Summary of Works and Residencies for "Dear Potential Foreigners"

Yudai Kamisato's theater piece
"Dear Potential Foreigners"

Introduction

This work is a creation by Yudai Kamisato with local actors and staff during his stay in the place where the piece will be presented. For details, please refer to the concept.

It was performed as a "trial performance" in Sao Paulo in July 2023 in Naha and Nagasaki, Japan in September. (titled "Strange People about East Asia's Good-bye")
And in February 2024 in Lima, Peru as a program of the festival Temporada Alta, it was performed as 'completed version' with a new title.

The following is a summary of the work and the creation.

Outline

Required Staff

At least one actor (who can give permission for the creation of texts and performances based on their episodes and backgrounds experienced by the actor(s))
An Assistant (preferably to be on site at all times during the residency)
A Stage manager
A Lighting designer
A Sound designer
*Staff may hold concurrent positions
*Hopefully all staff members are able to communicate in English.

Additional staff

Spatial Designer
Visual Artist
Dramaturg
Translator
Interpreter (in case the above staff does not speak English or Japanese)

*As stated in the concept, in principle, I will use automatic translation (DeepL, Google Translate) for text which was written in Japanese, but since I don't understand the language other than English and Spanish, some staff will be required to check the translated text.

Venue

It is preferred a venue of 200 m2 or more, and the use of the auditorium area or other area could be discussed.

Proposed schedule

1. Online meeting with actor(s) and staff approximately 2 months prior to the presentation. I would like to hear about the actors' own experiences.

2. 20 days prior to the presentation, the text for the actors will be completed.

3. 10 to 15 days prior to the presentation, the creation starts. Meetings with the staff and rehearsal.

4. Five days prior to the presentation, the use of the venue is finalized.

5. Two or three days prior to the presentation, setup begins.

Presentation

It will be open for 6 to 8 hours per day.
Performances by actor(s) are expected to be every 2 hours for 15 to 20 minutes.

Items to be able to bring

Texts in Japanese, English, or Spanish
A portable projector (very weak lumen)
A bluetooth speaker
mp3 player + headphones; 4 sets
Simple lighting (battery-powered) x 2, tape lights x 2
Photographs related to the artwork (copyright free or credit-confirmed) * However, large size photos will need to be printed out.
Clear files for displaying texts
Paints
Pens, magic markers, etc.

Should be provided by the organizer

Travel, accommodation, and per diem for Yudai
Paid account for DeepL translation (when it will be presented in languages except Japanese, English, and Spanish)
A Projector
Lighting equipments
Printed materials (text, photos, etc.)
Budget for other items necessary for decorating the venue

Text

Based on the concept, I created 11 fictional characters who are "immigrants or tourists". Each character is connected to the others in some way.
In addition, based on the same concept, I will interview the actor(s) about their episodes, and create texts for the performance that reflect these episodes.

Fictional Characters

Gabriel Fernandez (from São Paulo)
Komatsu Laura (from Rio de Janeiro)
Fangzi (pseudonym, hometown unknown)
Mai Ogawa (from Sakata, Yamagata)
Shingo Ogawa (from Kanagawa)
Hikaru Aragaki (from Naha, Okinawa)
Akiko Miyazato (from Ginoza, Okinawa)
Takeshi Mori (from Tsushima, Nagasaki)
Chihiro Sakamoto (from Tsushima, Nagasaki)
Yujin Park (from Busan)
José Angel León (from Barcelona)

