By Kizuna Theatre

Genki Bear: Memoirs of a Granddaughter follows Misty’s evolving relationship with her Japanese grandmother – a bunraku-style puppet. Spanning decades, the play weaves together Misty’s childhood visits to her Bachan’s home, her time in Japan, and her struggles with identity. Through five conversations set across the changing seasons, Misty grapples with the legacy of the Japanese Canadian internment, cultural disconnect, and loss, all while honoring her Bachan’s profound influence on her life.

Featuring:
Misty Cozac – actor
Francis Matheu – puppeteer/actor

Creative Team:
Misty Cozac – co-director/playwright
Kevin Eastman – co-director/stage manager

Video Participants: Booker and Mika Gurney; Skye Rohani; Natsuki Abe; and Mike Abe.

Genre: Drama with comedy
Runtime: 40 minutes
Show Contains: There are brief references to Japanese-Canadian internment in this play.

Gratitude: Thank you to Clayton Jevne; Claire McNelis; Atsuko Yano; Nicholas Guerreiro; Orla McNelis; Andrea Roldan Tapia; Laura Fox; Taylor Guidotti; Carol-Lynne Michaels; Trini Day; Mychal Pinkard; and Tim Gosley.

Please note as Misty and Francis are part of the Board of Between Words Theatre – this play will not be eligible for awards.