The Nisei & The Narnauks

The Nisei & The Narnauks
Written and Directed by Paul Van Dyck

The Nisei & The Narnauks is the tale of a Japanese-Canadian girl, named Kimiko, during World War II. The narrator is Kimiko’s granddaughter, who directly addresses the audience in the present, and acts out the role of her grandmother as a little girl.

With the use of puppetry, mask, and music, we follow young Kimko’s adventures as she travels from an interment camp in the Slocan Valley, across the Province of British Columbia, in the hope of finding her sick grandmother, whom she believes is waiting for her at home on Salt Spring Island. Along the way, Kimiko meets many fantastical characters from First Nations mythology (primarily from the Haida myths) and overcomes several terrifying obstacles with the help of her friends, Raven and Mouse Woman.

FEBRUARY 5-22 AT THE MONTREAL, ARTS INTERCULTURELS, 3680, RUE JEANNE-MANCE

Performance Dates:

February 5 - 8:00pm (preview)
February 6 - 8:00pm (opening)
February 7 - 8:00pm, February 8 - 3:00pm
February 11 - 8:00pm, February 12 - 8:00pm
February 13 - 8:00pm, February 14 - 8:00pm
February 15 - 3:00pm, February 18 - 8:00pm
February 19 - 8:00pm, February 20 - 8:00pm
February 21 - 8:00pm, February 22 - 3:00pm

CAST and CREW

PAUL VAN DYCK - Playwright and Director

Paul is a Montreal based playwright, director, and actor. He recently directed Social Studies at Centaur Theatre, Paradise Lost at the Edinburgh Festival, and Still Stands the House as part of the Neil Munro Intern Directors Project at the Shaw Festival. Other directing/playwriting credits include Oroonoko (MAI/Persephone Productions) Haunted (Hudson Village Theatre), Miss Sugarpuss Must Die! (Segal Centre), Blood Wild and The Harvester (Rabbit in a Hat Productions). Paul is currently the Artistic Director of Rabbit in a Productions and Quebec National Forum Representative of the Playwrights Guild of Canada.

STEFANIE NAKAMURA - Kimiko

Stefanie Nakamura is a Dawson College Professional Theatre graduate (DOME 2010). Credits include Sun on the TV show “Sex & Ethnicity”, Bravo’s “19-2”, & ”A Violent State”. Raised in the Laurentians she moved to Montreal in 2007 to attend theatre school. Her father was born in Tokyo and her mother in Montreal. This production is close to her heart as it addresses Japanese-Canadian Culture.

MICHAEL BRIGANTI - Raven, Father, and Chick 3

Born in Toronto but a true Montrealer, Michael Briganti is a recent honours graduate from the John Abbott professional theatre program. He is exited to be working with Persephone productions for a second time. Recent works include Spring Awakening: The Musical and The American Clock as well as other theatre favorites including the roles of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird and Patrick Flanagan in Jitters. Michael has also performed in Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood in the Edinburgh fringe festival.

BREFNY CARIBOU - Mountie 2, Wakinyan, Chick 2, Mouse Woman, Wolf 2, and Goose Servant.

Brefny was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up wishing that she could be the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz. This translated to a life-long passion for performance that would lead her to Montreal, at the age of 18, where she began her studies. In 2014 she graduated from Concordia University with a specialization in Theatre Performance and is now excited to immerse herself in the Montreal theatre scene. Working in both theatre and film she is grateful for the opportunity to share and tell stories in the way she grew up dreaming of.

JIMMY BLAIS - Mountie 1, Chick 1, Wolf 1, N'ha-a-itk, and Ska-ana.

Jimmy is a Montreal actor who works in film, television and theatre. He studied in Theatre Performance at Concordia University. He has worked with theatre companies such as Tableau D'Hote, Metachroma and Geordie Productions. His most recent theatre credits include Urban Tales at the Centaur Theatre and L'Homme Invisible/ The Invisible Man at La Licorne. You can see Jimmy as the recurring character Watio in the television series Mohawk Girls on APTN. He also co-wrote and directed the 2014 ACTRA short film festival winner Cafe de Paris.

