Stories of Solidarity: The JA Experience in Five Points

Stories collected for the Stories of Solidarity project can be heard in the "Redline Groceries" store of memories, part of Japanese Arts Network's immersive theater production ZOTTO: A Supernatural Japanese Folktale. ZOTTO is an expansive collaboration between some of the most ground-breaking and genre-shattering theater makers currently operating in Denver and is brought to life by a superb, all-women cast. Audiences follow the mysterious fox spirit, Dr. Kitsu, into an immersive world where, through exploration, they'll unearth unexpected truths of both fact and lore. Engaging in this production with all five senses, audience members learn about the ghosts of Colorado's past, touching on issues of racism and gentrification as well as WWII incarceration, redlining and resettlement.

"ZOTTO confronts our ties to the past and emphasizes the joy in collective community healing and the lasting impact of the choices we make, asking what kind of ancestors we want to be for future generations," says Courtney Ozaki, Japanese Arts Network Founder and Creative Producer.

ZOTTO takes place in the heart of Denver's Japanese community at 1905 Lawrence Street in Sakura Square from November 18 to December 11, 2022. The project is spearheaded by Japanese Arts Network (JA-NE) and produced in conjunction with Luster Productions, Theatre Artibus and Control Group Productions. Tickets are on sale now at ja-ne.wellattended.com.

The premise: The mysterious Dr. Kitsu invites audience members to the ZOTTO Holistic Health Office, imploring them to help a fifth generation Japanese American patient, Miya, to find her grandmother. Audiences travel through lesser known histories of Denver and Colorado's past and journey into an immersive and guided world of exploration where they will encounter yokai, including the Japanese fox spirit character, Dr. Kitsu, while learning about the lived experiences of three generations of Japanese American women in Colorado.

Tickets to ZOTTO are on sale now! Make an appointment with Dr. Kitsu today, and purchase tickets at ja-ne.wellattended.com.

Learn more about ZOTTO at www.zottofolk.com.

ZOTTO is supported by Denver Arts & Venues through a contribution to the Arts in Society grant program.