May 23, 2025… Forgiveness, the story of two families profoundly affected by the events of the Second World War, starts performances at the Stratford Festival today. This deeply moving stage adaptation written by Hiro Kanagawa and directed by Stafford Arima, is based on the Canada Reads-winning memoir Forgiveness: A Gift From My Grandparents by Mark Sakamoto.
Led by Yoshie Bancroft and Jeff Lillico, the play spans two generations and two families who in their union live as a testament to the power of choosing forgiveness over hatred.
It follows Mitsue Sakamoto and her family, who are sent to a civilian internment camp in the Canadian interior after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. At the same time, Ralph MacLean joins the Canadian army and endures years of privation in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. Years after the conflict ends, Mitsue and Ralph are forced to confront their long-buried anger and grief when Mitsue’s son and Ralph’s daughter fall in love.
“War is the catalyst that sets the events of the play in motion,” says Arima. “Its brutality manifests in the suffering experienced by all the characters. War in this context isn’t just about battles, it’s also about the loss, trauma and deep-seated prejudices that arise between nations and communities.”
But love centres the story’s narrative becoming the unseen force that inspires the characters to overcome even the most deeply rooted animosities.
Forgiveness features Yoshie Bancroft as Mitsue Sakamoto and Jeff Lillico as Ralph MacLean, with Gabriel Antonacci as Coop, Sean Arbuckle as Ralph’s Father, Tim Campbell, Jacklyn Frances as Phyllis, Ralph’s Mother, Mrs. Rutt, Darlene, June Fukumura as Miyoko, Mrs. Yamamoto, Hong Kong Woman, 郝邦宇 Steven Hao as Ron, Ichiro, Manami Hara as Tomi, Hiro Kanagawa as Yosuke, Kato, Allison Lynch as Diane, Socialite, Michael Man as Hideo, Silvae Mercedes, Evan Mercer, John Ng, Douglas Oyama as Stan, Pat, Joe Perry as Deighton, Adams, Leon Qin, Nadine Villasin, Jennifer Villaverde and Norman Yeung.
The creative team includes Set and Costume Designer Lorenzo Savoini, Lighting Designer
Kaileigh Krysztofiak, Original Illustrations and Animations by Cindy Mochizuki, Projection Designer Sammy Chien (Chimerik 似不像), Composer Allison Lynch, Sound Designer Olivia Wheeler, Fight and Intimacy Director Anita Nittoly, and Choreographer Stephanie Graham.
Forgiveness has its official opening on June 18 and runs until September 27 at the Tom Patterson Theatre. Tickets are available at stratfordfestival.ca or by calling 1.800.567.1600.
The 2025 season also features As You Like It, Annie, Sense and Sensibility, Dangerous Liaisons, Macbeth, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Anne of Green Gables, The Winter’s Tale, Ransacking Troy and The Art of War. For more information, visit stratfordfestival.ca.
The 2025 season is generously supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.
Proud 2025 Season Partners: BMO Financial Group, Canada Life and RBC Royal Bank.
Support for the 2025 season of the Tom Patterson Theatre is generously provided by BMO Financial Group.
Production support is generously provided by Jody & Deborah Hamade and Three Generations of the Schubert Family.
CAST (in alphabetical order)
Gabriel Antonacci Coop, Hastings Officer
Sean Arbuckle Ralph’s Father, Mortimer, Recruiter
Yoshie Bancroft Mitsue Sakamoto
Tim Campbell Understudy
Jacklyn Francis Phyllis, Ralph’s Mother, Mrs. Rutt, Darlene
June Fukumura Miyoko, Mrs. Yamamoto, Hong Kong Woman
郝邦宇 Steven Hao Ron, Ichiro, Japanese Soldier, Motoharu, Joji, Launderer, Chinese Prisoner
Manami Hara Tomi, Chinese Launderer’s Wife
Hiro Kanagawa Yosuke, Kato
Jeff Lillico Ralph MacLean
Allison Lynch Diane, Socialite, Soldier, Nurse, Woman on Train
Michael Man Hideo
Silvae Mercedes Ensemble
Evan Mercer Ensemble
John Ng Ensemble
Douglas Oyama Stan, Pat, Japanese Soldier
Joe Perry Deighton, Adams, Curfew Officer, Hastings Guard
Leon Qin Ensemble
Nadine Villasin Ensemble
Jennifer Villaverde Ensemble
Norman Yeung Ensemble
ARTISTIC CREDITS
Director Stafford Arima
Set and Costume Designer Lorenzo Savoini
Lighting Designer Kaileigh Krysztofiak
Original Illustrations and Animations Cindy Mochizuki
Projection Designer Sammy Chien (Chimerik 似不像)
Composer Allison Lynch
Sound Designer Olivia Wheeler
Fight and Intimacy Director Anita Nittoly
Choreographer Stephanie Graham
Assistant Director Manami Hara
Assistant Set and Costume Designer Jennifer Stewart
Assistant Lighting Designer 김수지Sooji Kim
Assistant Projection Designer Corwin Ferguson
Associate Fight Director David Chinchilla
Stage Manager Alice Ferreyra Galliani
Assistant Stage Manager Judy Farthing
Assistant Stage Manager Elizabeth McDermott
Apprentice Stage Manager Lourdess (Louey) Sumners
Production Stage Manager Meghan Callan
Production Stage Manager Bruno Gonsalves
Production Assistant Brady Hillman
Cultural Consultant and Japanese Canadian Dialect Coach Julie Tamiko Manning
Japanese Language Consultant Hiro Kanagawa
East Coast Dialect Consultant Evan Mercer
Cantonese Translator Michael Man
War Consultant Peter Colenutt
Technical Director Greg Dougherty
