past projects

DISENCHANTED!

Directed by Scott Guggenheim. Forget the princesses you think you know: these royal renegades are here to comically belt out the truth and bring their hilariously subversive, not-for-the-kiddies musical to you – and what you thought about princesses will never be the same!  In DISENCHANTED!, ten of your favorite original storybook heroines are none-too-happy with the way they’ve been portrayed in today’s pop culture so they’ve tossed their tiaras and have come to life to set the record straight. And while Disenchanted! certainly rips Walt a new one and tells the princes exactly where they can stick their happily ever afters, it also celebrates individuality and promotes that beauty is from within smashing all stereotypes of what a traditional Disney princess should look and be like. Eiko appeared as Hua Mulan and Pocahontas.

October 12 - November 5, 2023

3 Below Theater

CYMBELINE

Directed by Maryssa Wanlass. Shakespeare’s epic romantic adventure, is believed to be one of his final plays and features a dazzling mix of comedy, tragedy, and fairy tale.  King Cymbeline of Britain has banished Posthumus who has secretly married his daughter, Princess Imogen. A series of unimaginable misadventures ensue that test the strength of their commitment to each other and conclude with inventive scenes of revelation and joyous reconciliation. It toured Cupertino, Redwood City, San Francisco and made its final appearance on the CalShakes Stage in Orinda. Eiko appeared as Musician, Aviragus, Posthumus’ Mother, Lord, Lady

July 22 - September 24, 2023

San Francisco Shakespeare Festival

INTO THE WOODS

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by James Lapine. Directed and choreographed by Nicole Helfer, Music direction by Daniel Alley. Journey with Cinderella, the Baker, his Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and more of everyone’s favorite fairytale characters as they navigate the woods in search of wishes fulfilled. But be careful what you wish for…Eiko appeared as Jack’s Mother.

May 21, 28, June 4, 10, 11, 18, 2023

Mountain Play

“I MAKE THEATER, IN PART, AS AN ATTEMPT TO LIBERATE MYSELF FROM CONFINEMENT, CONVENTIONAL RULES, NORMS, AND STRUCTURES, AN ATTEMPT TO IMAGINE FREEDOM.” - VIRGINIA GRISE

Join us for this first time event in the Bay Area with the one of kind mind and master storyteller, Virginia Grise.

 This will be an invited talk led by Virginia discussing her vision and mission for making theatre NOW.  She will be joined by a stellar group of all stars from this workshop - the all women and on binary team: Doctora Karina Gutierrez, Maria Frangos, Hana Kadoyama, and actors: Chibueze Crouch, Lauren Garcia, Livia Gomes Demarci, Kina Kantor, Ana Maria Luera, Lulu Matute, Nora el Samahy, Jeuneé Simon, Lauren Spencer, Mia Tagano, Eiko Yamamoto

 Plays:

“All’s Well That Ends Well” (PlayOn commissioned translation)

“Their Dogs Came With Them” (adapted from the novel by Helena Maria Viramontes)

“Riding the Currents of the Wilding Winds” (a brand new piece that is still in the beginning stages)

 We invite you to be a part of an open rehearsal, focusing on the incredible, incendiary work of incomparable Virginia Grise. Describing her work is tough: you gotta experience it. But, of course, she puts it best: “From panzas to prisons, from street theatre to large-scale multimedia performances, from princes to chafe —  write plays that are set in bars without windows, barrio rooftops, and lesbian bedrooms.” 

 There will be readings of excerpts from Vicki’s translation of Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well as well as some brand new text making its way into the word for the first time. Most importantly, Vicki invites you to engage not just in a process, but in an active talk that will explore the intersections of activism and theatre, and what it means to produce work in a post-pandemic world-on-fire. 

Thursday June 1, 2023

 The Magic TheatrE

PLEASED AS PEACH
by Sky Kreuger
Directed by Rebecca Ennals
Obasan………….Eiko Yamamoto
Ojisan…………….Jomar Tagatac
Peach……………..………Isabel To
Georgia Peach/Stagehand……Carolina Morones

PlayGround

THE LAST TRAM

Directed by Nikki Meñez. Five strangers embark on the infamous Cannery Studios Tram Tour for one final time before the theme park officially closes. But nothing seems to be going right. Hallucinations, unruly animatronics, and a foreboding sense of doom accompany the riders in this horror play about the power and price of commercialized nostalgia.

