The Legend of Morning Glory

The Legend of Morning Glory

August 28th, 2008  |  Published in Morning Glory

It’s always exciting when San Francisco actor-storyteller-dancer Brenda Wong Aoki presents a new work, blending Kyogen and Noh traditions with Western forms and jazz by her no-less eclectic husband, Mark Izu. Adding to the buzz about the premiere of Aoki’s “Ghosts and Girls”…she first heard the story, from – of all people- folk icon Pete Seeger, with whom she was appearing on tour.”
Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle

Aoki encompasses the comic and the tragic with fine, quick, delicate gestures, using everything from her expressive hands and face to her long sweeping black hair…making relevant and magical even the most faraway tales.”
Los Angeles Times, Critic’s Choice

  • A tale from the Kabuki written and performed by Brenda Wong Aoki
  • Taiko Drummers of Maze Daiko on thunder drums
  • Tokyo master shakuhachi artist Christopher Yohmei Blasdel
  • Dancer/percussionist KK Aoki Izu
  • Under the musical direction of Asian jazz pioneer Mark Izu

The haunting love tale, based on a story from the Kabuki, tells of a girl, the daughter of a powerful samurai, who meets and falls in love with a boy from a poor family. When the boy’s love poem about the morning glory blows into the girl’s boat, she is forever determined to marry him, turning down each of the rich suitors her father has lined up for her. Finally she runs away, determined to marry the boy. Unaccustomed to the world outside her father’s castle, she cries herself blind and makes a living as The Morning Glory, an itinerate storyteller famed for her tale of lost love. In the end, the two lovers meet one last time at a lonely inn on the banks of the Oi River.

View video of Morning Glory

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Upcoming Events

March 18, 2010: Brenda Wong Aoki performs Tales of the Pacific Rim at Performing Arts for Youth, San Mateo. For grades 3 and up. Performances will be held at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. http://www.performingartsforyouth.org/season.html

March 27, 2010: Brenda Wong Aoki performs Tales of the Pacific Rim at the Families Eating and Storytelling Together 3rd Annual Storytelling Festival & Potluck. Walden School, Pasadena. 2PM-8PM.

April 15, 2010: Brenda Wong Aoki performs Legend of the Morning Glory as part of the World Theater Performing Arts Series at California State University of Monterey Bay. Performance is open to the public. 7:30 PM.

September 20-26, 2010: Brenda Wong Aoki performing at the International Storytelling Center, Jonesborough, Tennessee.

October 28, 2010: Brenda Wong Aoki and Mark Izu perform Japanese Ghost Stories for Matcha Night at the Asian Museum, 5-9 PM

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Upcoming Events

  • Thu 3/18/2010: Brenda Wong Aoki performs Tales of the Pacific Rim at Performing Arts for Youth, San Mateo
  • Sat 3/27/2010: Tales of the Pacific Rim at 3rd Annual Storytelling Festival & Potluck
  • Thu 4/1/2010: Mark Izu at Matcha Night
  • Thu 4/15/2010: The Legend of Morning Glory at California State University of Monterey Bay

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Founded by Brenda Wong Aoki and Mark Izu in 1995, the mission of the non-profit First Voice is to create and develop the stories and music of people living between worlds. Critical to this mission is "personal experience" or "voice" as essential to authentic pan-world culture. Please help support First Voice with a donation.

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