Romeo and Juliet are alive … in San Juan Bautista

If you think Romeo and Juliet had it rough, go see San Juan Bautista’s El Teatro Campesino’s “Valley of the Heart.” Luis Valdez’ new play is the story of two young lovers, Thelma (Teruko) Yamaguchi, an American-born Japanese (Nisei) and Benjie Montaña, (Chicano), who fall in love at the beginning of World War II.
The Yamaguchi family lease a farm in Cupertino where the Montaña family are share-croppers. Naturally, Yamaguchi senior does not notice that his daughter and his foreman’s son have fallen in love. Like a good Japanese father, according to tradition, he is planning Thelma’s wedding to the son of a friend, Calvin Sakamoto.
Until 1948, it was against the law for an Oriental person to marry a Caucasian. Mexican-Americans were considered Caucasian because they were descended from the Spanish conquerors of Mexico. The parental, legal and societal pressures the young lovers must overcome are monumental, especially after the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and President Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 9066. This required all West Coast Japanese, whether born in the United States or not, to be confined into concentration camps.
This small, local amateur theater company, along with Equity actor Randall Nakano as the father, does an excellent job of acting and singing their way through Valdez’ play, which is really an operetta. The scenery, especially the background shoji screens casting various images, was very effective. The audience of about 160 people (this is a small theater) loved the international (Japanese and Spanish) dialogue and music. In spite of the painful subject matter, there was plenty of humor and an affirmation of life not often found in today’s entertainment.
Except for a few swear words, the play is acceptable for young adults. In fact, if they could tape this play without the swear words, this would be an excellent teaching tool in elementary schools’ California history classes.
• Performances are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. at 705 Fourth St., San Juan Bautista.
• Details: (831) 623-2444 or visit elteatrocampesino.com.