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Tom Patterson Theatre
May 23 – September 27 |
Opens June 18
Drama

FORGIVENESS


By Hiro Kanagawa

Adapted from the book Forgiveness: A Gift from my Grandparents by Mark Sakamoto

Directed by Stafford Arima


“IT'S SAID THE SCARS OF WAR, THE WOUNDS, THE PAIN, GET PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS.” 

Adapted from the Canada Reads-winning memoir by Mark Sakamoto, Forgiveness tells the story of two people traumatized but not broken by the Second World War. Mitsue Sakamoto and her family are sent to a civilian internment camp in the Canadian interior after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Ralph MacLean joins the Canadian army and endures years of privation in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp. When 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. An emotional map across time, this story of love and family is a testament to the power of choosing forgiveness over hatred.



The 2025 Season is supported by Ophelia Lazaridis.


Production Co-Sponsors:

Jody & Deborah Hamade

Three Generations of the Schubert Family

 


Photo Credit  Jeff Lillico and Yoshie Bancroft. Photography by Ted Belton.

CAST & CREATIVE

CAST

    Portrait of Yoshie Bancroft
    Yoshie Bancroft
    Mitsue

    (she/her)

    2025: Mitsue in Forgiveness and understudy in Anne of Green Gables. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Mizushōbai (Tableau d'Hôte); God Said This (Pacific Theatre); Forgiveness (Arts Club/Theatre Calgary); Exit, Pursued by a Bear (Globe); The Orchard (Arts Club); Griffin & Sabine (Belfry); JAPANESE PROBLEM (Universal Limited/Soulpepper); Pride & Prejudice (Chemainus); Home Is A Beautiful Word (Belfry/Persephone). Select Film/TV: Superman & Lois, Emily Owens M.D. (CW);  Bones of Crows (CBC);  Alaska, A Million Little Things (ABC); Bates Motel (A&E); Loudermilk (Prime).Podcast: Eli in Apocrypha Chronicles (re:Naissance Opera). Training: UBC. Awards: Jessie Award - Ithaka, Excavation Theatre; Jessie nom - The Double Axe Murders, Rusticate Theatre; META nom - Mizushōbai, Tableau d'Hôte; Vancouver Critic's Choice Award - JAPANESE PROBLEM, Universal Limited. Online: @YoshieBancroft.

    Portrait of Jeff Lillico
    Jeff Lillico
    Ralph

    (he/him)

    2025: Ralph Maclean in Forgiveness and Le Beau in As You Like It. Third season. Stratford: Shakespeare in Something Rotten!, Bertram in All's Well That Ends Well, Lucentio in The Taming of the Shrew. Most Recently: Dr. Pomatter in Waitress, MTC; Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest, Citadel Theatre; Mack in Fairview, Canadian Stage/Obsidian; Charles Kean in Red Velvet, Crow's Theatre. Elsewhere: Soulpepper (23 productions, including Of Human Bondage and Spoon River at Signature Theatre, Off-Broadway); Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Shaw Festival (5 seasons). Film/TV: Coffey in Netflix's Locke & Key, Fitzpatrick in On the Basis of Sex, Carl Jung on Murdoch Mysteries, Designated Survivor, Hudson & Rex, Nurses, Flashpoint, Copper. Awards: Dora Award for The Light in the Piazza. Five other Dora nominations. Online: Instagram: @jefflillico. Et cetera: Love and gratitude to Kimwun, my family and my agent, Emma.

    Portrait of Gabriel Antonacci
    Gabriel Antonacci
    Cooper

    Birmingham Conservatory, 2024

    2024: Cooper in Forgiveness, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. 12th season. Stratford: Peter in Something Rotten!, Gord in The Diviners, Romeo in Play On!, Al in A Chorus Line, Henrik Egerman in A Little Night Music, Rolf Gruber in The Sound of Music, Pinball Lad in Tommy, and appeared in Chicago, King Lear, Rent, Billy Elliot the Musical, The Rocky Horror Show, The Music Man, Guys and Dolls, HMS Pinafore, Fiddler on the Roof and Carousel. Elsewhere: Johnny alternate in Green Day's American Idiot (first US tour); Hank Majewski in Jersey Boys (Dancap); Gilbert in Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown). Film/TV: Captain von Trapp in The Pacifier. Training: Birmingham Conservatory, Etobicoke School of the Arts. Online: Twitter/Instagram: @GabrielNacci. Et cetera:  Huge thanks to Stratford and Colin McMurray. This season is dedicated to Gabe's Beautiful Wife Robin.

