Ensemble Tenshi, a production company that previously produced the award-winning play “Shizuka – 靜” (Broadway World Regional Award, Los Angeles), delivers their new epic play at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in June.
“Castles in the Crimson Flame” takes the audience to the warring states period, Sengoku Jidai, 16th-century Japan, when all the powerful lords battled each other, aiming to conquer and unify Japan. This is the story of Chacha (Lady Yodo), who was born into the sublime lineage of a samurai warrior family, the Oda clan, right amid the raging war of Sengoku-Jidai.
Ever since her notoriously famed uncle, Nobunaga Oda, suddenly and dramatically died as he was about to conquer all of Japan, Chacha’s fate showed no mercy to her. Yet, she aims to become the most powerful woman in Japan.
The story also features the aesthetic life of lords in Sengoku Jidai. Samurai thrived and endeavored beyond their limit to demonstrate the way of battle heroes and the ideal way to end their lives as legendary warriors.
“Castle in the Crimson Flame” captures the most dramatic time in Japanese history through the eyes of one tragic woman whose blood never ceases to be hungry for power and desire as a ruler, a lover and a mother.
Cast: Yukari Black, Clement Bowen, Alexander Collins, Tomoko Karina, Stan Kowalski, Luce Metrius, Masako Nikuma, Dan Pousson, Vasilissa Zhuravleva. Music by David Wells.
Produced by Ensemble Tenshi of Kuro Productions NPO and written and directed by Tomoko Karina, “Castle in the Crimson Flame” will be performed on Saturday, June 15, at 11 a.m.; Sunday, June 16, at 4:30 p.m.; and Saturday, June 22, at 7:30 p.m. at The Broadwater’s Main Stage, 1076 Lillian Way (at Santa Monica Boulevard) in Hollywood.
Tickets: $25, available at HFF official website: https://www.hollywoodfringe.org.
Ensemble Tenshi, a theatre company based in Los Angeles, entertains audiences with their epic and moving original plays that have the charm of traditional Japanese aesthetics — costumes, mannerisms, Japanese classical dance, music, and fierce combat scenes. This production will be delivered using English dialogue by an ensemble of superb, multi-ethnic actors with diverse backgrounds in order for an American audience to viscerally feel the story.
Website: https://ensembletenshi.org/