Event

YOHEN by Philip Kan Gotanda

Dukesbay Productions presents YOHEN

A marriage that is falling apart: between James, an African American man, and Sumi, a Japanese national who met her husband while he served in post-war Japan. After James retirement from the Army, the cracks in the pottery of their 37 year marriage begin to crumble.

When James is told to leave their house, Sumi asks that they start over from the beginning. Date again. See each other through new eyes. Can a new life routine (which includes James volunteering at a local community center and Sumi studying the art of pottery) help them repair what is broken and save what is worth keeping?

Yohen is a Japanese pottery term which refers to an accident in the kiln firing that results in transformation of the pot. Philip Kan Gotandas story uses this term as a metaphor for James and Sumis marriage, as they struggle to find permanence amidst change. Yohen is a bittersweet story that is an exploration of love, marriage, cultural/racial differences and the beauty that comes from creating your own art and your own life.

All proceeds for Yohen will benefit Tacomas new Bryant Neighborhood Center, which will begin building in Spring of 2019. The Bryant Neighborhood Centers mission is to build community and provide collaborative services and support to the surrounding Bryant/Jason Lee neighborhood.

Yohen features the talents of Malcolm J. West as James Washington and Aya Hashiguchi as Sumi Washington.