Manzanar the Musical

The story of an American family

There are some stories that need to be told, a piece of history that is rarely spoken of or taught. 

The tale of Manzanar is one of those stories.   

From the article: Musical Revisits Dust and Tears of Manzanar 

Several years in the making, "Manzanar" is loosely based on the childhood experiences of [Dan] Taguchi's mother and other family members. Its emotional course is charted through big-band, swing and classically orchestral songs that reflect adult anguish, teenage confusion and the bewilderment of children. 

Tim Dang, East West Players' producing artistic director, gave the pair a call after hearing a demo tape of the work. "I told Dan [Taguchi] and Rus [McCoy], 'You've written a huge play,' " Dang said. " 'How is it that we can help you develop this?' " 

"Manzanar is a very important event in the lives of Japanese Americans," Dang said, "something which affected not only people who were interned, but generations after." 

Lynne Heffley  

Los Angeles Times  

March 29, 2003