Experience “Defining Courage” with new stories and new music at the Aratani Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St. in Little Tokyo, on Thursday, Feb. 19, from 7 to 9 p.m.
This expanded production launches the 2026 national tour with never-before-heard musical compositions and newly uncovered stories of Japanese American World War II soldiers. Even if you attended the 2023 performance at The Aratani, this show offers fresh perspectives and deeper insights into the extraordinary legacy of the Nisei soldiers who served in the segregated military units of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, and 522nd Field Artillery Battalion.
Considered among the greatest fighting units in American military history, their extraordinary stories from Europe to the Pacific have rarely been heard.
Through immersive storytelling, live music performed by Grammy-winner Daniel Ho and the RAISE Choir, and stunning cinematography, audiences will discover stories of heroism that continue to inspire.
Narrated by Emmy-winning ABC7 Los Angeles news anchor David Ono, this is more than a history lesson — it’s a testament to inner strength that inspires us in our search for courage today.
Presented by Story Boldly, the Japanese American National Museum, and Outside In Theatre, with support from The Henri and Tomoye Takahashi Charitable Foundation. Funded in part by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant..
Tickets are $30 plus $3 fee. Go to: https://jaccc.org/events/defining-courage-2026/
Upcoming shows include Meany Center for the Performing Arts, University of Washington, Seattle on April 11; Salta Lake City on May 29; and Heart Mountain in Wyoming on July 24. For more information: https://definingcourageshow.com/
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