title: Yellow Fever (play)
text: # Yellow Fever (play)
  
  Yellow Fever is a play by R. A. Shiomi, which takes place on Powell Street in Japantown, Vancouver, a gathering place for the local Japanese-Canadian culture. Set in the 1970s, the Sam Spade-like main character, Sam Shikaze, must work to unravel the mysteries that surround him. First produced by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in 1982, it received positive reviews and had a successful run off-Broadway.
  
  ## Plot summary
  
  Sam Shikaze, a smooth private eye, narrates his own story about what happened when he was hired to find the missing Cherry Blossom Queen. He is soon trapped in a web of racism and political intrigue that seems to lead back to the Hong Kong tongs. Chuck Chan is a lawyer who tried to help solve the case, while Nancy Wing is a beautiful reporter who is searching for a story. Captain Kadota, an old friend of Sam's, offers his aid as a member of the police force, although Sam and Kadota do not see eye-to-eye on politics.
  
  ### Characters and actors in the premier production
  
  * Sam Shikaze (Donald Li)
  * Rosie (Carol Honda)
  * Goldberg (James Jenner)
  * Chuck Chan (Henry Yuk)
  * Nancy Wing (Freda Foh Shen)
  * Sergeant Mackenzie (Jeffrey Spolan)
  * Capt. Kenji Kadota (Ernest Abuba)
  * Superintendent Jameson (James Jenner)
  
  Presented by the Pan Asian Repertory Theater:
  
  * Raul Aranasm, stage director
  * Tisa Chang, artistic director
  * Susan Socolowski, administrative director
  
  ## Awards and honors
  
  * 1982: Bay Area Theater Circle Critics Award
  * 1982: "Bernie" for new play from the San Francisco Chronicle
  * 1983: Obie Award to Ernest Abuba for performance
  