Eiko appeared as Sunny

PLAYWRIGHTS FOUNDATION | CROWDED FIRE

CLUE

Directed by Susi Damilano. Based on the iconic 1985 film – which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game – Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. At a remote mansion, six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. As the body count rises, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard, and Wadsworth, the butler, race to find the killer. Clue is the comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out WHO did it, WHERE, and with WHAT?!

March 9 - April 22, 2023

San Francisco Playhouse

Super Secret Society of Spectacled Spectators* welcomes you to a unique evening irreverently exploring classic literature, technology, art, and ideas that will be anything but the expected. The Tabard Theatre Company and StoryPunk present a one-of-a-kind evening exploring timeless literary classics and the inexorable march of progress. This irreverent comedy, inspired by contemporary comedy classics of the American stage like The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) and The Regard of Flight, invites audience members to join Bay Area stage veteran, Bora “Max” Koknar, on a theatrical journey like no other.  

Our mission: to honor and celebrate the work of a different legend from the literary canon with each performance. To this end, each night, Max will be joined by a celebrity guest from the local arts and culture sector to perform the show. Our guests choose the classic author of the night and share their experiences about the work of that literary giant. Except there is one catch: They must do this all while performing in a play they have never read or rehearsed! 

The Tabard Theatre Company

Executive Producer Peggy Haas has assembled an all-star creative team including director Liam Vincent. The show will feature magnificent costumes by Alina Bokovikova and production design by Sean Riley. International music legend Mason Williams and musical director Bill Keck will create a whimsical score for the show featuring pop and classic rock songs with re-written lyrics. Writers are Stephanie Brown and Richard Ciccarone along with production dramaturgs Christine Nicholson and Luther Hanson. Technical director Jeff Gregory, production manager Patty Ann Farrell, choreographer Stacey Printz, assistant director Phoebe Angeni, and casting director Annie Stuart complete the team.

The cast includes Rotimi Agbabiaka, Curt Branom, Renée Lubin, Danny Scheie, Sharon Shao, Matthew Kropschot, Andre Amarotico, Jaime Miller Bardacke, Daniel Benitez, Phaedra Tillery Boughton, Jen Brooks, Maggie Connard, Ruby Day, Jeffrey Mercury Van Sciver, Merrill Grant, M. Javi Harnly, Kaylee Miltersen, Sarah Toby Moore, Scott Reardon, Gary Stanford Jr., Ryan Patrick Welsh, and Eiko Yamamoto.

Eiko originated the role of Pacifica in this world premiere

December 1-30, 2022

PRESIDIO THEATRE

FOLLIES

Book by James Goldman

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Bill English, director/ Dave Dobrusky, music director/ Nicole Helfer, Choreographer

Eiko appeared as Emily Whitman

It’s 1971, and theatrical impresario Dimitri Weismann is hosting a reunion of former Follies performers in his crumbling theatre, about to be demolished to make room for a parking lot. The artists gather for one last time, reminiscing about the past and contemplating their future, before the theater dims its lights for good. Surreal, sophisticated, compelling, heart wrenching and epic in scope, this legendary masterpiece uses the musical theatre as a metaphor for the collapse of American innocence and naiveté.

June 30-September 10, 2022

San Francisco Playhouse

WITCHCRAFT

Written by Joanna Baillie (1836) directed by Lesley Currier and presented as part of the Bay Area WTF MiniFestival: Classical Women Theatrical Reading Series. Eiko appeared as Lady Dungarren and first woman

Presented by Marin Shakespeare

Bay Area Women’s Theatre Festival

NEVERMIND

Written by Ai Aida and directed by Keiko Shimosato Carreiro as part of the Bay Area WTF MiniFestival: BIWOC+ Series. Eiko appeared as Irene (Ai).

March 7, 21, 20221

Presented by Kunoichi Productions

Bay Area Women’s Theatre Fesival

SHOSHANA IN DECEMBER

A stage reading of a new musical! Book by Rose Oser, lyrics by Weston Scott, music by Matt Grandy

Director: Maya Herbsman, Music Director: Jord Liu, Stage Manager: Jakob Bernardino, Graphic Designer Raisa Yavneh

The difference between a latke and a hash brown is obvious to Shoshana. It’s as obvious as the difference between being partnered with Danny or being single. But when Cecily invites Shoshana on a winter rendezvous, Shoshana leaps into a world that no longer feels straightforward. Shoshana in December is a new musical about Hanukkah, queerness, and the traditions we must create for ourselves.

