Next Thursday the curtain rises on the 107th season of Tokyo International Players. This longevity would be an impressive record for any volunteer theatrical company. It is particularly impressive in Tokyo, where since 1896 TIP has survived both natural and man-made disasters, and overcome the uncertainties of a constantly changing international community. Theater lovers here have ensured that the show would still go on, that productions would meet professional standards, and that English-speaking audiences would be delighted.
President for the new season is John Owens, an energetic leader who accepted the position when the previous president suddenly left Tokyo. This is not the first time John has filled an unexpected TIP breach. He did it two years ago when he became TIP's vice president after the untimely death of David Thompson. At short notice then, he also took over directing the production of "The Nerd."
John has a commanding stage presence and a powerful voice. In his immersion in TIP activities, he is a fertile source of innovative ideas. Born in Atlanta, he says that in his youth he moved around a lot. He entered the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla., where he majored in theater performance. He regards this university as having "one of the finest undergraduate programs in the USA." By the time he graduated, he felt himself equipped to handle every requirement that goes into making full-scale theater performance, from set design and costumes to lighting, wigs and props.