"Whereas, The successful prosecution of the war requires every possible protection against espionage and against sabotage to national defense material, national defense premises and national defense utilities... " - Franklin D. Roosevelt The White House, February 19, 1942. Using a Japanese tea set, table cloth, sand, brown paper, and an old suitcase, the ensemble creates the poignant, moving story of one family's forced evacuation from their home in Berkeley to Topaz, Utah during WWII and their return at the end of the war. Directed by Christine Young & Liebe Wetzel Performed by the Lunatique Fantastique Ensemble Mature Content: Parental Discretion Advised Performed by the Lunatique Fantastique Ensemble
Reviews Oakland Tribune "In a nearly silent 60-minute puppet show, Liebe Wetzel and her crew create more emotion and eloquence than most dialogue-filled plays can produce in two hours…one stirring image after another. Chalk up another amazing adventure in puppetry for remarkable Liebe Wetzel. " -- Chad Jones, ANG Newspapers, 5/29/03 Read Entire Review SF Chronicle "Liebe Wetzel's 'EO 9066' (is) serious stuff…timely…a reflection on the erosion of civil liberties in times of national crisis…performed (with) the Wetzel ensemble's usual, often astonishingly creative use of found objects." -- Rob Hurwitt, SF Chronicle, 5/26/03

More About this Show

Beginning on February 19, 1942, approximately 120,000 ethnic Japanese and people of Japanese decent living on the United States west coast were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated in remote camps in the western United States. Over half of the 120,000 internees were children.

Lunatique Fantastique using images told by survivors and history text creates the story of one family and their struggle before, during and after life in an internment camp. Lunatique Fantastique ensemble members participated in research— interviewing surviving internees and people who were affected by the order.

This work is dedicated to the memory of Donna Nomura Dobkin, whose parents were sent to Topaz.

Performed by the Lunatique Fantastique ensemble: Jessica Binder, Kate Duffly, Ben Dziuba, Greg Frisbee, Susie Gaskill, Candice Milan, Aundi Taylor and Liebe Wetzel

This performance is made possible by grants from CA$H, Zellerbach Family Fund, and the Jim Henson Foundation. Lunatique Fantastique is an object theatre company in residence at the Marsh, a Breading Ground for New Performance.