MediaRites Press Release

Tongue of a Bird Stars Amerasian Actress

MediaRites Productions THEATER IMAGINE presents " Tongue of a Bird" by Ellen McLaughlin. Though not written multi-ethnic, Director Carmela Lanza-Weil has assembled a diverse cast with Sherry Okamura in the lead role of Maxine, a search-and-rescue pilot hired by a mother whose daughter has been abducted. Cast also includes two African-American actress Ithica Tell and Angela Rollins and two Euro-American actresses Julie Cowden and Trish Egan. Opens April 20 with a $25 Champagne Gala opening at 6:30pm and runs Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm through May 12 at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center 5340 N. Interstate.

Tickets are $12.00, $10.00 in advance and can be purchased by calling 503-780-1886 or on the MediaRites web site at www.mediarites.org.

Sherry Okamura grew up in Boise, ID. She had two little sisters, and they were the only Asian kids in the school for quite some time.

"Out of the three of us, I think I received the brunt of the teasing and ostracism in school about being Japanese, says Okamura. "I guess I paved the way for my sisters. My dad moved to the US when he was a teenager, and the message we got from him growing up was that he wanted us to be as "American" as possible. He did not teach us to speak Japanese, pretty much the only part of the culture we got was the food!"

At this point in her career as an actress, Okamura views being Amerasian as an asset, though she says "it took me a long time to get here."

Her early experiences really shaped her idea of how she would fit into the theater world as an Asian woman. She acted all through high school, but casting was a challenge, particularly in Idaho.

"What an uproar it would cause to cast an Asian girl as Emily in "Our Town," says Okamura. "Or (heaven forbid!) Juliet!"

Taking Suzuki training at the University of Washington opened Okamura's perspective considerably, she says.

"I found I had roots!"

Through Suzuki training, Okamura found a way to incorporate her Japanese heritage with theater, and she says "that was liberating."

Still, she felt being Japanese limited her casting-wise, and that perception didn't change until she was an apprentice at the Actors Theater of Louisville. According to Okamura, the casting at ATL was much more diverse and "suddenly being different was a good thing."

"This feeling has only intensified since I've moved to Portland," says Okamura. "I haven't really come across any stereotypes or assumptions. People often don't realize I'm Japanese until they see my last name. It's funny, when I go out on commercial auditions I usually run into the same group of Asian females. I joke that we're the Asian contingent."

Okamura has lived all over the country, but loves being in Portland and will stay here for "as long as the fates allow."

"I am enjoying working with MediaRites," says Okamura "and am impressed with the level of talent and commitment of everyone involved with Tongue of a Bird."