Sara Felder as Rebecca; Michael O’Konis as Danny; John Mannion as Randy; Gabby Momah as Cecily; Marnina Schon* as Shoshana; Gary Stanford Jr. as Michael; Eiko Yamamoto as Elaine. *member, Actor’s Equity Association

December 15, 2021, 7:30 pm on the Steindler Stage

Z SpacE

THE 1940’s RADIO HOUR

Director and choreographer: Michelle Shannon; Music director: Rick Reynolds. Book by Walton Jones
Based on an idea by Walton Jones and Carol Lees
Music by various composers.

A different time is evoked in this marvelously theatrical and winning show, a live broadcast of a The Mutual Manhattan Variety Cavalcade from the Hotel Astor’s Algonquin Room on December 21, 1942. The spirit of that bygone era when the world was at war and pop music meant “Strike Up the Band” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” (both are in this show) is accurately captured as the harassed producer copes with a drunk lead singer, the delivery boy who wants a chance in front of the mike, the second banana who dreams of singing a ballad, and the trumpet playing sound effects man who chooses a fighter plane over Glenn Miller. Eiko appeared as Louise Cohn.

December 2-19, 2021

Hillbarn Theatre

THE BOOK OF WILL

Written by Lauren Gunderson and directed by Bruce McLeod. Following the death of iconic actor Richard Burbage, and still reeling from Shakespeare’s death three years earlier, the surviving senior members of the King’s Men acting company realize that without a herculean effort to amass the various scraps of surviving manuscripts, sides and prompt books, the works of Shakespeare could be lost to time entirely except for the unauthorized and inferior printings of a handful of his plays. The story of this compilation is brought to life.… in Lauren Gunderson’s vibrant play, The Book of Will.” -John Geoffrion, DC Theatre Scene, 2017. Eiko appeared as Elizabeth Condell.

November 5 - 21, 2021

Lohman Theatre

WORKING

*First onstage production after Covid

“I hear America singing.” Based on Studs Terkel’s bestselling book, this unique, Tony-nominated musical has been recently updated for the modern age and features the real-life words of average working Americans, set to music by a diverse collection of extraordinary story-telling songwriters including Lin-Manuel Miranda (IN THE HEIGHTS, HAMILTON) and Stephen Schwartz (WICKED), as well as Craig Carnelia and James Taylor. WORKING is a brilliant, hilarious, and heartwarming examination of the “essential” worker. Palo Alto Players, Palo Alto. Director: Patrick Klein; Music Director: Dolores Duran Cefalu; Choreographer: Stacey Reed. Photo credit: Scott Lasky

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle nominated “Working” as one of the best productions in South Peninsula for their 45th annual awards, for Theatre Year 2020/2021. Eiko appeared as Grace Clements: Millworker, Theresa Liu: Nanny, and Amanda McKenny: Project Manager

September 17 - October 3, 2021

Palo Alto Players

THE APARTMENT

Written by Claire Strofield and directed by Wynne Chan. Eiko appeared as the real estate agent.

July 11, 18, 25, 2021

The Playwrights’ CTR of SF

KENTUCKY

Hiro is a self-made woman making it in New York. But she is also single, almost thirty, and estranged from her dysfunctional family who lives in Kentucky. When her little sister, a born-again Christian, decides to marry at twenty-two, Hiro takes it upon herself to do whatever she can to stop the wedding and salvage any shred of hope she had about her sister’s future. The themes of identity, religion, and love collide in this unique coming-of-age story. Eiko appeared as Masako.

May 24, 2021

Contra Costa Civic Theatre

LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE

Eiko was so excited to perform in this first live show of Love, Loss, And What I Wore by Nora since the pandemic closed stages. Directed by Lee Ann Payne. Play On the Grounds. Eiko appeared as Heather, Geralyn, Nancy (gang sweater), Alex’s Mother, and Older Sister.

May 12-15, 2021

Montalvo Arts Center

Program One: live stream reading of SOON by Tyler Paranoia, directed by Katie Hipol Garcia. Eiko appeared as Erin. Program Two: prerecorded digital production of SIMULATION by Anne Yumi Kobori, directed by Wynne Chan. Eiko appeared as Chiyo Ersa JX4571.

March 27 - April 4, 2021

Pear Theatre

FANTASTICLAND

A new adapted play by M. E. Ianiro based on the novel FANTASTICLAND by Mike Bockoven. Directed by Alysia Homminga. A digital world premiere. Town Hall Theatre, Lafayette, CA. Eiko appeared as Regina Fresno.