    Portrait of Sean Arbuckle
    Sean Arbuckle
    Ralph's Father

    (he/him)

    2025: Duke Frederick in As You Like It and Ralph's Father in Forgiveness. 23rd season. Stratford (selected): La Cage aux Folles, Richard III, Serving Elizabeth, Guys and Dolls, Julius Caesar, 42nd Street, A Little Night Music, The Neverending Story, Pericles, King John, The Pirates of Penzance, Titus Andronicus, Three Sisters, The Merchant of Venice, Cabaret, Trojan Women, The Tempest, As You Like It, Timon of Athens, The Swanne: Princess Charlotte, Macbeth, London Assurance, Twelfth Night, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Elsewhere (selected): Casey and Diana (Soulpepper); The Immigrant (Harold Green); London Road (Canadian Stage); Othello (Segal Centre); The Winter's Tale (McCarter/Shakespeare Theatre); Phèdre (A.C.T.); A Christmas Carol, The Turn of the Screw (Grand Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest (Roundabout); Copenhagen (US national tour). Film/TV: 12 Monkeys, Mayday, Murdoch Mysteries, Dark Matter, Reign, Defiance. Training: Juilliard. Awards: Dora Award and nomination, Toronto Theatre Critics' Award.

    Portrait of Tim Campbell
    Tim Campbell
    Understudy

    2025: Matthew Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables and understudy in Forgiveness. 13th season. Stratford: (Selected) Henry VIII, The Crucible, An Ideal Husband, To Kill a Mockingbird, Timon of AthensThe Changeling, All My Sons, Bunny, Macbeth, HamletJulius Caesar, The Tempest, As You Like It, Titus Andronicus, Henry IV (pt1 and 2), Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Antony and Cleopatra, Troilus and Cressida. Elsewhere: Fall On Your Knees (Canadian Stage/NAC/Neptune/Grand Theatre); Twelve Angry Men, Death of a Salesman, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Soulpepper); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Theatre Company, D.C.); Private Lives (Chicago Shakespeare). Film/TV: (Recent) The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), Brilliant Minds (NBC), A Season to Remember (OWN), SkyMed (CBS), Fellow Travellers (Showtime), Under the Banner of Heaven (FX), You Can Live Forever (Prospector Films), V/H/S '94 (Shudder), The Expanse (Syfy). Awards: Dora Award, Best Ensemble (Twelve Angry Men); 'Dora Mavor Moore' Guthrie Award.

    Portrait of Jacklyn Francis
    Jacklyn Francis
    Phyllis, Ralph's Mother

    2025: Phyllis, Ralph's Mother in Forgiveness, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. Ninth Season. Stratford: Rosemary (Hamlet-911), Madge Macbeth (1939), Patience Maria (Henry VIII), Stephanie Crawford (To Kill a Mockingbird), Calpurnia (Julius Caesar), Celia (As You Like It) and Caroline Bingley (Pride and Prejudice). Elsewhere: Thousand Islands Playhouse, Citadel Theatre, Blyth Festival, Shakespeare in the Ruff, Canadian Stage, Young People's Theatre, Theatre Northwest, Sudbury Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre, Resurgence Theatre, Theatre by the Bay, Brookstone Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times, Thought for Food, Equity Showcase, Toronto Fringe and SummerWorks. Film/TV: Welcome to Derry, Ruby and The Well, The Christmas Spirit (feature film), Re: Possessed Homes (short film), Murdoch Mysteries, Rookie Blue, Flashpoint, Little Mosque on the Prairie, Missing, Train 48, Our Hero, The City, F/X: The Series, Falling Fire. Awards: 2018 Tanya Award in recognition of excellence, and the Jean A. Chalmers Award.

    Portrait of June Fukumura
    June Fukumura
    Miyoko, Mrs. Yamamoto

    (she/her)

    2025: Miyoko, Mrs. Yamamoto in Forgiveness. Stratford debut. Self-created solo performance: Gloria Fukomachi - Grant Writing l0l (vActory); Gloria Fukomachi's Keynote Address (Vancouver Opera Indie Cabaret); My Name is SUMIKO (Vancouver Fringe Festival). Elsewhere: Miyoko, Mrs. Yamamoto in Forgiveness (Arts Club and Theatre Calgary); Shizu in Otosan (Little Onion Puppet Company). Film/TV: Guest star on Invasion Season 3, Pachinko Season 1 (Apple TV+); Joyride (Lions Gate Film and Point Grey Pictures). Voiceover: NPCs in 1000xResist (Sunset Visitors); Akiko in Handsome Molly (The Chop Theatre and JAR Audio); Mizuko in Mizuko (Play Me CBC Podcasts). Training: Simon Fraser University Theatre Performance, BFA. Awards: Pick of the Fringe - My Name is SUMIKO. Online: junefukumura.com, @june.fukumura Et cetera: June is the Co-Artistic Director of Popcorn Galaxies, an experimental theatre company creating new works in Vancouver since 2013. popcorngalaxies.ca

