“MINORU: SCRAPE THE SKY”
ORIGINAL MUSICAL STAGED READING
AT LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE COMINITO THEATRE
November 5th at 3pm
October 31, 2023 – LOS ANGELES, CA: Ben Ginsberg and Momo Akashi are pleased to announce that their original musical, MINORU: SCRAPE THE SKY, directed by Daniel Nakawatase will have its West Coast premiere reading at Los Angeles City College. Join MINORU: SCRAPE THE SKY at Los Angeles City College Caminito Theatre(N Heliotrope Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90029).
MINORU: Scrape the Sky tells the story of the man behind Manhattan’s Twin Towers: Minoru Yamasaki, a Japanese-American born in 1912 in Seattle, who designed the towers in the 1960s. We spotlight Minoru’s challenges against prejudices through out his life and career.
In the 1930s, Minoru Yamasaki, an aspiring Japanese American architect from Seattle, dreams of rising up from his humble beginnings to prove to his family, the world, and himself that a Japanese American can achieve his wildest American Dream. His journey takes him to Japan where he learns about the craft of architecture from Bruno Taut and about beauty and intention from Toki, a young Japanese woman torn between submissive Japanese traditions and her aspirations for something more. Inspired by Toki and transformed by accepting his Japanese and American identity, Minoru’s purpose and architectural artistry has never felt clearer or stronger. Many years later, Minoru achieves his dream when he is chosen to design the World Trade Center in New York City and sees it through to fruition. Ambition and dreams, however, are not without a great personal toll as Minoru grapples with what he sacrificed to transform what it means to be an Asian American.
Book Writer and Lyricist: Momo Akashi
Composer & Music Director : Ben Ginsberg
Director: Daniel Nakawatase
Cast: Sophia Brisco, Mika Dyo, Kenneth Loren Johnson, Nicholas Brian Kauffman, Nirvan Patnaik, Lisel Puskar, Yu Tsutsumi, and Sam Sooin Yang
TICKETS: https://forms.gle/vdrTEo4tCGq8GAyb7
Tickets are free and we suggest a donation.
LOCATION: LA City College Caminito Theatre
The Caminito Theatre is one of three theatres that encompass the Theatre Academy at Los Angeles City College.
Address: N Heliotrope Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Parking: Parking is free in Garage #4, located on Heliotrope (ignore sign restrictions for faculty/students – guests are welcome)