The Tashme Project: The Living Archives is an award-winning verbatim theatre play that traces the history and common experience of the Nisei (or 2nd Generation Japanese Canadians) through childhood, WW2 internment and post-war resettlement east of the Rockies. The Nisei, now in their 70’s and 80’s, were children at the time of internment and their stories of adventure and play are presented in sharp relief with the more common internment narratives of hardship and injustice.

Made up of 20 interwoven interviews with Nisei from Toronto, Hamilton, Kingston, Montreal and Vancouver, the piece moves from voice to voice, story to story with fluidity and with a purposeful and constructed gracefulness.

Written and performed by Matt Miwa and Julie Tamiko Manning, The Tashme Project is an embodiment of Nisei character, language, spirit and story.  The actors portray the voices of both men and women interviewees as they seek a deep emotional and spiritual connection with the stories of their elders. 

Click here for more info.