TEXAS THESPIANS
  • Texas Thespians
    • Chapter Board
    • Staff
    • Our Organization
    • History
    • Hall of Fame >
      • Educator Awards
    • Contact Us
  • Events
    • State Festival >
      • 2022 Award Winners
    • Virtual Thespy and College Auditions 2022 - 2023
    • Educator Conference
    • Leadership Academy
    • Fine Arts Admin Day
    • Junior Regional Festivals
  • Opportunities
  • I Am A...
  • Resources
    • Texas Thespians Monthly
    • Flickr
    • Educator Resources
    • Job Postings
  • Advocacy
    • Local Advocacy
    • State/National Advocacy
    • Premiere Communities
    • Student Ambassadors
    • STOs >
      • Become an STO
      • STO Bios
      • STO Blog
    • Texas Theater Scholars
    • Theatre in Our Schools Month
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • DemocracyWorks Winners
    • Advocacy Resources
  • Store

Japanese Traditional Theatre (The Kabuki)

5/9/2022

0 Comments

 
By: STO Folarin Oyeleye, Foster High School, Troupe 7961


Today we travel overseas, so that we may familiarize ourselves with the elegance behind Japan's rich history in the theatre. There are three forms of traditional Japanese theatre: Kabuki, Noh, and Bunraku.  However, today we’re only going to focus on the kabuki. So, I hope you’re comfortable before we jump back into Japan’s Edo period.
During the late 16th century when Japan's warring period had begun to die down, people sought new ways to entertain themselves. This then gave birth to a certain style of dance known as the kabuki- odori. A woman known as Okuni bore costumes and surreal movements from the kabukimono to perform surreal acts for her audience.
This would then lead to the popularization of this theatrical style. As time went on they incorporated instruments such as the shamisen (A three- stringed guitar that gained popularity throughout the region of Tokyo). Even the stages grew to be elaborate, as they’re littered with trap doors and revolving sets to add to the dramatics.
This all adds to the resources they can use to tell their stories. With famous works such as: Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura, Benten Kozo, and Yotsuya Kaidan being notable for how the theatre can focus on historical tales, love stories, or tragedies.
If reading so far has made you interested in visiting one of these plays then some spots of interest to visit would be the kabuki- za theatre in Tokyo or the Kyōto Shijo Minami- za in Kyoto. However, make sure you're ready for the long haul. Although kabuki plays like to focus on the most important parts of a story, these plays usually have about five acts. The Jo is the slow beginning. The Ha is acts 2-4 with a tragedy often occurring in the 3rd act. And the Kyu is the conclusion.
I hope this has been as enlightening for you guy's as it was for me as I got to research this. As always, if you're interested in this topic feel free to do some research of your own and share some fun facts with us in the comments! 

Till next time,
Your 2021 Texas State Thespian Officers


Source: https://www.kyuhoshi.com/traditional-japanese-theatre/
https://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/kabuki/en/history/history1.html

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    August 2019
    November 2018
    March 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017

    Categories

    All
    Festival
    TIOSM
    Your STOs

Picture
Amy Jordan, Chapter Director
15 Circle Drive
Denison Texas 75021
TEA CPE Provider #902-342
WEBMASTER@TEXASTHESPIANS.ORG
​© COPYRIGHT 2022 TEXAS THESPIANS
​. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
CONTACT US.
  • Texas Thespians
    • Chapter Board
    • Staff
    • Our Organization
    • History
    • Hall of Fame >
      • Educator Awards
    • Contact Us
  • Events
    • State Festival >
      • 2022 Award Winners
    • Virtual Thespy and College Auditions 2022 - 2023
    • Educator Conference
    • Leadership Academy
    • Fine Arts Admin Day
    • Junior Regional Festivals
  • Opportunities
  • I Am A...
  • Resources
    • Texas Thespians Monthly
    • Flickr
    • Educator Resources
    • Job Postings
  • Advocacy
    • Local Advocacy
    • State/National Advocacy
    • Premiere Communities
    • Student Ambassadors
    • STOs >
      • Become an STO
      • STO Bios
      • STO Blog
    • Texas Theater Scholars
    • Theatre in Our Schools Month
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • DemocracyWorks Winners
    • Advocacy Resources
  • Store