Innocence International presents Miyoshi: An RCMP Interrogation at the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival. The play is a re-enactment of the actual 1995 interrogation of Jimmy Miyoshi, friend of Atif Rafay and Sebastian Burns who were both wrongly convicted in 2005 of the murders of the Rafay family. It reveals the ineptitude and the tunnel vision of the interrogators that lies at the center of this tragic injustice.
The play runs at the Havana Theatre, 1212 Commercial Drive, from September 6-15. Schedule available on Vancouver Fringe website.
PRESS RELEASE
“You don’t need to accept everything as true, you only have to accept it as necessary.” (The Trial, Franz Kafka)
“Miyoshi: An RCMP Interrogation” is based on never-before-revealed transcripts from the RCMP interrogation of Jimmy Miyoshi, a key witness in the 1995 Burns-Rafay murder trial.
In May of 1995, Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay were charged with the brutal murder of Rafay’s family in Bellevue Washington, based largely upon evidence from the RCMP sting operation called “Mr. Big” (a law enforcement technique prohibited in the U.S.). Posing as underworld crime figures, the RCMP exacted confessions from Burns and Rafay, both 18 at the time of the murder.
Almost 10 years later, Burns and Rafay were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The testimony of key witness and close friend of the boys, Jimmy Miyoshi, was instrumental in their conviction, but … did Jimmy give false evidence? Was he unduly pressured to give to false testimony on the stand? Are Burns and Rafay innocent? – Three Innocence Projects now believe so, and “Miyoshi, An RCMP Interrogation” reveals new evidence which suggests they were wrongfully convicted. We invite you to come see the play and decide for yourself!
Miyoshi: An RCMP Interrogation, will premiere at the Vancouver Fringe Festival this September (the 6th to the 15th at the Havana Theatre).
Produced by: Ken Klonsky and Innocence International
Directed by: Blake Melnick, CKO of the Knowledge Management Institute of Canada
Characters & Cast
Jimmy Miyoshi: Kai Bradbury
Staff Sargent Rinn: Cheryl Mullen
Constable Comrie: Rodney Decroo
Media and Communications
Poster Design: Erin Mugford
Social Media: Rowan Melnick
Communications and Press: Parker Melnick
BOX OFFICE GENERAL INFORMATION
The Fringe Box Office opens on September 4 at 4pm
1398 Cartwright Street on Granville Island (next to Waterfront Theatre)
Hours: 4pm-9pm weekdays and 12pm-9pm weekends
We accept cash, Visa, and MasterCard at the Fringe Box Office. This year at the venues we are only able to accept cash. Sorry, no Visa Debit!
Purchasing your tickets
Tickets are available at the door or in advance. You can buy memberships at the box office or at any venue.
Advance tickets are available online starting August 8 or at the Fringe Box Office only! If you are having trouble purchasing tickets, you can contact the Box Office Manager by email at boxoffice@vancouverfringe.com or at 604.762.5294. Please note there are no phone sales.
Important info:
With almost 700 performances happening over 11 days, we need to start every performance on time! We recommend arriving at least 20 minutes early to avoid disappointment. Some tickets will be sold at a FOH location 2 minutes from the venue. Patrons arriving after the performance has begun are not admitted under any circumstance. No Latecomers. No Refunds. No Exchanges. No Exceptions.
Wow, this is just great! A key component of this travesty of a case that is often not well understood. Kudos to all involved.
And our hope is that, after seeing the ‘play’, people will understand exactly what you mean by ‘travesty of a case’, although they are free to draw their own conclusions.