Ikebana (Living Flowers)

The door opens to the cloistered, seldom-seen society of Japan in the 1950’s. In this exotic tale of mystery, romance and tradition, two young women struggle to find their place in post-war Tokyo. Ayame seeks the traditional life of stability and acceptance through the symbolic beauty and simplicity of Ikebana – the perfect arrangement of delicate flowers. Hers is a world of design, beauty and balance. Enter into her tranquil existence Hanako who looks for the beauty in life through the fragile intangibles of freedom, opportunity and friendship. The paths these two women take are shaped by the men who love them, desire them and cannot live without them. How far will Ayame and Hanako go to find happiness? Shirley Jo Finney directs Velina Hasu Houston’s new play.