    Portrait of Steven Hao
    Steven Hao
    Ron, Ichiro

    2025: Jane Andrews in Anne of Green Gables and Ron, Ichiro in Forgiveness. Second season. Stratford: Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet and Li Shilong in Salesman in China. Elsewhere: Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Canadian Stage); Pirithous/Wooer in The Two Noble Kinsmen (Shakespeare Bash'd); Scott The Rat Man/Mr.Rumpelstiltskin in Storybook Search (Bad Hats Theatre); Cockroach in Cockroach (Tarragon Theatre); Duke of Burgundy/Gentleman in King Lear (Shakespeare Bash'd); Dionysus/Zeus in Trojan Girls & Outhouse of Atreus (Outside the March/Factory Theatre). Director: A Perfect Bowl of Pho (Kick & Push Festival/Toronto Fringe Festival); Death to Prometheans (Studio 180); Ordinary Days (Shifting Ground Collective). Training: Toronto Metropolitan University. Awards: Toronto Workshop Productions (George Luscombe Award); Dora Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble. Online: @steven_haoby. Et cetera: Please say hi if you ever encounter Steven on the street! 

    Portrait of Manami Hara
    Manami Hara
    Tomi

    2025: Tomi in Forgiveness and understudy in Anne of Green Gables. Stratford debut. 

    Portrait of Hiro Kanagawa
    Hiro Kanagawa
    Yosuke, Kato

    (he/him)

    2025: Playwright, and plays Yosuke and Kato in Forgiveness and Corin in As You Like It. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Sam Shikaze in Yellow Fever (Firehall Arts Centre), Boo-Seng in Durango (Theatre Smash/fu-GEN), Serge in Art (Gateway Theatre), Sender in Tear the Curtain! (Arts Club/Electric Company). Film/TV: Over 200 credits including: Shogun, Avatar: The Last AirbenderOrphan: First Kill, Star Trek: Discovery, Kim's Convenience, The Good Doctor, Altered Carbon, The X-Files, Best in Show. Training: MFA - Simon Fraser University, BA - Middlebury College. Writing Awards: Governor General's Literary Award and Jessie Richardson Award - Indian Arm; Betty Mitchell Award and Calgary Theatre Critics' Award - Forgiveness. Acting Awards: UBCP/ACTRA Award - Deeper I Go (Fedora Films); Jessie Richardson Award - A View From the Bridge (Pacific Theatre). Online: www.hirokanagawa.com. Instagram and X: @hirokanagawatv.

    Portrait of Allison Lynch
    Allison Lynch
    Diane, Socialite

    2025: Composer, and plays Diane and Socialite in Forgiveness and understudy in Anne of Green Gables. Stratford debut. Allison has appeared as an actor, singer, MD or sound designer/composer on stages across Canada and internationally, including the NAC, The Grand, Drayton Festival, Arts Club, Persephone, Rainbow Stage, Calgary Folk Festival, the Malaysian Philharmonic, Calgary International Jazz Festival among others, and as a soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic. Allison has five Betty Mitchell Awards - four for acting, one for Outstanding Score - and a Critic's choice award (Outstanding Design) from the Victoria Regional Awards. Allison wrote and performed the song "Try" for episode 6 of Hudson on CBC Gem and recently scored seven documentary shorts for the new SAM Centre at the Calgary Stampede. Allison was named one of Avenue Magazine's 2024 'Top 40 Under 40.' Her album Skin & Flame is available on all streaming platforms. Love to Joe.

    Portrait of Michael Man
    Michael Man
    Hideo

    2025: Silvius in As You Like It and Hideo in Forgiveness. Stratford debut. 

    Portrait of Silvae Mercedes
    Silvae Mercedes

    (she/they) Birmingham Conservatory 2025/2026

    2025: Audrey in As You Like It, appears in Dangerous Liaisons and understudy in Forgiveness. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Quartet (Other Hearts/VideoCabaret); Mad Ones (Tangled Art + Disability); Johnny Belinda (Smile Theatre); Lil' Red, Jack and the Beanstalk, Treasure Island, Three Musketeers (Stirling Festival Theatre). Film/TV: Murdoch Mysteries, Good Witch, Call Me Fitz. Training: B.A. Honours English, Creative Writing and Interdisciplinary Sexuality Studies (Concordia University); Musical Theatre (American Musical and Dramatic Academy NYC); Theatre (Interlochen Arts Academy). Online: www.otherhearts.ca. Et cetera: Vae is a Mad performance artist, Dora-nominated designer and poet (Toronto International Festival of Authors New Embassy; The /t3mz/ Review Issue 22). Eternal gratitude to my community and especially to Cake, who constantly remind me that "the thing perhaps is / to eat flowers and not to be afraid."

