About Brenda

Writer/Performer

Brenda Wong Aoki

Brenda Wong Aoki

Brenda Wong Aoki creates monodramas. Her work synthesizes Japanese Noh and Kyogen theater, Commedia Dell’arte, modern dance and everyday experience. She is acclaimed as one of America’s foremost soloists, performing in such venues as the Kennedy Center, New Victory Theater on Broadway, Hong Kong Performing Arts Center, the Adelaide Festival in Australia, the Esplanade in Singapore, the Graz Festival Austria and the Apollo.

Twice a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, she has received four Dramalogue Awards for her original work, a Critics’ Circle Award, and continues to receive ASCAP support for innovation in new libretto. Brenda’s book/CD, Mermaid Meat and Other Japanese Ghost Stories will be released in Tokyo 2007 where she is currently a Japan-US Creative Arts Fellow doing research on the prequel to her play “Uncle Gunjiro’s Girlfriend.” Her two CDs, “The Queen’s Garden” (1999) and “Tales of the Pacific Rim” (1990), won INDIE awards for Best Spoken Word Album of the Year.

Of Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and Scottish descent, Aoki’s bloodlines inspire her work, which include “Obake: Tales of Spirits Past and Present,” “The Queen’s Garden,” “Random Acts,” “Mermaid Meat,” “Tales of the Pacific Rim,” “Skin Privilege,” “Kuan Yin: Our Lady of Compassion,” and “Uncle Gunjiro’s Girlfriend.”  Brenda has deep roots in San Francisco.  Her paternal grandfather was a founder of Japantown in the 1890’s, and her maternal grandmother was vice president of the first Chinatown garment union in the 1920’s. Brenda recently returned from living in Tokyo as a Japan-US Creative Artist Fellow 2007 which culminated in her  latest work, “Legend of the Morning Glory” with Maze Daiko  and Mark Izu.

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Click here to visit our store and purchase Mark and Brenda's Cds, DVDs and Books! Brenda Wong Aoki

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

Categories

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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