# The Strange Library at Z Below, November 20, 2024

[Z Space](https://www.zspace.org/murakami) and [Word for Word](https://www.zspace.org/aboutwordforword) present _The Strange Library_ by Haruki Murakami  
[Z Below](https://www.zspace.org/zbelow)  
[470 Florida St, San Francisco, CA 94110-1413 USA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=470+Florida+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94110-1413+USA&hl=en)  
7:00 PM, Wednesday, November 20, 2024

[[2024-11-17|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2024|Up to the 2024 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2024#November_events|Up to the 2024 event list!]] ☸ [[2024-11-22|On to the next event!]]

[{{:2024:2024-11:20241120_promo.png?300|Promo art for tonight's show}}]

## One Act

Doh! I didn't keep track of the time ... libraries can be so engrossing!
My recollection is that we arrived about 6:45 PM, milled about briefly, then entered the strange world of this production. There wasn't much of obvious interest to the lobby displays, but it's entirely possible that I missed out on spotting more than one secret delight. The gallery of banned books was a claustrophobic little nook, with barely enough room for one large patron to investigate: perfect for private study of forbidden knowledge? The show ended soon after 8 PM, and while the lobby may have been redecorated for post-show investigations, I didn't stick around to find out: fresh air was calling!

## Performers

* Julie Kuwabara: Sheep Man;
* Chuck Lacson: maid, librarian, Ibn Armut Hasır (a Turkish tax collector);
* Jed Parsario: the Boy;
* Vivienne Truong: Mother;
* Ogie Zulueta: Old Man.

### Production Credits

* Lisa Hori-Garcia: Co-Director;
* Keiko Shimosato Carreiro: Co-Director;
* Karen Runk: Stage Manager;
* Tina Mosier: Assistant Stage Manager;
* Justin Schlegel: Production Manager;
* Mikiko Uesugi: Scenic Design;
* [Lana Palmer](http://www.lanapalmer.com/): Sound Design / Projections;
* Jim Cave: Lighting Design;
* Laura Hazlett: Costume Design;
* Leah Hammond: Prop Design;
* Ai Ebashi: Dramaturgy;
* Nick Ishimaru: Choreography.

## Notes

It took me a few minutes, but eventually I was able to drop my preconceptions and slip into the bizarre world of Haruki Murakami's _the Strange Library_ as performed by [Word for Word](https://www.zspace.org/aboutwordforword). I particularly enjoyed how fragments of the text were passed among the performers: the aural effect of that effort was surprisingly delightful, and the smooth cadence of their delivery evidenced proof of much practice together.

Mary Lou Herlihy posted a [review](https://theatrius.com/2024/11/21/the-strange-library-beckons-with-masterful-sleight-of-hand-at-word-for-word/) for the Bay Area's Theatrius blog that includes several excellent photos.

Lily Janiak posted a [review](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/theater/strange-library-murakami-stage-adaptation-19872070) of the show to SFGate that also includes a few photos.

{{tag>theater Word_for_Word Z_Below Julie_Kuwabara Chuck_Lacson Jed_Parsario Vivienne_Truong Ogie_Zulueta Lisa_Hori-Garcia Keiko_Shimosato_Carreiro Karen_Runk Tina_Mosier Justin_Schlegel Mikiko_Uesugi Lana_Palmer Jim_Cave Laura_Hazlett Leah_Hammond Ai_Ebashi Nick_Ishimaru}}

[[2024-11-17|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2024|Up to the 2024 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2024#November_events|Up to the 2024 event list!]] ☸ [[2024-11-22|On to the next event!]]