Japanese tsunami survivor’s character portrayed at Hollywood theater

Ongoing drama “Bridge” at a Hollywood theater is using a Japanese tsunami survivor’s character as one of three primary roles in the plot.

The Japanese tsunami survivor named Shiro Maeda is played by emerging Hollywood actor Yuki Matsuzaki (The Last Samurai, Letters from Iwo Jima, and The Pink Panther 2).

Shiro is portrayed as a stricken musician with survivor guilt because his all family was taken away by a monster tsunami.

Matsuzaki says, “In Japan, 16 people committed suicides in June due to the depressions caused by the disaster. I feel a great responsibility to play a Japanese character who suffered in the disaster. If American audiences could feel Shiro was a real person they could relate, I could accomplish my role.”

Drama “Bridge” is now playing at Ruby Theatre at the Complex, 6476 Santa Monica Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90038

Runs: Fri, Nov 11 – Sun, Dec 18, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 8 pm,

Sundays 2 pm.  Show Calendar

Buy Tickets $25

Reservations: (323) 960-7740

Running time: 90 minutes. There will be an intermission.

In “Bridge,” an old saxophonist finds what he thinks will be a solitary spot to practice his music in the middle of the night—on a bridge.

He finds himself confronted by three disparate souls at different times who also seek the solitude of the bridge with a common purpose—the intent to jump off.

There’s a drug-abusing woman with a terrible secret; a transvestite living with AIDS, who’s been abandoned by his lover; and a Japanese tsunami survivor, stricken with survivor guilt.

Will the musician be able to dissuade these three tortured souls from their terrible resolves?

Playwright Willard Manus found the inspiration for his protagonist in legendary jazz musician Sonny Rollins, and would practice his saxophone playing on the Williamsburg Bridge at night.

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Produced by David Svengalis in association with John Lant at the Write Act Repertory.

Written by Willard Manus

Directed by Kelly Galindo

Starring:

William Stanford Davis

Yuki Matsuzaki

Leslie A. Jones

Donald Roman Lopez

Josie Martineaux

Also with:

Chris Carver

Yutaka Takeuchi

Kendra Sue Waldman