‘Hold These Truths’ play about Gordon Hirabayashi reprises bigger Seattle run

Ryun Yu portrays Gordon Hirabayashi. (Photo by Michael Lamont)
Ryun Yu portrays Gordon Hirabayashi. (Photo by Michael Lamont)

The 90-minute, one-man show “Hold These Truths,” has returned to the Seattle stage this year by popular demand.

Last year, the play sold out when it debuted at A Contemporary Theatre’s (ACT’s) Central Heating Lab (now ACTLab). This year, “Hold These Truths” moves to the ACT Mainstage for its inaugural multi-week run from July 17 through August 16.

The play, written by Los Angeles-based Jeanne Sakata, recounts former University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi’s long fight against the U.S.’s unconstitutional order to mass incarcerate West Coast Japanese Americans during World War II.

“It’s a fascinating saga, drawing on the man’s own eloquent writings and Sakata’s extensive interviews with him and other research for the touring show,” wrote Misha Berson, Seattle Times theater critic, last August. “Yet along with the appalling bigotry it re-enacts, ‘Hold These Truths’ is also surprisingly humorous and openhearted.”

This year’s rendition features Korean-American actor Ryun Yu portraying Hirabayashi and director Jessica Kubzansky.

Visit the ACT website to purchase tickets.