SARA RODRIGUEZ - Assistant Director

Sara Rodriguez is a Concordia University graduate whose career highlights include teaching at Segal Centre Academy Productions since 2012, The Seagull (Segal Centre), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Segal Centre / Copa de Oro), Blood Wild (Rabbit in a Hat Productions) Les Vikings Symphoniques (Buzz Cuivres/Buzz Brass- Sherbrooke Symphony Orchestra and Quebec Symphony Orchestra), The Medea Effect (Talisman Theatre-Montreal), Cornered (Infinitheatre), Milford Haven, a video installation (Concordia University), The Harvester (Rabbit in a Hat Productions), Paradise Lost (New York City, Halifax, Edinburgh-BTM Productions) Witchcraft (Concordia University), Down from Heaven (Imago Theatre), and Quixote (Canis Tempus). Sara also works as a model and makeup artist in and around Montreal.

PETER VATSIS - Set and Lighting Designer

The Nisei and the Narnauks is Peter’s fifth time designing with Persephone, previously working on Henry V (lighting), Oroonoko (set and lighting), Lost: A Memoir (lighting and sound), and last season’s Strawberries in January (lighting). He is a graduate of National Theatre School of Canada (Technical Production: Lighting Specialization, 2004) and has been teaching in the Professional Theatre program at John Abbott College since 2005.

MELANIE MICHAUD - Costume Designer

Melanie Michaud is a graduate of John Abbott's Professional Theatre Program. She is very thankful to be working with the Persephone team once again. Recent credits include Costume/Set Dressing for "All My Sons" (MTL Theatre Ensemble), Costume for "Oroonoko" (Persephone Productions/MAI), Costumes for "The Harvester" and "Blood Wild" presented at the MTL Fringe and Set/Costume for "Avenue Q" and "GODSPELL" for St.Georges High School.

ZACH FRASER - Puppet/Mask Designer

Zach is a Montreal-based puppeteer, director, actor, and teacher. Puppet designs include The Aeneid (Talisman), The Heretics of Bohemia (Scapegoat/Segal), & La Fourmilite (Échantillon 23). Directing credits include The Aeneid and Coma Unplugged (Talisman), & …and stockings for the ladies (Rustwerk/HGJT). Recent performances include The Game of Love & Chance (Canadian Stage/Centaur), Trench Patterns (Infinitheatre) & l’hommencolère (Le Bureau). In development: An adaption of José Saramago’s Blindness for John Abbott College, puppet design for MacBeth (Shakespeare in the Ruff, Toronto), and with his company The Rustwerk Refinery, Zach is working toward the 2016 premiere of Louis Riel: a comic-strip stage play based on Chester Brown’s acclaimed graphic novel.

ISABEL QUINTERO FAIA - Stage Manager

Based in Montreal, Isabel works as a stage manager, lighting designer & theatre technician. A graduate of the Professional Theatre Production Program at John Abbott College, she has worked with Black Theatre Workshop & urban ink Productions (Sal Capone: The Lamentable Tragedy of), Nu Spyce Productions (Single Black Female), Kaleidoscope Theatre Montreal (To Be: In Concert), La Tigressa Productions (Je Rêve En Autisme), The Segal Centre for the Performing Arts (Glengarry Glen Ross, Top Girls, The Graduate & Belles Soeurs: The Musical), the Montreal Fringe Festival and the Just for Laughs Festival. Past Persephone credits include Hamlet, Oroonoko & The Walnut Tree.

PAMELA PERROTTI - Production Manager

Pamela Perrotti is a montreal based actor who is production managing for the first time ever. Pamela actually got her very first acting role with Persephone Productions upon granduation from the John Abbott College Professional Theatre program and is glad that Persephone is giving her the opportunity to try her hand at something new once again.