The ReAct Media Section for UNCLE HIDEKI & THE EMPTY NEST

Press Release

Pull Date: October 8, 2006

ReAct presents local author Jean Davies Okimoto's UNCLE HIDEKI & THE EMPTY NEST to benefit the Northwest Asian American Theatre

The Theatre Off Jackson, September 14 - October 8, 2006: ReAct Theatre, Seattle's only Multi-ethnic Philanthropic Theatre Company concludes its 2006 mainstage season, "Relative Values," with a world premiere benefit production of UNCLE HIDEKI & THE EMPTY NEST, bestselling Seattle Children's author Jean Davies Okimoto's gentle new family comedy/drama. This sequel to her popular 1995 play, Uncle Hideki, is being staged on behalf of the Northwest Asian American Theatre and will also benefit numerous other community organizations.

Uncle Hideki is back! Ten years have passed since we last dropped in on the Suyama family...Helen has remarried, Suzanne has moved out, Rodney has come out, and Uncle Hideki is back for another memorable visit. UNCLE HIDEKI & THE EMPTY NEST is a charming situation comedy/drama about retirement, family love and the ties that bind. Rating: G/PG

UNCLE HIDEKI & THE EMPTY NEST opens on September 14th and plays Thursday nights at 7:30pm, Friday nights at 8pm, Saturday nights at 8pm, and Sunday afternoons at 4pm through October 8th. All performances will be held at air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible Theatre Off Jackson, located at 409 7th Avenue S., near the corner of 7th and Jackson in Seattle's historic International District. Parking is available throughout the neighborhood and discounted parking is also available at the Interim Parking lot located at 8th & Jackson.

Ticket prices are $15 General Admission; $12 Students/Seniors/Military/Disabled; and $9 for Children. Tickets purchased in advance are discounted $3 each, and $6 Theatre Artist day of show rush tickets are available at the door on a space available basis. Additionally, two of ReAct's Thursday evening shows on September 21st and September 28th are "Pay-What-You-Can" performances. For more information and ticket reservations, please call the ReAct box office at (206) 364-3283 or visit online at www.reacttheatre.org. Advanced tickets are also available though the following and other fine outlets:
•Ticket Window: (206) 325-6500, www.ticketwindowonline.com, fax: (425)450-3839.
•Brown Paper Tickets: (800) 838-3006, www.brownpapertickets.com.
•Elliott Bay Book Company: (206) 624-6600 or (800) 962-5311.

Directed by ReAct's Artistic Director, David Hsieh, this gentle comedy/drama, features the talents of Eloisa Cardona, Dom Chan, Jamie Erickson, Virginia Gabby, Dennis Kleinsmith, and Herb Tsuchiya with Stage Management by Tim Crist, with music composed by Allan Loucks.

Established in 1993, ReAct strives to provide affordable quality entertainment using primarily non-traditional and multi-ethnic casting. Its purpose is to give artists of all backgrounds the opportunity to work on mainstream projects they might not normally have access to due to ethnicity, gender, or experience. A federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit philanthropic company, ReAct also works to service our community by using its productions to raise money, awareness and supplies for other arts and humanitarian organizations. This production is being presented on behalf of the Northwest Asian American Theater, and will also benefit the Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Theatre Puget Sound, the JACL, Kin On Health Care Center, Nikkei Concerns, the Wing Luke Asian Museum and many others. A canned food drive will benefit Northwest Harvest. ReAct is the theatre which recently had its south Seattle storage facility broken into and ransacked earlier this year. Most recently, the company opened the Prima Vera Arts Center, a new rehearal and meeting space located near the Seattle Center. ReAct's 2006 mainstage season which has included To Gillian On Her 37th Birthday by Michael Brady, Six Degrees of Separation by John Guare and the Seattle Premiere of The Last Sunday in June by Jonathan Tolins is supported in part by 4 Culture and the Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.

Performance Fact Sheet:

WHO: The Repertory Actors Theatre (ReAct Theatre)

WHAT: WHAT: UNCLE HIDEKI & THE EMPTY NEST
by Jean Davies Okimoto

WHERE: The Theatre Off Jackson
409 7th Ave S, Seattle

WHEN: WHEN: September 14 - October 8, 2006
Thu at 7:30pm, Fri at 8:00pm, Sat at 8:00pm, and Sun at 4:00pm
Opening Night Gala: Thurday, September 14th at 7:30pm with reception following the performance.

HOW: Tickets/Reservations: Call (206) 364-3283 or visit http://www.reacttheatre.org
General Admission: $15
Students/Seniors/Military/Disabled: $12
Children (ages 4-11): $9
Save $1 Off admission with a canned food donation presented at the ReAct Box Office.
Save $3 Off admission when purchasing tickets in advance.
"Pay-What-You-Can" performances:
7:30pm on Thursday, September 21st
7:30pm on Thursday, September 28th
Group Discount Rates are also available for parties of 10 or more.
Speical ($6) Day of Show Rush Tickets for Theatre Artists are also available as space allows.
Advanced discounted tickets are also available through Ticket Window (206) 325-6500, http://www.ticketwindowonline.com ; Brown Paper Tickets (800) 838-3006, http://www.brownpapertickets.com ; and other fine outlets, including the Elliott Bay Book Company in Pioneer Square.

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PUBLICITY PHOTOS:

Please Click on thumbnail for Hi-Res image

Herb Tsuchiya as Hideki and Eloisa Cardona as Helen in ReAct's benefit production of Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest, by Jean Davies Okimoto. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Herb Tsuchiya as Uncle Hideki and Eloisa Cardona as his niece Helen in ReAct's world premiere of Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest, benefiting the Northwest Asian American Theatre. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Virginia Gabby and Eloisa Cardona as daughter and mother pair Suzanne and Helen in ReAct's benefit production Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest playing at the Theatre Off Jackson from September 14th through October 8th. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Herb Tsuchiya as Hideki with Eloisa Cardona and Dennis Kleinsmith as Helen and Jack in ReAct's presentation of Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest, being presented on behald of the Northwest Asian American Theatre. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Herb Tsuchiya as Uncle Hideki and Eloisa Cardona as Helen in a publicity photo for Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Jamie Erickson as Mark with Dom Chan as Rodney in ReAct's benefit production of Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Herb Tsuchiya and Eloisa Cardona in a publicity photo for ReAct's benefit presentation of Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Herb Tsuchiya as Hideki with Eloisa Cardona as Helen and Dennis Kleinsmith as Jack in ReAct's Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest. Photo: David Hsieh.

 

Virginia Gabby as Suzanne and Eloisa Cardona as Helen in a moment from ReAct's benefit production on Uncle Hideki & the Empty Nest. Photo: David Hsieh.