The Grateful Crane Ensemble presents “Nisei Serenade” on Saturday, June 29, at 2 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 S. Central Ave. (at Third Street) in Little Tokyo.
Seventy years and two generations later, classic songs from the 1940s camp era will be brought back to life by the ensemble’s Next Generation Youth as they portray real-life Nisei singers performing songs of joy, hope and inspiration for their fellow Nisei confined behind barbed wire.
The ensemble promises an afternoon of swing tunes and nostalgic camp songs as the youth pay tribute to their Nisei elders who paved the way.
Written by Soji Kashiwagi; directed by Alison Minami; musical direction by Scott Nagatani.
Featuring the Next Generation Youth: Lisa Horikawa, Aimee Machida, Alyssa Nakamoto, Erika Mariko Olsen and Miko Shudo, with a special guest appearance by Mary Kageyama Nomura, the “Songbird of Manzanar.”
Tickets are $25 general, $20 for seniors (65 and older) and groups of 10 or more, $10 for students/youth (25 and younger). For reservations, call the Grateful Crane ticket line at (310) 995-5841.