Hold These Truths

Created in response to the sharp rise in hate directed toward the AAPI community over the past few years, Boston Court Pasadena, East West Players, and Pasadena Playhouse have joined forces to share a virtual reading of Jeanne Sakata's timely solo play Hold These Truths. The evening is co-directed by Jessica Kubzansky and Margaret Shigeko Starbuck.

Listen to actress and playwright Jeanne Sakata discuss the painful and enduring silence surrounding her family’s traumatic experience in the WWII Japanese American concentration camps. Hear her speak about finding her voice and healing through her writing, recounting the journey and development of her celebrated solo play, Hold These Truths, inspired by the Japanese American civil rights giant Gordon Hirabayashi.

Lia Chang takes you behind-the-scenes of San Francisco Playhouse’s Closing Night of Jeanne Sakata's Hold These Truths. The day also marked Jeanne’s 45th wedding anniversary with Tim Patterson, and the pair returned for a celebratory champagne toast with the cast and creative team. The Sacramento Premiere and the second leg of this joint production with Capital Stage begin on Wednesday, August 25.

Steven Winn announces that San Francisco Playhouse’s Hold These Truths brings in-person theater back to the city, alongside special commentary from star Jomar Tagatac, Playhouse co-founder and Producing Director Susi Damilano, and attendees. Scott Strazzante offers exclusive photos to commemorate the occasion.

Lily Janiak interviews Hold These Truths’ Jeffrey Lo (Director) and Jomar Tagatac (Actor) about the relevancy of the piece as a tool to help Asians counter fear and hate. Scott Strazzante offers exclusive rehearsal photos of the two creatives.

Molly Smith (Artistic Director) hosts a weekly Salon featuring artists and leaders of Arena Stage. These half-hour-long weekly conversations will include some of the best thinkers and creative firebrands. Molly sits down with a variety of artists and leaders to discuss new ideas they are excited about and glimmers of hope for the future.

On Thursday, April 22 from 7- 7:30 p.m., Molly is joined by Ken Ludwig, Tony Award-winning playwright (Arena's Dear Jack, Dear Louise) and Jeanne Sakata, actress and playwright (Arena's Hold These Truths)

Playwright Jeanne Sakata and star Joel de la Fuente respond to questions from the audience and share their unique perspectives about the process of creating Hold These Truths.

Presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, moderated by Artistic Associate and Director of New Works, Giovanna Sardelli.

Lia Chang announces the limited-time streaming performances of Hold These Truths by People’s Light Theatre. In addition to production stills by Charles T. Brastow, she also shares her exclusive backstage and rehearsal photos.

In this preview article, James Hebert interviews playwright Jeanne Sakata and original cast member Ryun Hu about the journey to bringing Hold These Truths to the stage. Sakata says, “What immediately came to my mind was what an American story it was — not just a Japanese-American story or an Asian-American story but an American story.”

Ruthie Fierberg pens, “The Man in the High Castle’s Joel de la Fuente proves his theatre credentials. The Amazon star takes to the stage to tell the story of an unknown American hero.” Read this exclusive interview to learn more about the star of Hold These Truths.

Stephi Wild (Journalist) and Lia Chang (Photographer) take you backstage to the Opening Night of Hold These Truths at Barrington Stage.

Actor Joel de la Fuente talks to Bay Area Focus host Kenny Choi about the play, Hold These Truths at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, based on an American unsung hero, Gordon Hirabayashi.

Richard Wolinsky interviews Jeanne Sakata about Hold These Truths ahead of the run at Theatreworks’ Lucie Stern Theatre.

Rachael Myrow calls Hold These Truths “a reminder that the civil liberties promised in this nation's founding documents are still the subject of continuous debate and conflict.” Included in this preview article is a video clip of Jose de la Fuente performing a conversation between Gordon Hirabayashi and his mother.

Julie Musbach (Journalist) and Cameron Whitman (Photographer) take you to the Opening Night of Hold These Truths at Arena Stage. See exclusive photos of the production team and playwright Jeanne Sakata.

Julie Musbach shared exclusive rehearsal photos from Arena Stage’s Hold These Truths, running February 23-April 8, 2018 in the Kogod Cradle.

Arena Stage offers a “First Look” at Hold These Truths with Playwright Jeanne Sakata.

Julie Musbach shares exclusive photos and a preview article for the D.C. premiere of Hold These Truths at Arena Stage, running February 23-April 8, 2018 in the Kogod Cradle.

Here’s your first look at Joel De La Fuente in Hold These Truths at The Sheen Center in NYC, with production photography by Lia Chang.

Retta Blaney is an award-winning journalist and author of Working on the Inside: The Spiritual Life Through the Eyes of Actors. In this feature article, she speaks with playwright Jeanne Sakata and director Lisa Rothe. It also includes a 1999 video interview with the late Gordon Hirabayashi.

Victoria Moy pens a Q&A interview with playwright Jeanne Sakata about her play Hold These Truths, performed at The Pasadena Playhouse until June 25th. They discuss her inspiration, the 10-year journey of the work, and the themes she hopes today’s audiences walk away with.

Jack Wiant and Jeanne Sakata have a video conversation about the 10th Anniversary production of Hold These Truths at Pasadena Playhouse, starring Ryun Yu. They discuss the origins of the work, the play’s development, and the future of the work.

On the eve of the 10th Anniversary production of Hold These Truths at Pasadena Playhouse, Gil Kaan interviews Jeanne Sakata about the histories of Japanese internment, her family, and the play.

The Guthrie Theatre presents Hold These Truths as the first of the Level Nine Series, an initiative to present diversity and contemporary topics that inspire dialogue in post-performance discussions. AA Press interviews star Joel de la Fuente ahead of the timely run in Minneapolis.

In a very personal interview, Alice Hardesty speaks with Jeanne Sakata ahead of the run at Portland Center Stage. They discuss family and American histories, and how Hold These Truths remains relevant today.

Robert Parish interviews Ryun Yu on this special segment, titled “The Truth Holds.” They discuss the play Hold These Truths, how Ryun relates to the role, and why he thinks Portland is a pretty cool place. 

Dmae Roberts interviews Jeanne Sakata as part of the “Stage and Studio” show. Listen at the 24:37 mark for “Northwest Stories Debuts at the Armory with Hold These Truths, a play about civil rights giant Gordon Hirabayashi.”

Guest hosted by Darcy Noonan, Jeanne appears as the guest interview for Episode 36. They discuss Hold These Truths, running through August 16 at ACT Theatre as well as Advantageous, the independent film she recently did a voiceover for will be premiering at NW Film Forum on August 14.

Marcie Sillman interviews Jeanne Sakata about her one-man show about Gordon Hirabayashi, Hold These Truths, running at Seattle’s ACT Theatre through Aug. 16.

In this special piece, John de Graff, creator of the 1992 documentary film, A Personal Matter: Gordon Hirabayashi v. the United States on PBS interviews Jeanne Sakata about her play, Hold These Truths at Seattle’s ACT Theatre.