Empire of the Son is the story of two generations of broadcasters, and the radio silence between them. As father and son, Akira and Tetsuro Shigematsu shared the same profession– each of them communicating with millions of their listeners, but never with each other. Based on a series of audio interviews with his father, former CBC broadcaster Tetsuro Shigematsu combines cinematography with the raw immediacy of live performance to magically conjure entire worlds: from the ashes of Hiroshima to present-day Vancouver, marshaling the tiniest of objects to focus on life’s biggest questions.
About Tetsuro Shigematsu
A former writer for This Hour Has 22 Minutes,Tetsuro Shigematsu’s voice is already familiar to many Canadians from his days hosting The Roundup on CBC Radio. On TV, Tetsuro can be seen on the reality show, The Deadliest Warrior, where he talks smack and kills vikings.
About Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre (VACT) was established in 2001 to develop and produce professional Asian Canadian theater productions and talent, and to serve as a nexus of the Asian Canadian theater community by hosting readings, fundraisers, showcases and other opportunities for social and professional networking. Since 2013, with the appointment of Donna Yamamoto as the company’s first new Artistic Director since its founding, VACT has quickly transformed from a community theater into a dynamic professional organization. Tetsuro Shigematsu’s Empire of the Son is VACT’s most artistically ambitious production to date, and premiered in fall 2015.
CAATA presents the 2016 National Asian American Theater Conference & Festival (ConFest), a week of performances, panel discussions, plenary and breakout sessions, new play readings, parties, and networking. The 2016 ConFest is hosted by Oregon Shakespeare Festival from October 1-9. Visit caata.net for more details.