (grandmother) and her granddaughter. "Tutu is telling the story of Hoku, an 11-year-old girl who lives on an island in a time when animals and trees are friends," said Wong. "She has always wanted to find the magical island her parents told her about."

"Guided by a mysterious Sensei, Hoku and her rainbow kitty, Kala, learn to paddle a canoe so they can search for the magical island," continued Wong. Hoku is befriended by a turtle, tree and the wind. "Turtle brings to Hoku a mysterious blue stone from the ocean, which she believes to have magical powers. Palm Tree, the oldest tree in a midget jungle, gives Hoku friendly advice. And Wind creates a gale to test Hoku's newfound canoeing skills."

Interestingly enough, Wong's play is the result of a required "impact project" as part of a women's leadership group she recently participated in. "I had two years to finish the project," she said, "and the play took different plots throughout that time."

As strong as the characters and plot were in her head, writing the play was not always easy for Wong. "At one point, I wondered if this (the play) is what I should be doing with my time. Maybe there was something more important for me to do. So I asked my ryoshi what to do," Wong recalled.

Ryoshi is the head of a Zen dojo. Wong is an ordained Zen Buddhist priest of the Daihonzan Chozen-ji International Zen Dojo in Honolulu. The mission of Daihonzan Chozen-ji to bring about world peace by developing true compassion and right understanding. This is achieved with clarity of perspective and insight into "what is" through Zen.

"The ryoshi said to let it come naturally," said Wong. "And the play changed again. I was able to finish it right away. It was like being in the 'zone.'"

All of a sudden, she wen see da light. Wong wen realize dat da writing of da play was da way to related lessons in life. Da play once again was fun fo' write and she was at peace dat she was doing da right thing by finishing up da script.

"The message of the play is that while Hoku is waiting for her adventure to begin, that life itself is her adventure. As she learns how to paddle, she is also learning important life lessons," said Wong.

Once she completed the writing, Wong needed to find a venue. The Interactive Asian Contemporary Theatre, or InterACT, in Sacramento was a natural fit. InterACT focuses on telling the stories of the Asian community by producing Asian-themed plays or plays by Asian playwrights.

"This is such a fun cast and crew. It includes Asians, a hapa haole and even a woman from the Caribbean Islands," said Wong. Director Dennis Yep directs Juliana Yee as Hoku, Brian Doan as Sensei, Leana Machado as Kala, Lawrence J. Lew as Wind, Matthew Robinson as Turtle, Andrea Blalock as Palm Tree and Suzanne Brooks as Tutu.

Wong said that Yep had his work cut out for him as he translated the story into a play, which has physical limitations that her colorful story does not.

"One problem was what to do with the Tree," said Wong. "The Tree is on stage the entire time - what was the actor going to do the whole time? Poor thing!" A seat was crafted into the costume for Blalock to sit on when Tree was just there and not interacting.

In addition to Yep the director (who also did the lighting), Amy Shim-Cornellier of Hapa Haole Dancers is the mele (song) and hula consultant, and Mike Jimena designed the set, another challenge for a play that takes place partially on the ocean. (Go to da play and see how dey wen solve dat problem!)

Slack-key guitar enthusiasts will be interested to know that George "Keoki" Winston composed and recorded several pieces on the ki ho'alu, or slack key guitar, for this play.

Winston, a Montana native, is best known as a folk and R&B pianist. In 1985, George began recording the Hawaiian slack key guitar masters. Slack key is the name for the venerable finger-picked guitar tradition which began in Hawaii in the early 1800s (and predated the steel guitar by more than 60 years.)

"The Canoe" runs from October 25 through November 17 at InterACT, located at 4010 El Camino Avenue in Sacramento. For reservations and more information, call 916-452-6174 or e-mail Dennis Yep at lactdy@cs.com. Da Two Japanee Bruddahs say "go check 'em out!"

Keith Kamisugi and Kyle Tatsumoto are da Two Japanee Bruddahs. E-mail them at wot@twojapaneebruddahs.com.

 

Juliana Yee (right), who plays Hoku in
"The Canoe," is pictured here with
cast members of the Asian Youth
Theater Project in a previous
performance