THE JOURNAL OF BEN UCHIDA: CITIZEN 13559

Adapted by Naomi Iizuka
Based on Scholastic’s Dear America series book by Barry Denenberg
Cast size: 3M, 3W
Runtime: 60 minutes
Ages: 10+

In 1942, 12-year-old Ben Uchida and his family are forcibly removed from their home in San Francisco and relocated to Mirror Lake Internment Camp, along with hundreds of thousands of other Japanese-American families. In this unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers, removed from everything he once knew, Ben’s emotional journey is even more upsetting than his physical one. Originally commissioned by the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, this play details with anger, despair, sadness, and hope a dark chapter in this country’s history, and tells a story that is relevant, moving, and one that cannot be forgotten.

Content Advisory: This show uses historically accurate language that reflects the reality of the setting of the play (1940s America during WWII), including racial slurs, as well as some content that may be difficult for younger audience members.