On Saturday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. (PT). the Grateful Crane Ensemble concludes its “Couples by Couples” reading series with the online premiere of Hiroshi Kashiwagi’s play “A Window for Aya,” featuring real-life Grateful Crane couple Shaun Shimoda and Dian Kobayashi (pictured).
“A Window for Aya” tells the story of Aya Wakayama, a devoted Nisei wife who not only wants a window over the kitchen sink, but a whole lot more.
In the preface to the play, Kashiwagi wrote: “Yas and Aya’s marriage is quite traditional. At least authoritarian Yas thinks it is. Yet his children are free and independent and now Aya feels the need for a life of her own.”
The play was first presented at a conference in 1979 that led in to a discussion about Japanese American identity and family relationships.
Before he passed in 2019, Kashiwagi recommended this play to his son, Soji, as something that Grateful Crane’s audience might enjoy. It is being presented in his memory.
You can view the reading by going to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvA7zB8RYQI&feature=youtu.be