The State of the "Teahouse"
June 2003

"The Teahouse of the August Moon" was hailed as one of the funniest, smartest, most timely pieces of theatre ever created when it first ran on Broadway in 1953.

The show has proven, fifty years later, that it is also TIMELESS. Critics and audiences alike heaped the exact same praise upon our 2002 and 2003 productions as had been given to the original show at New York's Martin Beck Theatre.

"Teahouse" is emphatically not a play about War or Race or Politics. It is a friendly reminder that people the world over are all basically the same.

Broadway responded by awarding "Teahouse" every major theatre award, including five Tonys (including Best Play), the N.Y. Drama Critics' Award, The Donaldson Award, The Theatre Club Award, The Aegis Theatre Club Award, The American Theatre Wing's Antointette Perry Award, and the Pulitzer Prize.

Unbelievably, "The Teahouse of the August Moon" is in danger of becoming a forgotten American comedy. Its last large-scale professional production was nearly three decades ago. It has apparantly not been mounted in Los Angeles for almost as long. And the movie version, made in 1956 and starring Marlon Brando, is no longer in print on VHS, LD, and a DVD version has never been made available.

Yet, "Teahouse" is extremely popular in high school english classes and college stages.

Clearly, the play has something important to teach. And we are proud to bring it to you for the third time in less than a year.

I hope you enjoy looking through this little section of history.

-- Keisuke Hoashi
Playing "Sakini" in the Fire Rose Production
of "The Teahouse of the August Moon"