March 11-April 7, 2021

Streaming available until September, 2021

Town Hall Theatre

KIA ORAÑA, JOE

Written by Rex McGregor. Eiko performed, filmed, directed, and edited this work as part of THE COVID MONOLOGUES: A collection to honor those who have died due to Covid 19. Eiko appeared as Tabby. Streams 1/26/2021 @ https://www.youtube.com/BreathOfFireTheater/videos

BREATH OF FIRE

DOWNTOWN CROSSING

On Marathon Monday, seven undocumented Bostonians cross paths on the Orange Line. When their train is delayed due to police action at Downtown Crossing, they share their stories — both hopeful and heart wrenching — in intimate, intersecting monologues that spotlight what it’s like to build a life while holding your breath.

DOWNTOWN CROSSING is the culmination of C1’s two-year Boston (un)Documented Project, during which C1 PlayLab alum David Valdes — supported by a partnership between Company One and the Boston Public Library — interviewed current and former undocumented immigrants, DACA recipients, immigrant rights advocates, community organizers, and family members of the undocumented from the Greater Boston area. With this fully realized virtual production — rehearsed and performed entirely online — C1 brings its long commitment to the pioneering of new theatrical forms to the digital space.

Eiko appeared as Sarom

Company One, Boston, MA

CO-EXIST PEER PANEL – THEATRE ARTISTS - WOMEN OF COLOR

Panelists: Christina Diaz, AnJu Hyppolite, Amissa Miller, Kimberly Ridgeway, Eiko Yamamoto

Fuse Theatre & Dragon Productions, Redwood City, CA

Saturday, September 26, 2020 @ 5p PT

Fuse Theatre and The Dragon are introducing new and revised online events for the upcoming 2020 Redwood City Play Festival program titled, Co-EXIST: stories of unlikely connection. Committing to expand online platforms and extending the festival throughout the coming months in an effort to open space for important conversations around racism and to support BIPOC and Queer artists – a new Short Play Clinic, Play Studio events, and Rotating Peer Panel discussions are among the planned events.

Fuse Theatre | Dragon Productions

ALMOST, MAINE

A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keep the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani’s Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost -- not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness -- experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery. Directed by Nicole Tung and presented by South Bay Musical Theatre as an online eStudio Readers’ Theatre production September 4, 2020.

Eiko appeared as Marci

South Bay Musical Theatre

Eiko was to appear as Escalus, Prince of Verona in ROMEO AND JULIET at their debut in Marin Shakespeare, directed by Robert Currier. August 28-September 27, 2020. The productions was cancelled due to COVID.

Marin Shakespeare

Eiko wrote poems and created artwork collectively with an ensemble of actors, performing AJ’S VIRTUAL PARTY. Directed by Nathanael Card.

Quotes from last night's audience:

Megan: "From an audience member's perspective, the chemistry of the group seemed so cohesive and solid-- amazing to think about how you were all working virtually, because the resulting products seem so unified."

Rich: "Amazing how it not only came together, but it was seamless and so engaging."

Jane: "Watching a group of people doing something they really loved was so amazing to watch right now. My heart is happy."

Jerome: "I loved that [spoiler] made me feel like we all participated in one large piece of art."

Kimberly: "Y'all are amazing. In your talents and your spirits. Thank you!"

July 31 - August 8, 2020.

The Dragon Productions Theatre Co

JUDICIAL PROCESS

An adaptation of Bertold Brecht, written and directed by Reg Clay as part of the online Play by Play series. Eiko appeared as Liang, the prosecuter.

May 31, 2020

Brooklyn Preserve

Eiko was thrilled to debut as Bloody Mary in SOUTH PACIFIC directed by Lee Ann Payne scheduled for May 16 - June 6, 2020. Unfortunately, the show was canceled due to the coronavirus.

South Bay Musical Theatre

STUPID FUCKING BIRD

Written by Aaron Posner and directed by Justin P. Lopez on an online reading on May 15, 2020. Eiko appeared as Emma.

BECAUSE I WENT THERE

Written by Hedvig Flores and directed by Stacey Ardelean as part of the Bay Area Women’s Theatre Festival, 2020. Eiko appeared as Mother and Judge.

April 29, 2020

Fuse TheatrE

Eiko was set to debut as Cinderella’s mother and Grandmother in INTO THE WOODS directed by Gary Craig Schoenfeld Jr. scheduled for March 27-April 19, 2020. The production was cancelled due to COVID.

Coastal Repertory Theatre

TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS

Directed by Bill English. Adapted by Nia Vardalos based on The New York Times Bestseller “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar.”