    Portrait of Evan Mercer
    Evan Mercer

    Birmingham Conservatory, 2024

    2025: Appears in As You Like It, Forgiveness and Dangerous Liaisons. Second season.

    Portrait of Doug Oyama
    Doug Oyama
    Stan, Pat

    (he/him)

    2025: Stan, Pat in Forgiveness and understudy in Anne of Green Gables. Stratford debut.  Elsewhere: Max in The Little Mighty Superhero (Geordie Theatre); Reverend Parris in The Crucible (Canadian College of Performing Arts); Valentine in Two Gentlemen of Verona (Greater Victoria Shakespeare Festival); Marshall in 7 Stories, Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone (UVic); Various roles in Beginning/Middle/End (Victoria Fringe); Ferdinand in The Tempest (GVSF); E. Antipholus in The Comedy of Errors (UVic); Horatio in Hamlet (UVic Student Alternative Theatre Company); Pierre in The Madwoman of Chaillot, Jacques in The Inspector (UVic). Film/TV: Ry (principal) in Cruel Intentions (Amazon Prime). Training: University of Victoria, The Phoenix Theatre. Online: @dougoyama. Et cetera: Doug would like to dedicate this performance to his mother Yukari, his partner Lara, and his cat Momo.

    Portrait of Joe Perry
    Joe Perry
    Deighton, Adams

    (he/him) Birmingham Conservatory, 2025/2026

    2025: Deighton, Adams in Forgiveness, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Dangerous Liaisons. Stratford debut. Elsewhere (Selected): A Christmas Carol (Theatre Calgary 2015, 2016, 2023, 2024); The Woman In Black, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Extractionist (Vertigo Theatre); Premium Content, Air (Major Matt Mason); Chariots Of Fire (Rosebud Theatre/Grand); Gordon (Theatre Network); This Is War (Punctuate); The Circle (Alberta Theatre Projects); SIA (Downstage Theatre). Film/TV (Selected): The Expanse (Amazon Prime); Black Summer (Netflix); Range Roads, O Brazen Age, The Valley Below (North Country Cinema); Blood Mountain (Nocturnal Productions). Training: BFA acting - University of Alberta, Mount Royal College. Awards: Several Outstanding Performer nominations, including Betty Mitchell Theatre Awards, Calgary Critics Award, Sterling Theatre Awards, and Rosie Film and TV Awards. Online: joewperry.com, @Joewperry. Et cetera: Love to Allison and to his family in Alberta.
    Portrait of Leon Qin
    Leon Qin

    2025: Le Chevalier Danceny in Dangerous Liaisons and appears in As You Like It and Forgiveness. Stratford debut.

    Portrait of Nadine Villasin
    Nadine Villasin

    (she/her) Birmingham Conservatory 2025/2026

    2025: Madame de Volanges in Dangerous Liaisons, appears in As You Like It and understudy in Forgiveness. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Polonia in Hamlet (The Shakespeare Co, Hit & Myth), She in Lesson in Forgetting (Pleiades), Phoenix/Empress Dowager in The Forbidden Phoenix (Citadel, YPT), Mimi in Singkil (Fu-Gen), Karen in Gladstone Variations (Convergence). Nadine also co-wrote and performed as Jennifer in Miss Orient(ed) and Lorna/Geline in PEOPLE POWER (Carlos Bulosan Theatre/Teesri Duniya). Training: Birmingham Conservatory 25/26. Awards: Dora Nomination - The Forbidden Phoenix. Online: @beanbabble. Et cetera: Nadine is forever grateful to her first artistic home, Carlos Bulosan Theatre, and would like to give a shout out to all arts organizations for continuing to do the challenging work of keeping theatre, arts and culture alive. She dedicates this season to her loving mom Fely, her babycakes Maxine, and to the holder of her heart, Troy.

