Original work by Kate Anger will be performed Feb. 21 and 22 at The Box in Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The story of the Harada family’s struggles in Riverside will be told in an upcoming one-act play to raise funds to preserve the National Historic Landmark Harada House.

The upcoming play by Kate Anger chronicles the Harada family’s story and was informed by the nonfiction book “The House on Lemon Street” by Mark Rawitsch. The Harada House was declared a national landmark in 1990 after its involvement in the 1916-18 case California v. Harada. It is now overseen by the Riverside Metropolitan Museum.

The Harada family won a lawsuit that emanated from Japanese-born Jukichi Harada’s effort to buy property in the names of his American-born children. The Harada House civil rights case helped establish Asian immigrants’ right to own property.

Kate Anger has taught undergraduate playwriting at UC Riverside for the past eight years. Her plays have appeared at UCR and in numerous school tours, as well as the Los Angeles Theatre Center, Stella Adler Theatre and Ensemble Studio Theatre. She has published both fiction and non-fiction.

“The Riverside Metropolitan Museum and its supporters all very much appreciate the efforts of Kate Anger to help raise money for the Harada House,” Museum Director Sarah Mundy said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to support a local cause by supporting a local artist.”

Both performances will be at The Box in the Fox Entertainment Plaza at 3635 Market Street. The Friday performance begins at 7:00 p.m. and the Saturday performance begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., followed by the play at 7:30 p.m. and a Director’s Chat at 8:30 p.m.

Tickets for Friday’s show will be $10 per person or $35 for a family four-pack. Tickets for Saturday night’s fundraiser performance will be $50 per person.

Tickets can be purchased and further information can be found at www.riversideca.gov/museum