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle nominated “Tiny Beautiful Things” as one of the best productions in San Francisco for their 45th annual awards, for Theatre Year 2020/2021. Eiko understudied as Sugar (u/s) and Letter Writer #2 (u/s).

January 28 - March 7, 2020

San Francisco Playhouse

PRISCILLA DREAMS THE ANSWER

By Walt McCough. A stage reading directed by Michael J. Hawkins. LaVal’s Subterraneean Theatre, Berkeley, CA. Eiko appeared as Zop, the alien.

January 20, 2020

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley

THE COSPLAY’S THE THING

From zero to new Shakespeare play in two days!

Written by Doll Piccotto directed by Cynthia Lagodzinski. Silicon Valley Shakespeare and Foothill College produced this 48-hour play festival. In one weekend (48 hours!), a wide array of local artists start with nothing, write, rehearse, and do a full public performance of eight new short plays! Lohman Theatre, Los Altos, CA, . Eiko appeared as Ubernerd.

January 5, 2020

Silicon Valley Shakespeare

HOLIDAY BONUS directed by Samantha Hunnam at PianoFight in San Francisco, an immersive holiday theatre experience. Eiko appeared as Brenda.

November 18, 25, December 2, 10, 16, 2019

PianoFight

HELLO DOLLY!

Directed by Sue Ellen Nelson at the Douglas Morrisson Theatre, Hayward, CA. Eiko debuted as Ernestina Money.

November 8-24, 2019

Douglas Morrisson Theatre

CU CHULAINN by Kyle McReddie, directed by Liz Baker as part of The San Francisco Olympians Festival X: You’ve Got Gaul, . The theme of the evening was Heroes of Fire during the week 2 of Hail Britannia. The SF Olympians is one of the largest new works festivals in the Bay Area and one of the largest in the country. Eiko appeared as Mave.

November 6-23, 2019

Exit Theatre

Julia Izumi’s new play MIKU, AND THE GODS had a staged reading at San Francisco Playhouse directed by Brittany Searles.

Miku wants to be a god. Ephraim wants to be an Olympian. Grandma wants to remember. And Shara wants people to just include him in the conversation, you know? MIKU, AND THE GODS is an epic and small adventure that braids together friendship, death, memory, time, rhythm and power beyond what one could ever desire.

Eiko appeared as One Who Is Wise/ Gods.

October 7, 2019

San Francisco Playhouse

EUREKA DAY

Directed by Elizabeth Craven. Written by Jonathan Spector, a playwright and theatre-maker based in Oakland, California. His play EUREKA DAY premiered at Aurora Theatre in Berkeley last year, and won all of the region’s new play awards: Will Glickman Award, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award, Rella Lossy Award, and Theatre Bay Area Award.

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle nominated “Eureka Day” as one of the best productions in the Bay Area for their 44th annual awards, 2020 for Theatre Year 2019. Eiko appeared as Meiko.

August 30 - September 22, 2019

Spreckels Performing Arts Center

Young Writers of Color Collective (YWoCC)

Young Writers of Color Collective aims to equip the next generation of playwrights with the tools necessary to give voice to their stories, struggles, and triumphs. Over the course of a year, selected high school students participated in an intense study of playwriting, being taught and mentored by a range of professional Bay Area artists. Excerpts of their final piece was performed in a special event during the 2019 Ground Floor Summer Residency Lab. Eiko appeared as *

*Mari - Mari's Search| by Ayumi Beeler, dir. May Liang 

*Stephanie - Doing the Best We Can by Alex Parsino, dir. May Liang

*Mother - BBYG (Baby Girl) by Roan Pearl, dir. Nailah Harper-Malveaux 

*Doctor/ Teacher - Twisted Reality by Emmanuel Hibbert, dir. Nailah Harper-Malveaux

June 14-19, 2019

Berkeley Repertory TheatrE

FLOWER DRUM SONG

This was the revised book version by David Henry Hwang and directed by Lily Tung Crystal, choreographed by Alex Hsu, and musical direction by Amanda Ku.

FLOWER DRUM SONG is a 2019 Theatre Bay Area Awards Finalist for outstanding production, direction, and choreography for a musical. It was also a San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle “Go See” production.

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle nominated “Flower Drum Song” as one of the best productions in the Bay Area for their 44th annual awards, 2020 for Theatre Year 2019. Eiko was featured as Lee and played several character ensemble roles at her debut of

April 26-May 12, 2019

Palo Alto Players