This year is the Langham Theatre’s 40th anniversary, and to celebrate this milestone its Asian Canadian Heritage Month volunteer group has expanded their annual program to two days.
Sponsored by the Village of Kaslo and the International Amenity Migration Centre, the event’s opening night is on May 30 at 6:30 p.m. It starts with the reading of Asian Canadian poetry.
Led by poet Robert Foster, along with Romella Glorioso, Aiko Jackson, Mark Mealing and Mo Su Dien, they will read works of Cyril Deebadeen, Joy Kogawa, Soraya Peerbaye, Patria Rivera and others.
This will be followed by a Japanese comedy play (Kyogen) “Rain Near Oji” performed by artist and playwright Anne Ferncase, Pennywise’s Kendrick Mauser and J.V. Humphries secondary graduating student Cézanne Moss.
This kyogen about pilgrimage has been adapted and directed by the folklorist and poet Mark Mealing. The performers’ kyogen clay masks are hand-crafted by artists Robin Wiltse. The evening will conclude with an Asian buffet and tea, prepared by Donna Cormie, Tony Frary, Bob and Gillian Froese, Romella Glorioso, Linda Lynch, Janet Marshal and June Tubbs.
Admission, including the Asian buffet, is free but please pick up your tickets from Sunnyside Naturals, Willows or if you’re residing outside Kaslo email rglorioso@peoplepc.com.
Note that admission is limited to 80 persons, so get your tickets early as they had a full house last year and had to turn some people away.
The second day (May 31) is equally exciting. It starts at 1 p.m. at the Langham Theatre with kyogen, followed by the Kaslo Family Singers, led by Terry and Janet Marshal, and Asian storytelling by Mark Mealing.
Asian art, games and workshops follows with origami (Eliza Fry), Go (Kendrick Mauser) and Chinese checkers (Cézanne Moss).
For the finale, guests can go to the beach where Tony Frary will teach the children to fly kites. Six kites will be raffled along with some Japanese handmade prizes. Light Asian snacks will be served. Admission is free.
