Yellow Fever (play)

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Yellow Fever
Written by R. A. Shiomi
CharactersSam Shikaze
Date premiered1 December 1982 [1]
Place premiered Pan Asian Repertory
New York, New York [1]
Original language English
SubjectJapanese Canadian Culture
Genre Comedy, Mystery, Parody
Setting Powell Street in Vancouver, CAN in the early 1970s

Yellow Fever is a play by R. A. Shiomi, which takes place on Powell Street in Japantown, Vancouver, a gathering place for the local Japanese-Canadian culture. Set in the 1970s, the Sam Spade-like main character, Sam Shikaze, must work to unravel the mysteries that surround him. [2] First produced by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in 1982, it received positive reviews [2] and had a successful run off-Broadway.

Contents

Plot summary

Sam Shikaze, a smooth private eye, narrates his own story about what happened when he was hired to find the missing Cherry Blossom Queen. He is soon trapped in a web of racism and political intrigue that seems to lead back to the Hong Kong tongs. Chuck Chan is a lawyer who tries to help solve the case, while Nancy Wing is a beautiful reporter who is searching for a story. Captain Kadota, an old friend of Sam's, offers his aid as a member of the police force, although Sam and Kadota do not see eye-to-eye on politics.

Characters and actors in the premier production
[1]

Presented by the Pan Asian Repertory Theater:

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gussow, Mel. "Yellow fever." The New York Times 132 (2 December 1982): 24(N) pC21(L). General Reference Center Gold. Gale.
  2. 1 2 Oliver, Edith. "Rosie's cafe." The New Yorker 63.n36 (26 October 1987): 130(1). General Reference Center Gold. Gale.
  3. "OBIE AWARDS PRESENTED". The New York Times. 24 May 1983. ISSN   0362-4331.