"VISAS AND VIRTUE" - The Cast - synopsis | cast | creative team | to order

 

CHRIS TASHIMA (Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara) Chris' theatre appearances include "Rashomon" and "The Memento" among others at East West Players, the premiere of Lawrence Yep's "Dragonwings" at Berkeley Repertory Theatre and touring in New York City, Seattle, Atlanta, and Syracuse, the world premiere of Chay Yew's "A Language of Their Own" at the Celebration Theatre (L.A. Weekly Theater Award), and Tim Toyama's "Visas and Virtue" at The Road Theatre. Films include "Strawberry Fields," directed by Rea Tajiri, "Requiem" directed by Elizabeth Sung, and "Lani Loa: The Heavenly Passage," directed by Sherwood Hu, from Francis Ford Coppola and Wayne Wang's Chrome Dragon Films.Television credits include "Unsolved Mysteries" and "The Young and the Restless."
SUSAN FUKUDA (Yukiko Sugihara) Susan is honored to be playing the role of Yukiko Sugihara in the film version of "Visas and Virtue" after playing the same role in the play which ran at The Road Theatre. She has also appeared in "And the Soul Shall Dance" at East West Players, "Tea" at the Morgan-Wixon Theatre, "Carrying On" at Theatre Geo, as well as in productions at LATC and the Ivar Theatre. She recently finished work on the films "Yellow" and "Good Vibrations," starring Michael York. Her television credits include "Sisters" and "Chicago Hope."
DIANA GEORGER (Helena Rosen) Diana was born in Rochester, NY and has a B.F.A. degree in Acting from Ithaca College, with an emphasis in dance and voice. She spent the summer after graduation in the Poconos doing summer stock and getting her Equity card, before moving to New York City. There, she did Off-Broadway and performed for a year in the National tour of "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off." Since moving to Los Angeles, she has performed leading roles at 11 different theatres, including the World Premiere of "A Wonderful Life" at The Laguna Playhouse, "The Joke" and "A Dopey Fairy Tale" with the Los Angeles Director's Project, "Why I Live at the P.O." at friends and Artists Theatre, and "Visas and Virtue" at The Road Theatre. She is a student with Stephen book and the butter on her bread is television commercials.
LAWRENCE CRAIG (Nathan Rosen) Lawrence originated the role of Nathan Rosen in "Visas and Virtue" in its highly successful run at The Road Theatre. He has also appeared at The Road Theatre in "My Last Confession" and "Merlin," which won an ADA award for best ensemble performance. He received his degree in Theatre from California State University, Northridge where he appeared as Cornelius Hackl in "The Matchmaker, " Polixenes in "The Winters Tale," and Ottavio in "Scapino," for which he was nominated for the Irene Ryan Acting Award. Film and television credits include "Life of Preston," "Never Alone," "Art of Deception," and "Diagnosis Murder."
SHIZUKO HOSHI (Narrator) Shizuko is a graduate of Tokyo Women's College and USC (M.A.). While working with East West Players (1965 - 1989), she received Los Angeles Critics Awards for Best Supporting Actress ("And the Soul Shall Dance") and Best Director ("Asa Ga Kimashita," "A Chorus Line," and "Mishima"). Her film credits include "Come See the Paradise" and "M. Butterfly," and she has appeared in over 50 television shows. In 1995 she co-directed the English language premiere of the Japanese comedy "The Fall Guy (Off-Broadway) in New York City.