    Portrait of Jennifer Villaverde
    Jennifer Villaverde

    (she/her)

    2025: Miss Stacey, Prissy, Mrs. Spencer, Mrs. Barry in Anne of Green Gables and understudy in Forgiveness. Third season. Stratford: Millicent Flores in Get That Hope, Lisette de Courval in Les Belles-Soeurs, King Lear, and Much Ado About Nothing. Elsewhere (selected): Rapunzel (Capitol Theatre); POTUS (Segal); Wedding at Aulis, Animal Farm, Alligator Pie, As You Like It, Threepenny Opera, The Time of Your Life (Soulpepper); James and the Giant Peach, Hana's Suitcase, Seussical: The Musical, A Year With Frog & Toad, Blue Planet (YPT); Vietgone, Top Girls, My Fair Lady (RMTC). Film/TV: The Understudy (Stratford/ Paunch Pictures), Handmaid's Tale (Hulu), desync (Sheridan). Voiceover: Hyperscape (Ubisoft), Stillwater School for Mosquitoes (Bad Hats/The Mulligans). Awards: Guthrie Award (2023 Elliot Hayes Playwright Development Fund). Online: Instagram: @jennifer_villaverde. Et cetera: Maraming salamat to Cynthia & Cam. Jennifer is also a proud hockey mom - Go, Aces!
    Portrait of Norman Yeung
    Norman Yeung

    2025: Major-Domo in Dangerous Liaisons and appears in As You Like It and Forgiveness. Third season.

CREATIVE

    Hiro Kanagawa
    Playwright

    (he/him)

    2025: Playwright, and plays Yosuke and Kato in Forgiveness and Corin in As You Like It. Stratford debut. Elsewhere: Sam Shikaze in Yellow Fever (Firehall Arts Centre), Boo-Seng in Durango (Theatre Smash/fu-GEN), Serge in Art (Gateway Theatre), Sender in Tear the Curtain! (Arts Club/Electric Company). Film/TV: Over 200 credits including: Shogun, Avatar: The Last AirbenderOrphan: First Kill, Star Trek: Discovery, Kim's Convenience, The Good Doctor, Altered Carbon, The X-Files, Best in Show. Training: MFA - Simon Fraser University, BA - Middlebury College. Writing Awards: Governor General's Literary Award and Jessie Richardson Award - Indian Arm; Betty Mitchell Award and Calgary Theatre Critics' Award - Forgiveness. Acting Awards: UBCP/ACTRA Award - Deeper I Go (Fedora Films); Jessie Richardson Award - A View From the Bridge (Pacific Theatre). Online: www.hirokanagawa.com. Instagram and X: @hirokanagawatv.

    Stafford Arima
    Director

    (he/him)

    2025: Director of Forgiveness. Second season. Stratford: Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Broadway and West End: Allegiance (Broadway); Seussical (Associate Director, Broadway); A Class Act (Associate Director, Broadway); Ragtime (West End). Off-Broadway: Altar Boyz; Carrie: The Musical; The Tin Pan Alley Rag; Saturday Night; bare; Two Class Acts. USA: Dial M For Murder (The Old Globe); Bhangin' It (La Jolla Playhouse); Abyssinia (Goodspeed Musicals); Candide (San Francisco Symphony); Poster Boy (Williamstown Theatre Festival); Ace (Cincinnati Playhouse); Bright Lights, Big City (Prince Music Theater); Miss Saigon (Broadway At Music Circus). International: The Secret Garden (Tokyo); Broadway Dreams (Moscow); Bhangra Nation (UK). Theatre Calgary: A Christmas Carol; Mary and Max the Musical; Billy Elliot. Training: York University. Online: staffordarima.com. Et cetera: Artistic Director, Theatre Calgary.

    Lorenzo Savoini
    Set and Costume Designer

    2025: Set designer of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and set and costume designer of Forgiveness. 12th season.

    Allison Lynch
    Composer

    2025: Composer, and plays Diane and Socialite in Forgiveness and understudy in Anne of Green Gables. Stratford debut. Allison has appeared as an actor, singer, MD or sound designer/composer on stages across Canada and internationally, including the NAC, The Grand, Drayton Festival, Arts Club, Persephone, Rainbow Stage, Calgary Folk Festival, the Malaysian Philharmonic, Calgary International Jazz Festival among others, and as a soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic. Allison has five Betty Mitchell Awards - four for acting, one for Outstanding Score - and a Critic's choice award (Outstanding Design) from the Victoria Regional Awards. Allison wrote and performed the song "Try" for episode 6 of Hudson on CBC Gem and recently scored seven documentary shorts for the new SAM Centre at the Calgary Stampede. Allison was named one of Avenue Magazine's 2024 'Top 40 Under 40.' Her album Skin & Flame is available on all streaming platforms. Love to Joe.

    Olivia Wheeler
    Sound Designer

    2025: Sound designer of Forgiveness. Fourth season.

PLAY SCHEDULE

Take advantage of various special deals to save on tickets!
Fri, May 23
2:00 PM
Wed, May 28
8:00 PM
Thu, May 29
8:00 PM

TOM PATTERSON THEATRE  
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