Cities mentioned

Sao Paulo (Gabriel, Fangzi)
Rio de Janeiro (Laura, Fangzi)
Bogota (Gabriel)
Los Angeles (Gabriel)
San Francisco (Gabriel)
Taipei (Gabriel, José Angel)
Encarnación, Paraguay (Laura)
Alaçatuba, Brazil (Laura)
Osaka (Laura, Takeshi, Hikaru, José Angel)
Mexico City (Fangzi, José Angel)
Oaxaca, Oaxaca (Fangzi)
Antigua at Guatemala (Fangzi, José Angel)
Lima (Fangzi)
Cusco（Fangzi)
Machu Picchu (Fangzi)
Lake Titicaca (Fangzi)
Salar de Uyuni (Fanj)
Asuncion at Paraguay（Fangzi)
Sakata（Mai)
Naha (Mai, Hikaru, José Angel)
Ginoza（Akiko, Chihiro)
Ishigaki (Mai, Shingo, Akiko)
Tsushima (Takeshi, Chihiro, Akiko)
Fukuoka (Chihiro, José Angel, Yuzin)
Tokyo (Chihiro, Shingo, José Angel)
Nara (Taeko, Laura, Hikaru)
Busan (Yuzin, José Angel, Chihiro)
Nagasaki (Yuzin, Taekishi, Laura)
Barcelona (José Angel)
Delhi (José Angel)
Hiroshima (José Angel)

Photos and commentary

of the performance in Lima
*All photos were taken by Yudai Kamisato

A handwritten map of the venue. As soon as visitors enter the entrance (★), they will read a concept statement. The numbers(#1〜#12) are the recommended route and the corresponding charactor.

#1 . Stage left, Yujin's spot. Since massage was mentioned in the text, a foot pressure point diagram and stones were placed for foot pressure points. Visitors could walk on them. In addition to the text and photos, a summary of the Sinking of MV Sewol which was also mentioned on the text, was also posted.

#2 . Stage side left. Text by Chihiro, explanatory text on Tsushima, and a photo of the scenery.
At the top, a shadow puppet inspired by the text.

#3 . The picture was drawn with the image of a city, people, and the sea.
Akiko's text was posted in the blank space.

The stage seen from the audience side (lighting work in progress). On the red cloth in the middle, pictures of the events mentioned in the text are posted in the shape of a Christmas tree(#4). This comes from the content of the Macla performance text. On the table to the right is a globe and a piece of paper with a character correlation chart on it(#7).
Visitors can write their own experiences and impressions on the paper on the right(#8).

#4 . Description for Christmas tree of photos

#5 . Using the dressing room, a portion of the Sao Paulo performance (Gabriel Fernandez) was shown on a projector. Photographs of Taipei and commentary on stinky tofu appearing in the text were placed.

#6 . Stage side right. Texts by Laura and Takeshi (they are couple) can be heard in the audio.
Photos from texts.

#7 . A table with a person correlation chart. Visitors kept adding to it like names of cities in Peru, the map where they have been, city names where they want to go, etc.

#9 . The flags of the countries mentioned on the text were hung but will probably not be adopted in the future (as it contradicts the concept). Between the flags, there were the text of José Angel as a backpacker, photos of the places he visited, and a summary of the terrorist incidents he had experienced or searched.

#10 . Auditorium. The area covered by the blue sheet is an image of the East China Sea, and the sandals are arranged to represent the Ryukyu Islands. Texts by Mai and Shingo, who live on Ishigaki Island, photographs, and a summary text about Okinawa.

#11 . The audience was able watch videos of the Sao Paulo, the Okinawa and Nagasaki performances.

#12 . Last rows of seats in the auditorium. In addition to Hikaru's text,
visitors could listen to Miki Uejo's songs sung at the Okinawa performance.

Performance by Macla Yamada. Based on her story about how her father had left home due to Dekasegi (migrant worker to Japan) for more than 10 years in her childhood, mixed with the fact that she is a Japanese descent (her great-grandfather had emigrated to Peru).

#8 . Various comments and experiences were shared from visitors.

Point to improve 

The estimated time required was approximately 2 hours including the Macla's performance.
But the large amount of reading material was physically demanding for the visitors and it was a bit difficult to see all of them.
Many visitors seemed to enjoy listening to the audio, walking on the stones, or freely writing their own experiences and impressions.
In light of the above, we would like to add more ways through dialogue with local artists and actors for the visitors to get to know and imagine the fictional characters other than reading the text in future events.

To venues and organizers who would consider holding this work

If you would like to request this work or request materials such as texts and performance videos, please do not hesitate to send a message to Yudai.

info@okazaki-art-theatre.com