Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

The Teahouse of the August Moon is John Patrick's three-act play about American military efforts to introduce democracy and American culture to the Japanese people living on the island of Okinawa during the American Occupation of Japan, following World War II.

The stage is set with four bamboo panels, which raise and lower to reveal different scenes throughout the play. As the first scene begins, the strains of Oriental music are heard being played on a stringed instrument. A Japanese man, named Sakini, who is dressed in a combination of island clothes and American military accessories, comes to the front of the stage to address the audience.

Sakini describes the occupation of the American military forces on the island of Okinawa and hopes that it will be different from all the other times the island has been invaded by other countries...